Page 93 of Sacrifice
The club's riding high on success, but I know this is just the beginning.
"What's next?" she asks.
"We go through the intel, find out what they know. Shore up our defenses. Prepare for retaliation."
"Will it come?"
"Eventually. Los Coyotes don't just write off losses. But we bought time tonight. Showed them we're not easy prey."
"And the drugs?"
"Already moving through Doran's network. By the time they reorganize, it'll be distributed and gone. Nothing left to recover."
"So we won?"
"This round. But there'll be others."
She's quiet, processing."I'm glad you killed them. Does that make me a bad person?"
"Makes youmyperson," I tell her. "In this life, protecting what's ours isn't just right—it's required."
"Then teach me to protect too. No more being the damsel."
"You drove us out of a firefight on my bike. You're nobody's damsel, kitten."
"But I want to be more. I want to be dangerous."
I study her face in the dim light.
I see the determination there, the steel under silk.
My woman's evolving, adapting to our world.
"Then dangerous you'll be," I promise. "I'll teach you everything I know."
"Everything?"
"Everything you can handle."
"I can handle more than you think."
"We'll see."
Dawn's breaking outside, painting the sky purple and gold.
Been a long night. Productive though.
Seven Los Coyotes who'll never threaten what's mine again.
"Sleep," I tell her. "Tomorrow we start planning for whatever comes next."
"Together?"
"Always together."
She drifts off against my chest, breathing steady and deep.
I stay awake even though I’m fucking exhausted, watching the light creep across the floor.
