“No.” I shake my head. “If you had chosen me, you would’ve told me the truth a long time ago.”
She reaches for me. “Karmen, please.”
I pull back, shaking my head. “I’m done living in the dark,” I say quietly. Her eyes fill with tears. I don’t look away. “And I’m never going to let you drag me back into it. Secrets and lies built this family, but they’re not going to destroy me or rob me of the happiness I truly deserve.”
Without another word, I shut the door on my mother and my past for good.
It’s strange how much can change in fourteen days. The case against Ashford exploded the moment the task force released the indictments. Every news outlet in the country has been running the story on a loop ever since—corruption, money laundering, conspiracy. His face has been plastered everywhere, his reputation shredded in real time, and that alone is justice enough. He’s still sitting in federal custody, awaiting formal charges, and every day, more witnesses have come forward, his empire crumbling piece by piece.
As for Salazar and his brother, their day is coming. A monster like that can’t be taken down easily. It takes a lot of planning and patience, but we already have the chess pieces in place. It’s only a matter of time before justice is served.
Karmen has been caught in the center of the fallout. Her mother’s cooperation bought her some leniency, but the betrayal still cut deep. I’ve watched Karmen navigate the wreckage of her family with a kind of quiet strength that humbles me. Some days she’s steady, focused, and determined, and others… I catch her staring off into nothing, grief and anger flickering beneath the surface. She doesn’t always talk about it, but she doesn’t have to. I see it. I feel it.
She moved into the cabin with me after everything went down. We’ve been staying here ever since to avoid the media andreporters camping outside both of our apartments. And in the days since, something has shifted between us. We’ve always had explosive chemistry. We’ve always had trust, but now there’s something new between us. Something deeper.
Something permanently rooted between us.
Forever.
And now, sitting across from Reid at my kitchen table, having flown in last night to tie up more loose ends on the case, I can’t help thinking that everything in my life has been completely rearranged—broken apart and rebuilt into something stronger.
Bigger.
“Have you decided if you’re going back yet?” he asks, taking a drink from his cup of coffee.
After reviewing all the evidence and clearing me of any charges, the department reinstated my position, but the thought of returning doesn’t feel right.
“I don’t know. Part of me wants to. I miss my guys, I miss some aspects of the job, but another part of me, a much larger part, feels like I should be doing more, you know?”
I exhale a long breath.
“But everything has changed, including me. I want to make more of a difference, and I want to work with people I can trust with my fucking life.”
Reid nods, clearing his throat. “I was hoping you’d say that because there’s something I want to talk to you about.”
I lean back, bracing myself. “What’s up?”
“I think it’s time to start the family business.”
Reid mimics my posture, studying me as he lets his words sink in. For a moment, I stare at back, his declaration hitting harder than I expected. My brothers and I have tossed the idea around for years—going independent, operating by our ownrules, abiding by our own code.
“The last line of defense,” I say, steel in my voice.
“Just like we always talked about,” he smiles. “After everything that happened with you, we all agreed it’s time.”
I exhale slowly, excitement thrumming through my veins. “I’ll need to talk to Karmen, but you know I’ve been on board since day one.”
“Talk to me about what?” Karmen’s soft voice floats from the kitchen doorway.
Even wearing something as simple as blue jeans and a white fitted T-shirt, she takes my breath away. Her long hair is pulled back in a ponytail, glasses perched on her nose as she walks deeper into the kitchen.
I stand, pulling out a chair for her. “Sit. I’ll make you a cup of coffee.”
When I set the mug in front of her, she wraps her hands around it, takes a careful sip, and looks between us. “All right,” she says. “What were you two talking about?”
Reid and I explain everything—the years of planning, the vision, the mission. She listens without interruption, her keen eyes sharp as she absorbs every detail.
When we finish, the room goes quiet.
