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The rain poured down, casting a somber mood as I stood in front of the Mercy Drive Blades headquarters. The once pristine building was still stark white, but everything inside didn’t feel pristine. Not anymore.
I made my way inside–with my own password and biometrics letting me in this time–and saw Victor resting in a makeshift bed near the corner of the living room. He was better, but this was a reminder that he was absolutely still human.
He hadn’t recovered all the way. His injuries had taken a toll on him, both physically and emotionally. His once strong and imposing figure now appeared fragile, his usually tan skin pale from blood loss. The bandages wrapped around his abdomen served as a constant reminder of the price he’d paid for protecting us all. His muscles, which usually bulged under his black shirt, didn’t show them off quite as much.
“Hey Victor,” I said softly as I approached him, not wanting to startle him.
He looked up at me with tired eyes but managed a faint smile. “Hey, Sofia.”
“Are you feeling any better?” I asked, trying not to sound too concerned.
Victor hesitated before responding. Midnight curled around on his stomach and he stroked her before he spoke to me. “A little. I probably won’t be going back to the gym soon.”
I laughed. “I don’t think anyone expects that.”
“I expect that.”
“Take your time, Victor,” I said. “We’re here for you, no matter what.”
“Thanks, Sofia,” he said, his voice strained. “I just…I can’t help but feel like I let everyone down.”
“Victor, you saved our lives,” I reminded him, my tone firm as I approached him. He reached out and grabbed my hand, our fingers intertwining. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. We’re all grateful for what you did.”
“I was just in the way of a car.”
“Yeah, you got in the way,” I replied. “We haven’t lost sight of this.”
He smiled at me. “You’re so sweet,” he said. “I appreciate it.”
As I stood there, offering what little comfort I could to Victor, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of our situation bearing down on us. The danger was far from over, and with each passing day, it seemed to grow closer. But as I looked around at the Blades – my family – I knew that we would face whatever challenges came our way. Together.
“I’m going to call Sam,” I said. “But I’ll be around if you need anything.”
“I won’t,” Victor said.
I rolled my eyes and walked to my room, pulling my phone out of my handbag and calling my brother. One of the Blades’ guys was watching him, hell, essentially living with him. Just in case. I didn’t have much time to think about it before he answered his phone.
“Hey, Sof,” Sam’s voice rang through my cell phone, pulling me out of my thoughts. “How’s Victor doing?”
“Still recovering,” I replied, glancing back at my door, which was slightly ajar. “He’s got a long road ahead, but he’s strong. Are you at home?”
“Yes, I’ve been here for a bit. And that’s good to hear,” Sam sighed, his voice tinged with worry. “Listen, I’ve been thinking about my job at the police station. Things are getting…complicated. I don’t know if I can keep up this double life much longer.”
“Are you considering quitting?” I asked. I knew this was coming, but it was a big step.
“Maybe,” he admitted. “But I don’t want to leave you guys without that inside connection. I just—I don’t know what to do.”
“Kid, your safety comes first. Let me talk to Teo.” I urged him. “We’ll figure something out. Just take care of yourself, okay?”
“Thanks, Sof,” he said softly before hanging up.
My head was pounding as I put my phone on my nightstand. It had been a few weeks since we’d been back and we weren’t any closer to finding out who the Viper was or what we could do about him.
The news about Miranda’s murder was everywhere, though.
If I had felt like an outcast before, it was nothing. Now, when I went out, and I did so rarely, there was a fifty-fifty chance I was going to get harassed by a reporter.
Teo and I hadn’t even had ten minutes to sit down and talk to each other and we clearly had a lot to discuss.
