Page 24 of Wraith’s Betrayal

The declaration hung between us, massive in its simplicity. Blade stared at our joined hands, something shifting behind the anger.

"Get out." His voice came out rough. "Both of you. I can't⁠—"

Footsteps on the stairs cut him off. Not boots. Dress shoes climbing with deliberate intent.

Derek appeared behind Blade, looking worse than when he'd fled Wraith's apartment yesterday. Nose crooked and swollen, one eye completely shut, lips split and puffy. But entitled stupidity brought him back anyway.

"Raven, we need⁠—"

He didn't finish.

Blade and Wraith moved in perfect synchronization—twenty years of military brotherhood overriding their current conflict. Blade's fist buried in Derek's solar plexus while Wraith swept his legs. Derek hit the floor gasping.

"You the ex?" Blade's voice dropped to Montana winter cold.

Derek wheezed something that might have been yes.

"The one stalking my sister?"

Another wheeze.

Blade hauled Derek up by his ruined collar, slammed him into the hallway wall. "Raven's a Beckett. That means she's under Pike Creek Riders protection. Come near her again, text her, even dream about her, they'll need dental records for identification. Clear?"

Derek's good eye went wide, darting between the two bikers who'd gone from fighting each other to united threat in seconds.

"I asked a question."

"Clear! It's clear!"

"Good." Blade dropped him. "Now crawl away before we decide you need convincing."

Derek scrambled toward the stairs on hands and knees, dignity abandoned. The exit door slammed behind him.

Silence settled over us. Blade and Wraith stood shoulder to shoulder in the hallway, shift from violence to stillness almost surreal.

They stood there, twenty years of shared history between them, before Blade turned back.

"This doesn't mean I'm okay with it."

"I know."

"You betrayed me."

"I know."

"I should kill you."

"Probably." Wraith paused. "But you won't. Because I protected her. Even from you just now."

"Why'd you take that hit without fighting back?"

"Because you're my brother. Because I betrayed that. Because you had the right." Wraith's hand tightened on mine. "And because nothing you could do would make me stop loving her."

Before Blade could respond, more footsteps. Boots this time. Official ones.

Sheriff Jenkins appeared, Quinn behind him trying to hide a smile.

"Another disturbance call at this address," Jenkins said, taking in the scene. Blood on the walls, Wraith and Blade both bleeding, me in Wraith's shirt. "Anyone want to explain?"