Page 124 of Gambler's Conceit

Caleb meets my eyes. “Seven… I have vast resources. Let me worry about the consequences of this. I will kill this man, and anyone else they send after you. I will make sure they know that you don’t belong to them anymore. You’reours.”

My mouth is dry as I stare at Caleb, as I try to steady myself with Havoc’s arms around me, with Vortex glaring down so hatefully at Raymond. “But I’m not,” I say hoarsely. “I will always belong to them. They’re… They’re my…”

Havoc hugs me tighter. “If I was willing to go against the fucking military leadership, you can fucking bet your ass I can handle some mafia wannabes. They don’t get to claim you, Seven.”

“But they’re my family,” I whisper, tears stinging my eyes.

Raymond’s wild laughter sounds in the room, but everything else is silent for a long moment.

“What do you mean, they’re your family?” Havoc asks unsteadily. I can feel his breath against my ear, but his arms are still warm and tight around me.

Vortex grimaces, but he doesn’t seem to need an explanation. He glances at Caleb, and they share a look.

I don’t answer Havoc.

I can’t.

“Just make it quick,” I whisper, bile rising up in my throat.

Caleb nods and gets up. He walks over to Raymond and gets behind him.

This is why the tarp is here.

“You’re going to regret this,” Raymond barks.

Caleb smirks. “I will not.”

He pulls the trigger. The gunshot is so loud, and I shrink into Havoc’s arms. My eyes blur with tears, and I turn around, pressing my face against his shirt.

He smells like blood and sweat, but I can’t bring myself to pull away from him. I just want his arms to stay tightly wrapped around me, to feel safe.

I hear Vortex and Caleb talking quietly behind me, but I’m only focused on Havoc.

“He can’t hurt you anymore,” Havoc whispers as he rubs my back. “He can’t take you from us.”

“Buttheycan,” I whisper back, tears spilling from my eyes. “And they will. It… It doesn’t matter what Caleb says. They’re powerful, Havoc. And I don’t know what will happen when they get their hands on me again.”

Havoc cups my face and gives me the fiercest look. “I don’t give a fuck how powerful they are, Seven. If it comes down to it, we’re crossing into Mexico and I will personally kill everybody who so much as looks at you.”

Caleb scoffs. “You’ll fight off all of the cartel allies they have? No. Seven is safer here, where we have more resources and a better network.” He walks over to us and stands beside Havoc. “I promise, Seven, that I had nothing to do with today’s events. Grant wanted to hurt us, and he found leverage to do so.”

Arms come around me from behind again, and I recognize them as Vortex’s. “Wewillkeep you safe.”

“But I don’t…” The tears come quicker, faster. “I can’t stand being locked up all the time. I just can’t.”

They all glance at each other, sharing information in that one look.

They’re deciding my fate.

It’s never up to me. I don’t get to choose what I want.

Maybe I’ll end up going back, or maybe I’ll stay here, but either way, it’s not my choice.

“We’ll figure something out,” Caleb says slowly. “The casino should be safe enough for now. But we can’t count on them not trying again.”

“They will,” I say quietly. “Now that they know where I am…” I shudder, biting my bottom lip. “They’re never going to let me go.”

Caleb tilts my face toward him. “Then I’ll just have to remove their limbs, one by one, so they can’t grab you anymore.”

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