Page 68 of Torgash

"Santos needed backup. And Knox needed to focus on anything besides feeling guilty."

"Fine. But why aren't we out there looking for her?" Diesel snaps. "She's already got hours on us, probably halfway to—"

"Atlanta." The words come out sharp. "She went home. Not hard to figure out."

Diesel's expression shifts, hearing something in my tone. "So we ride. Be there in two hours, drag her ass back here for answers."

My spine goes rigid, every muscle in my body screaming to do exactly that. To fire up the bike and beat pavement until I'm standing in whatever shithole apartment she's hiding in, demanding to know why she couldn't trust me with this. Why, after everything we'd shared, she had to shut me out of this.

My beast wants blood. Wants answers. Wants to hunt her down and drag her back where she belongs.

But that's not what she'd want. And maybe that's the point. She made her choice, and now I have to make mine. Let her go, or become the monster who drags her back into a mess she sacrificed everything to escape.

I stare at her badge, memories hitting me hard. That first night at Murphy's, her stepping between me and danger without fear. The night she touched my scar without flinching, saw Torgash and didn't run.

The pattern was there from the beginning. Nova rushing headfirst into other people's battles, putting herself between them and harm, never counting the cost.

This is who I am, Ash. This is what I do.

And I fucked it up for her. Pulled her into my orbit, complicated her mission, made her vulnerable in ways that could get her killed. My need to control her situation, to keep her close, I backed her into a corner where sacrifice was the only way out.

I could chase her down. Find her. Drag her back like some possessive asshole. But then what? Force her to watch what she fought for turn to shit because I couldn't let her go?

"No," I force out through gritted teeth. "We don't ride."

"The fuck we don't. Someone threatens family—"

I hit play on the laptop. Nova's voice fills the room, confident and businesslike as she negotiates with Royce. Diesel goes rigid as he listens, confusion and anger fighting for control of his expression.

When it ends, Diesel's face is unreadable. "That's not right." He shakes his head slowly. "I've seen a lot of betrayals in this life. People selling each other out for money, for freedom, for their own skin." His eyes narrow. "That wasn't it."

Good. I'm not the only one who heard it. "I know."

"That's a performance. She's baiting him, saying exactly what the bastard needs to hear. Hanging herself out there to save us."

"Why would she do that?" Diesel asks, confusion replacing anger. "Why agree to any of this?"

"Because we need evidence that would stick," I explain, picking up the note Nova left. "Royce would never incriminate himself unless he knew using it would destroy her. Any recording would make her look just as dirty as him."

Diesel flips through bank statements, his expression shifting from anger to calculation. He stops at a particular page, taps it twice, then looks up.

"She knew what she was doing," he says quietly. "This recording..." He nods toward the laptop. "We could use it tomorrow. End Royce for good."

"And destroy her career in the process," I add. Something heavy settles in my ribs. "No badge. No law enforcement. Ever."

Diesel studies me. "That was her choice."

"A choice I'm not going to let her make." The words come out harder than intended.

"Why?"

"Because this badge is everything to her. Has been since her sister died." I run my thumb along the edge of her badge. "And I'm not going to be the one who takes that away."

Diesel leans back, studying me. "Even though she's handing you Royce? The thing you've been working toward for two years?"

"Even though."

Diesel's mouth quirks up. "Guess she's not the only one willing to sacrifice everything."

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