Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 41825 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 209(@200wpm)___ 167(@250wpm)___ 139(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41825 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 209(@200wpm)___ 167(@250wpm)___ 139(@300wpm)
I took a breath, forcing the icy rage simmering beneath my ribs into careful, controlled words. “We need to talk, Hadley.”
She sat up quickly, pulling the blanket around herself like a protective shield, her pretty eyes wide with alarm. Her lips pressed together as she reached instinctively for my hand. The fact that she immediately leaned into me, trusting me without thought, hit me harder than I expected. I tightened my grip, grounding both of us for the truth I was about to lay out.
I didn’t sugarcoat a damn thing. I told her everything Jax had uncovered—he’d confirmed everything I’d told her before. Then I told her what his call had been about this morning. Each word was delivered carefully but unflinchingly, leaving no doubt about the stakes we were facing.
She listened silently, her face pale but composed, absorbing each revelation with the kind of quiet strength I’d come to recognize. When I finished, I watched her closely, waiting for her to pull back, to question me, or to crumble beneath the weight of it all.
Instead, she leaned toward me, her hands squeezing mine as she steadied herself.
“I trust you,” she whispered, her voice clear and unwavering despite the fear flickering in her gaze. “Whatever you think we need to do, I’ll do it. I know you’ll keep me safe.”
The raw vulnerability in her trust cracked something deep in my chest. I pulled her close, pressing my lips to her forehead, breathing her in and committing myself to never fucking letting her down. “Damn right I will.”
The following day, my nerve endings were on high alert, my muscles tight and ready. The compound buzzed with tense energy, brothers moving with lethal purpose as we planned and prepared for the threat we knew was coming. I’d barely stepped out of the war room when Jax’s call came through again, dark urgency threading his voice.
“They made a move,” he bit out sharply. “Intercepted comms—they’ve officially put out a hit on Hadley. They’ve hired someone. Cage, it’s no longer wait-and-see. We’ve got to act first.”
My vision darkened, and the raw fury that surged through me was so intense it left me momentarily speechless. “Understood. I’ll handle it.”
I found Kane and Edge immediately, pulled them into the office, and laid it out with ruthless efficiency. We spoke quietly, strategizing in terse, clipped sentences. The room vibrated with quiet intensity, the lethal precision of men who’d spent years facing down threats and always coming out on top. There was no doubt or hesitation. Hadley was family now—she belonged to the Redline Kings as much as she belonged to me. And nobody fucked with what was ours.
“We hit first.” Kane’s gaze was cold. “Before they even think about touching her, we take out the hitman, then dismantle their network piece by fucking piece.”
Edge nodded, his expression dark and eyes a little wild. “Agreed. They chose the wrong family to threaten. Time to send a fucking message.”
I nodded, my jaw tight as I glanced toward the lounge where Hadley sat surrounded by the old ladies. “Gonna keep her here at the compound until we’ve eliminated the threat. Complete lockdown.”
Edge nodded. “You know it’s the safest place for her.”
I flicked my chin in acknowledgment, then stalked out of Kane’s office and stepped into the nearest empty one to make another call. Hadley’s mother picked up on the third ring.
“This is Cage,” I told her gruffly.
Her voice was wary but perfectly polite as she greeted me. I wanted to roll my eyes. Even with all their disapproval and shit, she couldn’t help projecting that perfect image.
“Get your husband on the line. Not gonna say this twice.”
She was silent at first, probably debating whether to drop the act and tell me to go fuck myself, but then she murmured, “Just a moment.”
A few seconds later, Frederick’s deep voice came across the line. “What’s this about Duvall?”
“Listen carefully. We know the truth. I don’t care if it exposes you—I need every shred of information you have about the people who sold Hadley to you. Because those same motherfuckers now want her eliminated.”
Silence stretched taut, broken only by Danielle’s sharp intake of breath on the other end of the call. Then Frederick responded, his voice controlled but shaken. “We’ll send everything we have. Whatever it takes.”
“You damn well better,” I growled. “If anything happens to Hadley, there won’t be a hole deep enough for you to hide from me.”
I ended the call without waiting for a reply, turning back toward the lounge, every nerve locked into deadly focus. Hadley was mine to protect and avenge. I’d rain hell on anyone who dared to threaten her again.
When my phone rang again later that evening, I was relieved to see Frederick’s name on the screen. My jaw clenched as I answered, prepared for more empty platitudes or political maneuvering. But his voice was stripped of its usual careful polish as he began to speak.