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"Angelica's going to want to hunt down whoever did this, rip off their leg, and force them to choke on it." Code's lips curved slightly.

“I don’t think it’s their leg that she would be ripping off.” I grinned.

“I’m trying to be a gentleman. Trust me. She's the last person in the world they should have targeted."

"Why?"

"Because the wrath of the Drakos family is a really bad thing." His voice held certainty. "Angelica has seventeen siblings. A quarter of them are in law enforcement or military. The others are just scary in their own ways. When they find out someone’s threatening her, they won't stop until that person pays."

The image made me smile even bigger despite everything. An army of Drakos siblings descending on whoever made those videos. Bruno from Homeland Security. Jase the former SEAL. Renzo who'd survived living on the streets of Lima. Malik who looked like he could bench press a car.

"You're not alone in this," Code said. "And neither is Angelica. We're going to find who did this. We're going to stop them. And we're going to make sure they can never hurt anyone again."

I looked into his eyes. Saw the determination there, the protective fury barely contained beneath his exhausted exterior.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

The intensity in his voice made my breath catch. He meant it. Every word. This wasn't just a case to him anymore. It was personal.

We stared at each other. His hands still covered mine. The space between us felt charged, electric. His gaze dropped to my mouth.

My pulse hammered in my throat.

Code leaned forward slightly.

I leaned toward him.

"You two better get moving!" Jase's voice boomed from somewhere downstairs. "Brunch starts in half an hour and Bonnie will kill me if you're late!"

We jerked apart like guilty teenagers.

Code stood quickly, running a hand through his already messy hair. "We should go."

"Yeah. Definitely." I stood up too fast, nearly tripped over my own feet.

He steadied me with a hand on my elbow. The touch sent heat through my entire body.

This was dangerous. I was in crisis. He was helping me. Getting involved romantically was a terrible idea that would only complicate everything.

But God, I’d wanted to close that distance. See what would have happened if Jase hadn't interrupted.

"Come on." Code released my arm. "If we're late, Bonnie really will kill Jase. And then Angelica will kill me for letting it happen."

We headed downstairs in silence. The almost-kiss hung between us, unacknowledged but impossible to ignore.

At the door, Code paused. "Katherine?"

I turned back.

"What I said about the Drakos family? About them protecting their own?" His eyes met mine. "That includes you now. You're under their protection. Which means you're under mine."

The words settled over me like a shield.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. Wait until we catch this bastard."

He held the door open. I walked past him into the cool morning air. The sun had fully risen now, painting the parking lot in golden light.

Everything looked peaceful.

But I knew better now. Underneath the surface, danger lurked. Someone watching. Someone waiting. Someone who'd already hurt people I cared about and might hurt more if we didn't stop them.

But I wasn't alone anymore.

I had Code. I had the entire Drakos family. I had Jasper Creek circling the wagons to protect one of their own.

And somehow, that made all the difference.