Page 6 of Knot Broken

Violet’s voice is steady, calm in that terrifyingly capable way she has when she knows she’s onto something. “They’re not just investigating Rosetti,” she says. “They’repartof it. The kidnappings. The auctions. The whole damn system.”

Jex lets out a dark breath. “If we hadn’t already quit, we’d be quitting now.”

Her gaze locks onto Dare’s. “So… who exactly did you work for?”

Dare’s expression darkens, regret tightening the edges of his jaw. “That’s the fucked up part, Vi. We worked for the government.”

The words hit like a punch to the gut.

For a second, the room is dead silent.

Then Jex speaks, voice dry. “But why let us go?”

Violet answers before any of us can. “So you’d lead them straight to Rosetti.” Her voice is like ice, sharp and devastating. “Only… you fucked that part up.”

She smirks, and it’s beautiful. Fierce and a little smug and completely hers.

Then she softens, eyes dropping to the space between us.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” she says quietly.

And just like that, my world tilts back into place—fractured, but not broken. Not anymore.

Violet

May 17th

6:45 P.M

“Odette, please call me back.”

My voice cracks on the last word, and I wince, gripping the phone tighter like that’ll somehow make her pick up. The voicemail timer ticks in mocking silence as I sit parked in my car, the quiet pressing in around me like a weighted blanket I can’t crawl out from under.

“She still isn’t answering,” I whisper into the void, even though I know she won’t hear it.

Henry told me she sent him home. Told him she didn’t need watching anymore.

Her mom said she’s still showing up for work and still keeping to her routine. So... she’s alive. Functioning. Butfunctioningisn’t the same asokay.

And if something happened to her—if someone else got to her while I wasn’t paying attention—

I shove the thought down before it can finish forming. I don’t have the strength to deal with that spiral right now. Instead, I swipe over to my contacts and tap Fallon’s name, my eyes locked on my pack’s truck still parked in my driveway.

It’s stupid, but I stare at it like it might give me answers. Like if I look hard enough, the universe will throw me a goddamn bone.

The line picks up after one ring.

“Hey, hot stuff.” Fallon’s voice slides through the speaker, teasing and familiar, cutting through my dread like a blade of sunlight. It tugs a smile out of me before I can stop it.

“Flirting already? You’re not even drunk, and I haven’t fed you.”

“Low standards, remember?” she replies, and I can hear the grin in her voice. “I’m easy.”

I laugh, just once, before the weight settles back over me like a wave pulling tight. I swallow hard, my fingers curling around the steering wheel like I need the grounding.

“Fallon…” I pause. “We need to talk.”

Her tone shifts immediately, all the flirtation gone like a switch flipped.

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