Page 94 of Endo
Reign’s voice snaps me out of my spiraling thoughts. “We need to figure out how to deal with this. They’re not gonna stop, not until they get what they want.” His tone sharpens, cold and unyielding. “And there’s no fucking way I’m letting them touch Lena or get their hands on that bike.”
Wolfe leans forward, arms braced on the table, his gaze hard. “What exactly are we dealing with? What’s their endgame here?”
Reign’s eyes flick to me, and I already know the answer. My chest tightens as he says it anyway. “Cruz’s bike, and clearly they’ll stop at nothing to get it.”
The air in the room shifts, growing heavier under the weight of those words. No one speaks for a moment, the silence thick with unspoken tension.
“They didn’t tell me it was for pink slips,” I say, my voice cutting through the quiet as I explain to the group. I clutch the strap of my bag, my fingers digging into the fabric. “I didn’t know. I never would’ve risked Cruz’s bike like that. Not ever.”
Talon’s gaze locks with mine, his expression darkening further. “Of course they didn’t. It’s not exactly a common thing there, but as much as a douchebag Owen is, he’s not stupid. He knows what that bike is worth. He likely saw you pull up on it, and took you for an easy target.”
I shake my head, anger and frustration bubbling up. “And that’s allowed? Isn’t there some kind of rule against changing the stakes without telling all the racers? There should be, right?”
Thorne snorts from his spot by the window, his lips curving into a dry smirk. “Rules? On the streets? Love, there’s no bloody rules at the strip. Not ones that matter, anyway.” He shrugs, his tone laced with disdain. “What Owen did is dirty, yeah. But it’s not against the unwritten code. If you’re on the line, you’re fair game. That’s how it works.”
“That’s bullshit,” I snap, my frustration spilling over.
“Welcome to the streets,” Thorne replies with a sardonic laugh, his gaze sharp. “The only rule out there is don’t fucking lose.”
Revel growls, leaning forward. “Doesn’t matter. What Owen pulled, going to her apartment and trashing it? That’s a line he shouldn’t have fucking crossed and he’s not getting away with it. Not on my fucking watch.”
“I guess giving them a little lesson on just how bad they fucked up, could be fun,” Draygon adds, his tone laced with venom. “Lena’s one of us, and that bike? That bike will never be ridden by anyone other than a fucking Demon. That’s it. End of story.”
Sayshen cracks his knuckles with a grim smile. “They want to play dirty? Fine. We’ll play dirty right back.”
Thorne leans against the wall, his arms crossed and a smirk playing on his lips. “All that knuckle-cracking, mate. You trying to scare someone or just remind us you’ve got hands?”
Sayshen glares at him, his lips twitching like he’s trying not to grin. “Keep running your mouth, Thorne, and I’ll show you what these hands can do.”
Before Thorne can reply, Wolfe cuts in, his tone light and dripping with mischief. “Careful, baby Shaw. Don’t go ruining Thorne’s pretty face. Some of us actually like looking at it.”
Thorne doesn’t miss a beat, tilting his head with a dramatic sigh and giving Wolfe an exaggerated once-over. “Oh, give it arest, mate. You’ve been eyeing me up for years. If you’re that bloody desperate, just admit it and get in the queue.”
Wolfe grins, leaning forward in his chair, his tone light and flirty. “Why would I beg when I’m already living rent-free in your head, Thorne? Go on, admit it—you’d miss me if I stopped.”
Thorne lets out a scoff, rolling his eyes, but the faint pink creeping up his neck gives him away. “You’re a bloody nuisance, Wolfe, you know that?”
Wolfe winks, his grin widening. “Maybe. But I’myourbloody nuisance.”
“Enough,” Talon snaps, his voice cutting through the banter like a blade. His tone carries a sharp edge, but there’s a flicker of amusement in his eyes. “Save the flirting for later. We’ve got bigger problems.”
“There’s nothing we can do about it tonight,” Draygon says, his voice softening as he glances at me. “Tonight, she’s safe. That’s what matters.”
Thorne’s smirk fades, his expression hardening as he straightens. “Sounds like a fucking solid plan. Let those bastards wait till tomorrow to learn they fucked with the wrong family. When we hit them, they’ll wish they never fucking crawled out from whatever hole they came from, yeah?”
Reign’s gaze sweeps over the group, his tone dark and unwavering. “Tonight, we lock it down. No risks, no loose ends. I’ll take Lena back to my place and be ready if those assholes are stupid enough to show their faces. If they come for her—or Cruz’s bike—they’ll regret the day they fucked with my girl.”
Before I can even react to the words, he reaches for me, pulling me into him. His arms wrap around me, holding me firmly against his chest, and for a moment, the world quiets. His heartbeat is steady under my cheek, a grounding rhythm that makes my chest ache in the best way.
None of the guys seem phased by it at all. Wolfe smirks from his seat, catching my eye, and winks. He mouths the wordsabout timebefore leaning back, looking far too smug.
Revel stands near the door, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. He doesn’t say a word, just nods in acknowledgment, though his jaw is still set with fury. It’s clear Owen’s men trashing my place isn’t something he’s ready to let go of anytime soon.
Thorne, still lounging against the wall, lets out a dry scoff. “Right, well, guess that settles that. Let’s hope they’re stupid enough to show up tonight so Reign can teach them a proper lesson, yeah?”
I glance around at all of them—Reign, Revel, Wolfe, Sayshen, Talon, and Thorne—and the weight in my chest eases slightly. They’re loud, messy, and sharp-tongued, but they’re mine. My family. And for the first time in what feels like forever, I feel safe. I believe them.
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