Page 109 of Victorious: Part 2
But sometimes, leadership means making the hard call even when the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Sometimes, you have to be willing to risk everything to protect what matters most.
In seventy-two hours,Operation Darkfirebegins.
And by the time the smoke clears, we’ll either be celebrating the end of The Rojas Cartel’s reign of terror, or we’ll be mourning brothers who died believing in a cause bigger than themselves.
Either way, there’s no turning back now.
When this is over, The Rojas Cartel will be nothing but a cautionary tale.
Or we will.
Chapter Twenty-Four
CLOVER
Earlier the Same Night
The Las Vegas strip stretches out before us like a river of neon and dreams, and I can’t stop smiling. Phoenix’s hand is warm in mine as we walk away from our hotel, the evening air carrying the distant sounds of music, laughter, and the hum of possibility that seems to pulse through this city’s veins.
We spent most of the day with Sin and the rest of the Las Vegas Defiance brothers at their clubhouse, filling them in on everything that’s been going down back home in LA about Javier, the Cartel, why we’re here, and apologizing for arriving late and not filling Sin in on why.
“I still find it crazy how each Defiance club runs a little differently, yet every president is a moody bastard.” I giggle to myself as we head toward The Strip.
Phoenix grins but doesn’t laugh. He simply tightens his grip on my hand. “I guess the weight of the top job comes with a heavy load. It’s a lot to carry an entire club. I’d be grumpy too,” he states matter-of-factly.
Pursing my lips, I cuddle into him closer. “See, you’re so fucking smart. It was nice of them to offer for us to stay there, though. Especially when Sin got called into his meeting, which I’m pretty sure was with Alpha and the other clubs. It’s good to know that if everything does go to shit, we have somewhere to go.”
Phoenix glances at me with a simple nod. “Yeah. Hopefully, it won’t come to that, but the guys were chill, and the clubhouse was…” He widens his eyes in what looks like awe.
Snorting out a laugh, I tilt my head in agreement. “I knowwhat you mean. The way they converted an old casino into their clubhouse is areallycool idea. I was bummed that Sin wouldn’t let me take any video or images for my content. I get it, though. It took meforeverto convince Alpha to let me make an Insta account for the clubhouse back home, even if I have to blank out the faces and patches when I post. But the account sure does pop off sometimes, depending on what I post.Sons of AnarchyandMayansreally had all the rizz. Women low-key lose their shit over you guys. But I’m just doing it for the plot, you know?”
Phoenix smiles at me in the most loving way, then he leans in, pressing a tender kiss on my cheek. When he pulls back, he shakes his head. “You’re fucking adorable.”
Smirking, I shrug my shoulders. “I’d rather be sexy to you—”
“Oh, don’t worry, baby. You are absolutely that too. You’re adorable and sexy. It’s rare to be both, but you, Reel Girl, are one-hundred-percent both.”
With those few words, an ache begins between my legs. I think about turning us around, taking us straight back to the hotel room, but we have big plans tonight. So, I simply grin at him and keep us walking toward the bright lights of Vegas. “All right, sweet talker, let’s go do this thing,” I tell him.
“So…” Phoenix chimes, squeezing my fingers gently, “… what’s first on this bucket list of yours?”
I pull out my cell, scrolling through the notes app where I’ve kept my Vegas dreams since I was sixteen. “Karaoke,” I announce, grinning up at him. “I want to sing at the top of my lungs like nobody’s watching.”
He laughs, that deep, rich rumble that makes my stomach flip every single time. “You know everybodywillbe watching, right? That’s kind of the point of karaoke.”
“Then I’ll pretend they’re not.” I tug him toward the bright lights of a bar I spotted earlier, its karaoke sign blinking in electric blue. “Come on, biker boy. No more road trip playlistsing-alongs. It’s time to show me how it’s really done.”
“Oh no!” Phoenix shakes his head, but his smile shines bright across his face. “This isyourbucket list. I’m just along for the ride.”
Smirking, I pull him through the giant doors. “We’ll see.”
The bar is dimly lit, but packed with classic Vegas energy. Neon signs buzz overhead, the low hum of conversation mixing with the clink of glasses and bass-heavy music.
Phoenix heads for the restroom as I lean on the counter, waving the bartender over. He’s in his thirties, good-looking in that overly polished way, with gelled hair, designer stubble, and a shirt that hugs his biceps a little too tightly.
His eyes zero in on me like I’m the only thing in the room worth noticing. “Well, aren’t you a little snack,” he says, his eyes dragging over me from head to toe with a leer that makes my skin crawl. “You sure you’re old enough to be drinking, sweet thing? You barely look legal. Or is this one of those fake ID situations where I’m supposed to just…not ask questions?”
