Autumn only watches me, wide worried eyes trying to stay brave for me, for herself, for Kaden. It twists something inside my chest.
I leave without another word. I need my head clear. I need to stay focused for her. For him.
I roll my neck, straighten my black suit, and head downstairs. Kian waits at the bottom, arms crossed, expression smug.
“Declan told you to wait for me, didn’t he?” I stop in front of him.
He grins. “He was afraid you’d walk in and snap John’s neck.”
I shake my head. “And you’d stop me?”
Kian huffs a low laugh. “Fuck no. I’d help.”
We walk toward the office together, not Declan’s usual one, but the one reserved for these meetings. His meeting office is almost bare, just a massive desk and a single chair. His chair. The rest of them stand, and he likes it that way. I do too. Plenty of open space if someone needs to be put down.
Kian opens the door. Silence hits immediately. Declan sits in the lone chair, in a tailored black suit, no tie, hair slicked back, legs crossed in that casual posture that always puts every man on edge. Connor stands beside him, still as a guard dog waiting for a command.
Kian closes the door and moves to stand next to me, shoulders tight, muscles coiling under his shirt. They’re all waiting for me to explode. I won’t. Not yet.
“Flynn, mate.” Christian and Tiernan step forward, gripping my hand in a firm shake and pulling me into a half hug. “Glad to hear Kaden is recovering.”
“He’s a strong bastard.” My gaze settles on Christian and Tiernan. No fear in their eyes. Only clean, honest sorrow and the kind of loyalty men bleed for.
Movement flickers at the edge of my vision. The snake finally slithers forward. Flanaghan, with Doyle shadowing him like a silent blade.
“Yeah, sorry about Kaden.” John extends his hand.
I look him dead in the eye. My shoulders roll back, spine straightening. Every muscle in my body pulls taut, the kind of quiet tension a man gets right before a fight he hopes becomes lethal. I take his hand and squeeze hard. He flinches, the tiniest crack in his mask, but he forces himself not to make a sound.
“Yeah,” I murmur, watching his gaze dart away after barely a second. He can’t hold it. Coward.
Doyle stands behind him, expression sharper. His eyes stay on mine. Then he gives the smallest nod; it’s a warning, a confirmation, a shared truth.
Fuck me.
I step back until my shoulders press against the door, grounding myself.
“Why are we here?” John asks Declan.
“Tomorrow night the Bratva and their family arrive. We need to figure all this shit out,” Declan flicks his hand between all of us, “before that.”
“Where’s the girl?” John asks, tone dripping filth. Kian’s hand snaps to my shoulder, muscles locked, pinning me in place. I don’t move. Don’t speak. This is Declan’s ground to handle, and even though every cell in my body is begging to smash John’s skull against the stone, I hold the line.
“Girl?” Declan crosses his arms.
“Don’t play stupid, Callaghan. The girl staying at Brady’s. Autumn Glass.” He spits her name like poison.
I’m one breath away from breaking his teeth for it.
“Autumn Brady, you mean,” Declan replies with a smirk.
John’s eyes don’t show surprise. He knew. That’s why he ordered the hit.
“So it’s true.” He turns to me with disgust, twisting his mouth. “You can’t marry a—slut.”
“Fuck,” Declan mutters.
I step forward exactly as Kian pulls me back. I tap his hand, a signal. He releases me. My shoulders crack as I roll them back, body coiling like a predator ready to strike, but instead I smile and walk straight into John’s space. Close enough to feel his breath hit my mouth.
