Page 18 of The Warrior's Salvation

“He made it clear—he’s not just talking about the picket lines. He said they’d hit us where we least expect it. He’s going after us harder than we thought. And he won’t stop at the workers. I’m thinking it’ll be an attack at the office.”

Draco looks over at me, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You’re not wrong. He’s always been a bastard. He won’t stop with just a few fists on the line. If he’s really pushing, it’s not just about muscle and territory anymore. He’ll go after the heart of things." The crevices in his forehead deepen. He understands what that means.

I let out a slow breath. “That’s what I’m worried about. He’s already got people slipping in among the protestors, stoking the fire. If we don’t get ahead of this, it could blow up in a way we can’t control.”

Draco nods, his expression grim. “So, what’s your plan?”

“I’m upping the security around the office,” I reply, my mind already working through the steps. “We need to make sure nobody slips through, especially with the Doyles stirring things up from the inside.”

Draco’s gaze hardens, and for a moment, he’s not just the guy who runs the union—he’s the father figure, the protector. “Listen, Lochlan… I need you to promise me something.”

My stomach tightens. “What’s that?”

Draco steps closer, his voice low but urgent. “You protect Evie with your life. She’s my precious treasure, and I can’t even bear to think about what would happen if something happened to her. Do you understand?”

I nod without hesitation. "You have my word.”

I briefly consider telling him what’s been happening between me and Evie. The pull between us, the tension that’s been building. But with Cormac pushing us, it isn't the time, not with the threat to the office hanging over us. I keep my mouth shut.

Just as the moment hangs between us, a shout breaks through the tension, followed by the unmistakable sound of fists hitting flesh. I turn quickly, spotting a brawl breaking out in the middle of the protest. People are yelling, bodies shoving against each other.

“Shit,” I mutter, already heading for the chaos. Draco’s right beside me, and together, we move through the crowd, stepping in to break up the fight.

The brawl intensifies as bodies slam into each other. One guy swings a punch, landing it square on another’s jaw. The crowd around them erupts, shouting, pushing, shoving. I move quickly, shoving people aside as I grab one of the men by the collar, dragging him away from the chaos. His eyebrow droops, blood draining from his nose.

“Enough!” I bark, my voice cutting through the noise. “This isn’t why we’re here!” The rage simmers just below the surface.

I shove him toward the back of the crowd, but he snarls and lunges back at the other protestor. Before I can react, Draco’s already in the middle of it, grabbing the guy by the arm and twisting it behind his back. He’s got this under control—he always does.

“You’re not helping,” Draco growls, his grip tight on the man’s wrist. “Get your shit together before I do it for you.” He must know this man is a loose cannon.

The guy struggles but finally calms down, the fight slowly draining from him. I glance back to see the scene starting to settle, but my blood’s still pumping with adrenaline. This—this is what we’re dealing with. Chaos. It’s not just about the protest anymore. It’s a ticking time bomb.

I feel my phone buzz in my pocket, but I don’t check it. I have a bad feeling about the direction this is all going. My eyes scan the crowd again, but this time, they’re not just looking for troublemakers. I'm looking for the reason this average strike has turned into a warzone.

I don’t know how, but I can’t shake the feeling that if I don’t get Evie to open up, she’s going to get caught in something bigger. Cormac is already playing games with us, and the longer I let her stew on whatever she's hiding, the harder it’s going to be to protect her. She doesn’t understand what this is yet, but I do.

And if I don’t step in, she’s going to be hurt. Badly.

13

EVIE

Isit in the passenger seat of Jasper’s car with my thoughts still tangled from yesterday. Lochlan insisted on driving me home last night, and this morning, he insisted that I shouldn’t drive myself to work. I can’t help but feel like his moodiness is getting heavier, though he keeps saying he's trying to protect me. He hasn’t come right out and said it, but I know the strikes are behind it—the constant tension, the threat of violence hanging over us. If he only knew what I'm dealing with.

Jasper talks my ear off as we drive, oblivious to the knot twisting in my chest. He’s excited, all smiles as he talks about the factory negotiations. “Evie, can you believe they're finally ready to talk? The workers have been waiting for this.”

I nod, trying to keep the smile in place, though my thoughts keep drifting. "Yeah, that’s great," I say, but my voice is a little too quiet. I can barely focus on his words, not with everything else clouding my mind.

I think back to the call from Darren, the threats, the blackmail. His words still echo in my mind. “Your father’s reputation is on the line. Do as I say, or I’ll make sure everyone knows the truth.”

I don't want to know what my father might be hiding, but now it’s all I can think about. What if my father really is involved in something illegal? What if I’ve been blind to it all these years? I need to know the truth. Darren's video of that parliament member incriminating my father could be a fake, but something tells me it's real and I've been too naive to see it. He does have Lochlan O'Rourke working for him.

"You okay?" he asks, and I could ask the same to him. His eye is still swollen and purple. Must've really hurt when he got hit.

"Just grumpy that I can't drive myself." I cross my arms over my chest and stare out the window, sulking.

"You know Da and Loch just want you safe, Evie. Those protest attacks weren't a joke." He points at his own eye as he turns into the parking lot at work. "Da just wants to make sure you're protected in case the bastards come here."

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