Chapter Thirty-nine Kade
The ring box. My phone. I grab them from the truck.
Hands shaking. Not from fear. From rage. Cold. Precise. Lethal.
The heat from the fire. Still burning behind me. Still consuming. Still destroying everything.
Tires. Gravel crunching. Fast. A car. Black sedan. The Raven’s. It skids to a stop. Doors open. She’s out first. Jake right behind her. Both moving. Fast. Tactical. Assessing. The Raven’s eyes go to the cabin. To the flames. To the smoke. Then to me.
“Kade—"
“She’s not in there."
My voice. Flat. Dead. Certain. Jake stops. Looks at me. Then at the cabin.
“You sure?"
“Yes."
I don’t explain. Don’t need to. If she was in there—
I’d know. She’s alive. Somewhere. Just not here. If she were dead—
I’d know.
The Raven’s eyes drop. To my hands. To the ring box. Small. Black velvet. Clutched in my fist. Her expression shifts. Understanding. Recognition.
“Kade—"
I hand it to her. Can’t look at it. Can’t hold it. Can’t—
She opens it. Slow. Careful. The amethyst gem catches the light. Even through the smoke. Even through the ash. Purple. Deep. Surrounded by rubies. Black diamonds. Perfect. Beautiful. Hers. Still hers.
“Nice," The Raven says. “That’s a beauty."
That’s the understatement of the century.
I don’t respond. Can’t. The words are stuck. Choking me.
“I don’t care."
It comes out harsh. Broken. Raw.
“She was taken while I was gone getting it.”
I stare at the flames. At the destruction. At the proof of wha tone mistake cost.
“I should’ve been here."
Silence. Brief. Heavy. Then—
“Kade."
The Raven’s voice. Firm. Commanding. I look at her. She’s staring at me. Eyes sharp. Knowing.
“She let herself be captured."
I blink. Process.
What?
“Remember that," she continues. “In six years, not once were they able to get to her. Not once were they able to get close enough."
She steps closer. The ring box still in her hand.
“She allowed this."
The words hit. Sink in. Settle. Amethyst. Smart. Tactical. Strategic. She wouldn’t— Unless—
The tracker.
Fuck.
She took the tracker.
She knew I’d check. Knew I’d follow.
A moving beacon. A trail. Breadcrumbs through the dark. So I could find her. So I could hunt.
The Raven sees it. The realization. The understanding.
She nods.
“Exactly."
Raven closes the box. Looks down at the ring and holds it out. I don’t take it. Can’t. Not yet.
“Kade.”
Her voice is flat. Steady.
I stare at the flames. At the smoke. At everything I should’ve protected.
“I was going to give it to her.”
The words come out rough. Raw.
“I told her when all this was over…”I swallow. My throat burns. And it has nothing to do with all the smoke in the air.
“She was going to have my name.”
Raven says nothing. Just watches me. Assessing. Then—
“Then give it to her when we get her back.”
Not if.
When.
I finally look at her.
She’s already moved on. Already planning. Already treating this like what it is.
An operation.
A recovery.
A hunt.
The ring remains extended between us. Waiting. I take it. My hand closes around the box. I put the box in my pocket and look back up at her.
“Yeah.”
She nods once. Sharp. Decisive.
“Good.”
Then she turns away and starts walking to the car.“Now find her.”
I pull out my phone. Open the tracking app. It takes a moment. Loading. Connecting. Then—
There. A red dot. Moving. Heading east. Toward the city. Toward the industrial district. Toward—
Fuck.
“He’s moving,” I say. My voice is steady now. Focused. Controlled.
“Heading east. Toward the city.”
I look at Raven.
At Jake.
“I need weapons.”
The panic is gone. Burned away. What’s left is colder. Sharper. The predator stretching awake.
“I need an arsenal.”
Pause.
“And I need help."
The Raven nods. Once. Sharp. Decisive. Jake’s already moving.
“Get in the car."
Not a request. A command. I don’t argue. Just move.
Open the back door. Slide in. The Raven gets in front. Jake behind the wheel. Engine starts. Tires spin. Gravel flies.
We’re moving. Fast. Away from the burning cabin. Away from the destruction.
Toward her. Toward Amethyst. Toward Enzo. To the man who took what’s mine.
The twenty minutes we’ve been driving so far has been silent. So silent you can hear a pin drop. Tense. Jake’s hands are tight on the wheel. The Raven is on her phone. Typing. Coordinating. Planning.
I’m in the back. Staring at the tracking app. Watching the red dot.
It’s stopped. Stationary. A warehouse. East industrial district. Abandoned sector. Perfect for—
Fuck.
Perfect for torture. For interrogation. For disposal.
I force the thought away. Focus. She’s alive.
The dot is moving. Breathing. Transmitting. Alive. She’s alive. And I’m coming.
The car turns. Down a side street. Narrow. Lined with old buildings. Warehouses. Storage facilities. Forgotten.
We pull up to one. Nondescript. Gray concrete. No windows. Just a single door. Reinforced. Jake parks. Kills the engine.
“Here."
The Raven is already out. Moving. I follow.
Jake unlocks the door. Heavy. Metal. It swings open. Inside—
Darkness. Then lights. Fluorescent. Flickering. Revealing—
A room. Large. Open. Wall to wall. With weapons. Rifles. Handguns. Shotguns. Knives. Explosives. Everything required to wage a war.
An arsenal. Jake walks to a rack. Grabs something. Turns. Tosses it to me. Bulletproof vest. Kevlar. Heavy. Reinforced. I catch it. Start putting it on. Straps. Buckles. Tight. Secure. Jake does the same. His movements are quick. Efficient. Practiced.
The door opens again. The Raven. She’s carrying her own gear. Vest. Weapons. Ammunition. Jake looks at her. Starts shaking his head.
“No—"
“Don’t fucking start."
Her voice is cold. Final. Absolute.
Jake shuts his mouth.
She walks past him. Sets her gear on the table. Starts loading magazines.
“It’s been way too long for me," she continues.
Her hands move. Fast. Precise.
“And I’m in the mood to kill some assholes."
Jake stares at her. Jaw tight. Conflicted. Then—
He moves. Grabs her vest. Helps her into it. Adjusts the straps. Checks every buckle twice. His hands pause on her shoulders. Just for a second. Protective. Worried. Like he’s trying to memorize that she’s still standing in front of him.
Just for a moment. On her shoulders. Protective. Worried.
She looks at him. Their eyes meet. Something passes between them. Unspoken. Understanding. Then she turns away. Pulls out her phone. Starts making calls.
“I need backup on standby," she says.
Her voice is all business now.
“East industrial district. Warehouse sector."
Pause. Listening.
“Yes. Armed. Dangerous. Multiple hostiles expected."
Another pause.
“Coordinate with local assets. I want eyes on all exits."
She ends the call. Makes another. Then another. Building a network. A web. A noose. For Enzo.
I load weapons. Glock. Spare magazines. Shoulder holster. Knife. Thigh sheath. Rifle across my back. Ammunition in every pocket. Enough to kill every bastard between me and her.
I’m not taking chances. Not this time. Jake finishes his own prep. Looks at me.
“Ready?"
I nod. The Raven pockets her phone. Turns to face us both. Her expression is hard. Cold. Lethal.
“This time," she says.
Her voice is quiet. But absolute.
“He doesn’t leave alive."
I meet her eyes. Nod once. Agreement. Promise. Certainty.
Enzo is already dead. He just doesn’t know it yet. But he will. Soon. Very soon.
We move toward the door.
Ready to hunt.
And this time—
No mercy. No second chances. Just a predator collecting what’s his. Hold on, Amethyst.
I’m coming.