Page 28 of Dagger

Mason takes a step closer, his eyes burning with anger. “And Chloe? Did you think walking away from her wouldn’t have consequences? She’s doing fine without you, Dagger. Better than fine, maybe. You might not like what you’ve come back to.”

His words hit harder than his punch, but I hold his gaze. “I know,” I say after a beat. “I knew there’d be fallout, and I’ll take whatever’s coming. But I’m here now. That’s got to count for something.”

Mason grabs the whiskey bottle off the desk, pours two shots, and slams the bottle back down. “Get over here,” he growls, his tone still sharp. “I didn’t pour two shots to drink them both myself.”

I step forward, grabbing the glass he shoved toward me. We down them in silence, the burn harsh but grounding.

Mason sets his glass down and points to the chair. “Sit,” he orders.

I drop into the seat, leaning forward, my elbows on my knees.

“Start talking,” Mason says, his voice like gravel. “Every detail. You leave out one damn thing, and you’re done.”

I sigh, dragging a hand through my hair. “It was Tank’s wedding,” I say, my voice low and firm. “We’d been fighting this thing between us for almost a year. I knew it was wrong. Hell, I knew it was dangerous. She’s half my age, Mason. And aftereverything she’s been through—what the club’s done to protect her—I knew she was off-limits. But that night...”

I pause, locking eyes with him. I’m not gonna sugarcoat it. “I wanted her. And she wanted me.”

Mason’s glare hardens, his fists clenching on the desk. “Youknewthe rules, Dagger. You knew she was off-limits, and you went there anyway?”

“It wasn’t like that,” I growl back, my voice sharp. “I didn’t plan it. We didn’t sneak around. It just fucking happened. I was drunk, she was drunk, and for one night, we didn’t pretend there wasn’t something there. That’s the truth.”

He slams his fist on the desk, the sound echoing in the room. “You disobeyed me. You put her in a position she should’ve never been in. You’re supposed to protect her, not—” He cuts himself off, his breathing harsh.

“You think I don’t know that?” I snap, my voice rising. “You think I haven’t been ripping myself apart over this since the second it happened? I knew it was a line I couldn’t uncross, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. And I’ll live with that for the rest of my life.”

Mason stares at me, his jaw tight, the muscles in his neck twitching. “You know what this means, don’t you?” he says, his voice cold. “You disobeyed me, disrespected the club, and put everything we’ve worked for at risk. There has to be retribution, Dagger. You fuckingknowthat.”

I square my shoulders, meeting his glare head-on. “Yeah, I know,” I say, my voice rough but steady. “Do what you’ve gotta do. I’m here, aren’t I? I’m not running anymore.”

Mason leans back in his chair, his eyes boring into mine. “And now? What changed?”

I meet his gaze, my voice steady. “I realized running wasn’t fixing anything. Harlan helped me get my head straight, but I knew I had to come back and face this. Face you. Face her. I’mnot asking for forgiveness, Mason. I’m just trying to make things right.”

Mason leans back in his chair, his eyes fixed on me like he’s trying to decide if he can even stand the sight of me. “You’ve got a long way to go, Dagger,” he says finally, his voice low and tired. “A long fucking way. But if you’re serious about fixing this, you’d better be ready to bleed for it.”

“I am,” I say, my voice steady. “Whatever it takes.”

He nods once, his expression unreadable. “Then get the hell out of my office. We’re done for now. And take the back. I don’t need anymore shit going down tonight.”

I stand, my chest tight and my head pounding. As I step out of the office, I know one thing for sure: Mason’s letting me stay—for now. But earning back his trust? That’s gonna cost me everything I’ve got.

I shove the back door open, the cool night air hitting me like a slap. A few of the guys are scattered in the yard, smoking and muttering to each other. As soon as they see me, the chatter dies down, and all eyes shift my way.

“Dagger!” Jax’s voice cuts through the silence as he strides over, a cigarette hanging from his lips. He claps me on the back hard enough to make me stagger a step. “Thought you’d gone soft and forgotten where home is.”

“Yeah, well, I’m here now,” I grunt, brushing past him.

Jax smirks, falling into step beside me. “Good to see you, man. Looks like you’ve still got some fight left in you. You’re gonna need it.”

A few others come up, nodding or slapping me on the shoulder as I pass. “Welcome back,” one says. Another just grunts, and I can’t tell if it’s approval or indifference.

But not everyone’s happy to see me. Sledge stands off to the side, arms crossed, his glare like a knife to the gut.

He doesn’t say anything at first, just watches me with that hard look he’s perfected. Finally, he speaks, his voice sharp. “Didn’t think you’d have the balls to show up.”

I stop and turn to face him, my tone low and steady. “Yeah, well, I’m here. Not expecting a parade.”

Sledge snorts, stepping closer. “You think just walking in fixes everything? You left us high and dry, Dagger. You don’t get to act like nothing happened.”

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