41. Evie
41
EVIE
I race to the room, but Rick beats me there. Through the door, I watch him gather my daughter close, whispering comfort. Watch her small arms wrap around his neck, trusting despite everything.
“Shh, princess.” His voice carries love I don’t deserve. “You’re safe. We’ve got you.”
“The bad men?” She burrows closer.
“Never again.” He meets my eyes over her head. “Your uncles won’t let anyone hurt you. Ever.”
“That’s what you were protecting.” Chase’s voice makes me turn. He watches Rick with Violet, his expression softening. “Every lie, every secret. It was for them.”
“Yes.” The truth comes easier now. “Everything was for them. But loving you…” My voice breaks. “That was for me. The only real thing I’ve had in years.”
Zane moves then, finally touching me. Just his hand on my shoulder, but it anchors me.
“Tell us the rest.” His voice holds more gentleness than I deserve. “All of it.”
Words stick in my throat as Violet’s cries soften. Rick still holds her, his large frame somehow gentle with my baby girl. Through the door, I glimpse Daisy watching us all with those knowing eyes.
“I drugged them.” The confession burns. “The night we ran. So they wouldn’t remember leaving. Wouldn’t cry and give us away.”
No one speaks, but Chase’s sharp intake of breath says enough.
“Rose helped arrange everything.” I wrap my arms around myself, cold despite Zane’s warmth beside me. “Safe houses across three states until we found Wolf Pike. New papers. New names. Oh, and don’t ask me about the names. I love my new name, and those of my daughters.”
Rick returns, and Violet is finally sleeping again. His eyes hold questions I’m not sure I can answer.
The front door opens before Rick can ask his questions. Rose stumbles in, one hand pressed to her bullet-grazed shoulder. Draven supports her weight, his own face bruised but determined.
“Perimeter’s secure,” he reports, helping Rose to a chair. “FBI teams have the town locked down. Death’s Head is retreating.”
“What about Luca?” The name tastes like ash in my mouth.
“Cornered.” Rose’s professional mask slips, showing real pain. “My teams have him surrounded at the paper mill.”
“Your teams.” Chase’s laugh holds no humor. “Because you’re FBI. Of course.”
“Former FBI.” She meets his gaze steadily. “I walked away when the bureau wouldn’t act on my evidence against Luca, and when they buried my reports about missing women and children.”
The realization slams me like a wrecking ball. “That’s how you found me. You were investigating him.”
“Three years undercover.” She winces as Draven checks her wound. “Building a case while watching him destroy lives. Until I saw you helping Maria escape.”
The memory surfaces—a young mother clutching her baby, terror in her eyes. I’d given her cash from Luca’s safe and directions to a shelter with hopes for freedom.
“You were his accountant.” Rose’s voice softens. “The quiet wife who kept perfect books. But you were also building escape routes. Helping others run while planning your own escape.”
“Maria made it?” I have to know. For security reasons, we never discussed this.
“Canada.” Rose’s smile holds pride. “With your money and my contacts. Just like the others you helped—Jessica. Ana. My sister.”
The brothers exchange looks at this revelation.
“Your sister?” Draven’s hands are still on her bandage.
“Hannah.” Rose’s composure cracks slightly. “Luca’s men took her when she witnessed a hit. Elena—Evie—she got her out before they could…”
She can’t finish. Doesn’t need to. We all know what Luca’s men do to witnesses.
“That’s when you chose.” I study her face, seeing the truth at last. “Between duty and conscience.”
“I chose justice.” Steel enters her voice. “Real justice, not bureaucratic bullshit that lets monsters hide behind money and power. So I helped you run. Used my FBI knowledge to hide the money you stole. Became the kind of agent I used to hunt.”
“A dirty cop.” Chase’s words come sharp.
“A protector.” Draven defends her instantly. “Of innocent women. Of children. Of family.”
“I never told you.” Rose turns to me. “About my real role. My sister. I needed your reactions to be genuine in case anyone questioned you. Needed to protect you from my choices.”
“Like I protected my girls from mine.” The parallel hits hard.
“But now they know everything.” Rick speaks for the first time since Rose arrived. “About both of you.”
“Yes.” Rose straightens despite her injury. “Luca’s entire operation is exposed. His accounts are frozen. His allies are turning in evidence to save themselves. Death’s Head’s connection to human trafficking is documented.”
“The money?” Zane asks quietly.
“Gone.” She almost smiles. “Lost in a maze of shell companies and legitimate businesses across three states. Including your gallery.”
Chase makes a sound between a laugh and a curse. “So we’ve been helping launder mob money. That’s just perfect.”
“You’ve been helping save lives.” Rose’s voice cracks. “Every woman Evie rescued. Every child protected. Your gallery provided cover that kept them alive.”
Silence falls as they process this. I think about the life growing inside me, and I know that now is the right time to tell the truth.
“I have one more thing to say.” They all turn to me, and I swallow hard, pressing a hand on my stomach. “I’m pregnant.”
The words land heavy between us. “It’s yours. All of yours.”
Rick stiffens, his jaw clenching. Chase exhales sharply, eyes flicking to my stomach. Zane mutters a curse under his breath, running a hand over his face.
“How far?” Chase finally asks, voice rough.
“Almost eleven weeks,” I whisper. Tears fall, but I don’t bother hiding them. Not anymore.
Rose’s phone buzzes, loud in the sudden silence of the room, and she looks down at it. “Teams in position.” She stands with Draven’s help. “It’s time.”
“For what?” I ask.
“Justice.” Her smile holds no mercy. “Real justice, not the kind that lets monsters walk free.”
I take a deep breath, steadying myself. “I’m going with you.”
“No,” Rick says, voice hard. “You stay with the girls.”
“No,” I fire back, standing my ground. “This isn’t just your fight. It’s mine. I started this war when I ran from him. And I’m going to end it.”
Silence stretches between us, thick with tension.
“You’re pregnant,” Zane says softly. “You shouldn’t be anywhere near this fight.”
“You think that changes anything?” I lift my chin, daring them to argue. “Luca won’t stop. Even surrounded, he’ll take so many people down with him. But…I could distract him, make him think it’s over.”
A phone rings—the burner Rose gave me. Luca’s number. I answer it and put it on speaker phone, signaling everyone to be quiet.
“Getting tired, Elena?” False concern drips from each word. “The girls must be exhausted. All this running, all this fear. Come home. End it.”
When I look at my men—my real family, my real home—I see love and strength reflected in their eyes.
“You’re right.” I allow my voice to tremble. “I’m tired of running.”
All three brothers tense, but I look at each of them in turn, reassuring them with my eyes as best I can.
“Last chance, Elena.” Luca’s smooth voice carries through the speaker. “Surrender now, bring my money, and maybe I can let your new family live.”
“Luca…” I feign hesitation. “If…if I bring you the money, the girls will be safe? You won’t harm them?”
He chuckles, a dark sound through the phone speaker. “I don’t care about those brats. Just bring me the money. I’ll make you mine again, querida , but they can rot for all I care.”
I take a deep breath, shaking with real fear. But I’m sure the tremor in my voice only makes my act even more believable to him.
“I’ll bring it.”
“Smart girl.” He practically purrs. “Always knew you’d remember your place. Come alone.” He gives me an address, and then: “We’ll discuss proper penance for your…indiscretions.” He ends the call.
His tone when he says “indiscretions” makes my hands itch for violence. Makes me remember all the times he’s hurt me, and my girls.
Chase scrubs a hand over his face, exhaling sharply. “I hate this plan, but it could work.”
Rick’s nostrils flare. He looks like he wants to fight me on this, to lock me away somewhere safe, but we all know there’s no safe place while Luca breathes.
Teller steps forward, voice low. “The girls can’t be left alone.”
“I’ll stay,” one of Rose’s agents volunteers. A woman—tall, dark hair, sharp eyes. “I have tactical training. No one gets past me.”
Rick studies her for a long moment before nodding. “If anything happens to them?—”
“It won’t.” Her voice is absolute.
I kneel beside the bed where Violet and Daisy sleep, pressing a kiss to each of their foreheads. I will come back to them.
I stand, turning to Rick, Chase, and Zane.
“Let’s finish this,” I say. “Together.”
Rick kisses me hard, a promise sealed with heat and desperation.
“Stay close to me,” he murmurs against my lips.
“We ride together,” Zane adds. “We finish this together.”