Page 7 of Victorious: Part I

Nighthawk.

My star pupil from The Nest.

The bird I personally trained to be one of the deadliest assassins in our ranks.

She had been out on mission for years when Alpha and I liberated The Nest.

I sent word through secure channels.

She should have received the message, even on mission.

So why the fuck is she still working for the very assholes who stole her as a child?

Our eyes lock for a fraction of a second—emerald green meet brown—and I see the same flash of recognition. The same careful mask sliding into place to hide it. Her face is harder now, marked by years of violence. Gone is the eager young recruit who used to hang on my every word. In her place stands someone I barely recognize who has walked into hell with Javier and made a home there.

The room suddenly feels colder as the implications hit me.

If she’s here, working with the Cartel…

My gaze drifts to Livvy’s battered form, and bile rises in my throat.

Did my own protégé do this to Livvy?The thought makes me want to be physically sick.

“I see you’ve met my associate,” Javier chimes, clearly misreading my rigid posture as fear rather than shock. “She’s quite skilled at extracting information. Would you like a demonstration?”

Behind me, Livvy lets out a broken whimper that slices straight through my heart, causing something primal to ignite in my chest—a protective fury that burns away the shock and leaves nothing but cold determination in its wake.

My hands curl into fists at my sides as I fight to keep my voice steady.

No matter what history Nighthawk and I share, if she hurt Livvy, if she’s truly lost herself to these monsters, then student or not, she’s going to learnexactlywhy they calledmethe deadliest bird in The Nest.

Focusing my attention on Javier, I bring back my sassy smirk. “Did anyone ever tell you what your uncle’s last words were?” I ask, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

He leans forward, interested, though hesitation is written all over his face. “What?”

“He said, and I quote…it’s getting hot in here.” I smile sweetly. “So hot that I feel like my head could fall off. Then, word on the street is he screamed like a little bitch when his head did, in fact, fall off.”

The backhand comes fast, my head snapping to the side, but I roll with it, blood seeping into my mouth, then rolling down my chin while I let out an amused chuckle.

Worth it to see the loss of control in his eyes.

His chest puffs with his frantic breaths as he steps right up into my face, almost chest to chest. “You think this is funny?” he spits. “You haveno ideawhat’s coming.”

“Actually…” I reply, turning back to face him, swiping the blood from my lip, dropping all pretense of humor. “The only thing morepatheticthan watching your uncle die begging for his life is watchingyoutry to fill his shoes. Must be hard living in the shadow of a dead man who wasn’t worth shit to begin with. I mean, do you want to lose your head, too, because Icanarrange that?”

Behind him, Nighthawk shifts slightly, her facial expression unreadable.

But I know her stance because I taught it to her—she’s ready for violence.

I glance at Livvy—there’s fear in her one good eye but also strength. She’s holding on, refusing to break.

That’s my girl.

“I’m going to destroyeverythingyou love,” Javier hisses. “Starting withher.” He gestures to Livvy. “Then I’m coming for that club of yours. And your precious Alpha? He’s going to watch it allburnbefore I end him.”

Puffing out my chest, I flair my nostrils. “You think you’re gonna outsmart the club?”

Javier grins, his eyes narrowing on me as he takes a menacing step closer. So close I can smell whatever stinky shit he had for dinner. He leans down, looking me directly in the eyes. “I already have,mi amore.”

---