Page 28 of Curvy Desire's Second Shot

“Come on,” I said, pulling her toward the edge of the lot. “We need to regroup.”

“No,” she said, stopping in her tracks. “We need to finish this.”

“Naomi—”

“They’re planning something big, Hudson,” she said, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. “We can’t just walk away.”

I stared at her, torn between the urge to protect her and the undeniable truth in her words. She was right. If we walked away now, people could get hurt. But staying meant risking everything.

“Fine,” I said finally, my voice low and strained. “But we do this smart. No heroics.”

She nodded, her gaze steady. “I’m with you.”

We moved backtoward the warehouse, keeping low and silent. The tension between us was electric, every step calculated, every movement precise. As we reached the edge of the building, I spotted an open window near the ground.

“In here,” I said, motioning for Naomi to follow.

We slipped inside, landing in a narrow hallway lit by flickering fluorescent lights. The muffled voices from the main room were louder now, and I motioned for Naomi to stay close as we crept forward.

When we reached the doorway, I peered inside, my heart sinking at what I saw. The men were huddled around the table, their leader—a tall man with a scar running down his cheek—pointing to a map.

“We hit them here,” he said, his voice cold and commanding. “And we make sure they don’t forget who’s in charge.”

“They’re planning a hit,” I whispered, my stomach twisting.

Naomi’s eyes widened, and she grabbed my arm. “We have to stop them.”

“We will,” I said, my voice firm. “But we need more information first.”

As I turned back toward the room, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, my stomach dropping as I read the message.

“You’ve gone too far. You won’t make it to the end.”

My chest tightened, the weight of the threat settling over me like a stone. I looked at Naomi, her face pale but resolute, and felt a surge of both fear and determination.

I met her gaze, my heart pounding with a mix of fear and resolve. “No matter what happens,” I said, my voice low and steady, “we’re doing this together.”

The moment stretched between us,charged with unspoken fear and unwavering resolve. Naomi’s hand in mine was steady despite the trembling I could feel beneath her skin. Her eyes met mine, filled with determination that both inspired me and made my chest ache. I wanted to protect her from everything, but the truth was, we were already in the thick of it.

“We need to find their weak point,” I said, pulling my focus back to the task at hand. “Something we can exploit.”

Naomi nodded, her voice calm but firm. “The blueprints. If we can figure out their target, we can cut them off before they get there.”

She was right. The map on the table had to hold the key to their plan. I motioned for her to follow me, keeping low as we crept closer to the edge of the doorway. From this angle, I could make out more details—red lines crisscrossing the map, marks that looked like entry and exit points.

“They’re planning a coordinated attack,” I whispered. “Multiple locations.”

Naomi leaned closer, her breath warm against my ear. “What’s their target?”

I squinted, focusing on the faint writing near one of the marks. My stomach dropped as I recognized the name of the community center, a hub for local families. If The Fold went through with this, the damage would be catastrophic.

“They’re going after civilians,” I said, my voice low but filled with anger. “This isn’t just about us.”

Naomi’s hand tightened on my arm. “We have to stop them.”

I nodded, my mind racing. “We need a distraction. Something to draw them out.”

Her eyes met mine, a spark of determination lighting in them. “What if I?—”

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