Page 103 of Say You're Mine

"June." Judith's voice is gentle, a stark contrast to her usual sharp tone. "I know you want to burn it all down. Believe me, I get it. But we have to be smart about this. One wrong move, and Elaine wins. For good."

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. She's right. Of course she's right. But God, the thought of Cara out there, thinking I'm dead or worse, kills me.

"Can I at least call her?" I ask, hating the pleading note in my voice. "Let her know I'm okay?"

Judith hesitates, then shakes her head. "Not yet. We don't know who might be listening. But soon, I promise."

I want to argue, to rage against the unfairness of it all. But I swallow it down, lock it away with all the other poisonous things festering in my chest.

"Fine," I grit out. "Then tell me the plan. How do we take Elaine down?"

Judith's smile is a thing of terrible beauty. "Oh, brother mine," she purrs. "I thought you'd never ask."

The plan, when she lays it out, is breathtaking in its audacity. We're not just going after Elaine. We're going to dismantle her entire empire, brick by bloody brick.

Financial records, leaked to the right people at the right time. Whistle-blowers, coming forward with tales of corruption and abuse. And at the center of it all, the smoking gun - proof of Elaine's involvement in human trafficking and illegal experimentation.

"It's not going to be easy," Judith warns. "Elaine's got her hooks in deep. Police, judges, politicians - she's got half the city in her pocket."

"Then we go over their heads," I say, an idea taking shape. "Straight to the feds. The kind of shit Elaine's into, it's got to be crossing state lines. That makes it federal jurisdiction."

Judith's eyebrows raise, a look of grudging respect on her face. "Not bad, little brother. Not bad at all. But we're going to need ironclad proof. The kind that'll stand up in court."

I think of Sarah, of the risks she's taken to help us. Of Amethyst, wherever she is, whatever hell she's going through.

"We'll get it," I promise, steel in my voice. "Whatever it takes."

Judith nods, satisfied. "Good. Because once we start this, there's no going back. Elaine will come at us with everything she's got."

"Let her come," I growl, a feral grin spreading across my face. "I'm done hiding. Done running. It's time Elaine learned what happens when you fuck with a Deveaux."

"That's my boy," Judith says, pride evident in her voice. "Now, let's go raise some hell."

The next few days are a whirlwind of activity. Judith and I work around the clock, piecing together the puzzle of Elaine's empire. Every lead we follow, every stone we overturn, reveals new horrors.

The breeding program is worse than we imagined. Dozens of women, held captive and used as surrogates for Elaine's twisted experiments in genetic engineering. The thought of it makes me sick, makes me want to burn the whole fucking world down.

But we can't move yet. Can't tip our hand until we have everything in place.

It's killing me, being away from Cara. Every night, I lie awake, staring at the ceiling, imagining her alone in our bed. Is she sleeping? Crying? Does she hate me for putting her through this?

On the fourth day, Judith finally relents.

"One call," she says, holding out a burner phone. "Two minutes, max. And for fuck's sake, be careful what you say."

My hands shake as I dial the number, my heart pounding so hard I can barely hear the ring over the rush of blood in my ears.

One ring. Two. Three.

"Hello?" Cara's voice, wary and tired, comes through the line.

For a moment, I can't speak. Can't breathe. The sound of her voice, even tinny and distant through the phone, is like coming home.

"Cara," I finally manage, my voice cracking on her name. "It's me."

A sharp intake of breath, then silence. For a heart-stopping moment, I think she's hung up.

"June?" Her voice is barely a whisper, thick with disbelief and something that might be hope. "Is it really you?"

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