Page 79 of Bozo

As I look at the chaos around us, the bodies of Dragomir's men littering the ground, I pray that this is the end of The Revenant. But there’s a niggling in my stomach telling me we’ve missed something.

As we make our way out of the compound, I hear sirens in the distance, growing louder by the second.

"We need to move," Pyro barks. "Now."

We all scatter, jumping into whichever vehicle is free at the moment. Our bikes are miles away. We came from a boat that’s left on the shore. As the vehicle I’m in speeds away from Howth, I feel the tension in my body start to uncoil. We did it. We took out Dragomir and dismantled a major part of The Revenant's operation.

But that niggling feeling in my gut won't go away. Something about this feels too easy, too clean. The Revenant has always been one step ahead of us.

Could we really have caught them off guard like this?

I push the thoughts aside as we approach where our bikes are left. It doesn’t take long until we’re riding home. Right now, all I want is to see Gráinne, to hold her in my arms and know that she's safe.

As we pull into the lot, I see her standing at the door, her arms crossed over her stomach. She's wrapped in one of my hoodies, looking small and vulnerable. The moment she sees me, she starts running.

I barely have time to dismount before she crashes into me, her arms wrapping around my neck as she buries her face in my chest. I hold her tight, breathing in her familiar scent. Christ, this woman is fucking everything to me.

"You're okay," she whispers, her voice muffled against my cut. "You're really okay."

I pull back just enough to look into her eyes. They're red-rimmed and puffy, like she's been crying. "I'm okay," I assure her, cupping her face in my hands. "It's over, Grá. It’s over."

She nods, tears spilling down her cheeks. I wipe them away with my thumbs, then lean in to kiss her softly. When we break apart, I rest my forehead against hers.

"I love you," I murmur. "So fucking much."

"I love you too," she replies, her voice thick with emotion.

I continue to hold her, needing to touch her. I hear Denis approaching. I turn to face him, keeping one arm around Gráinne.

"Good work tonight," Denis says, his voice gruff. "But we're not done yet. We've got those three prisoners to deal with, and we need to make sure we've truly cut off the head of the snake."

I nod, feeling that unease creep back in.

"You're right. We can't let our guard down yet," Pyro growls. “Wrath got the papers that fucker Dragomir had in the briefcase. He and Preach are going over them as we speak.”

Denis grins. "Get some rest. We'll regroup this afternoon and figure out our next move. Let those bastards stew for a bit."

As Denis walks away, I turn back to Gráinne. She's looking up at me, worry etched across her face.

"What is it?" she asks.

I hesitate, not wanting to worry her further, but I've promised to always be honest with her. "It's just something doesn't feel right. Taking out Dragomir was almost too easy."

Gráinne's brow furrows. "You think there's more to come?"

I nod grimly. "I think The Revenant might be bigger than we realized. Dragomir said they have operations all over Europe. We may have cut off one head, but?—"

"They might grow two more," Gráinne finishes, understanding in her eyes.

"Exactly," I say, pulling her closer. "But whatever comes next, we'll face it together. I promise you that."

Gráinne nods, burying her face in my chest again. "I was so scared," she whispers. "When I got your text, I knew something was happening. I couldn't sleep. I just kept imagining the worst."

My heart clenches at her words. "I'm sorry, Sunshine. I didn't want to worry you, but I couldn't leave without saying something."

She looks up at me, her eyes fierce despite the tears. "Next time, be honest. I'd rather know what's happening than be left in the dark, wondering if you're alive or dead."

I nod, knowing she's right. "That I can do. I may not be able to give you everything, but I’ll let you know what I can. We’re in this together."

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