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The phone became silent as more computer key sounds came from the phone. “Nope,” Jinx replied. “The only Tarvin on here is Amara.”

King and Kane looked at each other. “Thanks, Jinx,” King said, then cursed.

“You got any information for me?” Kane asked, picking up his phone.

“Soon,” Jinx answered as more keyboard sounds came over the phone. “You’ll be the first to know.”

“Thanks,” Kane said, then hung up.

“Lee didn’t put him on that list,” King said, though it was obvious to everyone. “But why?”

“You don’t think he was trying to make money off his sister, do you?” Charger asked, his voice laced with anger.

King wanted to deny it, but the thought nagged at him. He didn’t know Lee well enough to rule it out. The idea of someone sellingout their sister turned his stomach and ignited a slow-burning rage.

“I honestly don’t know,” King admitted, his tone heavy.

Changing the subject, he turned to Kane. “Whose license plate number are you pulling?”

Kane’s jaw ticked as he replied, “The woman who brought Joey to the hospital. Actually, she found me. I showed Jill’s sketch around, and word got back to her.”

“And?” King’s adrenaline spiked, ready to unleash hell on whoever was responsible for hurting Joey. “Is she at the compound? Who’s questioning her?”

“I let her go,” Kane said bluntly.

The room froze as every eye turned to Kane.

“Youwhat?” King bellowed in disbelief.

“Listen, we were in a very crowded pub and had eyes on us, one man in particular,” Kane explained with a frown. “I have a plan, so chill the fuck out. Give me time, and I promise you I will deliver the fuckers who did this to the kid and his father.”

“Kane knows what he’s doing, King,” Charger added, giving Kane a nod. “If he said he would deliver, he will do just that.”

King nodded, glancing toward the stairs that led to where Amara was. He needed to trust Kane knew what he was doing, but the longer these fuckers were out there, the more danger Joey and Amara were in. “Go ahead and eat. I’m going to check on Amara.”

As King climbed the stairs, his heavy boots echoed in the quiet house, a sound that matched the weight in his chest. For thefirst time in a long time, he realized he would have to trust his brothers to handle the situation downstairs. Right now, his focus was razor-sharp, entirely on keeping Amara and Joey safe.

Reaching the top of the steps, he slowed, his hand gripping the banister as a wave of clarity crashed over him. The truth of his feelings for Amara hit him with the force of a freight train, leaving him momentarily breathless. He would die for her. There wasn’t a shred of doubt in his mind. He’d fought for many things in his life...his brothers, his own survival, but this was different.

Amara Tarvin wasn’t just someone he was protecting; she wasn’t just another name on a list of people to save. She washis. Somehow, in the chaos of everything, she’d taken root in his soul, and nothing—absolutelynothing—was going to take her from him.

King’s jaw tightened; his pulse thudded with a steady drumbeat of determination. Never in his life had he felt such a raw, unshakable need for someone. And he didn’t just want to protect her; he wanted to be the one she leaned on, the one she trusted, the one shechose. It had happened in a matter of hours, but the feelings were there, and he couldn’t deny them.

When he reached her door, he paused, his hand hovering over the handle. A quiet murmur of voices drifted upstairs, but it all felt distant. All he could think about was Amara and how she’d looked at him with those wide, vulnerable eyes, how her quiet strength had drawn him in like a flame.

King took a deep breath, his shoulders rising and falling as he steadied himself. “You’re mine, Amara,” he whispered under his breath, the words a vow that only his death could break.

CHAPTER 16

Amara almost felt like a new person as the steam from the shower began to fade, and the fresh clothes on her skin offered a semblance of comfort. But as she stood in front of the mirror, towel-drying her damp hair, reality came crashing back. Her reflection was almost unrecognizable.

The sweater she’d put on hung loosely on her frame, slipping off one shoulder to reveal the fading outline of a bruise that still hadn’t fully healed. She traced it absentmindedly with her fingers, her lips pressed into a thin line. Her cheekbones appeared sharper now, her skin pale and drawn. The hollow look in her eyes unsettled her the most. Once bright and full of life, they now seemed dim, almost vacant.

Amara sighed, running the towel through her hair again before tossing it aside. The truth was, she didn’t just look different. Shewasdifferent.

Before all of this, she had been strong, confident, and sure of herself. Every decision she made was rooted in certainty, and every step forward was taken with purpose. She’d always prided herself on being independent, capable of handling whatever lifethrew her way. But now? Now, she barely recognized the woman staring back at her.

Her shoulders slumped as she leaned against the counter, gripping its edge tightly. She hated this version of herself. This scared, unsure woman who second-guessed everything, who didn’t know where to turn, what to say, or even who to trust, was a stranger to her.

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