Wolf uncrossed his arms slowly.
Trigger stood up straight.
Tate looked done with due process entirely.
And Ava?
Ava holstered her weapon and looked away like she officially saw nothing from thispoint forward.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
I kissed Flick’s forehead once.
Then looked toward Vaughn.
And smiled.
27
BLAZE
Eric Vaughn saw my smile?—
and finally understood how bad this situation really was for him.
Not because I yelled.
Not because I threatened him.
Because every bit of restraint disappeared.
The tavern had gone deadly quiet behind me while Flick cried softly against my chest.
And Vaughn?
Vaughn had just called a murdered girl collateral damage.
No coming back from that.
I brushed one hand gently through Flick’s hair.
“Stay here a second, baby.”
The endearment slipped out naturally.
Real naturally.
Her breath hitched softly against my shirt.
But she nodded.
Trusting me.
That trust felt sacred after everything she’d survived.
I stepped away from her slowly.
