Chapter 19
CROSS
The morning air had felt off from the moment I opened my eyes.
A quiet tension crawled beneath my skin, keeping my nerves wired and ready for whatever was coming.
I’d learned a long time ago not to ignore instincts like that, and when the call came, it was exactly what I’d expected—shit was hitting the fan.
Wizard’s voice was grim, tight with controlled anger when he gave me the update.
“Division Nine’s been quiet since the beating you gave their guys.
Too damn quiet. And now we know why.” The pause that followed told me the next part was going to piss me off royally.
“They hit Inferno. Torched that custom build you’ve been working on—the expensive one.
Blaze just called it in. Damage was contained but clearly intentional.
It was a message, brother. Loud and fucking clear. ”
My jaw tightened to the point of pain, my blood simmering hot beneath my skin as fury clawed at the edges of my control. They’d touched something of mine that was tied to my livelihood and my club. A ruthless certainty settled inside me. Enough was fucking enough.
By the time I arrived at the garage, smoke still hung in the air, acrid and heavy, the scent of burning metal and melted paint biting at my throat.
Blaze stood outside with a grim expression, his arms crossed tightly over his chest as he surveyed the damage.
He didn’t say a word, just gave me a curt nod, his eyes reflecting the fury pulsing through my veins.
Stepping into the garage, I saw the remnants of the masterpiece I’d poured weeks into, now charred and twisted, a complete loss.
Rage tightened my chest, but I kept it under control.
Losing my shit wouldn’t fix anything. These assholes were trying to send a message, making it clear they could reach what was mine. It was a mistake they’d fucking regret.
A moment later, King strode in, the lethal energy radiating from him like a physical force. He stopped beside me, his gaze sweeping over the damage, eyes narrowed as he assessed the scene. “They’re getting bold. This ends now.”
It took a few days to get everything set up and locked down tight.
Wizard tracked Division Nine’s current operation point, confirming their movements, routes, and patterns.
The clubhouse was a hive of activity as teams were organized and plans put into place.
There was no hesitation or second-guessing—just cold, calculated precision.
Finally, we moved.
It was night when we arrived at the Division Nine warehouse, tucked away in an industrial corner of town. Shadows stretched long under the dim moonlight, giving us ample cover as we approached silently. Our entry was swift and quiet.
Perimeter guards went down first, efficiently neutralized without alerting those inside. I stepped over one lifeless body, gaze scanning ahead, my heart steady and breathing controlled.
Inside the warehouse, our teams moved like well-oiled machines. Kevlar, Blaze, Echo, and the others took point, systematically clearing room after room, taking down anyone who stood in the way. Each step brought me closer to my goal, my blood pumping with grim determination.
I knew exactly who I’d find here—Vice. Isa’s uncle, the man who’d threatened what was mine. My target.
He wasn’t hard to find. Vice stood in a back room, smug, confident, still believing he held the upper hand. He turned when I stepped into the room, an arrogant smirk forming when he realized I was by myself.
“Well, look who it is,” he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. “Griffin fucking Reid. You’re either brave or stupid coming here alone.”
I let his insult roll off me, meeting his gaze without blinking. The coldness in my eyes seemed to give him pause. “You were warned, Vice. This is what happens when you fuck with what’s mine.”
His smirk vanished, replaced by a brief flicker of uncertainty, but it was too late.
Before he could react, my weapon was drawn, aimed, and the shot echoed like thunder in the confined space.
He fell, his eyes wide with shock, his body crumpling heavily to the ground. I got justice, swift and absolute.
My brothers stepped from the shadows, their faces grim but resolved, silently acknowledging the act that had been necessary.
The remaining Division Nine men were dealt with swiftly and brutally, leaving only one man alive to carry the message back to their leadership.
It was a clear signal—the Hounds were not to be fucked with.
Anyone who threatened ours would pay with blood.
I walked slowly past Vice’s fallen form, my steps steady and my pulse even.
Leaving the warehouse, I exchanged a glance with King.
He gave me a brief, approving nod, his eyes understanding everything I hadn’t said.
The night around us was quiet again, tension hanging thick but controlled, the aftermath of violence lingering in the air.
Division Nine had forced our hand. They’d pushed too far, touched too much that was ours. But tonight, the message was clear: there would be no fucking mercy.
When we arrived home, it was barely three in the morning. I wanted to go straight home but decided to shower all the violence off before seeing my girls.
I was leaving one of the guest rooms at the clubhouse when Ash found me. “Need to get a car for Gavin. You have one ready to go?”
We kept a lot of backup supplies in case some of our clients needed to disappear immediately. A car wasn’t exactly something you could have a large surplus of, but I usually had one ready to go.
Sighing, I nodded and went with Ash to get the vehicle and take it to the safehouse. By the time we were done with all the legal shit to make it valid, the sun had been up for hours. I took Ash back to his house, then finally headed home.
The house was quiet when I stepped inside, the low murmur of the television mixing with Hannah’s soft laughter drifting from the living room. The gentle sound instantly loosened the lingering tension in my shoulders, washing away the sharp edges of my night.
I paused in the entryway, my gaze landing on the scene unfolding before me, a grin tugging at the corner of my mouth as warmth spread through my chest.
Hannah was curled up on the plush, oversized couch, her legs tucked beneath her and one hand resting gently on Isa, who lay sprawled across her lap in absolute comfort.
Isa’s dark curls were a tangled mess from her nap, her tiny fingers clutching Hannah’s sweater tightly, even in sleep.
It was the kind of thing that made my heart ache in the best possible way.
My two girls, safe and happy, exactly where they belonged.
Hannah glanced up, catching my stare, and her face lit up in a way that stopped my heart for a beat. Damn, she was beautiful. Her smile was radiant, brightening the whole damn room. I found myself moving toward her without consciously deciding to.
“Took you long enough,” she teased softly, tilting her head back slightly as I approached. Her eyes sparkled playfully, and she arched one brow in challenge.
I leaned down, bracing a hand on the back of the couch as I closed the distance. “You miss me, sweetheart?”
She rolled her eyes, trying—and failing—to hide the blush that spread across her face. “Maybe a little.”
My gaze roamed slowly over her body, lingering deliberately on the soft curve of her hips and the fullness of her breasts beneath her thin sweater.
I felt a familiar stir of desire, hot and insistent, but something was deeper there now.
A bone-deep sense of satisfaction that this woman belonged to me, heart, body, and soul.
Isa stirred in Hannah’s lap, making a soft, sleepy sound before settling back down. I chuckled, running a hand gently over my little girl’s dark curls. “Looks like someone’s worn out.”
Hannah laughed softly, shifting Isa more comfortably in her lap. “We spent the morning playing in the garden. She wore herself out on the outside playmat.”
I grinned, picturing Isa’s delighted giggles as she tried to catch the colorful toys that hung over her mat.
I let myself imagine more days like this, filled with laughter and ease.
With Hannah by my side and Isa growing up safe and loved.
It was everything I’d never known I wanted, and now it was impossible to picture my life any other way.
“You look pretty damn exhausted yourself,” I pointed out, catching the faint shadows beneath Hannah’s eyes. I gently ran my thumb across her cheekbone, tracing the delicate line of her face.
Her gaze warmed, and she leaned into my touch, a small, contented sigh escaping her lips. “Maybe a little. But it’s the best kind of exhausted. The kind that comes from having a day filled with joy.”
I leaned down, brushing my mouth lightly over hers in a slow, unhurried kiss. “Good. Because you’re going to have a lot more days like today.”
Her eyes searched mine, the playfulness fading into something deeper and more serious. “Promise?”
I cupped her face gently, my gaze unwavering, letting her see the truth in my eyes. “I promise, Hannah. Every damn day. You and Isa are my world. Nothing will ever change that. I love you both more than anything.”
She gave me a soft smile, her expression radiating trust and happiness. “We love you, too, Griffin.”
Warmth bloomed in my chest, and I felt the last of my lingering tension ease away. For the first time, there were no shadows lurking in the back of my mind, only contentment and peace.
And it was all because of Hannah and Isa—the family I never saw coming but knew I’d never live without again.