His jaw tightened slightly.
“Years ago.”
I watched him carefully now.
The same way he’d watched us.
Because suddenly something bigger sat underneath all of this.
Something old.
Something personal.
Flick slowly stood from the couch, careful not to wake Mia.
“You knew Mercer before my father died.”
Rook’s eyes lifted to her.
“Yes.”
That one word landed heavy.
“How?” she whispered.
Rook exhaled once slowly.
Then finally gave us the truth.
“Before Mercer became a senator… he funded covert operations.”
Wolf frowned. “Governmentblack sites?”
“Yes.”
Ava looked sick already.
Rook continued anyway.
“Black Hollow was supposed to be a rescue and intelligence holding facility.”
“Supposed to be?” Trigger repeated carefully.
Rook’s eyes darkened.
“It became a slaughterhouse.”
Silence crashed through the room.
Flick’s fingers tightened against the back of the couch.
“What do you mean?”
Rook looked directly at her.
“Children disappeared there.”
Jesus Christ.
