Chapter 26
CARRIE
Ifeel horrible about lying to them. I know I should have told them sooner. But after seeing Nico and Jace almost fight to the point of real damage, I just couldn’t tell them the truth. I don’t want to be the reason they break apart, especially not when one of them could be the baby’s father.
But what troubles me more is their reaction—because even after hearing I’m pregnant with another man’s child, Jinn’s of all people, they’re still ready to accept me.
Jinn. The man who made their life a living hell.
Who tried to break them, turn me against them, ruin us all.
And yet here they are, arms wrapped around me, promising I’m not alone.
It should comfort me, but instead it leaves my heart twisting in my chest. Do I deserve this?
After everything I did and everything I’m keeping from them?
They should hate me for keeping this secret. For needing them so badly that I can’t tell the truth.
My voice is small, barely a whisper. “I’m sorry.”
Jace moves closer, brushing hair from my face. “You don’t have to be.”
I feel like I don’t deserve this much grace. My heart aches for what I’ve put them through.
I step away for a moment, wrapping my arms around my middle. The world feels fragile. I keep replaying the conversation, the way Jace’s face fell, the way Levi still touched my shoulder. Nico’s silent nod. They’re disappointed, though they’re trying not to show it.
The guilt is still twisting in my chest when I hear the crunch of tires on gravel.
It stops near the front steps. I hear two doors slam.
A man’s voice calls out, sharp and angry. “Who’s out there?”
Jace moves in front of me. Levi and Nico do the same, forming a wall between me and the strangers. We’re standing in the yard, still half-shadowed by early morning light. I can’t see much at first, but as the man and woman get closer, their faces come into focus—tired, worried, and furious.
The man stops a few yards away, glaring at us. “What the hell do you think you’re doing on my property?” He pulls a gun from his coat and points it right at us, his hands trembling.
The woman grabs his arm, trying to pull him back. She’s got a phone pressed to her ear, voice shaking as she talks to someone—probably the police.
Jace keeps his hands up, speaking slow and clear. “We’re not here to hurt you. We just needed somewhere to stay the night. We didn’t touch anything, I swear. We’ll leave right now.”
The man’s voice rises. “Don’t move. Don’t you dare move.”
Levi’s voice is steady. “Nobody wants trouble. Please. Let us just walk away.”
Nico nods, his hands open, calm. “We’re not a threat. Just let us go.”
I can barely breathe. Levi stands solid at my side, his voice a calm rumble. “Let’s not do anything stupid. Sir, please put the gun down.”
The woman backs up, clutching her phone, eyes wild. “They’re right here in the front yard! There are four of them. Please send someone—please, now!”
Nico steps forward, palms open, his voice quieter than I’ve ever heard it. “We’re not trying to rob you. We’re not a threat. Let us walk away.”
The man just shakes his head, shouting, “Stay where you are!” His hands are shaking so badly I worry he might pull the trigger by accident.
Everything happens in a rush. Jace shifts to the side, trying to draw the man’s attention away from us. The man swings the gun, firing. My heart stops, but the shot goes wide, ripping into the grass.
Levi doesn’t hesitate. He’s on the man in an instant, grabbing his arm and wrestling him to the ground.
The gun goes flying. Nico dives to help, pinning the man by the shoulders, both of them using their weight to keep him down.
The man fights, shouting, his face twisted with fear.
The woman screams from the porch, backing away, nearly dropping her phone as she tries to tell the dispatcher what’s happening.
Levi picks up the gun, his chest heaving, eyes wild. He points it right at the man. “I told you not to shoot,” he snarls, breath clouding in the air.
“Levi, don’t!” My voice is hoarse and desperate. “Please—stop. We don’t hurt people. We just need to go.”
The woman’s scream echoes across the yard.
Her eyes lock with mine—terror and confusion, her whole body shaking.
I realize how it must look to her. Three big, tattooed men and a woman who clearly doesn’t belong, taking over their house, now fighting in their own yard.
I see our reflection in her eyes, and I hate it.
I stumble away from the chaos, my mind racing. I spot the car parked crooked by the porch. The keys are still hanging in the ignition. My heart pounds as I run to the car, boots slipping on the frosty grass. I yank the door open, fumbling with the handle.
The woman watches me, tears running down her cheeks, her breath coming in short, terrified gasps. She clutches her phone to her chest but doesn’t make a move to stop me.
I freeze for a moment, meeting her eyes. Guilt twists in my chest. I think about how afraid I used to be, the first time I saw Jinn’s crew—their size, their voices, their rough edges. I see now that I’m part of that picture, just as frightening from the outside.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper to her, my voice breaking. “We didn’t mean to hurt you. I swear.”
She just stares, too shocked to respond.
Behind me, Jace calls out, “Carrie! Get it started.”
I slide behind the wheel, my hands shaking as I turn the key. The engine rumbles to life. I yell back, “Let’s go! Now!”
Levi lets the man up, keeping the gun pointed at the ground, and shoves him toward his wife. Jace grabs my bag and helps Nico pile into the back. Levi jumps in last, slamming the door just as I shift the car into gear.
We tear down the long gravel drive, frost and stones spraying under the tires. In the mirror, the man and woman cling to each other, small and scared in their own yard. I feel sick, knowing we’ve left more fear behind us.
As we turn onto the empty road, my hands tighten on the wheel. My eyes sting. I drive faster, wishing I could leave the guilt behind as easily as we leave that house.
We drive in silence for a few miles, the stolen car rattling over every bump. My hands are stiff on the wheel. I can’t stop thinking about the woman’s terrified face, or the way the man looked when Levi pointed the gun at him. My stomach is twisted up with guilt and shame.
I can’t hold it in anymore. “Levi, what were you thinking? You could have hurt him. You could have made things so much worse for all of us.”
Levi looks away, his jaw tight. “I know. I’m sorry, Carrie. I just…snapped. I thought he was going to shoot you.”
His apology surprises me. He means it. There’s no defensiveness, just regret and a kind of raw honesty I rarely see.
Jace glances up at me from the back seat, his face still pale. “We’re all on edge. It’s not an excuse, but…we need to keep it together from now on. We’re in enough trouble already.”
Nico leans forward, voice low. “Switch with me, Carrie. You’re shaking.” I nod and pull over on the shoulder, my legs almost giving out as I climb out and let him take the wheel. The air outside is cold and sharp; it helps clear my head.
Once we’re all buckled back in, Nico pulls out onto the empty road, steady hands on the steering wheel. The sun is finally climbing, painting the fields gold. It feels like we’ve been running forever.
Jace breaks the silence. “We can’t keep running like this. We have to go back home. Talk to the other Reapers. If anyone can help us disappear, it’s them.”
Levi nods, but there’s tension in his shoulders. “They’re not going to like it if we show up with this much heat on us. You know how it looks.”
Nico drives, eyes fixed on the road. “We don’t have another choice. Out here, we’re alone. With the club, at least we’ve got backup. People who know how to keep quiet.”
I shift in my seat, hugging my knees to my chest. The word home sounds strange now. It’s not a safe place, not really. But it’s the only thing we have left.
“What if they don’t want us there?” I say quietly. “What if they see me as a liability?”
Jace glances back, his voice softer. “They know what Jinn did. And after everything you did for us, they owe you a shot.”
Levi adds, “We can’t survive on the run forever. We need allies. We need a plan.”
We drive in tense silence, the plan hanging over us like a storm cloud. As the familiar roads start to appear, my nerves twist tighter. I stare out at the fields, thinking hard.
Finally, I speak up. “Let me go in first.”
The guys turn to look at me like I’ve lost my mind. Levi shakes his head right away. “No way. If something goes sideways, you’re alone in there.”
Jace’s frown is deep. “You think we’re going to sit out here while you walk in by yourself? Not happening.”
Nico glances in the rearview, eyes serious. “You sure you want to do that, Carrie? They might not even let you past the door.”
I press my hands together, forcing myself to sound steady. “I’m the only one who can talk to them. If all three of you walk in, it looks like we’re bringing trouble right to their door. I need them to see me, hear me out, before they make up their minds.”
Jace sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face. “If you’re not back out in ten minutes, I’m coming in after you.”
Levi mutters, “Five minutes.”
Nico just nods. “We’ll be right outside.”
I manage a small, shaky smile. “Thank you. I have to try. For all of us.”
The car slows as we pull up the long, gravel drive. My heart pounds, but I reach for the door and get ready to do what needs to be done.