Chapter 17
Emmett
The door slams shut behind her, leaving nothing but the echo of footsteps fading into the night.
She’s gone.
I knew it would happen, but that doesn’t make it any easier.
My pulse still pounds from the argument, from the way she looked at me—like I was another chain she needed to break.
But I know the truth now. Raine isn’t running because she wants to be free.
She’s running because she’s terrified of what staying means.
And I let her go.
I drag a hand down my face, forcing my head back into the present. There’s work to do. Dante Moreau is dead, but his shadow still lingers, and if I don’t tie up the loose ends, that shadow will come for Raine.
Theo is already waiting when I step outside, leaning against the car, arms crossed. His expression is unreadable, but I don’t miss the way his eyes track me, calculating.
"She left," he says. Not a question.
"Yeah."
Theo exhales, pushing off the car. "And?"
"And we have bigger problems. We need to make sure no one tries to step into Moreau’s shoes."
Theo nods. "And what about her?"
I clench my jaw. "I’ll handle it. After."
***
Inside the warehouse, the stench of sweat and blood clings to the air. Ryan stands over one of Moreau’s lieutenants, arms crossed, eyes cold. The man is tied to a chair, his face a bloody mess, but he’s still breathing. Barely.
Three nights ago, this bastard tried to gut Theo in a last-ditch effort to take back control. He didn’t succeed, but he got close enough to leave Theo with stitches and a grudge. Now, his future is mine to decide.
Ryan glances at me as I approach. “This one fought like he had something left to lose. Too bad he bet on the wrong side.”
Theo steps forward, his lip curled in disgust. The bruises on his ribs haven’t faded yet, but his posture is as steady as ever. “He got close,” he mutters. “Not close enough.”
I crouch in front of the man, gripping his chin, forcing him to look at me. “You had your chance. You made your move. Now you tell me—why shouldn’t I put a bullet in your head?”
The man coughs, wincing as blood dribbles down his chin. “Because Moreau’s dead. His empire is crumbling. I was just trying to survive.”
I study him, looking for the lie. “You tried to kill my friend. That doesn’t sound like survival to me.”
His breath shudders. “I swear—I never wanted this. Moreau ruled on fear. I had no choice.”
Theo lets out a bitter chuckle. “You had a choice when you came after me.”
I glance at Ryan. He doesn’t say anything, but I already know his answer.
“Fine,” I say. “But if I ever hear your name again, if I so much as catch a whisper of you trying to claw your way back into this world—I won’t be so merciful.”
The man swallows hard. “Understood.”
Ryan steps forward, cutting the zip ties. The man stumbles out of the chair, hesitating as if expecting a bullet in his back. But I let him go. He’s not my problem anymore.
I turn to Ryan. “That the last of them?”
He nods. “For now.”
“Good. Then we’re done here.”
***
Mia doesn’t trust me. I see it in the way she watches me when I step into the café where she works, her fingers tightening around the edge of the counter.
"I didn’t expect to see you here," she says carefully.
"I need to talk to you about Raine."
She studies me for a moment, then nods toward an empty table in the corner. "Sit."
I do. She follows, arms crossed as she leans against the chair across from me. "What do you want, Emmett?"
"She left."
Mia’s expression flickers, but she doesn’t seem surprised. "Of course, she did. That’s what she does."
"I know why she ran," I say, watching her carefully. "She’s scared."
Mia exhales sharply, shaking her head. "She’s not scared of you."
"No, she’s scared of what I make her feel."
Mia looks away, her fingers tapping against the table. "She’s spent years trying to convince herself she doesn’t need anyone. That love is just another kind of trap."
"I’m not a trap."
Mia meets my eyes. "Then prove it."
I lean forward. "Where is she?"
She hesitates, then sighs. "Somewhere by the coast. She needed space. But she doesn’t want to be alone, Emmett. Not really."
I nod. I already know what I have to do.
Because I let her run once. I’m not making that mistake again.
***
Raine knows how to disappear. But I know how to find her.
The coastal town is small, tucked away from everything, the kind of place where people come to forget. It’s raining when I pull up outside a tiny, weathered coffe shop with chipped blue paint. The sign is hand-painted, the windows fogged up from the warmth inside. Through the glass, I see her.
She’s different. Softer, maybe. Her hair is tied up, her sleeves rolled to her elbows as she stacks books onto a shelf. She looks at peace. But I know better.
She’s still waiting for the past to catch up.
I will let her have this last night. But tomorrow, I am coming for her.