Page 61 of Angel Lost

He’s lucky. So fucking lucky. I’ve been on edge since—

Lottie.

I shove off him, breath heaving. Around us, the Maveriks form a tight, uneasy circle, caging me in with my uncle and my allegiance.

“You banished her, Chano,” Mateo wheezes from the floor.

I snarl and press my boot to his trachea. He freezes—smart. But not smart enough to keep his mouth shut.

“I thought she had something to do with Lottie’s disappearance,” he whines.

Wrong answer, puta.

“You have concerns, you come to me. You don’t act.” I grind my heel in. He splutters, writhing like a beached whale, fingers scrabbling at my boot. His movements slow. Then stop.

I wait.Let him feel it.Then, reluctantly, I lift my foot. He sucks in a ragged breath, his face purple.

“Lorelei is no longer banished. You hear me?” My voice is low, deadly. “She, and my allegiance are here to help.”

My thoughts sharpen, cut through the haze.

Tio Mateo wouldn’t…Would he? He dared attack my Aeternum. Could he also be the reason Lottie is gone?

My tail lashes. Around me, murmurs ripple through the Maveriks.

“She’s his Aeternum, after all.”

“I like Lorelei. The boss clearly banned her for her own protection. Mateo is playing a dangerous game.”

My shoulders drop, tension bleeding into something heavier.

Then—“But his allegiance? If Cuelebre shows up, I’m promising nothing.”

Beside me, Farrell, in his Fates skirt, swallows.

Mi tios’influence is poison here.

One hand on Farrell’s tiny shoulder, the other locked around Lorelei’s waist, I stride into mi mami’s living room, my allegiance at my back. A few chosen men follow—Raff. Alairik. Deago and his dad. The ones I trust to handle this.

We bunch around the heavy, over-decorated table. Lorelei stays tucked against my side, right where she belongs.

I lay it out for them. Everything we know so far. Which is practically nothing.

Not. Good. Enough.

My demon seethes. My bones itch to shift, to let my full form tear through this useless, helpless moment. I keep it locked down—barely.

And it’s worse because Lottie chose to leave.

I smooth the crumpled note Lottie left and pass it to Lorelei, then on to the others.

Chano,

We found a way to be more. Real power—the kind that matters. We’re taking it. No one can stop us, so don’t try.

You always said the Maveriks were ours to lead. Ours. But we both know that’s changed. You have her, and she has aether. I see where this is going. Butyou don’t understand. Your Aeternum will never be enough. She’s not one of us.

This is for the gang. When we come back, we won’t just be Maveriks, we’ll be more.

---