Page 94 of Peaceful Chaos

"I'm glad you have all of that. I'll tell you like I told Sin when we first got here. I said what I did tonight because I needed Damien to hear it. I have been looking closer at the team I chose to watch you guys. Damien knew almost immediately I was building a case against him, and I thought one of the agents I chose sold me out. You weren't the only ones looking to make him slip up tonight."

"It was the DA," Javier speaks for the first time.

Holbrook's head swings around. "That's my suspicion, but why do you say that?"

"I can put pieces together too. This ploy," Javier motions at me, "to pin everything on Sin, it's a legal maneuver. Not something an agent, even one who went to law school would try. There's only one person, aside from yourself who has the ability to call into question his immunity agreement. I doubt this was your first idea. I'm guessing something you felt backed into?"

"Yeah, there've been whispers that an arrest was imminent, and then the case I was building against Damien disappeared. I took that to mean they were going to use the agreement against Sin."

Lucien exhales, and his shoulders relax. He's still tense, but less on guard. "Then why take him into custody if you don't agree with it?"

"Several reasons. First, like I said, I was trying to put Damien in a false sense of security to force him to reveal himself."

Lucien grunts and leans back tipping his chair on two legs. "We handled that. As usual, you're late to the party."

Holbrook acknowledges his statement with a nod. "Yeah, you did. But like I said, when the charges disappeared from Jesse's murder and that of his two accomplices, I started to suspect the DA. If they were going to let him slide with so much damning evidence—"

"That's all the evidence I need to know they're working to nullify the agreement made with Sin, Lucien, and Raven. Pinning everything on Sin accomplishes all of Damien's goals," Javier interjects.

"Yep. It gets Sin away from Raven, making her easier, in Damien's mind at least, to get to. It creates a scapegoat for Damien, and creates a scandal for Governor Whitmore to help Damien win the election," Holbrook finishes.

"Again, why are you playing into his hand?" Lucien pushes.

I sit silently listening. Holbrook's assertion that he's not my enemy keeps playing through my head, and I'm starting to think he's telling me the truth. Lucien doesn't seem to be on the same page as me though.

I let more of the pieces they're laying out connect in my mind, and it hits me with violent clarity. Shoving away from the table, my chair topples over.

"You want to use her as bait!" I shout, horrified at what seems to be shaping up.

Holbrook's expression is grim, and I know without a doubt I've nailed his plan.

"Sin," he says, holding his hands in front of him. "She's a target no matter what we do. If we can control the environment, prepare her, we can bring him down. You've already set the groundwork by isolating him. Now it's time to slide into the shadows and get the job done. I don't like this either, but I think it's the only play. If he hunkers down at his estate and without a warrant, we'll be forced to wait him out."

Lucien chuckles. "That's not going to happen."

I sniff the air. "Why do you both smell like a campfire?"

Javier and Lucien exchange a look. Lucien shrugs and says, "Raven."

There are so many questions, but knowing my wife my guess is she torched the house where all my worst experiences took place.

"Okay," I draw out. "She burned down the house, didn't she?"

A large smile spreads across Lucien's face. "In a rain of fiery arrows. My sister is a badass."

A sinking feeling hits my stomach. I don't know what Holbrook means by using her as bait, but I can see she's gained the respect of her brother and my uncle. They're going to be more willing to let her take chances they wouldn't have before.

"Yeah, she's pretty remarkable, but that doesn't mean she needs to be bait," I insist.

Javier's mouth turns down. "I don't think bait is the right term. We aren't going to risk letting her go in alone, but she does make Damien slip up. She's going to have to be involved, or spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder."

"Luce?" He's my only remaining ally. He'll see how colossally stupid this idea is. He's nearly as ardent as I am about Raven's safety.

His eyes drop to the table, and I know I've lost. "Not you too," I whisper.

He shakes his head. "I fucking hate this idea, but we at least owe her the conversation and let her make a decision. She's not weak, Sin. We need to respect her as one of us."

My eyes narrow. "You know what she'll say."

Lucien frowns. "Yeah, I do. But we promised her we wouldn't shut her out again."

"She really burned down the house?" I ask.

He unlocks his phone and turns it around. "I recorded it for you. It's fucking beautiful."

Watching the gothic structure erupt in flames brings a smile to my face.

---