Page 24 of Hunter's Game
“Speaking of partners.” Eden let her hands wander slightly as they rode, feeling the muscles in his abdomen flex beneath her fingers. “Going to tell us the real reason the Blind Jacks are so interested in these artifacts? In Mitchell blood specifically?”
Hunter’s laugh rumbled through her chest where she was pressed against his back. “Let’s just say you’re not the only ones with family history tied to maintaining balance. Some of us have been fighting shadow empires a lot longer than you think.”
Eden’s voice was filled with understanding. “The Blind Jacks have dealt with this kind of power before.”
“We’ve done more than deal with it.” His voice turned serious. “We’ve been protecting people for longer than I care to think about. Helping them stay hidden from people like Romano who want to use what they have to offer for personal gain.”
“And now?”
“Now we help you two master your inheritance.” His smile was dangerous in the darkness. “While dealing with whatever forces come hunting that power.”
As they rode through the night, through their connection, Eden felt Katherine’s fierce joy at finally working together, at embracing their shared heritage.
The war was about to enter a new phase.
And this time, they were fighting it together.
After all, some powers were meant to reshape reality. Some truths were meant to burn away shadows. Some families were meant to restore balance rather than build empires. And the women?
They were just getting started.
Eden pressed closer to Hunter’s solid frame, feeling that inherited strength hum contentedly in her veins. Ahead lay uncertainty and the growing knowledge that their mother’s legacy was bigger than anyone had imagined.
But this time, she wasn’t just fighting for revenge. She was fighting to restore balance itself. Fighting to become exactly what a Mitchell was meant to be.
And she had a feeling Romano was about to learn exactly why Mitchell women were so dangerous when they worked together.
After all, the best revolutions were written in blood.
And this revolution? It was just beginning.
They were an unstoppable duo, ready to take on any challenge that dared to stand between them and their goals.
The Devil’s Mark clubhouse looked different in full darkness—more fortress than bar, with armed guards patrolling the perimeter and new security cameras tracking every approach. Eden crouched beside Hunter in the shadows. The darkness highlighted Hunter’s rugged features—the scar along his jaw more pronounced in the shadows, his blue eyes alert and predatory as he surveyed the compound.
Beside him, Eden was all coiled tension, her slender frame disguising the lethal training that made her so dangerous. They moved in perfect sync, bodies angled to provide cover for each other without conscious thought. In the shadows of a neighboring abandoned building, they watched Thompson’s government-issue sedan pull into the lot. The car’s tinted windows reflected streetlights like dark mirrors, hiding whatever secrets waited inside.
“Your father’s added muscle.” Hunter’s voice was barely a breath against her ear. Through his scope, he counted at least a dozen new faces among the guards. “At least six new guys, military training by their movements. Not club members.”
“Professional contractors.” Eden recognized the type—the same kind of operators Thompson had sent after them earlier. “He’s expecting trouble.”
“Smart of him.” Hunter’s hand settled on her lower back, warm and steady despite the tension thrumming through both of them. “Considering what’s about to happen.”
Eden checked her weapons one final time—pistol at her hip, backup piece strapped to her thigh, ceramic knife hidden in her boot. Each one a lethal option, each one potentially useless against what they were walking into.
“You know this is probably a trap.” She watched Thompson exit his car, noting how he scanned the perimeter with practiced efficiency. “My father doesn’t take betrayal well. And Thompson’s had three years to plan for this possibility.”
“Probably.” Hunter’s smile was dangerous in the darkness. “That’s why we brought friends.”
As if on cue, motorcycle engines rumbled in the distance. The Blind Jacks were moving into position, surrounding the clubhouse in a carefully coordinated pattern. King had been surprisingly eager to help once Eden laid out everything she’d discovered about Thompson’s corruption and the international artifact smuggling operation.
“Your father’s not the only one who doesn’t like being played,” he’d said, studying the evidence she’d gathered. “Thompson’s been usingfederal badges to protect criminals while targeting legitimate MCs. Time someone reminded him there are consequences for that kind of disrespect.”
Now, watching Thompson disappear into the clubhouse, Eden felt the weight of what they were about to do. Three years of undercover work, of gathering evidence and building her case, had led to this moment. Everything she’d sacrificed, every compromise and betrayal, would either be vindicated or rendered meaningless in the next hour.
“Second thoughts?” Hunter’s voice pulled her back to the present.
“About taking down the men who murdered my mother?” Her smile matched his for danger. “Never. About walking into what’s obviously a trap? Maybe a few.”
