I know Dom watches from the shadows, an ever-present source of strength.
"Tomorrow, we push harder," I say aloud. "We need to be ready."
"And you will be." His voice echoes through the empty space. "I believe in you, Devon."
I close my eyes, visualizing the fight, each movement swift and precise. When I open them, my gaze is steel. Resolute.
"I'm ready for you, Tane." My voice resonates with conviction. "This starts and ends with me."
Whatever comes, I won't falter. The others have faith in me, support me. And I have faith in myself. For their sakes, I can't fail.
Tane's cruelty ends here. I vow it with every fiber of my being.
The moon illuminates my silhouette as I stand tall, focused and unwavering. Ready for the battle ahead.
Chapter twenty-two
The Next Day
The sun's glare off the ocean is blinding, forcing me to squint as I stare out at the waves. The sand is hot beneath my bare feet and I dig my toes in, seeking comfort that won't come.
"Do you think we're doing too much?" I blurt out.
Angel turns, eyebrows raised behind her sunglasses. "What do you mean?"
"The clothing line, the surfing school..." I trail off with a frustrated sigh, raking a hand through my hair. "They're all big ventures on their own without considering the rest of our operations."
I start pacing, unable to contain the nervous energy thrumming through me. "Aria's opening a fucking restaurant, for god's sake. Is this really the time, when we're trying to overthrow the Bowser of the islands?"
Angel's lips quirk into a wry smile. "So we're meant to stop living until this is all over?" She steps in front of me, halting my frantic movements. "What if this doesn't end, Devon? What if this isn't the final act and there's more to come?"
"I know, but I just spent a couple of days in the jungle trying to turn into some kind of action hero. I have the basics down, but this type of thing takes years to fully master. It feels like we're taking Nerf guns to a nuclear war. Imagine if we really stepped back and focused until we knew without a doubt we were ready to take him down."
Her hands come up to frame my face, forcing me to meet her steady gaze. "Do you want to just wait and wait for the perfect time?" She shakes her head, tendrils of hair blowing in the breeze. "There is not, and never will be, a perfect time. He's only going tokeep getting stronger, bringing more and more onto his side who will be loyal without question."
I close my eyes with a shaky exhale, leaning into her touch. Her words wash over me, equal parts reprimand and reassurance.
"I don't know about you," she continues, "well, I do actually. You're the same as me." Her thumbs brush over my cheekbones. "You don't want to spend your life living in regret and wondering 'what if'."
I nod slowly, the fight going out of me. She's right. Of course she's right.
"Okay," I breathe out, opening my eyes to meet her steady gaze again. In that endless blue I find the calm I've been seeking. "Okay, we do this."
Her answering smile eases the clench in my chest. As long as we're together, we can weather any storm.
As I realize the inevitable path ahead, my mind drifts and I consider the exhausting alternative she outlined so pragmatically—living each day on high alert, endlessly strategizing and trying to stay one step ahead of him. Never fully relaxing or letting my guard down, always anticipating his attempts to push us off the islands or eliminate us completely.
It's a mentally draining way to live and I'm tired of it. Tired of the scheming, the violence, the fear of what he might do next. As thrilling as outmaneuvering him has been at times, I'm ready for it to be over.
"I'm too tired for that, honestly… the thought of him getting stronger." I sigh, jaded at the thought of another round with Tane. "I think we all are ready for this to be over."
I sink down onto the couch, leaning my head back and closing my eyes. "Not that it hasn't been fun, plotting and scheming—and especially going along with Brick's wildly creative and—well, psycho...plans." A wry smile tugs at my lips. "But there's a lot of risk involved, and it can be... scary."
I open my eyes, gazing up at the ceiling fan as it lazily circulates the humid air. "The thought of a more normal life, something with a level of predictability, has its appeal."
Skyler, overhearingsome of the conversation as he enters the room, perches on the arm of the couch next to me, mussing my hair affectionately. "We'll still have our operations running in the background, you know. While we pursue these other things."
"It's just… a lot," I sigh, overwhelmed by my rapidly growing mental to-do list.