Page 100 of Vicious Betrayal

The next morning, we drive to the federal detention facility where Rian is being held. The building is all cold concrete and fluorescent lights, and I feel my stomach twist with guilt as we walk through the security checkpoints. Cormac's hand is warm in mine, his grip steady and reassuring, but I can see the tension in his jaw, and his shoulders are tight.

They take us to a small visiting room with a table bolted to the floor and plastic chairs. Rian is already there, waiting, and when he sees us, he stands. He looks tired. There are dark circles under his eyes, and his face is drawn, but he smiles when he sees Cormac.

"Brother," he says, and Cormac crosses the room, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"You shouldn't have done it," Cormac says, his voice rough. "You shouldn't have taken the fall."

"It was the right thing to do," Rian says simply. "And I'd do it again."

They talk for a while, their voices low and serious, and I hang back, giving them space. But then Rian looks at me, and he gestures for me to come closer. "Can I have a moment with Oksana?" he asks Cormac.

Cormac nods. "I'll be right outside." He squeezes my hand once before leaving, and then it's just me and Rian.

I sit down across from him, my hands folded in my lap, and I can't meet his eyes. "I'm so sorry," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't⁠—"

"Stop," Rian says gently. "This isn't your fault, Oksana."

"But it is," I insist, tears spilling down my cheeks. "If I hadn't gone to that club, if I hadn't gotten involved with Cormac, if I hadn't let the FBI use me⁠—"

"You were coerced," Rian interrupts. "You didn't have a choice. And even if you did, Cormac made his own choices too. He chose to be with you. He chose to love you. That's not on you."

I shake my head, unable to accept his words. "You're going to spend years in prison because of me⁠—"

"I'm going to do it because I chose to," Rian says, his voice firm. "This is the best thing I could do, Oksana. Cormac has sacrificed so much for the organization, for Declan, for all of us. He's given twenty years of his life to this world, and he finally found something worth more than all of it. He found you. He found a family."

"But you⁠—"

"I don't have what he has," Rian says quietly. "I don't have any kind of family except the men, and they'll make it without me, but Cormac has everything to lose. And I'm not going to let him lose it."

I stare at him, my throat too tight to speak.

"It's my turn to sacrifice," Rian continues. "Cormac's done it for years. Now it's my turn to do something that gives my friend the life he always wanted but never thought he could have."

"I don't know how to repay you," I whisper.

"Be happy," Rian says simply. "Make Cormac happy. Raise that baby and give him the family he deserves. That's how you repay me."

I nod, tears streaming down my face, and Rian reaches across the table to squeeze my hand.

"I don't regret this," he says. "And I'm not going to become an informant. I'm not going to betray Declan or the others. I'm going to serve my time, and when I get out, I'll still have my brothers. That's enough for me."

"Thank you," I manage. "Thank you for everything."

"Take care of him," Rian says. "He's a good man. He deserves to be happy."

"I will," I promise. "I swear, I will."

—

When I step out of the visiting room, Cormac is waiting for me, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. His eyes search my face, and then he pulls me into his arms without a word. "You alright?" he murmurs into my hair.

"Yeah," I say, my voice muffled against his chest. "I'm alright."

We drive back to his house in silence. But when we pull into the driveway and he turns off the engine, he doesn't move to get out. He just sits there, staring at the brick house in front of us. "This is home now," he says finally. "For both of us. For all three of us."

I reach over and take his hand, threading my fingers through his. "I know."

"It's not going to be easy," he says, his voice low. "We've got a lot to work through. This happened fast. And the feds are still going to be watching us. And Rian—" He trails off, his jaw tightening.