Page 36 of Saving Meri

Bear wiped the blood from his nose, blinking as he straightened. “That make you feel better?”

Archer shook out his fist, his jaw tight. “Not really.” His eyes flicked past Bear to where Meri stood behind him, gripping the hem of his shirt. His expression hardened.

Bear stepped between them. “Don’t.”

Archer’s nostrils flared. “Don’t what? Don’t be pissed that my sister has been wrapped up in this while you…”

“I’m not going to stand here and justify what’s between us,” Bear cut in, his voice low, measured. “You know me. You know exactly what I am. And you know she’s safer with me than anyone else on the goddamn planet.”

Archer exhaled through his nose, his body vibrating with barely contained emotion. But he didn’t argue. Because Bear was right.

Fitz clapped his hands once, pushing off the doorframe. “Alright, now that the obligatory ‘big brother punch’ is out of the way, can we get to the part where we kill DeLuca?”

Bear nodded, wiping the last of the blood from his nose. “What do we know?”

Archer locked eyes with Meri, assessing her before finally stepping further into the loft. “He’s moving faster than wethought. We got word that he’s pulling out of Chicago, moving his operation.”

Meri’s breath hitched. “Where?”

“Somewhere outside of the city,” Archer answered, voice clipped. “We don’t have the exact location yet, but we will soon.”

Bear narrowed his eyes. “We don’t wait for him to come to us.”

“No, we don’t,” Fitz agreed. “We take the fight to him.”

Meri shifted. “How?”

Bear turned to her, gripping her chin between his fingers. “We need to make DeLuca think if he delays, he still has a chance to take you back.”

Meri’s lips parted, realization dawning in her wide eyes. “You want to use me as bait.”

“No,” Bear corrected. “I want him to think he’s got an opening.” He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, his voice dark with promise. “I’d never put you in real danger. But we know how bad he wants you. I suspect the buyer he promised you to will kill him if he fails to deliver. We make it look authentic enough that he takes the bait.”

Archer muttered a curse, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “This is a bad idea.”

Fitz grinned. “All the best ones are.”

Bear’s grip tightened just enough to make sure Meri was still with him. “This is your choice, little one. You in?”

She hesitated, just for a second. Then she squared her shoulders. “I trust you.”

Satisfaction settled deep in Bear’s gut.

“Good,” he murmured. “Because by the time I’m done, DeLuca won’t be a problem anymore.”

Meri’s pulse fluttered against his fingers, but she didn’t argue. She knew.

Bear turned to Fitz and Archer. “Get the team together. We end this.”

Fitz nodded, already pulling out his phone. Archer hesitated for half a second before stepping past Bear, grabbing Meri in a quick, fierce hug.

“You good?” he asked against her hair.

She let out a shaky breath. “Working on it.”

Archer held on a second longer, then released her, stepping back with a nod. “Let’s get this bastard.”

Bear watched Meri as she processed what was happening, the way her hands clenched at her sides, the way her chin lifted slightly. She wasn’t running. She wasn’t breaking. She was ready.

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