Page 59 of King's Reckoning
The mention of Elena brought a familiar ache, but it was gentler now. Time and understanding had helped Rowan appreciate that her mother's complex choices had always been guided by love and integrity.
"Alright," she conceded, unable to hide her smile as Reed pressed a kiss to her temple. "But something appropriate. Nothing extravagant."
"Having second thoughts?" Reed murmured when King moved away to speak with Cole.
Rowan turned to study his face—the man who had stood beside her through everything, who had taken bullets to protect what mattered. Whose quiet strength had become her anchor in the storm.
"Not a single one," she said softly. "You?"
His response was a kiss that spoke volumes—tender yet passionate, filled with promise for their future.
As the celebration continued around them, Rowan felt a sense of completion she hadn't expected when she'd first arrived seeking answers about her father. She had found not just her blood family, but something larger—a purpose that extended beyond personal history, a community united by common history and cause.
And in Reed, she had found a partner who saw her strength as something to respect and support rather than control or direct.
Later that night, as they stood together on the clubhouse roof watching the unprecedented gathering below, Reed's arms wrapped securely around her, Rowan felt the final pieces of her mother's legacy falling into place.
"What are you thinking about?" Reed asked, his breath warm against her hair.
"The future," she replied, leaning back against his solid presence. "Everything that comes next. The legal battles, the continued corporate resistance, the work of building this alliance into something lasting..."
"Sounds challenging," he observed, though his tone held nothing but confidence.
"It will be," Rowan agreed. "But worth it."
Reed turned her gently in his arms, his expression serious in the moonlight. "There's something else we need to discuss. Something I've been investigating while you were focused on the alliance."
His tone sent a ripple of concern through her. "What is it?"
"Blackwood's connections go deeper than we realized," Reed said quietly. "The corporate interests he represents...they're tied to government agencies we hadn't identified before. Agencies with specific interest in the territories covered by these historical claims."
Rowan's mind raced with implications. "What kind of interest?"
"The kind that suggests these land claims might involve more than just property values and resource rights." Reed's eyes held hers steadily. "Elena's research hinted at something buried in these territories. Something significant enough that even acknowledging its existence would threaten national security."
The revelation hung between them, opening a new chapter in what Rowan had thought was reaching its conclusion. Her mother's work, her careful documentation and protection of historical evidence might have been shielding something even more significant than land rights.
"Then we find out what it is," she said firmly. "Before Blackwood's people can bury it again."
Reed nodded, his expression a mixture of concern and determination. "Together."
As they rejoined the celebration below, Rowan felt the weight of this new knowledge settle alongside her other responsibilities. The alliance was just the beginning. Elena's true legacy might be something far more significant than any of them had realized.
The battle for justice had been won.
But the war for truth was just beginning.
The first council meeting of the new alliance took place exactly one month after the confrontation at the hospital. Rowan studied the renovated command center that had once been the clubhouse's main chapel, taking in the sophisticated communications equipment and security systems Barbara had helped design. The space perfectly balanced modern needs with the MC's traditional aesthetics.
"Secure connections are established," Barbara reported, running final checks on their networks. "All chapter representatives can participate remotely if needed, though most are here in person for the inaugural session."
"Good," Rowan replied, watching as leaders from multiple MCs filed into the room. The old church pews had been replaced with a conference setup that retained enough rough-edged charm to feel authentic. "How's the authentication system holding up?"
"Flawlessly. Elena's systems programming was remarkably comprehensive. I've never seen anything this thorough." Barbara'seyes gleamed with admiration. "The methodology she developed has already become a model for other preservation projects."
Rowan smiled slightly, remembering how her mother had always worked far ahead of her time. Even now, months after her death, Elena's carefully laid groundwork was still supporting their efforts.
"Incoming," Reed murmured, appearing at Rowan's shoulder. His touch on her back was professional, but she felt the familiar warmth of his presence. "Devils leadership just arrived with those legal documents you requested."
