Page 129 of Theirs to Rule

“Absolutely,” he said without hesitation.

Elise looked up, her expression pinched with worry. “Ready for what?”

"Ty’s getting another tattoo," Kage deadpanned. "He needs moral support."

Ty’s glare was quick and sharp, but he played along, shooting Elise a cocky grin. “That’s right. It’s gonna be a tough one. Lots of tears.”

Elise giggled, and for a moment, the tension eased. It was strange, seeing Ty’s softer side emerge around her. He was still Ty—sharp edges and predatory smirks—but with Elise, therewas a gentleness that didn’t feel forced. It was the kind of balance I hadn’t expected, but one I was grateful for.

“Elise, why don’t you go put on a movie?” I suggested, keeping my voice light. “I’ll join you in a second.”

She hesitated, her gaze flicking between me and the guys before she nodded and disappeared into the theater room. As soon as the door closed, Camille took my hand.

“Are you guys sure this is the best plan? Because if this goes sideways…” Her eyes filled with tears. “Maybe you shouldn't go," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, but it cut through the tension like a blade. "You've been through enough, Ty. Stay with me.”

Ty

Camille's words hit me harder than I expected. For a brief, fleeting moment, the thought of staying, of just letting it all go and hiding away with her and Elise, was tempting. But that would be giving into a fantasy. Reality demanded action.

"I have to go," I responded, my voice steady despite the turmoil swirling inside me. "I've got debts to pay, Camille. And not just the kind you can wipe away with money or good intentions."

Her eyes searched mine, looking for something. Maybe an excuse, maybe a lie, something less tangible than the truth I was about to lay bare. "I killed someone," I reminded her, the words feeling like stones in my mouth. "And no amount of jail time or community service will ever make up for that. But I've tried, in whatever way I can. I gave most of my parents' money tothe family of the person I killed. It wasn't enough. It'll never be enough.”

Camille was silent for a long moment, processing. "And this... tonight... it's part of paying that debt? You planning to write a check to karma?”

“Something like that.” I stepped even closer, crowding her without touching her. "It's about finding out the truth about my parents. But it's also about protecting you, Elise, Dante, Kage... everyone who's been caught up in this mess. The best way to do that is to end this shit once and for all."

Her hand found mine, her grip tight. "Just come back safe, okay? All of you."

I nodded, squeezing her hand back. "We will. I promise."

She hugged me tight then did the same with Kage and Dante. I knew she was scared. So was I. But we weren’t fucking around. We had sheer numbers on our side.

Dante rode on his bike, and Kage and I took his car. When we got to Devil’s Engine, Vance, Talon, their friends and Kage’s friends were already there, their expressions grim but determined. The plan was straightforward. Get in, get the president, get out. Question him until we had the answers we needed. The risks were high, but so were the stakes. We couldn't afford to fail—not when so much depended on us getting this right.

"Remember, we need him to be coherent," Kage emphasized. "No unnecessary roughness until we get what we need."

Vance nodded. "Got it. In and out, and let's hope this bastard's more scared of us than loyal to his cause."

Talon cracked his knuckles, a clear sign he was more than ready to start.

We headed back outside and were about to split up when the sound of engines descended.

“Shit,” Dante said. "Cars and bikes. A lot of them."

Kage swore under his breath.

Vance and Talon immediately moved into defensive positions with Ryker and Declan following close behind, while Dante, Kage, and I scanned the surroundings. The quiet of the evening was shattered as a couple of cars, followed by a pack of motorcycles, sped into view.

"Rival club," Vance growled, shooting a glance towards Dante. “The ones that have been dealing drugs. Look at their logo, a buck with trees for antlers. Fucking trees.”

Shit. These bikers were working for the same organization that Camille’s dad and my parents had been mixed up with?

The vehicles skidded to a halt, surrounding us. We barely had a second to react.

"Get down!" Talon shouted, just as the night erupted with gunfire.

I couldn't make sense of it all—the chaos, the noise, the sudden silence that fell like a heavy blanket after the gunfire stopped. We were supposed to be the hunters tonight, not the prey.

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