Page 30 of Canvas’ Muse

The night continues. Stories get told, laughter fills the room, and for a few hours, we forget about the Vipers. We forget about the war. We just exist as family, as brothers and sisters, as people who chose each other.

Eden fits right in. She talks books with Ivy, medical stuff with Saint, asks Wraith about his daughter, compliments Diesel's cooking again. She's not trying to impress anyone. She's just being herself, and everyone responds to it.

"She's perfect for you," Phoenix says, appearing at my side while Eden is deep in conversation with Nora about sign language.

"Yeah. She is." I watch her laugh at something Nora said, her whole face lighting up. "I know it's fast. I know it's crazy—"

"It's both of those things." Phoenix takes a drink of his beer. "But it's also real. I can see it. The way you look at her, the way she looks at you, that's not casual. Not temporary."

"It's forever," I tell him, repeating what I told Eden upstairs.

"Forever." Phoenix nods slowly. "Then you protect her with everything you have. Because the Vipers will see her as a weakness. They'll try to use her against you."

"Let them try." My voice comes out harder than I intend. "I'll kill anyone who touches her."

"Good." Phoenix claps me on the good shoulder. "That's what I needed to hear. Because tomorrow, shit gets real. Echo found something, an apartment downtown that's been under surveillance. We think it's their lookout. We're going to pay him a visit."

"I want in."

"You're injured."

"I don't care. They shot up my studio. I want in." I meet his eyes. "I can still shoot. I can still fight. And I need to do this."

Phoenix considers for a moment, then nods. "Fine. But Saint clears you first. And if he says you're not ready, you stay here. No arguments."

"Deal."

He walks away to join Ivy, and I feel Eden's presence before she speaks.

"I’ve been hearing things… You're going after them tomorrow," she says. It's not a question.

"Yeah. We are."

"I don't want you to go." Her hand finds mine. "But I understand why you have to."

I turn to face her fully. "I'll come back to you. I promise."

"You can't promise that." Her voice cracks slightly. "You could get hurt. You could get killed."

"Then I promise I'll fight like hell to make it back." I cup her face with my good hand. "Because I meant what I said upstairs. Forever, Eden. I want forever with you. And I'm going to do everything in my power to make that happen."

She kisses me. "Forever," she whispers against my lips.

"Forever," I promise.

The party continues around us, but in this moment, it's just the two of us.

My woman. My future. My everything.

Tomorrow, we go to war. But tonight? Tonight, we're alive. We're together.

And that's all that matters.

Epilogue - Eden

Two Years Later

The ER was absolute chaos today.