Page 43 of Calypso's Shield
My stomach drops. “What is it?” I demand, already moving.
French’s eyes shift between me and Allura, panic creeping into her expression. “It’s your ex, Calypso.”
The air leaves the room. I go stone still. “What about him?”
French swallows hard. “He’s not alone.”
Ice floods my veins. “The Bloody Femmes,” she says, voice tight. “They’re here. And they’re not just watching anymore.”
Allura curses violently, grabbing her gun.
I don’t hesitate. I storm toward the door, my rage boiling over into something lethal because I’m done running. And if Dave Train wants to make this a fucking war?
Then he’s about to find out just how deadly I can be.
The clubhouse erupts in chaos the moment the news sinks in. French’s words hang in the air like a death sentence, and the room feels smaller, suffocating. Allura’s eyes snap to me, her expression hardening, and I can see the gears in her mind turning, plotting our next move.
“Where are they?” I demand. My voice is low but sharp, steel threading through my tone. I’m not waiting for some half-assed answer. This isn’t a situation to tiptoe around.
French’s lips tremble. “We don’t know exactly. They’re moving fast, though. We’ve got eyes on the perimeter, but they’re…”
“They’re fucking with us,” I finish for her, already striding toward the gun locker. The cold steel of my weapons calms my nerves, my heartbeat syncing with the familiar rhythm of battle. I don’t have time to second-guess this anymore.
Allura steps forward, cutting off my path. “You’re not going in alone. This is bigger than just you and Farris now, Calypso. We’ve got to act fast and smart.”
I pull away from her, my pulse spiking. My fists clench at my sides, and my breathing is ragged. I shouldn’t care this much. I shouldn’t fucking feel like my heart is being ripped out of my chest at the thought of losing him.
But I do.
“Farris is going to get himself fucking killed.” My voice cracks, and I hate it. Hate that Allura sees right through me. Hate that my body still aches from his touch, and now I might never get another chance. I suck in a sharp breath, forcing my walls back up. “We need to move. Now.”
Allura doesn’t flinch, even though she’s just as concerned. She watches me with cold, calculating eyes. “And if you run out there without backup, you’ll end up dead. There’s more than just you now, Calypso.”
I meet her gaze, and for a second, I hesitate. She’s right. I can’t go off half-cocked, not with this kind of danger lurking. The Bloody Femmes don’t just settle for intimidation. They kill, they maim, they destroy lives, and Dave Train? He’s a goddamn monster.
“We need to hit them hard,” I fume, the tension in my body coiling tighter. “We need to hit them fast.”
Allura nods, already pulling her phone from her pocket and dialing someone. She speaks in clipped sentences, barking orders, her military precision kicking in. “We need you in on this. We have to hit the Femmes where they don’t expect it.” She pauses, listening intently, then adds, “I’ll contact Lemon from our Irish connections. We need all the firepower we can get.”
French looks torn but determined, like she’s ready to get her hands dirty. “And Farris?” she asks, her voice strained with concern.
“All I know is Farris better not do anything stupid,” I growl. “And if he’s out there on his own, I swear to God, I’ll kill him myself before Dave gets the chance.”
The door to the office bursts open again, and this time, it’s Farris who stands there, looking every bit like the stubborn, reckless asshole I’m trying to protect. His eyes lock onto mine, searching for something, maybe an answer, maybe my forgiveness.
How the fuck did he get here so fast?
“You don’t have to do this,” he says, his voice hoarse, desperate. “I knew what I was getting into.”
I shake my head, frustration welling up inside me. “Farris, this isn’t your fight. It’s too dangerous. The Bloody Femmes and the Black Market Railroad, they’re not fucking around. Dave’s got the Femmes in his back pocket, and they’re ready to burn everything we’ve built to the ground.”
He steps closer, ignoring the tension between us. “I’m in this with you, Calypso. You don’t get to walk away from me, not now.” His voice softens, but the raw edge of urgency still lingers. “And I’m not letting them take you from me. We fight together, or not at all.”
I stare at him, feeling the weight of every word. The truth is, I need him. More than I want to admit, but I can’t afford to be weak right now. I try to push past him, but Farris grabs my wrist, pulling me back just enough to force me to meet his eyes. His grip is firm and solid. A reminder that no matter how much I fight him, he’s not letting me go.
“Calypso,” he says, low and raw. “You think I’d survive a world where you weren’t in it?”
I swallow hard, my pulse pounding. That’s the fucking problem.
