Page 159 of A Wild Darkness

“Look, this is never something we expect to happen.” River’s voice is stern. “But it did and the only thing we can do is learn from it and try not to make any mistakes like this again in the future.”

Hayden, Christian, and I exchange a quick glance, and I know we’re all thinking the same thing. We’re fucking crazy. But it’s the only life we’ve ever known.

I grab Stevie’s hand. “I’m alive to continue what we do. And that’s all that matters.”

“That’s it?” She bites her quivering bottom lip, then swipes a tear from underneath her eye. “This is what we do, and that’s that? Sebastian almost dies, and it’s business as usual?”

River opens his mouth to speak, but she interjects. “And you? You’re supposed to be the planner—the organizer out of the four of you? Why would you have let them take on this project without you being here to help them?” she scolds him.

My eyes bounce from Hayden to Christian to River.

He blows out a weighted breath. “You’re right. I was only thinking of your sister and not the organization.”

Damn. She’s even bringing River to his knees.

Fuck, I love her.

“Now, next time any of you take on any projects, it’s all of you or nothing, got it?” Her tone is stern. She slides her eyes back to River. “I’m sure my sister would agree if it were you lying there.”

“I’m sure she would,” he replies.

I understand her frustrations—if I was an outsider looking into our entire operation, I’d react the same way. “This is our life. And with those choices come potential consequences—each one of us will take.”

“So, now I must simply accept this?” she asks again, convincing herself more than asking a question.

“You don’t have to be in it anymore,” I say.

Her hand flies from mine as her arms fold aggressively against her chest. “Of course I’m going to do this with you, Sebastian!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!” Stevie replies. “Like I said. If all of us can’t take part in the next project, then we’re not taking it on.”

A chuckle vibrates my insides. “Well, okay.”

“Okay,” she returns, tapping her foot. “I have some emails from Nevermore to catch up on.” She bends down to kiss me. Then lifts her head to glare across the bed. “See you all later.” Her tone is curt as she speaks with River, Hayden, and Christian before dashing out of the room.

River’s eyebrows raise. “She’s a lot.”

I run a hand down my face, knowing that all five feet four inches of her is all mine. “Yeah, and you wonder why she drove me crazy at first?”

We share a laugh that rumbles through the quiet room.

River’s head falls back. “Remember a time when women weren’t involved?”

“Yes, but it’s much better now.” I chuckle.

“Speak for yourselves,” Christian bites back. “But I am glad this nightmare of a project is over.”

“Same.” I painfully rotate my shoulder where I was shot. “So, the mansion has been cleared?”

“The night crew cleaned up and got rid of the bodies,” Hayden confirms.

“I reset the security cameras once you and Stevie were back on the Thompson property. We only have nine minutes unaccounted from the lapse in security footage from where I paused it. I took the security guard out with a quick shot and dragged his body into a linen closet, so we’re clear anyway,” Christian adds.

“That’s the missing timeframe?” I clarify. “Where you had to remove the footage and splice with the other?”

“Yeah, but I replaced it with the actual footage from the mansion since I was able to take care of him so quickly,” Christian says confidently.