Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 43456 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43456 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
“Good.” King jerked his chin at Blaze. “Burn it.”
Blaze’s expression was calm, almost serene, as he methodically placed incendiary charges. It took only minutes before the hangar began to burn. Smoke billowed dark and thick as flames devoured the equipment and records.
We wouldn't leave a single loose end—no unanswered questions, no breadcrumbs leading back to the Hounds. We would construct meticulously detailed false trails for the six lives we’d just extinguished. Digital footprints, creating fabricated conversations, travel records, and financial histories to ensure their disappearances would seem plausible. And tie up physical details—vehicles left at airports, hotel rooms booked overseas, and paper trails matching their falsified plans. Each persona would vanish seamlessly, leaving behind narratives so believable that no one would question where they'd gone or why.
This was what we did—what we specialized in. To the outside world, a couple of those six people—already loners with no family—would simply move on, take new jobs, and relocate to new cities. One would go AWOL and become nothing but a dishonorable memory. And so on for all the rest. But their reality ended tonight, in the dark flames consuming the override program. Life would continue without interruption. No one would ever search for them because there would be nothing left to find.
Within an hour, we were away from the burning hangar, watching safely from a distance. The building glowed in the distance as I uploaded all the data we’d collected to a secure dummy server Wizard had set up for this mission. I sent it all in an anonymous report to military oversight. Every scrap of evidence straight to the people who could shut Aegis down permanently.
Then I closed the computer, dropped it into a burn bag, and tossed it to Blaze. He’d make sure it was nothing but molten metal so it couldn’t be traced.
Finally, the truth was out, delivered in a way that left no room for doubt or deception. The other people responsible for this operation would pay the price. Not with a bullet this time, but many of them would lose the life they had now.
As I stood there with exhaustion finally creeping in, the weight of what we’d done settled over me. Carson’s justice had been served, the pilots’ safety restored, and Linden’s protection secured.
The only thing left was to return to her side—the woman who had unknowingly become my everything.
When I turned my bike back toward the compound, I felt lighter, as if the weight I’d been carrying had finally lifted.
I was going home. To her.
20
LINDEN
I’d been waiting for what felt like forever, curled up on the couch in the common room, staring at the front doors like they might open if I willed it hard enough. When I finally heard the first growl of an engine, I jumped to my feet.
I was waiting near the door when it swung open, and Keegan strode inside.
The exhaustion on his face made my heart hurt, but in the very best way. He and his club brothers had gone to war for me. And for my brother’s memory, too.
I launched myself at him the second he was close enough. He caught me midair, his strong arms banding around my waist, lifting me clean off the ground. My legs wrapped around his hips, and his mouth crashed against mine.
I kissed him back with everything I’d held in since he left. All my fear, love, and appreciation. He groaned against my lips, one hand fisting my hair at the back of my head and the other sliding under my butt to lift me higher.
When he finally ripped his mouth from mine, we were both out of breath.
“You’re okay,” I whispered with a sniffle.
“It’s done, little dove.” He dropped his forehead against mine. “No more looking over your shoulder.”
It was exactly what I assumed his club business was about, but the relief still made my eyes sting. “Thank you.”
“Don’t need your gratitude, baby. You gotta know I’d do anything to keep you safe.”
“I do know that.” I cupped his face, my thumbs brushing the stubble on his jaw. “It’s part of why I love you so much, Keegan. I hate that they took my brother from me, but I’m so lucky the path I took after Carson’s crash brought me to you.”
He kissed me again, and when he pulled back, he gave me the words I needed to hear. “Love you too, little dove. So fucking much.”
“About damn time you told her,” Kevlar called.
Keegan shot his club brother an irritated look. “Go kiss your woman and leave me and mine alone.”
“Wasn’t giving Linden shit.” Kevlar shook his head with a chuckle. “That was all for you.”
“What-the fuck-ever,” Keegan grumbled before striding across the room to head upstairs.
Once we were alone with the door shut behind us, he set me on my feet to cross over to the closet. When he came back out, he was carrying a smaller version of his leather vest.