She’s barking.
Her bite is gone.
There’s nothing she can do anymore.
Still…when I get home later, I’ll mention it to Mike. Just in case. He’ll probably go into full protective-warrior mode again.
My phone buzzes a second time.
I glance down at the screen—and my entire mood shifts.
This one is from Mike.
I forgot to tell you I love you so much. But don’t worry. When you return home, I’ll show you.
A laugh bubbles out of me before I can stop it.
I shake my head, setting the phone down on the console.
Does this man ever get tired? No.
And I never want him to.
Chapter 32 – Mike
You chose love over power. Let’s see how long it lasts.
I stare at the message on Ellie’s phone that evening and roll my eyes.
Of course it’s her.
For a moment, the words sit there between us, glowing on the screen like they’re supposed to mean something—like they’re supposed to push us into a spiral.
Months ago, they might have.
Now?
Not so much.
I’ve learned something through all of this. Some enemies don’t exist as people anymore. They exist as ideas. As philosophies.
I hand the phone back to Ellie.
“Don’t worry about it,” I tell her calmly. “She’s bluffing.”
Ellie leans against the kitchen counter, crossing her arms as she reads the message again.
“If she resurfaces properly,” I continue, “she’ll end up in prison before she even gets close to us. The investigations are still ongoing. The authorities are already dismantling what’s left of her network.”
Ellie scoffs softly. “I’m not afraid of her.”
There’s steel in her voice when she says it.
And I believe her.
This woman faced down an entire criminal syndicate and walked away with her mind—and her brilliance—intact.
Fear doesn’t own her anymore.
