Page 61 of Knot Broken

“Be careful,” Dare warns quietly. I hear Violet’s soft voice murmuring agreement in the background, warmth settling briefly into my chest at the thought of her worrying. This has to work, for all our sakes.

I exit the vehicle, flipping up my hood against the drizzle as I cross the street swiftly, falling naturally into step several paces behind Adrienne. She senses my approach instantly, stiffening just slightly, turning her head sharply enough to indicate she knows she’s being followed.

“Alpha Hart,” I call softly but clearly, keeping my voice calm, non-threatening.

She stops immediately, turning around fully to face me. Her piercing emerald eyes narrowed, instantly assessing me. “Who are you?”

“I’m someone who needs your help,” I say calmly, hands lifted slightly to show I mean no harm. “And I think you might need mine.”

She looks me up and down slowly, the rain soaking gently into the shoulders of her jacket. “Bold assumption.”

“I wouldn’t risk approaching you if it wasn’t important.” I lower my voice slightly, letting urgency seep through. “We know what you’re trying to do with omega rights. We also know the biggest threat isn’t just a broken system—it’s the people secretly keeping it that way.”

Her eyes sharpen, curiosity and caution flaring together. “And who exactly are these ‘people’?”

“Internal Ops Division,” I say quietly, watching her reaction carefully. She doesn’t flinch, but I catch the subtle twitch in her jaw. Good—she knows enough to understand the threat. “They’re funding and operating underground omega auctions. We have proof. Names. Numbers. Everything.”

Adrienne stares at me hard, weighing every word. “And you’re bringing this to me because…?”

“Because we can’t fight them alone. You have the connections. The reputation. The credibility. If we expose this together, we can rip this system apart.”

Her gaze searches mine, lingering for several tense seconds. Finally, she nods slightly, decision firming her expression.

“My office isn’t secure,” she says quietly, reaching into her jacket to hand me a sleek black business card. “Meet me tomorrow night, at that address. If your proof is real, we’ll talk.”

“It’s real,” I promise, taking the card, rain slicking its surface as I tuck it into my pocket. “We’ll be there.”

Adrienne nods once, sharply, turning away. “I hope you’re right,” she calls back over her shoulder, voice cutting clearly through the rain. “Because if you’re wrong, you’re about to make enemies you can’t afford.”

I watch her go, a surge of adrenaline pulsing through my veins.

“We’re already there,” I murmur to myself. Turning back to the car, I relay quietly into my comm, “We’ve got her. Time to move.”

Chapter Fifteen

Dare

July 13th

6:45 P.M

The address Adrienne gave us leads to an old, converted warehouse at the edge of downtown Chicago. The kind of place you don’t find unless you’re looking—dimly lit alleys, industrial buildings, and silence thick enough to drown in.

Fox parks our SUV along the curb, shutting off the headlights before leaning back in his seat. He’s tense, watching the building like he expects it to explode. Jex checks his weapon once, sliding it securely back into its holster beneath his jacket. Romano cleared Adrienne, but we’ve learned caution the hard way.

Violet sits quietly between me and Fox, her small hand curled tightly around mine, thumb brushing softly over my knuckles. Her presence grounds me, keeping the cold fury simmering in my veins from overtaking reason. I glance at her, silently reassuring myself she’s okay. She meets my gaze, eyes steady, silently telling me she trusts us. Trust me.

“Everyone ready?” Fox murmurs, scanning the empty street again.

I squeeze Violet’s hand gently before releasing her. “Let’s go.”

As we step out of the vehicle, the air is cool and damp, moving silently across the cracked pavement toward the side door Adrienne’s card indicated. Fox knocks sharply, twice—precisely as instructed. A moment later, the heavy steel door slides open, revealing Adrienne Hart, dressed in dark, tactical attire, her expression alert but composed.

“Inside,” she says simply, stepping back.

We file in quickly, senses sharp as Adrienne slides the door shut behind us with a heavy clang. The inside is sparse but clearly designed for discretion. A large metal table sits in the center beneath harsh fluorescent lights, surrounded by several chairs. Stacks of paper and files are laid out neatly, obviously prepared ahead of our arrival.

Adrienne turns to face us, calm but wary, eyes scanning the four of us slowly. Her gaze settles last on Violet, expression softening just slightly, something protective flickering behind her eyes before she meets Fox’s stare again.

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