Page 66 of Rogue’s Reckoning

We make it to our bikes just as more Hawks pour out of the building. Ignoring the burning in my arm, I kick my bike to life and tear out of there, the others right behind me. I watch as Savage uses his cell and hits the button to detonate the explosives.

The sky lights up behind us as the explosions rip through the hotel. The roar of the blast drowns out the angry shouts of the Shadow Hawks. I feel a grim satisfaction as I watch their precious new property go up in flames.

We ride hard and fast, putting distance between us and the chaos we've left behind. My arm throbs with each bump in the road, but I grit my teeth and push through the pain. This is nothing compared to what those bastards did to Sultry Saint's.

As we arrive at the clubhouse, I see Ghost waiting for us in the lot. His eyes narrow as he takes in my bloody arm.

"What happened?" he demands as we pull up.

"Just a graze," I grunt, dismounting. "Mission accomplished. That hotel won't be opening anytime soon."

Ghost nods approvingly. "Good work, brothers. But you," he points at me, "get that arm looked at. Now."

I want to argue, but the adrenaline is starting to wear off and the pain is intensifying. I let Hades lead me to the clubhouse's makeshift infirmary.

As he's cleaning and bandaging my wound, I can't help but think of Willow and Wren. Are they okay? Did they hear about the explosion? Are they worried?

"There," Hades says, taping down the last of the gauze. "Try not to get shot next time, yeah?"

I chuckle weakly. "I'll do my best."

As I leave the infirmary, I nearly collide with Willow. Her eyes widen as she takes in my bandaged arm.

"Rogue," she gasps. "What happened? Are you okay?"

The concern in her voice warms something inside me. "I'm fine, Little Flower," I assure her. "Just a scratch."

She doesn't look convinced. Without thinking, she reaches out and gently touches my uninjured arm. "You promised to be careful," she says softly.

I cover her hand with mine. "I know. I'm sorry for worrying you."

For a moment, we just stand there, connected by that small touch. Then Willow seems to remember herself and pulls away.

"Wren's been asking for you," she says, a hint of awkwardness in her voice. "She wanted to know if you were still going to play with her."

Despite my exhaustion and the lingering pain, I find myself smiling. "Of course. I never break a promise to my girl."

As I follow Willow back to their room, I can't help but feel like something has shifted between us. It's small, almost imperceptible, but it's there. A tiny crack in the walls she's built around herself.

And for the first time in a long time, I feel a flicker of hope for our future.

TWENTY

WILLOW

I watch as Rogue sits on the floor with Wren, helping her build an elaborate tower out of blocks. Despite his obvious exhaustion and the bandage on his arm, he's fully engaged with our daughter, laughing at her jokes and praising her engineering skills.

It's moments like these that make my heart ache. Seeing Rogue with Wren, it's clear how much he loves her. How much he wants to be a good father. But the fear and mistrust from our past still lingers, making it hard for me to fully let my guard down.

"Mama, look!" Wren exclaims, drawing my attention back to their creation. "Rogue helped me make a castle!"

I smile, pushing aside my conflicted feelings. "It's beautiful, Little Bird. You two make quite the team."

Rogue looks up at me, his eyes soft. "She's got a real talent for this. Maybe we've got a future architect on our hands."

As Wren begins to explain all the different rooms in her "castle," I can't help but notice how natural Rogue is with her. He listens intently, asking questions and offering suggestions.It's clear that Wren adores him, even if she doesn't know he's her father.

A knock at the door interrupts the moment. Ghost pokes his head in, his expression serious.

---