Cole scoffed and took a step forward. Big mistake—his third of the evening. Buck appeared at the bottom of the porch steps, gun now visible—not raised, just present. It was a reminder of who was in charge.
The club’s Enforcer, Hulk, rolled a bike forward slightly, with the engine growling. Another member, Duffer, shifted near the shop with his arms crossed and eyes like ice. Cole’s attention flickered around him as he realized he was outnumbered, but pride made men stupid.
He pointed at Kimi. “She stole from me.”
Kimi’s chin lifted. “I took back what was mine.” Gorgon’s gaze snapped to her in one sharp movement.
Cole’s face twisted. “You don’t get to decide what’s yours, little girl.”
Gorgon felt the last thread of patience inside him go taut. He leaned forward just slightly, letting the floodlight catch his eyes, and Cole met his stare. That was the moment that all of the swagger drained out of Cole like warmth leaving his body. His expression changed—not into terror exactly, but into stillness. It was like his mind couldn’t decide whether to fight or freeze.
Gorgon watched it happen the way he watched the weather shift. There was no emotion, just awareness. People said his stare turned enemies to stone—that was how he had gotten his nickname, but Gorgon didn’t believe in magic. He believed in fear. And he believed in the power of a man who didn’t blink, didn’t flinch, and didn’t make the first move.
Cole swallowed hard. His Adam’s apple bobbed, giving away his fear. His hands flexed like he wanted to reach for something—weapon, courage, whatever—but he didn’t. His feet stayed planted in place, like a man who had been turned to stone.
Gorgon’s voice dropped, quiet enough that it felt like it belonged only to the three of them. “Get back in your vehicle.”
Cole’s jaw worked as though he was weighing his options, but he had none. “This isn’t—” Gorgon’s stare hardened, the air between them sharpening, and Cole’s mouth snapped shut. He took one step backward, then another. Kimi’s breath shuddered out, like she hadn’t realized she’d been holding it.
Gorgon didn’t look away from Cole as he spoke again, the words measured. “You came onto Kings of Anarchy land chasing someone who asked you to stop coming after her.”
Cole’s eyes darted to Kimi. “She’s lying,” he insisted.
Kimi’s voice cut in, quiet but firm. “I’m not.”
Gorgon finally looked at her fully—really looked. There was a bruised yellow shadow on her wrist he hadn’t seen before, because it had been half-hidden under her sleeve. The way she held her arm stiff suddenly made sense, and Gorgon’s jaw tightened.
He looked back at Cole. “Leave,” he growled. Cole’s face twisted with rage, but fear kept him from stepping forward again. He spat to the side and yanked open his driver’s door.
“This isn’t over,” he snapped at Kimi.
Gorgon’s voice was ice. “It is if you want to keep breathing.” Cole froze again, and then he got in the SUV, slammed thedoor, and peeled out of the yard, the tires throwing gravel like a tantrum. The red taillights vanished into the trees. The silence that followed was thick.
Kimi stood at the base of the porch steps, shoulders still tight. She looked like she might either collapse or bolt until Gorgon stepped down from the porch—one step and then another. He stopped in front of her, close enough that she had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes. She didn’t move away, and that told him everything he needed to know about her kind of fear. It was the kind that learned to stand its ground because running never saved you.
Gorgon’s voice dropped, low and controlled. “You brought a storm to my door.”
Kimi’s throat bobbed. “I didn’t mean to,” she whispered. He studied her, searching for her secrets hidden in her eyes.
“Doesn’t matter what you meant to do,” he said. “What matters is what happens next.”
Her lips parted. “I’ll go. I just needed?—”
“No.” The word came out harder than he wanted it to, and Kimi stilled.
Gorgon watched the moment her anger tried to rise. It was a mix of pride and defiance. Her voice was careful. “You can’t keep me here against my will.”
Gorgon’s mouth curved into a smile, but he wasn’t really amused. “I can,” he said. “And I will.”
Her eyes flashed. “Why?”
Gorgon leaned in just enough that his words hit her like heat in the cold. “Because you’re standing on my land. And the man who just left seemed willing to chase you into hell. Because I can see what you’re hiding, Kimi, and it’s going to get you killed.”
Kimi’s face tightened into an unreadable mask, like she’d been punched, and it hurt like hell. Gorgon straightened, and then he lifted his hand and tapped two fingers lightly againsther collarbone—barely a touch, but it landed like a claim. It wasn’t ownership. It was protection. He was setting a boundary—a warning to the world, and he knew that his men would understand it.
“You came here thinking you were invisible,” he murmured. “But you’re not.”
Kimi’s voice was a whisper. “I’m not yours.”
