Cyclops
His brothers were already gathered in the main room at a long wooden table with mismatched chairs.
Papers and weapons were scattered across every flat surface like some chaotic war room.
Ink, Venom, Razor, and a handful of the other full-patched members were waiting.
Most of them had arrived during the early morning hours, after Ink had called in backup.
He was thankful that so many of them had dropped everything going on in their lives and showed up at the compound to help them out.
There was power in numbers, and they certainly had the numbers.
“Everyone sit,” he said, voice low but commanding. The men obeyed, though not without exchanging glances. Razor snorted under his breath. Ink tried, and failed, to hide a grin.
Venom slammed his palm on the table hard enough to rattle the mugs that were sitting on top of it. “Kids? You’re shittin’ me.”
“No,” Trixie said quietly. “I wish I were.” Razor cursed, and Ink muttered something about putting bullets in kneecaps. They all looked genuinely ill.
Cyclops continued, “She’s got proof. Lots of it. And her father knows she does. That’s why he wants her alive, not dead.”
“He wants her back,” Razor said slowly, “because she can blow his whole operation sky-high.”
“Exactly,” Cyclops confirmed.
Ink whistled low. “Well, damn. You really know how to pick ’em, Cyclops.” Trixie stiffened. Cyclops leaned forward before she could say anything. He wasn’t about to let Ink make her feel as though she was less than perfect for him.
“She didn’t choose this. Her father put her in the crosshairs,” Cyclops growled.
“She’s still under our protection,” Venom pointed out, practical as always. “Scouts were sniffing around the fence last night, and that wasn’t just by chance.”
Cyclops nodded. “They were mapping out the compound, and I’m betting that they’ll be back.” A heavy silence fell over the men standing around them.
Trixie exhaled shakily. “You should let me go. This—this isn’t your fight.”
Cyclops turned toward her so fast she startled. “No.” She blinked up at him, and he knew that she was going to give him shit. That wasn’t what he needed right now because there was no argument valid enough to make him accept her leaving him.
Ink raised a brow as Venom leaned forward, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
He didn’t miss the way that Razor mouthed oh shit, either.
Cyclops ignored all of them and locked eyes with Trixie.
“You don’t get to suggest walking back into your father’s world like that again,” he said.
“Not here, and not while I’m breathing.”
Her lips parted. “Cyclops—”
“You think running makes you safe?” he growled. “Running is what got you hunted in the first damn place.”
“That’s not fair—” she countered.
“No,” he cut in. “It’s not, but it’s true.” Trixie flinched—not from his volume, but from the honesty of his statement.
Cyclops softened his tone, but just barely.
“We protect our own. And whether you like it or not, last night sealed that fate for you. What happened between us last night makes you mine. Plus, you’re under our roof.
That makes you ours.” Trixie stared at him like she couldn’t decide whether to punch him or kiss him.
Maybe she wanted to do both—and he was fine with that.
Venom cleared his throat. “So what’s the plan?” Cyclops forced himself to look away from Trixie and address the room.
“We fortify the north perimeter. I want double rotations. We set traps along the fence line—ink bombs and motion sensors need to be set in place.”
Ink grinned. “Got a box of fireworks we can repurpose.”
Razor perked up at the mention of fireworks. “Hell yeah.”
Cyclops continued, “We move Trixie to the safer wing. Only three brothers get access: me, Venom, and Ink.” Venom nodded his agreement.
Ink shrugged. “Fine by me. But if she stabs me in my sleep, I’m haunting you.”
Trixie muttered, “I only stab people who deserve it.”
Ink pointed at her, impressed. “See, you're kind of terrifying. I love it. You and my wife would get along great.” Cyclops shot him a glare, and Ink shut up.
“And most important,” Cyclops said, leaning his hands on the table, “we prepare for a full breach, because her father isn’t gonna stop until he gets what he wants.”
Venom scowled. “Then we make damn sure he never gets close enough to take her.”
Razor pounded his fist on the table. “I’m in.”
Ink raised his beer. “Let’s raise some hell.
” The brothers all murmured their agreement, low and fierce.
Cyclops straightened, letting their loyalty settle into his bones like armor around him.
He looked at Trixie. Her eyes were wide.
She wasn’t scared—more like overwhelmed.
He knew that no one had ever chosen to stand for her before, and it seemed to be all too much for her to digest.
She whispered, “You’re risking everything for me.”
“Worth it,” Cyclops said without hesitation. He dipped his head and hesitated, knowing that the room was still full of his men watching them.
Ink groaned. “Oh, for Christ’s sake, just kiss her already.
” Cyclops shot him a lethal look. But Trixie smiled.
For the first time, she really smiled. And Cyclops felt something dangerous settle in his chest. He didn’t just want to protect her.
He wanted her—all of her. He was already in too deep, and he didn’t want out.
Not now. Not ever. And even though that should have scared the hell out of him, it didn’t.