Page 97 of Nails

She tried not to let it bother her.But his silence was like a weight pressing down on her.She wanted to look at him to see if he was even listening, but she didn’t.Not yet.

Her phone buzzed, saving her from the moment.She checked the screen.

“Sorry, gotta take this,” she said, already standing.“It’s Russell.Probably calling to ream my ass because I didn’t call him about last night.”

That earned a round of chuckles.

As she stepped into the hallway, she could still feel the weight of Nails’ silence following her.

And she knew once she finished her conversation with Russell, there was another conversation waiting for her.

Nails watched her go, phone in hand, as she disappeared down the hallway.

She didn’t look back.

Her steady and professional voice as she updated them still echoed in his mind.She had been calm and composed—all business.

And he had just sat there, silent.

He wasn’t proud of it.He had wanted to say something—anything—but the words had just seemed to get stuck.After everything she just told them, now wasn’t the time to make it about his ego or his regret.She needed support, not additional drama.

But damn, her silence toward him cut deeper than he expected.

He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck and exhaled hard.

Listening to her explain how she acted in her meeting with Adam actually made him proud.Sure, he was still scared shitless for her safety, but she really knew how to handle herself.She was brilliant, focused, brave, and calculated.The type of woman who could walk into hell and not flinch.And it killed him that just a couple of hours earlier, he had tried to hold her back from doing the very job she was damn good at.

“You know,” Joker said, breaking the silence, “for a guy who thought she was gonna come back swinging, you got off easy.No screaming.No throat-punch.”

“I call that progress,” Duke added with a grin.

“Maybe she’s softening up on you,” Aussie smirked.“Or she could just be plotting something for later.”

The guys chuckled, and even Nails cracked a faint smile.

Bear leaned forward, his tone more grounded.“Look, man.You know what we said earlier.She just needed some space.You didn’t lose her.”

“Exactly,” Playboy said.“So don’t blow it.Be there for her, but don’t act like a fucking caveman and get all pissy over things you can’t control.”

“Just talk to her,” Snow added.“She’s got a lot on her plate.So do you.But you two aren’t done.”

Nails let the silence settle for a beat, his eyes drifting toward the hallway where she had gone.

“I’m taking her out,” he said finally.

Joker raised a brow.“Like on a date?”

He smirked.“Yeah.A real date.Just me and her.That is, if she still wants to go.”

That earned a round of approving murmurs.

“Where?”Bear asked, folding his arms.

“The carnival,” Nails said.“Figured after everything she’s been handling, she deserves a night just to breathe.Maybe laugh a little.”

Bear gave a low chuckle.“Just keep your eyes peeled.”

Nails nodded and then heard footsteps returning from the hallway.A moment later, Riley stepped back into the room.