Page 147 of Guarded Knight

She looks proud of herself. She should be. That is seriously brave. Ultimately, I couldn’t be happier Freya’s move was the checkmate.

But I’m still so sad this had to happen to her.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I wish this never happened to you.”

“I’m not sorry.” She lifts her chin. “I’ve rebranded as a honey trap.”

That pulls a giggle from me, but I contain it so I don’t cough again.

“You are,mamacita. Took down that man with your sexy booty and big brown eyes.”

Her laugh hits the air, and this time, it sticks.

Anton glances at Freya proudly. “Charges are stacking. Could be real time.”

Gabriel slides his hand down my arm, anchoring me, like he knows I’m thinking about the money. The families it should’ve helped.

Bittersweet doesn’t begin to cover it.

Freya sighs. “Guess we’re unemployed now, to top it all off.”

“Yeah.”

Shit. My miracle med runs three hundred grand a year. Xander and my parents would want to help, but none of us are made of money. I need insurance.

Gabriel kisses my forehead. “Firefly, there are enough Mendez businesses, Shadow Justice, Monarch Hills, GhostEye… we can find a role to bide time. Or even for good.” His eyes meet mine, and they’re filled with equal parts care and trepidation. “You’ve got nothing to worry about. We’ll put you on the books. For as long as you want to or need to stay.”

My heart lights up. What he’s offering isn’t just security—it’s a place, a future, the thing I’ve been terrified to hope for. I’ve spent years trying to prove I could stand on my own. But maybe being with him isn’t weakness. Maybe it’s the bravest thing I’ll ever do.

“Can you even do that?” I ask.

“You think I or anyone in my family would even think twice about it?”

This changes my immediate need, but still, a part of me wonders how I’ll carve out value. Time will tell. Maybe I can start my own charity or become a volunteer? Doing something valuable with the time I have left is important, but only if it’s with him.

He’s laying it on the line.

I grab both sides of his face and kiss him. “Thank you…”

Anton smirks, rolling his eyes. “Get a room.”

Gabriel speaks out of the side of his mouth that’s still connected to mine. “We have one. You’re in it.”

“Christ. I’m charging rent,” Anton groans, but there’s a smile behind it.

We separate out of manners, but damn if I want to. I wish the walls would fall away and reveal our future. The one I believe we now have.

Anton shifts his weight, gaze on the floor. “Actually, Freya… I could use your honey trap skills.”

Freya raises a brow. “Excuse me?”

“You don’t mind late nights, do you?”

She lets out a surprised laugh.

Anton sighs. “Yeah, didn’t sound better in my head either.”

“Nope.” She grins. “But I can translate. You’re offering me a job at Shadow Justice?”