"Did you get it?" Ava asks, pulling out her earpiece. "Was it enough?"
"His admission that Castellano's death was 'convenient' combined with the financial evidence? Yeah, we've got enough to bring him in." Agent Monroe's voice comes through my earpiece. "Good work, Ms. Langley. You got him to slip."
In the lobby, chaos erupts as FBI agents flood the building, moving to secure Vance before he can destroy evidence or flee. Ipull Ava outside to where our SUV's waiting, needing to get her clear of the situation.
"You okay?" I ask once we're in the vehicle with Falcon driving us away.
"I think so. Shaking, but okay." She looks at her hands, which are indeed trembling. "He's terrifying, Mason. The way he talked about having Castellano killed like it was just business. These people, they're monsters."
"And now they're going to pay." I pull her against me, feeling her heart racing. "You did good. You got him to admit involvement."
"Did I? All I did was make him angry."
"You made him defensive. Made him justify actions he should've denied. That's more than the FBI's gotten in months of investigation." I press a kiss to her temple. "You're incredible, you know that?"
"I'm terrified and nauseous and definitely going to need therapy after all this."
"But you're alive, that's what matters."
We're back at the compound within thirty minutes, brothers gathering around to hear what happened. Ava recounts the interview, her voice getting stronger as she talks, and I watch her transform from scared civilian to fierce journalist again.
"Vance is in custody," Agent Monroe reports through a call to Falcon. "He's already lawyered up, but we've got enough evidence to hold him while we build the full case. The threat's neutralized."
"What about his people? The ones who were surveilling us?" Vulture asks.
"Being rounded up as we speak. Vance kept detailed records of his security contractors, which is going to make prosecution easier." Agent Monroe pauses. "Ms. Langley, you should know that what you did today, it's going to save lives. We've identifiedat least three other trafficking operations connected to Vance's network. You helped bring down an empire."
After the call ends, Ava looks at me with exhaustion written all over her face. "Is it really over? Can we finally stop looking over our shoulders?"
"Yeah, sweetheart. It's really over." I stand, pulling her up with me. "Come on. Let's get you upstairs. You need rest."
"I need you." She wraps her arms around my waist. "I need to feel alive after spending an hour with that monster."
"Then let's go feel alive."
In my room, we strip each other slowly, relearning familiar territory with desperate hands. When I push inside her, we're both already trembling, the adrenaline and fear and relief mixing into something explosive.
"Love you," I say against her mouth, setting a rhythm that's hard and deep. "So fucking much."
"Love you too. Always." Her nails dig into my shoulders. "Mason, I need, I can't..."
"I know. I've got you." My hand slides between us, finding her clit. "Let go. Show me you're alive."
She comes apart with a cry that echoes through the room, and I follow her over with her name torn from my throat. We collapse together, hearts racing, both of us breathing hard.
"We did it," she whispers against my chest. "We actually did it."
"You did it. I just watched and tried not to have a heart attack."
"Team effort." She props herself up to look at me. "So what happens now? We go back to normal life?"
"Define normal."
"I don't know. I finish my apartment, you do your club stuff, we figure out how to be together when we're not constantly running from threats?"
"Sounds good to me." I trace the line of her jaw. "Though I'm going to miss having you here every night."
"Who says I'm leaving? Maybe I like being here, maybe I like being close to you and the brothers." She grins. "Plus, Harrior's cooking is way better than anything I can make."
