But that’s just a temporary fix.
Sergio’s mafia operates on a ledger. Her father racked up debt, and the syndicate sees Sandra as the collateral. They’re going to keep hunting. They’ll keep sending guys like Nero to idle outside her safe spaces, smoking cigarettes and waiting for her to slip up. She’ll spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder. She’ll teach our kid to flinch at the sound of a heavy diesel engine.
I’m not letting that happen.
I won’t let my Omega live in a gilded cage, jumping at shadows.
A cold resolve settles over my mind, pushing down the protective instincts running in overdrive. I know what I need to do to fix this. I have to sever the tie. I need to clear the ledger once and for all.
I carefully slide out from under Sandra, slipping a thick pillow in my place to keep her warm. The shift in the mattress is slight, but it’s enough.
Ross wakes up instantly. His blue eyes snap open, clear and alert in the dim light. I meet his gaze and give a short nod toward the door. He gets it. He taps Caleb’s arm. Caleb stirs, blinking the sleep from his eyes as he puts on his dark frames.
Within thirty seconds, the two men are moving with practiced efficiency. Caleb carefully untangles himself from Oli, pulling the comforter up over the golden-haired Omega’s shoulders so he stays deeply asleep beside Sandra.
We grab our clothes off the floor and head out into the hallway. The hardwood is freezing against my bare feet. We get dressed in the dim light of the corridor. I pull on dark denimjeans and a heavy black henley, threading my belt through the loops.
I lead them downstairs into the kitchen. The house is dead quiet. I bypass the coffee maker—we don’t have time to wait for a pot to brew. I lean against the cold marble island and look at the guys.
“I’m ending it today.” I keep my voice low so it doesn’t carry upstairs. “I caught the plates off that black SUV yesterday. I sent the numbers to an old buddy who’s a PI with old connections to the police force, and he just texted me back. Sergio’s crew is operating out of a commercial shipping depot on the outskirts of Pueblo.”
Ross crosses his arms over his chest. He leans against the fridge, his posture rigid. “Just tell us what we need to do. I’ll pull the rifles from the safe.”
“No violence.” I shake my head. “Not yet. Violence just gives Sergio an excuse to escalate. If we kill Nero, they send ten more guys to retaliate. It turns into a war, and Sandra is still the target. We cut the root instead.”
Caleb pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “You want to buy her debt.”
“I want to wipe it out.” I meet his gaze. “Her father owes Sergio twenty thousand. They see her as unpaid merchandise. We clear the debt in full, we remove their claim entirely.”
Caleb frowns, folding his arms. “Twenty grand is a lot to pull in liquid cash on short notice without triggering a bank flag.”
“The Lucky Road.”
The two of them stare at me.
“We keep an emergency surplus sitting in the floor safe in the office.” I look between them. “Clean cash. We can cover the twenty thousand without touching our personal accounts or our investments. It won’t hurt the business.”
Ross pushes off the fridge and steps right into my space. “Then we use it. We built that bar together, and we’re building this family together. She belongs to all of us. That money is for the pack.”
“Exactly.” Caleb adjusts his glasses, his expression resolute. “We handle the debt together.”
I look at the two of them. The absolute loyalty radiating from their expressions fills my chest. I reach out and grip Ross’s shoulder, giving him a firm squeeze.
“Alright.” I drop my hand. “I’ll head to the bar, grab the cash from the safe, and take it straight to Sergio’s hideout.”
Ross plants his feet, meeting my gaze head-on. “We’re going with you.”
“No.” I set my jaw, leaving no room for argument. “You’re staying here. Neither of you has military combat experience. I do. I spent years doing tactical entries and threat assessments. If I walk into a trap and don’t come back, Sandra and Oli need you. I am not leaving them defenseless.”
Ross opens his mouth to argue, but the hard truth of my words shuts him down. He nods slowly, his jaw tight. He steps forward, gripping my forearm in a firm hold. Caleb does the same on my other side. We stand there for a second in the quiet kitchen, cementing our resolve.
“Come back home, Jet.” Ross drops his hand.
“I will.”
Ross looks toward the stove, already falling into his role. “Oli is still asleep with her. When they wake up, I’ll make a big breakfast.”
Caleb pushes off the marble counter, nodding in agreement. “We’ll keep them distracted. She can’t know you went to Pueblo. At least not until you get back.”
