No not something... someone.
Remi.
She was sitting in the middle of them, cross-legged on an old ottoman, elbows on her knees, talking like she was narrating a fireside story. And they were listening. Really listening.
The relief I felt was immense; she was safe, whole, unharmed... A few heads turned when we entered, but only one face changed.
A man rose from the back, a mountain wrapped in ink and leather, knuckles already whitening into fists. He didn’t speak. Just started forward, all slow fury and righteous weight. And then his eyes landed on Jack.
Jack went still.
“What the hell ishedoing here?”
The man was right in front of us now. Tall and wide enough to block out the light behind him. Tattoos crawled up his neck and down both arms. His cut read “FOUR” across the top patch. Below that: “Vice President.”
“We are Remi’s friends,” I said calmly, stepping forward. “We’re just here to see her.”
Four didn’t move. His eyes were pinned to Jack. “This is the one who accused me of running off with cartel cash and sleeping with an informant!”
Jack froze. “That… was a misunderstanding.”
“No shit,” Four growled. “One that got me benched for six months, flagged my record, and nearly cost me my kid. But yeah, sure. Misunderstanding.”
Others were standing now. A ripple of tension swept the room like someone dropped a match in dry grass.
“Look,” Jack said quickly. “I didn’t know who you were. I went off what I was told. We were trying to triage a threat...”
“No,youwere trying to play saviour with a law degree and a smug little smirk,” Four snapped, stepping closer. “You judged me before I even opened my mouth.”
I moved to try to stand between them, but it was too late.
Four’s fist curled at his side. The muscles in his neck went rigid.
He took one last look at Jack and growled, “I think it’s time someone knocked that entitled look off your goddamn face.”
And then his arm swung back.
CHAPTER 65
HARLAN - THAT'S ALL WE HAD
“Four,” a soft voice cut through the rising storm.
The fist paused mid-air.
Remi.
She stepped into the space between them without fear, like she’d done it before. Her hand landed gently on his forearm, solid muscle, knotted and twitching beneath the skin. Her voice was calm, but it carried through the room... easing some of the tension.
“Think about what we talked about,” she said.
Four didn’t move for a long second. Then he looked down at her, not like a man about to crush someone, more like a soldier being asked to lay down a weapon.
The silence stretched.
I didn’t know what the hell was about to happen. Neither did Jack, who hadn’t even breathed.
Remi looked into his eyes and said, "Trust me when I say that sometimes violenceisthe answer..." The weight of her words felt like gravity. "But now is not the time. Not if youactuallywant to change the narrative. The perception. The very thing you are angry about. Hurt about."
