I lower my voice.“You’re staying inside tonight.”
She shakes her head.“I won’t hide in my room, Savage.”
“This isn’t negotiable.”My voice holds a warning I know she won’t heed.
“You’re right,” she says calmly, “it isn’t.I told you, I won’t hide and you know me well enough to know you can’t keep me locked up.”
We stare at each other, tension sharp and dangerous.Saint clears his throat pointedly and I exhale slowly.
“Fine,” I say.“But you’re not allowed to go anywhere alone.”
“Never,” she replies.
****
Night falls but darknessdoesn’t come.It never does with the Strip in the distance, a million lights keep the night sky bright.The city doesn’t know what is happening beneath the surface.That’s the illusion wars rely on.
I stand on the roof, staring out at Vegas, lights blazing like nothing matters.
Raven joins me, silently standing beside me.
“They’re going to bleed,” I say after a while.
“Yes,” she agrees.“But not before they try to break something else.”
“I won’t let them touch you.”
“It’s not just about me.”She turns and looks at me, her expression steady, “and even if it was, you can’t promise that.”
“I know.But I also know that I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.”
She steps closer, voice low.“You can’t protect me from this war by hiding me, Savage.The only way to protect me is by ending it.”
That lands harder than any blow by any man before.She’s right, but I won’t admit it.Below us, engines rev and the club aligns again, not out of habit, but with lethal intent.
Cherry is alive.Ghost is fighting.And the cartel has just proven they understand exactly where the fault lines are.They won’t make that mistake again but neither will I.
Because when quiet fails, leadership doesn’t get to hesitate.It needs to decide the next move.And tonight?I’m done choosing restraint.
