Page 72 of Victorious: Part I

“She clearly wants out, now she knows the world outside Javier isn’t exactly as she thought. I’m sure she’s been doing a deep dive since she left the meat packing facility. Her head will be spinning. It’s why she’s reaching out to me. Waiting for me to make contact. I was her superior. Her trainer. She wants to know her next steps. But there aren’t any because The Nest doesn’t exist. At least the one we belonged to. So, we have to snatch her up before Javier finds her again.”

“Why?” Alpha snaps, clearly still in his head about Livvy.

“Because, Pres, if she’s been with Javier since he started forming this new version of the Cartel, she could have invaluable inside knowledge that wedesperatelyneed,” Loki points out the obvious argument I was trying to make.

“Exactly!”I urge.

Alpha lets out an audible groan, hops down from the desk, and begins pacing the den. His fingers move to his hair as he breathes in and out deeply, his mind clearly racing through the various scenarios this could bring into the club. He rapidly spins to Loki, his eyes narrow on the screen. “Youreallythink she could give us something valuable when it comes to Javier?”

Loki’s eyes meet mine, but I do nothing to sway his reply either way.

I want to know his true feelings.

So, he turns back to Alpha and nods. “Yeah, Pres. I think we should go as a club and bring her in—”

“No. That’s a bad call—”

“It’s not yours to make, Haven,” Alpha grunts back at me.

Snorting out a laugh, I raise my brow and place my hands on my hips. “Oh really? You want to take the club to bring in a bird, who right now has just figured out that in the time she has been on mission, theentireinstitute she worked for, grew up in, and dedicated her life to has collapsed. Thatshewas the last bird standing, andeveryone elsewas set free. That Javier kept her all to himself and is now starting a new sect of The Nest but changing thevery fabricof what we were doing to suit his own agenda? Andyouwant to go in there to a bird who’s completely spooked and risk the club by trying to‘bring her in?’You thinkthatis a good call? BecauseIthink that’s setting up your brothers out there to get their asses kicked by a trained assassin.”

He scoffs, shaking his head. “There’s only one of her. We’re an entire club. We can handle her—”

“Alpha, for the love of God, brother. Shut your mouth before you get your ass handed to you by your Old Lady,” Loki interrupts, obviously seeing the clear annoyance spreading across my face.

Alpha’s shoulders slump as he lets out a long breath, his eyes finally settling on mine. Moving to meet him, I reach out for his hand, taking it in mine. “Babe, I love you. I adore you, in fact. And I know that this isreallyfucking hard to understand why I’m going to bat for the woman who killed Livvy. It doesn’t make sense to you. I amfullyaware of that too. But right now, you need to think of the bigger picture here. That bigger picture is Javier-fucking-Rojas, and as much as you don’t like it, ourbestlead to him right now is the bird that’s been sitting on his shoulder for God knows how long. The best part about it is she wants to help us. So, let. Her. Help. Us, Alpha.”

His lip curls automatically, but I know instantly that I’ve convinced him.

Maybe even before he does.

His usual low growl echoes from his chest as he glares at me. “You aresofucking luckyI love you.”

Grinning from ear to ear, I move in, sliding my arms around him in an embrace. “It’s going to be okay. I swear to you. I wouldn’t doanythingto put you or the club in danger, especially not involve another bird with the club if I weren’t one hundred percent sure of their intentions. Trust me with this, Big Guy. I’ll go to the motel, assess Nighthawk, and then bring her back to the club once I clear her.”

Alpha grins. “There is absolutelyno fucking wayyou’re going on your own. Not that I don’t think you can handle yourself. I know you can. But I already lost someone I love to this war. There’s not a chance in hell I’m gonna do anything to risk that happening again. You can go into her motel room and talk to her, but the clubwillbe in the parking lot, watching your every-fucking-move. No exceptions, Haven. It’s this, or nothing. I willnotbend on this, sweetheart.”

A bright smile lights my face as I jerk my head back in surprise. “You haven’t called me sweetheart for ages. And generally, it was only when you were pissed off at me.”

“Iamfucking pissed off at you,” he replies matter-of-factly.

My smile widens even more, seeing right through him. “No, you’re not, you’re scared for me. And I have to say, I find that really,reallyfucking hot.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. See the shit I have to put up with?” Alpha groans at Loki.

Loki chuckles, spinning in his chair back to face his computer screen. “I am stayingwaaayout of this, Pres. You’re on your own.”

Alpha grumbles under his breath. “Fucking traitor,” he mumbles, then sighs in resignation. “All right. Let’s go bring in another damn bird.”

Loki spins back to face us, a hint of concern flashing across his face. “I’ll get the guys ready. You sure you don’t want just a small team? Maybe Montana, Ink, and South?”

Alpha shakes his head, his jaw set with determination. “No. We get our best men on this. I don’t care if it’s overkill. If this woman is as dangerous as I think she is, I want every strong brother we have watching Haven’s back.”

“I’m telling you, she’s not—”

“A threat? Yeah, I heard you the first ten times,” Alpha cuts me off, his voice softer than his words. “But humor me, okay? Just this once, please, baby.”

The look in his eyes tells me everything his words don’t.

---