They talk over one another, yelling. It’s all the same. They’re weak words from weak men, empty threats they’ll never be able to carry out. I tell myself that, and then I tell them what I think.
“You knew,” I say loudly, over all of them.
They stop arguing and shut their mouths, finally, glaring at me. I look over their faces and don’t find anything particularly interesting—these are men I’ve seen before, men who never gave a shit about me.
I don’t feel sorry for the decision I’ve made.
“You knew my husband was treating me like shit,” I continue. “You knew he abused me, fucked other women. None of you lifted a finger to defend me. How could I ever trust you?”
They’re predictably silent.
I know none of them care. If they were in the same situation again, they’d take their power and their security over anything else. They’d allow a woman to be abused if it meant they had a place in power. They don’t care.
“You’re out,” I repeat slowly. “If you’re smart, you’ll find a new city to do business in. But if you stay in Boston, you’d better keep your head down.”
They glare at me, the fire in their eyes searing. I know they’d kill me if they could, or at the very least drug me into submission. They’d do just what Dmitri did just to have my power.
But despite this tension, despite the anger, these men know they could never act.
I don’t just have the power of Dmitri’s holdings. I have an alliance with the O’Reillys. There’s nothing any of the old Ravens can do.
They have no way to fight back against me. All they can do is accept what I’ve done, take their lot, and leave.
So they do.
I watch the men go one by one, and I know it’s not over. Some of them will stay, others might come back. They’ll always remember this. Some of them might remember it too clearly.
But no matter what comes of this, I have the strength now to fight.
And I have Connor.
“We’ll help you build your organization into something powerful again,” Lachlan says quietly.
I turn to look at him. Despite not being related to Connor by blood, they have the same aura of power. I like that about Connor, and it’s nice to see it in Lachlan. He seems like he’s used to being an older brother.
Aiden nods, still watching the other men go. “It will take time, but that’s a promise we’ll keep.”
Connor’s hand reaches for mine and as soon as I hold it, I feel the world center itself again. The relief that floods me is immediate.
He smiles when he looks at me. “It’s yours now.”
CHAPTER28
Connor
In the days after the meeting, it feels like something clicks into place.
The goal was always for Willow to take control of the Raven Syndicate. I always hoped she’d be able to grow into the role, although I had my doubts in the beginning. There was a time when it seemed impossible. After everything Willow had suffered, I wondered if it wasn’t better for her to just try to step away from it all for good.
That’s no longer the case.
In the time since she decided to work on reshaping the syndicate, she’s grown. Being in control is still new to her, and there are still moments when she’s uncertain. But confidence looks good on her, and she’s starting to grow into it more.
It doesn’t feel like we were married haphazardly at the worst moment in her life anymore. It feels like I have a wife I would kill to protect beside me, a woman capable of handling her business and shaping her organization into just what she wants it to be.
We haven’t slowed down, either. There’s no lack of passion between us. We’ve fucked everywhere in the house by now, in nearly every way possible.
What started as slow and careful sex has turned into everything either of us ever wanted. It’s even getting to the point where Willow will sometimes initiate, her hands wandering toward my belt or her legs sliding open as she pulls me closer.
