My jaw tightened.
“That’s not how this works.”
“It should be.”
“It isn’t.”I set the mug down, turning toward her fully now.“A man sends soldiers after you, Tone, it stops being your problem alone.”
Something flickered across her face.It hit harder than it should’ve.
I almost reached for her, but she broke the moment by looking away.
Which was a good thing, because if she hadn’t, I might’ve forgotten myself again.
The convoy hit the street not long after.
Raze didn’t come, but he sent two black SUVs with bikes flanking them.Another car trailing like a shadow.Enough presence to turn a quiet street into a message.
By the time we stepped outside, the whole place was swarming with security.
She took it in, unimpressed.
“Subtle.”
I opened the door for her.“Your family doesn’t do subtle.”
“No,” she agreed as she slid in.“They don’t.”
I shut the door on the hint of a smile.
The drive was tight.Every car we passed got assessed.Every shadow checked.My hand stayed close to my weapon the entire time.
Beside me, she sat composed.One leg crossed.Eyes on the world outside the glass like none of it touched her.
Control.She was always in control.
Her hand shifted once on the seat between us.I took it for what it was; a small, restless movement.
My eyes dropped before I could stop them.Long fingers.No rings.Her pulse flickered at her wrist.Alive.
She was right there.Too close.
I dragged my gaze away before it went somewhere I couldn’t afford.Because this—whatever this was brewing between us—it was already too much.
And if Machado thought he had a place in it—he was about to learn his reality the hard way.
14
Archie
When we arrived at Raze’s house, the front gates were already open.Men lined the courtyard.Armed and alert.The villa itself loomed ahead like a fortress, all stone and shadow and old family violence.
The moment the car stopped, the atmosphere changed.You could feel bloodlines in places like this.Feel old loyalties in the walls.
Raze met us at the entrance before the driver had even fully rounded the car.
He went straight to Tone first, hands gripping her shoulders, eyes raking over her like he needed to see for himself that she was whole.His jaw was set so tight it looked painful.
She tolerated it for exactly three seconds.
