Page 74 of Victorious: Part I

They all widen their eyes, realizing for the first time why we’re here, then move to their positions with practiced efficiency. Maverick catches my eye as he passes, giving me a reassuring nod from brother to sister.

As much as Alpha’s losing his shit over this, I guess I didn’t take into consideration how my little brother would be feeling about me stepping into a room with a fellow assassin too.

“Ready?” Alpha asks, distracting me from my running thoughts.

I take a deep breath, centering myself. “Ready.”

We move toward room 118, Alpha a half-step behind. When we reach the door, I raise my hand to knock but pause, a slow smile crossing my face. “She already knows we’re here,” I murmur.

Alpha tenses beside me. “How?”

“Because I would,” I reply, then knock three times, pause, then twice more—a pattern from our training days.

The door opens immediately. Nighthawk stands in the doorway, her face expressionless. She’s in all black—leather jacket, leather pants, fingerless gloves, and heavy boots. She’s still in bird mode, the only exception, her red hair hangs in loose waves around her shoulders rather than tied back like is customary. She’s already starting to let go of regulations. Her dark eyes stand out against her pale face, flick briefly to Alpha, then back to me.

“Blue Jay,” she says, her voice soft but steady. “You took your damn time.”

“I’ve been busy,” I reply, matching her tone. “Club’s had some shit to deal with as I’m sure you’re aware. You gonna let us in, or am I wasting my time?”

Nighthawk continues to eye Alpha up and down. “You need a bodyguard? That’s not the Blue Jay I know?”

Alpha tries to hide his chuckle while I shake my head. “Not my bodyguard. If anything, I’m his—”

“Will you stop eluding that I’m a damn pussy! I can fucking handle my own,” Alpha grumbles.

Grinning, I raise my hand to placate him. “Of course you can.” I turn to Nighthawk and nod. “He can.”

She raises her brow, looking him up and down again, then steps aside. “You two are weird together. I like it,” she chimes, waving her hand through the air, gesturing for us to enter the sparse motel room.

I reach out for Alpha, sliding my arm against his, and we walk inside the room. The bed is neatly made, and there are no personal belongings visible. Just a duffel bag by the bathroom door and a laptop on the desk.

She closes the door behind us, then moves to the opposite wall, leaning against it, her arms folded across her chest. “I see you got my message,” she states matter-of-factly.

“Peace and freedom,” I translate. “Bit on the nose, don’t you think?”

The ghost of a smile crosses her face. “I needed to be sure you’d understand.”

Alpha remains by the door, arms crossed, watching our exchange with guarded curiosity. Nighthawk’s eyes drift to him again, clearly assessing him, calculating the risks.

“This is Alpha,” I tell her. “President of LA Defiance MC.”

She snorts out a mocking laugh. “I know who he is,” she replies evenly. “I studied all of you after…” she trails off, and something flickers across her face—regret perhaps.

“After Livvy,” Alpha finishes for her, his voice tight.

Nighthawk meets his gaze unflinchingly. “Yes. After Olivia Landry. My target.” She turns to me. “I didn’t know what Javier was planning. I had my mission for that day, and I carried it out. But thenyouarrived, throwing everything into a spin, and by the time I realized what was happening, it was too late.”

“But, you helped us escape,” I remind her.

She tilts her head. “I made a calculated choice.”

“And now?” Alpha asks, stepping forward from the door. “What choice are you makingnow?”

Nighthawk looks between us, and for the first time, I see uncertainty in her eyes. Her breathing hitches just a fraction. Enough for me to notice the anxiety racing through her veins. “I don’t know what’s happening anymore, Blue Jay. I tried to contact Crow and Vulture at The Nest, but all I got was crickets. I tapped into security feeds for the facility… it’s all fucking gone. The Cartel isdifferent. Javier certainly isn’t Rico. He doesn’t follow the same rules. Sure, I’ve been deep in mission for a while now with Javier, and when on mission, we tune out, but I feel like I’m in the fucking Twilight Zone right now.”

“That’s why I’m here,” I placate her. “We need your help. And I’m pretty sure you need ours too.”

Her eyes continue to shift from Alpha and back to me. “How’d this all happen?” she asks, waving her hand between Alpha and me.

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