Page 102 of Serpent & Saviors

And Pasha? He was one of us now. Whether or not Kinsley was ready for it.

Alek cleared his throat. “So I’m taking it we’re all in agreement on letting the kid join us for Operation Requiem.”

He’d given it a code name. My eyes shot to his. He shrugged. Ayes rang out all around. I pulled my phone out and texted my girl, and then Alek spoke again.

“Good. Everything is set. Cameron gets out on bond tomorrow morning. Conditions are he has to wear an ankle monitor and is basically on house arrest. He’s surrendered his passport. We’ll confront him at home. Seems fitting, since that’s where he did the most damage to Victoria.”

Nik chimed in while simultaneously scanning the documents in his hand. “He took the bait the lawyer provided and hired the new guy he recommended. We’ll have no issue getting to him.”

The door creaked open. Every head in the room turned as she stepped inside. Her dress swayed beautifully, and I loved seeing the blush color her cheeks as she met my gaze.

Alek’s expression remained unreadable, sharp eyes taking her in. Pasha’s brow furrowed slightly, and he glanced at me questioningly. Sebastian, on the other hand, leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, a lazy smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Damn, Counselor. I’ll say it again. She is way out of your league.”

The blush deepened exponentially. Nik’s brow lifted a fraction, though he said nothing. He was trying to figure out what she was doing here.

Ivan’s gaze softened, his grin welcoming. His approval was immediate. “Don’t listen to Bash, buttercup. You’re right where you belong.”

She met my eyes once more. A silent question. A confirmation. I nodded. She stepped fully inside.

“You asked to see me, Sir?”

Victoria stood there, nervously twisting her hands. I motioned for her to come to me, and she practically ran into my arms. I ignored the smirks and drew her onto my lap. A part of me couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of satisfaction. The last two weeks had been nothing but bliss. She snuggled into my shoulder and sighed.

“We have news about Cameron. He made bail. You expressed an interest originally in being the one to tell him about Declan,” Alek offered.

I pulled her face up so I could look into her eyes and hopefully reassure her.

“I’ll be safe, right?” she asked.

“Buttercup, we’ve talked about this. That man will never lay a hand on any woman ever again,” Ivan said.

I loved his nickname for her. It was his way of accepting her fully into the family and seemed fitting, especially given he was my best mate. I also loved that he sensed her hesitation, unbeknownst to him, though she had something up her sleeve.

“I know, Sir. I’m just not as brave as you think I am.” Her voice trembled. “Hence why I’m looking for confirmation.”

She’d been taking self-defense classes with Ivan, along with Isabella and Kinsley, daily now, and she was getting to the point where she didn’t jump every time one of us moved too fast.

“You’re doing just fine. If you’ve changed your mind, it’s perfectly acceptable. We just wanted to get clarification, is all,” Bash offered.

“I have sort of, changed my mind, I mean. I’m not sure you’ll like my plan, though.” Her eyes shifted down to her lap. I had to hold her hands tightly in mine; otherwise, she would pinch her thighs again. Some habits were harder for her to break.

“The floor is all yours, angel,” I prodded.

She hesitated for only a beat before speaking. “Well, I was hoping to have a few minutes alone with him once he’s t-t-tie-” she paused and took a deep breath before speaking again. “Secured.”

This time, the word came out more solidly. Alek’s forehead creased, Sebastian’s smirk faltered, Nik’s head tilted to the side as he assessed her words. Ivan and Pasha sat forward in anticipation.

The silence that followed was thick. Her grip on my forearm tightened. Alek didn’t move, didn’t so much as blink. “Alone?” he repeated, his tone deceptively neutral.

She nodded, her throat bobbed, and uncertainty filled her eyes. “I wouldn’t be alone, alone though.”

That was enough to shift the energy. Nik steepled his fingers beneath his chin and heaved. Alek’s eyes narrowed.

“Clarify that statement, please,” Alek commanded, his voice calm but carrying an unmistakable edge.

I felt her inhale, steady herself. Then, without hesitation, she slid off my lap and stood before us. My arms instantly felt empty, but I didn’t stop her. She needed to do this.