Page 158 of Into the Woods

Rook shook his head. “No one betrayed us, Bex.”

“It was Linc’s idea,” Ryan added, but frustration bled through his tone.

I looked at Court, needing answers.

He sat on the edge of the coffee table in front of me and took my hands. “Remember how we were worried that going after Gary and Beckett would accelerate our timeline for Phoenix going public?”

I nodded. “But that doesn’t matter, right? Ash said—”

“I know,” he interrupted gently. “But we went in tonight thinking we were still working under a tight deadline. We can’t keep Beckett in the dark forever, and if he’s able to get word to Linc’s dad that we’re setting them up, then we’ll lose our chance of getting to Kent.”

“Right,” I agreed, remembering that flimsy plan that had seemed like it was being held together by prayers and clearance-bin duct tape. “Kent Westford is the head of the snake.”

“He’s the head of this snake,” Rook corrected with a weary exhale.

Court shot him a dirty look.

“What?” Rook didn’t back down. “This doesn’t end with Kent Westford. Once we end this group, there’s another waiting to step into the power vacuum it’ll create.”

“Fuck,” Ryan muttered, rubbing his temples, “can we just take the win for tonight? We all know we’re in it for the long haul. It’s why we started a company instead of a fucking club.”

“Lieutenant Striker made things better, though. We don’t have to rush things,” I said, cutting through the tension.

Court glanced back at me with a soft look. “We, huh?”

My eyes narrowed. “You’re not cutting me out of this, Court Woods. I’m part of the team now.”

“Baby, you were always part of the team. I was just too fucking stubborn to admit it,” he confessed, squeezing my fingers.

Royal scoffed. “Can we get back on track? This isn’t couples counseling.”

Maddie tipped her head back and looked at him upside down, pointing an accusatory finger. “Hey, you. Chill out. We’re all stressed, but you don’t have to be a butthead.”

Royal glared at her while Bishop cracked up.

“Butthead was really the best insult you could think of?” Rook asked, sounding amused.

Maddie shrugged. “I got used to censoring myself because of Cori. She’s freaking relentless with that swear jar.”

Court drew in a deep breath. “Linc had the idea to get caught. Grab Kent’s attention, and get him to pull Linc back in. Let him think he can control Linc, so we have a guy on the inside.”

A pit opened in my stomach. “No. Court, what if Kent doesn’t go for it? What if Linc’s stuck in prison?”

“He won’t be,” he promised me. “Worst-case scenario, Striker will help us acquit him and say he got lost in the mess of the night.”

“Wait, what’s to stop Court’s dad from telling everyone what he saw tonight?” Maddie demanded, eyes wide with worry. “He saw all of you. He knows—”

“He’s known about us all along,” Royal interrupted. “Well, not Court and Ryan, but that doesn’t matter. Jasper won’t be in some random-ass prison with everyone else. He’s going to be held in a top-secret facility run by Interpol.”

Rook shot Maddie a reassuring look. “And on the very slim chance the general is able to make contact with the outside world, that might work in our favor.”

“Why?” she asked.

“Because he never saw Linc,” I murmured, realizing that because Royal had sent us away, Linc had already been in “custody” when General Woods got to us.

Rook nodded. “Exactly. It gives Kent more incentive to help Linc. At this point it looks like Linc’s on his own. Like we all abandoned him.”

Ryan leaned on the back of Maddie’s chair. “Kent’s been looking for a reason to make himself invaluable to Linc. He has all the power and the money in the world, but Kent can’t bring his only son to heel. Bailing him out of a shitty situation is just the opening a guy like Kent has been praying for.”

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