Page 69 of A Worthy Opponent
Nigel’s already shaking his head. “Absolutely not.”
“We don’t have a choice.”
“Yes, we do. And the choice is to not walk into Peter’s blatantly stated trap.”
I shove my phone into my pocket and glare. “If we don’t go, Hook will die.” Hook willdie. I just found him, just allowed myself to hope we might have future and a life together. A family, whatever that looks like for us.
Now Peter wants to take it from me. From us.
Just like he’s taken everything I’ve ever valued. My pride. My strength. My self-confidence. Myfreedom. I fought and clawed and reclaimed those things for myself, day after day, year after year.
I’ll take back Hook, too.
“You have ten minutes to come up with a plan. After that, I’m walking in there.” I hold Nigel’s gaze, letting him know that this is no bluff. We need to move, and we need to move now. Every minute Hook spends with him is a minute Peter might lose his temper and snap.
Nigel curses and turns to the men standing around. I step back, letting them handle this part. I’ve never infiltrated a building, have never orchestrated a coordinated attack on an enemy. This isn’t my wheelhouse.
I might not survive what’s coming.
The realization has me pulling out my phone again and firing out a quick group text to Meg, Allecto, and Aurora. My fingers shake as I type.
Me: You guys are the best friends I never realized I had. Thanks for that. Kind of wish I’d been less of an asshole so we could have hung out more.
I send it before I can talk myself out of it. It takes all of three seconds before a flurry of responses appear.
Aurora: We’ve been friends for years. It’s okay that you never noticed!
Meg: Tink… Why the hell does that text sound like a last letter to your loved ones before you make your last stand?
Allecto: Who do I need to kill? Peter or Hook?
Meg: There’s no way it’s Hook, so it must be Peter.
Allecto: I’ll get the car ready.
I blink. That escalated quickly.
Me: This is territory business, ladies.
Allecto: That’s bullshit. Meg, tell her it’s bullshit.
Meg: Unfortunately, we can’t interfere without a formal invitation.
Aurora: Screw that. Tink, where are you?
Meg: Aurora, no.
Aurora: I can help, so I’m going to help. Tell me where you are, Tink. I can be out of here in five.
Apparently I misjudged the depth of our relationship on a fundamental level. I’ve barely come to terms with the idea that these women are friends with me, and now they’re willing to ride into battle without explanation or hesitation. My throat goes a bit tight, and I have to blink rapidly a few times.
Me: Stand down, ladies. I’ll text you tomorrow, when everything’s over.
Me: Thank you, though. I really appreciate it.
There’s no point in saying that I might not survive the night. That will just panic them. Hell, I’ve probablyalreadypanicked them without intending to. I pocket my phone again, this time ignoring the series of vibrations that signal incoming texts.
Nigel motions me back over. “You’re with me. You walk where I walk and obey my every order.”
