Page 256 of Intense
Conan smirks with approval.
Her head tilts up, meeting every single pair of eyes in the room. She doesn’t hide. Doesn’t shrink.
Conan’s fists unclench at his sides. Declan drags a hand over his face, muttering something about Quinn women always being terrifying. Frankie grins, that sharp Italian approval glinting in his eyes, and Zara moves a step closer, pride written in every line of her face.
“She’s one of us now,” Zara says simply.
I look down at my wife, at the fire smoldering in her tear-soaked eyes, and my chest aches with something I’ve never felt before. Not just pride. Not just love. But certainty.
Stephanie straightens at my side, her arm wrapping around my waist. Even covered in blood, her body trembling with adrenaline, she radiates power. Not the kind I gave her, not the kind I shaped. Her own.
Conan lets out a low whistle. Declan shakes his head with a half-smile that almost looks like respect. Frankie raises hisglass like we’re at a wedding toast instead of standing in a slaughterhouse.
Because tonight wasn’t just about vengeance. Tonight, Stephanie proved she belongs right here, beside me, in the dark, with blood on her hands and her crown forged in fire.
And I’ve never loved her more.
“Now, if you don’t mind us. I’ve got a private suite booked to celebrate,” I joke.
“No. You need to go to a fucking hospital, brother.” Declan steps forward, his brows furrowed deep.
“You’re forgetting my wife is also a doctor, Declan. I’ll be fine.”
Stephanie looks up at me, and I can feel the heat of her stare burn into the side of my head. She doesn’t buy my bravado for a second. Truth is, I’m running on fumes, every muscle shaking, and tomorrow I’ll probably feel like death warmed over.
“If I was going to collapse, I would’ve by now. Stop worrying,” I mutter, forcing the grin back into place.
She slides her hand discreetly onto my wrist, and I can’t help but smile as I bend down toward her.
“Are you seriously checking my pulse?” I whisper.
“Yeah. You’re my husband. My responsibility to keep alive.” She smiles sweetly.
“I like her,” Conan chuckles, folding his massive arms.
“Have you heard from Reggie?” I ask Declan, my throat tight as the question slips out.
“The little shit is going to live to see another day. Reggie is going to stay here with Drago until Rowan is fit to fly home. But he’s fine. Theo has offered hospital protection as a precaution.”
A breath I didn’t realize I was holding tears from my chest.
“Thank fuck.”
“Are we really letting Arthur live, Finn? Or am I killing him?” Conan asks, his tone sharp as a blade.
I step forward, clasping his shoulder, grounding him. His own anger scares him, I know that. That’s why they waited for me before he let himself loose on Arthur.
“What do you want to do? He saved my life. He saved Stephanie’s. He was being played by James. We’ve killed the real Bowen threat to us now. But, it’s your call.”
Conan scrubs his hand over his face, torn. I know deep down he wants to rip Arthur apart piece by piece. But when his eyes flick to James’s corpse, to the mangled face of the man he once beat so savagely we believed him dead, I see the war in him settle.
We’re not angels. We’re monsters with second chances. Maybe Arthur deserves one too. For now.
“Let me get my anger out on him and see if he’s still standing. If he does live, the second he steps one foot out of line, I will be on that jet back here.”
“Agreed.” I nod, turning to Declan. “Are you happy with that?”
“As long as I can watch Conan in beast mode on him, I’m good for now,” Declan mutters.
