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I nodded, understanding all too well. “You know you can call me anytime, right? Day or night.”
“I know,” she said. “And I appreciate it. But I’m trying to... I don’t know, reclaim some independence, I guess?”
“I get it,” I assured her. “Just don’t push yourself too hard, okay?”
She rolled her eyes, but there was affection in her gaze. “Yes, mom.”
As I made my way to my office, I caught sight of Fury deep in conversation with Gavin. They both looked up as I approached, twin expressions of concern on their faces.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, immediately on alert.
Gavin sighed, running a hand through his hair. “We just got word from the DA’s office. Arthur’s lawyers are pushing for a plea deal.”
My blood ran cold. “What kind of deal?”
“They’re offering to give up names of other traffickers in exchange for a reduced sentence,” Fury explained, his jaw clenched tight.
I shook my head, anger bubbling up inside me. “No. Absolutely not. He doesn’t get to wiggle out of this.”
Gavin held up his hands placatingly. “I agree. But the DA thinks it might be worth considering. The information could lead to taking down other rings, saving more victims. He’ll still spend decades behind bars.”
I closed my eyes, trying to process this new development. On one hand, the thought of Arthur getting any kind of leniency made me sick. But if it meant saving others from the fate Venus and so many others had suffered...
“What do you think?” I asked Fury, meeting his steady gaze.
He was quiet for a moment, considering. “I think... it’s not our decision to make. We should talk to Venus, to the other survivors. See how they feel about it.”
I nodded, grateful once again for his level headed approach. “You’re right. We’ll set up a meeting, let them have a say.”
As Gavin headed off to make the calls, Fury pulled me into a tight embrace. I melted into him, drawing strength from his solid presence.
“You okay?” he murmured into my hair.
I nodded against his chest. “Yeah. Just... sometimes it feels like this will never really be over, you know?”
He pulled back slightly, cupping my face in his hands. “I know. But we’re making progress. And no matter what happens, we’re in this together.”
I smiled, leaning in to kiss him softly. “Together,” I echoed.
The rest of the day passed in a whirlwind of meetings and preparations for the night ahead. As I made my final rounds before opening, I caught sight of my reflection in one of the mirrored walls. The woman staring back at me was a far cry from the guarded, defensive person I’d been just months ago. My posture was straighter, my eyes clearer. I looked... happy.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Fury’s voice came from behind me, his reflection appearing beside mine in the mirror.
I turned to face him, drinking in the sight of him in his perfectly tailored suit. “Just thinking about how much has changed,” I said. “How much I’ve changed.”
He smiled, reaching out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “You’ve always been amazing, Sienna. You’re just letting people see it now.”
I leaned into his touch, warmth blooming in my chest. “Including myself, I guess.”
As the first guests filtered in, Fury and I made our way to the VIP section.
The music pulsed around us, the energy of the crowd electric. I sipped my drink, content to people-watch for a while. Fury’s arm was draped casually over the back of the booth, his fingers playing absently with the ends of my hair.
“You know,” he said, leaning in close so I could hear him over the music, “we never finished that conversation we started the other night.”
I raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at my lips. “Which conversation was that?”
He grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “The one about our future plans. Specifically, whether or not you’d be interested in making this arrangement of ours a bit more... permanent.”
