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I was still “sweetheart” too, though, as soon as a spark of passion lit in those hazel eyes.
I considered the offerings in his vast cupboard of hot cocoa. “The cinnamon one. I feel like I need a little spice.”
He clicked his tongue against his teeth as he pulled down the box and took out two mugs. “In the mood for some heat, are you? I think we can take care of that urge.” His tone had turned suggestive, and he smirked over his shoulder at me.
Oh, I bet they would. We’d had plenty of nights to remember, christening the various rooms of this place in my favorite way.
“Your brother is definitely still thinking outside the law enforcement box,” Blaze said, his foot swinging back and forth as he skimmed through emails on his phone. “He’s just sent me another of his wish lists of targets.Hey Tech Guy,” he read out loud, and rolled his eyes. “When is he going to learn my name?”
“You’ve got to admit he has a knack for compiling key articles,” Garrison said.
Blaze raised his eyebrows at the other man. “I neverhaveto admit anything.”
Garrison handed me a mug, and I breathed in the chocolatey steam with a sigh that brought all the men’s gazes snapping to me with looks as heated as the liquid I was holding. Garrison leaned back against the counter, taking a sip of his own drink. “Speaking of vigilante justice, I managed to direct the cops to another of the old Blood Hunter’s sex slave buyers today. That’s three more girls free.”
“That’s wonderful!” I said, my spirits lifting as much from the news as the sweet beverage I was savoring.
One of my first orders of business after I’d taken over the former Blood Hunter’s accounts had been to figure out how much of that business I wanted to dismantle. We’d scrapped the DNA collection program, destroying a few remaining files that Blaze hadn’t been able to catch in our assault on the office building, cut all connections to military figures, and ended the shipments of trafficked women. Now we were working through the slow process of exposing those who’d purchased from those shipments before.
As I’d pared down the former Blood Hunter’s income streams, naturally less money had been coming in. But we didn’t need money. The Chaos Crew had already held substantial savings, and the old Blood Hunter had been downright miserly, judging by the size of his accounts.
“Even though we’ve been subtle about it, people have got to be realizing that there’s a pattern to the takedowns,” Blaze commented. “We might be making some enemies. And I don’t know how the rest of the Devil’s Dozen will feel about it.”
I let out a dismissive huff. “They’re my assets now. My contacts and my connections. I can use them however I like—and destroy them however I like.”
The hacker grinned at the assurance in my voice. “Has anyone ever told you how badass you are, Dess?”
I leaned in and nudged my shoulder against his. “Only my four favorite men.”
I believed it, too. I believed with every ounce of my being that I was just as badass as they told me I was. I’d taken down the former Blood Hunter, and I was singlehandedly dismantling every rotten thing he’d ever built. More than that, though, I knew that nobody would dare to stop me—not when I had one of the fiercest crews supporting me and my decisions.
Not when I myself was a force to be reckoned with.
The other twelve members of the Devil’s Dozen were watching us with interest and skepticism, sure. They might not like what they saw. But they’d offered the position to me, and if they ever decided to come for me—to challenge what I was doing here—I’d respond just as mercilessly as I’d been trained to do.
I finally had the life I wanted, andnobodywould take it from me. I’d never be controlled again. And I had more family standing with me than I’d ever imagined was possible a year ago. A family built on strength, respect, passion, and a healthy dose of chaos.
Just let anyone try to tear us apart, and I’d be happy to prove to them that love could win all over again.
