The implication is clear, and I feel a surge of anticipation. “This could be our chance to get to her,” I say, already mentally preparing for what that would mean.
Dragon nods. “Exactly. She’s grown increasingly paranoid over the past few months. Rarely leaves the Rejects clubhouse. And no one has seen Atlas for weeks, which is… concerning.”
“She probably killed him,” Demon interjects, examining his nails as if he’s commenting on the weather rather than the potential murder of a motorcycle club president. “It was the logical next step in her takeover.”
The room goes quiet as we all absorb this. I knew Atlas—worked with him, respected him in some ways, feared him in others. The idea that Naomi might have taken him out… it’s not actually that surprising, given what we now know about her, but it’s still a lot to process.
“If we try to attack the Rejects clubhouse directly,” Dragon says, breaking the silence, “it would be a bloodbath. And it would bring every law enforcement agency in the country down on our heads.”
“But if we intercept this shipment,” I finish the thought, “we might be able to eliminate Naomi and some of her inner circle in an isolated area, with minimal witnesses.”
Dragon gives me a sharp nod. “Exactly.”
Demon leans forward, dropping his feet from the desk to the floor with a thud. “It seems a little too perfect, doesn’t it?” he asks, his voice unusually serious. “Naomi, who never goes anywhere without an army of protection, suddenly decides to personally oversee a shipment in a remote location? Sounds like a trap to me.”
It’s a fair point, and I can tell from Dragon’s expression that he’s already considered this possibility.
“It could be,” Dragon acknowledges. “But it’s still our best chance. Kayla can’t stay in hiding forever.” He looks directly at me as he says this, and something in his gaze tells me he knows exactly what happened in the gym earlier. “We need to end Naomi, one way or another.”
He’s right. As much as I want to keep Kayla safe in the compound where I can see her, where I know nothing can harm her, it’s not a long-term solution. She has a life—a job, friends, a home she loves. And Todd, a voice in my head adds bitterly. I push the thought away. Whatever is or isn’t between Kayla and me, the most important thing is ensuring she can go back to her life without fear.
“So what’s the plan?” I ask.
Dragon leans back in his chair. “We’ll take a team that’s small enough to move quietly, large enough to handle whatever we find. You, me, Gray, Demon if he’s willing.” He glances at his brother, who responds with a noncommittal shrug. “Plus a few of our most trusted men. We’ll scout the location this afternoon, set up positions before dark, and be ready when they arrive.”
“And if it is a trap?” Gray asks, ever the pragmatic one.
Dragon’s expression hardens. “Then we deal with it.”
I look around the room at these men who have become my brothers over the past two years. Whatever our differences, I trust them with my life. More importantly, I trust them with Kayla’s safety. If this is what it takes to end the threat to her once and for all, then I’m all in.
“When do we leave?” I ask.
Dragon checks his watch. “Two hours. Gather what you need, make whatever preparations are necessary.” His eyes meet mine again, and there’s understanding there. “Say whatever goodbyes you need to.”
I nod, standing up. “I’ll be ready.”
Demon rises from his chair, stretching lazily like a cat. “Well, if we‘re rushing headlong into an obvious trap,” he drawls, “I might as well come along to say ‘I told you so’ when it all goes to hell.”
As I turn to leave, Demon calls after me, “Don’t forget your shirt this time, Romeo.”
I give him the finger over my shoulder without looking back, the sound of his laughter following me out the door. For once, though, I can’t muster much real anger at his taunts. My mind is already racing ahead, planning what I need to do before we leave.
And most importantly, what I need to say to Kayla.
Because if things go sideways tonight, if this really is a trap and I don’t make it back, I need her to know. That even when she stopped being my wife, I never stopped being hers in every way that matters. I need her to know that I never stopped loving her. Not for a single moment.
33
Chapter 33
Kayla
After Roman leaves the gym, I retreat to my room. My lips still burn from his kiss, and the memory of his body pressed against mine sends an electric current racing through me that I can’t quite suppress. But desiring Roman and trusting him again are two completely different things.
Mochi jumps onto the bed beside me, purring as he nudges my arm with his head. I scratch behind his ears automatically, grateful for the distraction.
“What am I doing, Mochi?” I whisper. The cat blinks up at me, entirely unhelpful.