Knox grips my chin hard. “You’re lucky we have shit to plan, or I’d bend you over and teach that smart little ass a lesson again.”
His voice sends a shiver down my spine.
Max kisses the top of my head and lets me go.
They sit around the table with Ryker’s map, spreading out notes and scribbled directions. I hover near the couch, waiting for someone to tell me to leave.
No one does.
Maybe… maybe they’re finally trusting me again.
“He’s got a lot of men,” Dante mutters, and I swallow thickly.
They all nod, silent.
“Shouldn’t we just… stay here?” I ask, my fingers gripping my lap tight. “Make a life?”
They all look at me.
“Come here, doll,” Dante says gently, scooting his chair and patting his thigh.
I move slowly and sink into his lap. His arms wrap around me instantly.
“If this were just any group,” Knox says, eyes locking on mine, “we’d say fuck it, but this is Roman.”
“He doesn’t get to destroy our lives again,” Max snaps, slamming his fist into the table. I jump in Dante’s lap.
“Sorry, sweetheart.” Max gives me a soft smile, the rage still burning behind it.
“Max is right,” Dante says into my ear. “He destroyed us. It took everything to rebuild after what he did.”
“He took what we loved most. Erased our careers. Our purpose.” Knox looks away, jaw tight.
I reach forward and cup his chin, forcing him to look at me.
“What if you guys don’t make it?” I try to hide the sob threatening to leave my lips.
Knox leans in, brushing his lips to mine with surprising gentleness. “Then we planned it wrong. But we won’t. Every move will be calculated. Every step covered.”
“It’s what we do,” Ryker says, cocky as ever, arms behind his head, smirking. “And we’re fucking good at it.”
I try to smile, but it doesn’t last.
“If you don’t make it back, I don’t want to stay alive,”
“Don’t fucking say that.” Dante’s grip tightens, his hand sliding up to my neck, turning me to face him. “You keep fighting, Aspen. You live. You rebuild.”
Tears slip down my cheeks. I don’t bother to wipe them away.
“No…” I whisper.
“Aspen.” His thumb strokes under my jaw.
“I’ll make sure they come back to you,” Knox says, locking eyes with me.
“Them?!” I snap, slapping Dante’s hand off my throat. I stand up, furious, and slap Knox across the face.
His head jerks, cheek red, but he doesn’t look pissed. He looks… Amused.
