Page 88 of Say You're Mine

"We have news," he says carefully. "About June."

My heart leaps into my throat. "Is he- Is he okay? Did something happen?"

"He's alive," Dante assures me quickly. "But... there's been a complication."

He goes on to explain, each word a dagger to my heart. June, my beautiful, broken June, subjected to more torment at Elaine's hands. Psychological warfare, designed to break his spirit and bend him to her will.

"But that's not the worst of it," Dante continues, his eyes dark with rage. "We've uncovered evidence of a larger conspiracy. Elaine's operation goes deeper than we ever imagined. She's not just manipulating people - she's creating them. Designer babies, bred for specific traits and purposes."

The room spins, nausea rising in my throat. I grip the back of a chair, my knuckles white. "What... what are you saying?"

Judith steps forward, her face a mask of grim determination. "We think that's why she's so obsessed with your baby, Cara. Why she's willing to go to such lengths to control June. She wants your child as the crown jewel of her operation."

A roaring fills my ears, drowning out everything else. My hand flies to my belly, cradling the precious life within. No. No, I won't let her. I'll die before I let that monster anywhere near my baby.

"There's more," Dante says, his voice cutting through the fog of my panic. "We've made contact with someone on the inside. A nurse named Sarah. She's been feeding us information, and what she's found... it's worse than we could have imagined."

He pulls out a file, spreading photos across the table. Women in various stages of pregnancy, strapped to beds, hooked up to machines. Clinical notes detailing genetic modifications, behavioral conditioning techniques.

And there, in the center of it all, a face I never thought I'd see again.

"Amethyst," I breathe, my fingers tracing the grainy image. She looks small, vulnerable, her eyes wide with fear and confusion. Nothing like the polished, confident woman I remember.

"She's pregnant," Judith says softly. "But the baby... it's not hers. Not really. They're using her as an incubator for one of their 'projects'."

Bile rises in my throat. I barely make it to the sink before I'm retching, my body rebelling against the horror of it all.

As I rinse my mouth, a cold, hard certainty settles over me. This ends now. Whatever it takes, whatever price I have to pay, I'm going to burn Elaine's entire fucking empire to the ground.

I turn back to Judith and Dante, my eyes blazing with a fury I've never felt before. "Tell me everything," I demand. "Every detail, every scrap of information. And then we're going to plan. Because I'm done playing defense. It's time to take the fight to Elaine."

They share a look - pride? concern? - before nodding in unison.

"Alright," Dante says, a predatory grin spreading across his face. "Let's get to work."

The next few hours are a whirlwind of information and strategy. We pour over Sarah's intel, piecing together the scope of Elaine's operation. It's vast, tentacles reaching into every level of society. Politicians, judges, business leaders - all dancing to Elaine's tune.

But every empire has its weak points. And we're going to find them all.

As dawn breaks, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold, we have the beginnings of a plan. It's risky, bordering on suicidal. But it's our best shot at bringing Elaine down and getting June back.

I stand at the window, one hand resting on my swollen belly, watching the city come to life below. Somewhere out there, June is fighting his own battles. Holding on, staying strong, waiting for me to come for him.

"Hold on, baby," I whisper, my voice thick with unshed tears. "I'm coming. We're coming. And nothing in this world is going to stop us."

I feel a presence behind me, the heat of a body not quite touching mine. Dante, his voice low and intense. "We'll get him back, Cara. Whatever it takes."

I turn to face him, searching his eyes for any hint of doubt or deception. But all I see is a fierce determination that matches my own.

"Whatever it takes," I echo, sealing the vow between us.

He nods, a flash of something - approval? respect? - crossing his face. "Get some rest," he says, already turning to leave. "We move at nightfall."

As the door closes behind him, I let out a shaky breath. This is it. The point of no return. After tonight, nothing will ever be the same.

I crawl back into bed, my body aching for sleep even as my mind races. But as I close my eyes, I don't see the horrors we've uncovered or the dangers that lie ahead.

I see June. His smile, warm and bright. His eyes, full of love and promise. His hands, strong and sure as they caress my skin.

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