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“I don’t know what Sean is offering, but I know we can beat it,” I said.

“You’re going to meet with him?” Tammy asked with disgust in her voice.

I nodded. The same disgust was building inside me, too. Whatever I had to do to stop Thames might be a stain I could never wash out. “I was able to get Sean’s weapons guy to turn on him. I should be able to do the same with Thames, too.”

“Thames is operating on a different level than Castille,” Tank said. “You know that.”

“It’s not ideal, but right now, it’s the best shot we’ve got. I don’t have time to wait around for something else to happen. With Forrest trying to get me locked up, and Thames planning God only knows what, we need to stay in front of this. For everyone’s sake.”

Tammy sighed. “This fucking blows, boss.”

Hawk snorted. “Yeah. It does.”

“What are we supposed to do?” Rome asked.

“Lay low,” I said. “We can’t give Forrest any reason to be suspicious of us. Keep your head down and keep your loved ones close.”

Hawk frowned. “I don’t like this, Ace.”

“Neither do I,” I said. “I just need you all to keep each other safe, okay? I’ll handle it to start, and we’ll go from there.”

“We should just go out to Thames’s territory and deal with him ourselves,” Tammy said.

“If it comes to that, we will.” I didn’t want to get into a territory war while Sean was still out there, but I’d do that before I’d let him and a trafficker attack my clan.

But first, I’d try diplomacy. The less bloodshed, the better.

“Keep this to yourselves for now,” I said. “Thanks everyone. Dismissed.”

We went our separate ways in the deep depths of night. When I got home, the windows were all dark, save for the light in Striker’s room and in my bedroom. Was Harley awake? I hoped not. It was nearly dawn.

I stepped into the quiet house and texted Striker that I was back, so he could get some sleep. My nerves were shot, and my dragon was antsy. I wanted to shift and take a few long laps around the lake in my dragon form, but the urge wasn’t strong enough to make me leave the house.

I needed to be close to my mate and my son, but their closeness was also a reminder of how much I had to lose.

Fuck. I wasn’t going to sleep tonight.

I poured myself a finger of whiskey and then stepped out onto the back deck. If I couldn’t fly, then I’d savor the night air and the moonlight high above. That always helped take the edge off.

I took a sip of my whiskey, relishing the burn as it went down, and looked out over the surface of the lake. The dark sky was beginning to lighten with the coming morning.

Sean really had lost his mind.

There was no other reason for him to be working with Thames. How long had they been working together? How much power did Thames hold over him? Now that I knew Sean was working with Thames, some things made more sense. Where else would Sean get the idea to try to kidnap Harley and Dylan? That had Thames written all over it. Maybe Thames was alsothe one keeping Sean from issuing a challenge, because he knew Sean was doomed to lose.

The thought made me sick, and my dragon bristled with anger and fear. I could handle Sean. I could handle Forrest. But with Thames in the mix, I was less confident.

I was fucking afraid.

Afraid I wasn’t strong enough. Afraid I might lose more than my brother—that I might lose my clan, my mate, and my son.

“Hey.” Harley ran her hand across my shoulders. “It’s okay, Steph. Whatever it is, it’s okay now. You’re home.”

I hadn’t even noticed my claws had come out. The sharp, obsidian black tips were digging into the wooden railing hard enough to leave long, deep gashes. I swallowed hard and withdrew them.

“Sorry,” I murmured. I closed my eyes and hung my head. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You didn’t, but I wish you had. You don’t need to carry this alone, Steph. Not anymore.”