Page 152 of Ricochet

“If you had anything to do with Deacon and Ethan,” Tex called after him. “I’ll hunt you down myself.”

Then Hawke’s chin jutted to Lenora. “The bank transfers?”

“I made those,” Adelia whispered.

“Not all of them,” Lenora added on.

A prickle of uncertainty skimmed over her arms. “What?”

“Ethan ratted on you for too much. He didn’t know we were havingissues with a supplier.” Tex rumbled. “He ratted on himself when he squealed on you.”

Somehow she knew enough that Tex would be okay with that logic in Mayhem, and she didn’t worry for him. But she was still unconfirmed, and forget the Club politics and wheeling and dealing, she would just ask the man for forgiveness, like her original plan. “Hawke.”

His head tilt was all she would get, andhis legendary glare was no less scary than it had been ten minutes ago.

“I know you’ve been changing Mayhem, quietly and from the inside out for years, and I know that I’ve done a good thing, even if I shouldn’t have gone about it the way I did.”

His jaw flexed, but he didn’t say a word.

“Mayhem taught me some screwed-up sense of pride I always said would kill me one day, and I wasn’t goingto ask for your pardon.” She thought passion might choke her up, but Adelia’s clarity made her calm. “But thank you for the opportunity that I gave others.” Adelia sniffed. “I want to keep doing what I do, in a different way, and I don’t know if these are my last words, or ones that I’ll remember. But my intentions were in a good place.”

“Hell, Adelia.” Hawke shook his head. “You did good, kid.”

Adelia covered her face, not wanting to cry, not wanting to scream. She was overwhelmed and no longer had to hide from anybody.

Colin rolled her into his arms, twisting her into his chest and when she finally dared open her eyes, his blue gaze settled on her. “I’m so proud of you.”

Just hours ago, that dead woman seemed like an insurmountable barrier to cross. “Thank you.”

He hugged her close.“Not just a survivor but a warrior.”

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