Trevan and Phoenix came to stand beside me.
“You good?” Trevan asked. Concern twisted in his brow.
“Yeah. I’ve been waiting a long, long time for this.”
I failed twice at trying to end them in the past, but this time, our only choice was seeing it through.
“And what are we going to do about the girl and Dereck?” It came as shrapnel from Phoenix’s mouth.
Protectiveness bound every inch of me, and I wanted to lay it out. Tell him exactly what I had planned. It was fucking painful to muster the lie. “We’re going to do exactly as planned. He keeps his end of the bargain, and he walks.”
I couldn’t bring myself to specifically mention Brinley.
Speculation traipsed across the dark lines of his face. “I don’t trust him, Prez. I think you’re making a mistake.”
I exhaled a sharp breath, and I delivered the words low and hard. “I made the deal, so the deal stands. Don’t fucking question it.”
I didn’t normally rule with a heavy hand, and I considered Phoenix one of my closest friends, but I couldn’t entertain what he was clearly suggesting.
I didn’t deal in betrayals, especially not when it had brought Brinley to me.
Phoenix’s tattooed hands curled into fists, so clearly trying to temper what he wanted to say. His jaw worked overtime before he gritted, “Understood.”
Then he turned on his heel and stormed out. I blew out a sigh, and Trevan squeezed my shoulder. “Tensions are high, brother. Don’t fret. It’s all gonna work out exactly as it should.”
I scraped a palm down my face. “Terrified I’m leading my crew to their deaths.”
“Of course, you are, which is why every single one of them will follow you into battle. Now get your ass out there and share a drink with your men.”
I gave him a tight nod, then followed him out into the dusky hollow of the hall.
Music vibrated the walls, but it was the frenetic energy blistering the air that singed across my skin.
Awareness thrummed through my veins as Trevan pushed out in front of me and into the bar.
I shouldn’t have been surprised to find Elena and Brinley there.
Two of them dressed up for a party, though looking so out of place. Standouts from the rest of the women who pranced around.
Even though we had Church, women had been permitted tonight, knowing the men needed to indulge in that type of revelry before we set out on this mission tomorrow.
It didn’t matter how many times I looked at Brinley. Every time, my guts tangled.
Wild curls around her. Wearing that same short, satin skirt that was baby blue and hemmed in beige lace that she’d worn the first morning to the office.
Legs so fucking long, especially with those nude pumps.
A stunner walking around on my property.
The fucking sun that had risen on my life.
I could barely fucking breathe.
Trevan leaned in close to my ear and muttered, “I don’t know who the fuck you think you’re fooling, I just hope you give up trying to fool yourself.”
I’d given that shit up days ago, but I couldn’t tell him.
Not yet.
