Page 77 of Savage Loyalty

The weight of her words hit me like a punch to the chest. Axel’s expression darkened, but he stepped back, nodding tightly. “Fine. But we’re not done with this, Ryder.”

I nodded, not breaking Delilah’s gaze. “Understood.”

Axel lingered for a moment longer before turning and leaving the room. The door clicked shut behind him, and the silence that followed was thick with unspoken emotions.

Delilah’s fingers curled around mine, her grip weaker now. “You stayed,” she murmured, her eyes fluttering shut.

“I’ll always stay,” I promised, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “You and the baby… you’re my world now, kitten.”

Her lips curved into a faint smile as she drifted into sleep, her breathing steady and even. I sat beside her, the weight of everything that had happened pressing down on me. The fight wasn’t over—not with the Serpents, not with Cruz, and not with the demons in my own head.

But for now, she was safe. And that was enough.

I leaned down, pressing a kiss to Delilah’s temple. Her skin was cool under my lips, and it took everything in me to pull back. Her fingers tightened weakly around mine as if she knew I was about to leave.

“I’ll be back, Kitten,” I murmured, my voice low. “You need to rest. The doc’s here, and I won’t be far.”

Her eyelids fluttered open, and her gaze found mine, filled with exhaustion and worry. “Don’t… be gone long.”

“I won’t,” I promised, brushing my thumb over the back of her hand. “I’ve got to handle something with the clubs, but you’re my priority. Always.”

She nodded faintly, her grip loosening as her eyes drifted shut again. I stood and turned to the doc. “If anything changes, you call me.”

He nodded. “She’s in good hands.”

I stepped out of the room, closing the door softly behind me. The hallway was empty, the chaos outside muted by the thick walls of the clubhouse. Torch was waiting for me near the common room, his expression grim.

“They’re waiting,” he said simply.

I nodded, following him to the large meeting room where the Reapers and Vipers had gathered. The air inside was thick with tension, the two groups separated by an invisible line, though their glares could have ignited the walls. Cruz stood with his men, arms crossed, his jaw tight as he watched me enter.

Grim motioned for me to join him at the head of the table. I stepped into place beside him, my gaze sweeping the room. “Let’s get this done.”

Grim leaned forward, his tone as sharp as a blade. “We’re here for one thing: to settle what happens next. The Serpents are broken, but we all know it won’t stay that way. We’ve sent them a message tonight, but if we don’t handle this right, they’ll come back stronger.”

Cruz scoffed, his arms still crossed. “You think this changes anything between us? The Serpents might be our common enemy, but that doesn’t mean we’re suddenly allies.”

“Good,” I cut in, meeting his glare head-on. “Because no one here wants that. This isn’t about friendship. It’s about survival. The Serpents came at both of us, and we hit them back. Hard. But if either of us makes a move that weakens the other, we’re both done.”

Cruz’s jaw worked as he considered my words. Around him, his men shifted uneasily, their tension mirrored by the Reapers on the other side of the table.

“Let’s be clear,” Grim said, his voice steady. “This isn’t a partnership. It’s a truce. We keep our territories clean and out of each other’s business. No stepping over the line. If the Serpents make another play, we deal with it together. After that, we go back to the way things were.”

Cruz’s eyes narrowed, but he nodded slowly. “Fine. But if any of your boys so much as breathe wrong in our direction, the truce is off. No warnings.”

“Same goes for yours,” Grim replied, his tone icy. “We’re not friends, Cruz. We’re not even allies. But we’ve got enough enemies out there without turning on each other.”

The room fell silent, the weight of the agreement settling over everyone like a heavy blanket. No one trusted each other, but everyone understood the stakes. For now, it would have to be enough.

Cruz extended a hand across the table, his eyes locked on Grim’s. “Truce.”

Grim hesitated for a beat before taking it. “Truce.”

The two leaders shook hands, the tension in the room crackling like a live wire. It wasn’t peace—not by a long shot—but it was enough to hold the clubs together until the next storm came.

“Meeting’s over,” Grim announced, standing. “Get back to your men. We’ve got cleanup to handle.”

Cruz shot me a look before turning to his crew. “Let’s ride.”

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