They had kicked my gun into the corner, but I fought at the ties while everyone else was occupied.
“Really? Again?” Jack muttered, a feral Evie stalking closer.
The last of his bodyguards moved forward, but Evie didn’t hesitate. She lunged—fast and brutal, dodging a swing from the guy as she went straight for Jack.
Rook stepped in, Zack still frozen in shock on the sidelines, the knife he had just plunged into me held high in defense.
Jack barely had time to move, but he caught her wrist, twisting it violently. The knife clattered to the floor, and for half a second, I thought he had her.
But Evie only smiled, baring her teeth like the psycho girl she was. Somehow it didn’t seem to faze her.
Jack yanked her close, his voice low and mocking. “You think you belong there with them, don’t you?” he taunted. “Like you’re one of them? But you’re nothing, Evie. You weren’t born into their world. You were dragged into it like a stray, and you’ve beenpretending ever since. They don’t want you now that they know. You’re not even blood.”
Evie stilled, her chest rising and falling in sharp bursts.
“What?” I asked, not sure how to take what he was saying. “She’s Rook’s sister.”
“Oh, you didn’t hear? Little Evie Emberson isn’t actually an Emberson. Not blood, at least. Adopted. A poor little mutt her parents died to keep.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Evie said, and my breath hitched. He had already told her this? She was standing there protecting me when she had found this out? “I’ll always be Rook’s sister and the rest of them are my family, blood or not.”
“No, you won’t, mutt. Sure they need you now, they can’t get out alive. You think they are going to feel the same once you are back home? Not a chance. You are a liability, a risk. They don’t want you around unless they are forced into it.”
Evie froze, her eyes going wide, and the fear that she was going to believe him hit me hard.
Jack smirked, knowing he’d struck a nerve. “You’re not one of them. Not an Emberson. Not a real part of their family. You’re a lost little girl playing pretend.”
“No, you aren’t, Evie,” I said, trying to keep my eyes on her as my head spun. “We would die today to keep you. I’m no one. A foster kid with parents who didn’t want me and that has never changed who I was in this pack.”
“But he’s under control. He isn’t causing them problems,” Jack said. “You are. You’re putting them all in danger.”
Evie looked at me, and I knew she had to hear it.
“I love you, Evie. And honestly, the fact that you’re not blood-related to Rook just makes it way harder for him to justify kickingmy ass over this,” I said, flashing a grin and hoping she caught the joke.
“And gives him more reason to leave you behind,” Jack said.
A slow, chilling smile spread across Evie’s face. “You talk too much.”
And then she moved.
She yanked her other arm free, twisting fast, and slamming her elbow into Jack’s ribs. He let out a pained grunt, doubling over enough for her to grab the knife from the floor and drive it upward, sinking it deep into his neck.
Jack gasped, his eyes going wide in shock. His hand flew up, gripping her wrist, trying to shove her off, but she twisted the blade, dragging it through muscle and tendon. A garbled, wet sound left his lips as blood gushed over her hand.
Evie yanked the knife free with a vicious jerk, stepping back and letting him fall.
Jack hit the ground hard, mouth opening like he wanted to say something. But no words came—only a wet gurgle, his eyes darting wildly before the light started to fade.
Evie stepped back, slowly moving closer to me while she kept her eyes on Jack, making sure he didn’t get up again.
Fuck.
I really was in love.
I groaned, trying to shift, but pain tore through me, my vision swimming. I knew I had to have a concussion from whatever they hit me with along with a need for stitches from the knife, but it didn’t matter. I could only focus on Evie.
I couldn’t figure out how I happened to become best friends with the perfect woman, but I had. Years ago I had, and I hadn’t wanted to spend one day without her since.
