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Asher nodded. “Of course. We’re using Isobel and her masks to do the heavy lifting. Did she take the bait?”
“Yeah. My plants confirm that she believes a majorly lucrative arms deal to be taking place covertly at the Monroe Estate.”
“One that she’s been led to believe will put the Infidels back in the game,” Olivia said.
“Very good.”
“I’m not sitting this one out,” Aurora spoke suddenly. “I can’t.”
Lance frowned. “I already told you I accept that you can handle yourself.”
“It’s not you, Dad.” She rolled her eyes. “Not this time, at least.”
Lance looked to Asher and Asher told him, “I pulled her from the final dollhouse takedown, because the nature of it was triggering her in a dark and destructive way. She saw… some things.”
Lance and Olivia exchanged a look and Olivia shuddered. Rubbing her arm to comfort her, he told Aurora, “I’m not surprised. Those places were horrific. While this mission won’t have those triggering elements, there will be a couple of others. Namely, Carson and your mom. If you’re going to be a part of this, I don’t want you tasked to either of them. I’ll deal with Isobel, and Asher will deal with Carson.”
“I agree,” Aurora said. But she asked Asher worriedly, “Won’t you being around Carson trigger you, though? And that dungeon is right there in the house too.”
“He’s beyond that in his beast state,” I told her.
Asher nodded. “He’s right.”
He didn’t react at all, not a shudder, not a twitch of his eye. Yeah, he was solid on this. Ready.
“I’ve got a cleanup team prepared to move in before the feds arrive, once you make that tip, to take care of Carson, Samuel, and Isobel,” Asher told Lance.
“I’ll have mine there too, because we’ll need to move fast.”
“Bryce and his men will contain any Infidels members who try to take off, right?” I asked.
“That’s their role in this, yes,” Asher confirmed. “Once the Heretics move in, Killian, Aurora, and Jonah will put them down—no fatal hits, though. Covering up three murders with the law involved is complicated and challenging enough. Aaron and Olivia will take Samuel, while Lance focuses on Isobel. Lance’s plants will contain the Infidels, while I’ll put my father down. We all know our positions, the timing… any questions?”
“Yeah,” I said, plopping down beside Asher. “What do you guys want for dinner? I mean, we’ve got limited supplies here, but there’s enough for an ace chef like me to work with. Especially for our last meal and all that.”
“Last meal?” Aurora said, frowning.
“No, I meant, our last meal here. And in hiding. My bad.”
She reached behind Asher and ruffled my spiky hair. “You’re too cute.”
“It certainly won’t be our last meal in the other sense,” Asher said, the vehemence in his tone filling the room with the depth of his conviction. “We’ll take the Monroe Estate, we’ll decimate all our enemies tomorrow night. We’ll be victorious—it can’t be any other way. I won’t allow it to be any other way.”
“We’ll be free,” Killian breathed in wonder at the awesome possibility.
Aurora kissed his cheek. “No more façade ever again.”
Kill squeezed her to him. “All of that’s felt way lighter since you came into our lives, but having it gone for good will be a whole other deal. Although my father was able to save himself when Asher leaked all that abusive shit he’d done to me to the cops, his money and influence won’t save him this time. He’ll fucking well fall. Then my mom will be free too.”
“Count on it, Pretty,” I said, ruffling his floppy hair.
Lance chuckled and told Asher. “You’re certainly good at lifting their spirits and maintaining morale.”
“It comes with the territory,” Asher said.
“It comes from being a talented leader and a revered one at that. You’ve succeeded where Carson’s ego and megalomania had him failing.”
“Careful, that sounded an awful lot like a compliment.”
