Page 56 of Curvy Desire's Second Shot

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t argue. He knew as well as I did that Jared wouldn’t stop until he was forced to. And if we didn’t act now, we’d lose our chance to end this once and for all.

The plan came together quickly,though every step felt like a calculated risk. Jared wasn’t predictable, but his arrogance was. He’d want control, want to feel like he was the one calling the shots. That was the key.

Hudson and I spent hours mapping out every detail, every possible outcome. Marco was hesitant to get involved again—he’d already gone above and beyond—but even he couldn’t ignore the chance to dismantle The Fold completely.

“You’re playing a dangerous game,” Marco said as we briefed him on the plan. “You better be damn sure you’re ready for this.”

“I am,” I said, my voice steady. “This ends here.”

Marco studied me for a long moment before nodding. “Alright. Let’s make it count.”

The trap was setin a warehouse near the edge of town, a location Marco had suggested for its isolation and limited entry points. It was the perfect stage for the confrontation we’d been building toward, and the thought of facing Jared again made my stomach churn.

Hudson stayed close as we prepared, his presence grounding me even as my nerves threatened to take over. He didn’t try to talk me out of it—he knew better. But the way he watched me, the way his hand lingered on mine when he passed me the comms, said more than words ever could.

“You ready for this?” he asked softly.

I nodded, meeting his gaze. “Are you?”

A faint smile tugged at his lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Always.”

Jared tookthe bait exactly as we’d expected. The message we’d sent him, crafted carefully to appeal to his ego, had done its job. He thought he was walking into a negotiation, a chance to reassert his dominance. He had no idea he was walking into a trap.

I waited in the center of the warehouse, the dim light casting long shadows across the concrete floor. My heart pounded as I heard the sound of footsteps echoing down the hall, and I gripped the knife hidden in my sleeve tightly. Hudson was stationed nearby, out of sight but close enough to intervene if things went south.

The door creaked open, and Jared stepped inside, his posture confident, his expression smug. He wasn’t alone—two of his men flanked him, their eyes scanning the room as they assessed the situation.

“Naomi,” Jared said, his tone dripping with mockery. “Didn’t think you’d have the guts to call me out.”

“Funny,” I said, keeping my voice calm. “I was thinking the same thing about you.”

His smirk faltered for a moment, but he recovered quickly, stepping closer. “You know, I was starting to think you didn’t have it in you. But here you are. Bold. Reckless. Stupid.”

“Bold enough to end this,” I said sharply. “It’s over, Jared. You’ve already lost.”

He laughed, the sound harsh and grating. “Lost? Sweetheart, I’m just getting started.”

Before he could takeanother step, Hudson emerged from the shadows, his gun trained on Jared. The sudden shift in theair was palpable, and Jared’s men tensed, their hands moving toward their weapons.

“Don’t,” Hudson said, his voice cold and commanding. “Unless you want this to end faster than you planned.”

Jared’s smirk faded, replaced by a glare as he looked between us. “You think this scares me?”

“It should,” Hudson said, his voice steady. “Because we’re not here to negotiate.”

“You’re bluffing,” Jared said, his tone sharp. “You don’t have the guts to take me out.”

Hudson didn’t flinch. “Try me.”

The standoff was tense,every second stretching into an eternity. But Jared’s confidence was his weakness. He wasn’t prepared for what came next.

Marco appeared at the far end of the room, his own weapon drawn, cutting off Jared’s escape route. “You’re surrounded, Jared,” Marco said, his voice calm but deadly. “It’s over.”

For the first time, I saw a flicker of doubt in Jared’s eyes. He glanced around, his mind racing as he calculated his options. “You think this is going to stop me?” he said, his voice rising. “You think this ends here?”

“It does,” I said, stepping forward. “Because you’re going to tell us everything. About The Fold. About your plans. About the people you’ve been working with.”

“And why the hell would I do that?” Jared sneered.

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