Page 58 of Trigger's Temptation

The airin the Royal Casino’s back office is thick with tension. My pulse hammers in my ears, drowning out the hum of the overhead lights. Trigger stands beside me, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. He’s steady, like always, but I can feel the storm beneath the surface.

Agent Benton has been playing us, all of us, for too long. His manipulations are getting dangerously close to tearing aparteverything I’ve worked for. Everything I still have left to protect. The Black Market Railroad’s reach is as deep as it is twisted. Benton has been weaving his lies so seamlessly that even the agency didn’t see it. He’s betraying not just the badge but me. I didn’t see it, but I do now. And now I’m going to end him.

Trigger’s hand brushes against mine, and it sends a ripple through me. We’re in this together. But my mind can’t shake the conflict of it. How did we get here? The lines between duty and desire, between trust and betrayal, are so blurred now that I’m not sure what is real anymore. My body aches with adrenaline pumping through my veins, but my heart aches for a different reason, one I can’t easily ignore. I fight the urge to pull away. Not because I don’t want it, but because I do. Too much.

"You good?" Trigger’s voice breaks through my thoughts, rough and low, like he always sounds when he is trying to sound casual but fails. It’s a question, but it doesn’t need an answer. He already knows how I’m feeling.

I nod, even though I’m not sure if I am.

"Benton’s too dangerous to let slide any longer." I mean it but saying it out loud makes it real. My voice barely registers above a whisper, but I know Trigger can hear me. He always can.

His gaze lingers, giving me a sharp look that says everything we both know. This is the point of no return. Instead, he shifts gears. "We end this tonight."

"Yeah," I agree, forcing the word out. "No more games."

The plan is set, and nothing will stop us from taking Benton down, no matter what it costs. The truth is, this entire thing is a game, a dangerous one. And the only way to win is to play smarter than Benton.

Bones comes into the room with his ever-present laptop. “I got ahold of Red, and he helped me set up a hack into Benton’s phone. We set up a meet as a new buyer, and Benton will be at awarehouse in the business district. He thinks he’s finally getting his hands on Aerianna.”

“Got it. Thank you, Bones.” Trigger is trying to contain his fury, but it’s not working too well.

“One other thing.” Bones says quietly. He turns the laptop around. “You might want to call Krimson for this one.”

On the screen is a picture of Ashley Force, aka Krimson, the leader of the Street Racing Crew in L.A. when she was younger. She is being held at gunpoint by a man I don’t recognize, and next to him is Agent Benton.

“What is this?” I ask.

“Is this real?” Trigger asks.

Capone, Blayze, Tiny, and Torch stand behind us. Capone swears, and Blayze, Tiny, and Torch are clenching their fists.

“As real as you and me. About ten years ago, Krimson was involved with this man.” Bones points to the one holding Ashley at gunpoint. “Shaun Reiser, and after she took her spot as head of the Crew, she kicked him to the curb. He did some time in jail for illegal bootlegging, and when he got out, four years later, he hired these two goons.” Bones points to Benton and another guy. “To try and kill Krimson. Of course, they failed.”

“What does that have to do with us now?” I ask.

“Krimson will want to know that we’re ending one of the men who tried to kill her,” Capone states. He nods to Blayze. “Call her and fill her in on what’s going on.”

Blayze pulls out his phone and walks away.

“Thanks, Bones. Is there anything else?” Capone asks.

“Nope, that’s it.”

“Great job. Stay in the van when we reach the warehouse and watch our six.” Capone turns to the rest of us. “Let’s lock and load. It’s time to play.”

The streets blur as we make our way through the city, the cold night air biting into my skin, but it can’t compare to the icyfeeling spreading in my gut. Benton wasn’t just a traitor. He was the embodiment of everything I’ve been fighting against in this world. Men like him don’t deserve to win, and if I have to burn bridges to make sure he didn’t, then that’s what I’ll do.

Trigger’s voice pulls me back to the present. "You’re thinking too much. Just let me handle Benton. I’ve got your back." He squeezes my thigh for support.

I shoot him a glance, my stomach flipping. "And I’ve got yours," I shout over the wind. The words feel more natural than I’d like to admit. They are true, but something about saying them out loud makes the weight of our situation feel heavier.

Am I really trusting Trigger? The way my heart thuds harder every time Trigger comes near, the way his presence steadies me despite the chaos, it isn’t something I can ignore. This isn’t just about the mission anymore. It’s about us.

Capone, Blayze, Tiny, Trigger, Torch, Dagger, and Derange park their bikes about a block away from the warehouse. Bones and Seth bring up the rear in the Club van.

We make our way down the street and into the parking lot of the warehouse. We reach the door before anyone stops us. The shadows seem to stretch longer as Benton’s smug face appears under a street lamp. He looks like a man who thinks he has the upper hand. That will change quickly.

We’re feet away from Benton when Trigger tucks me behind him. The move grates on my nerves, but I know he’s doing it to protect me.

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