Page 25

TWENTY-FIVE

ROGUE

The air is heavy with tension as we pull up to the meeting spot Caesar Mariano arranged. Lorenzo is already there, leaning against his car with his arms crossed. His father, Caesar, stands beside him, looking as imposing as ever in his tailored suit.

"Gentlemen," Caesar greets us as we dismount our bikes. "I wish we were meeting under better circumstances."

Ghost steps forward, shaking Caesar's hand. "We appreciate the intel, Caesar. You didn't have to get involved in this."

Caesar's expression hardens. "The Shadow Hawks have become a problem for all of us. It's time to end this, once and for all."

Lorenzo nods in agreement. "We've got solid information on their current hideout. It's an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town."

As Lorenzo spreads out a map on the hood of his car, detailing the layout of the warehouse and the surrounding area, I feel a mixture of anticipation and dread. This is it—our chance to finally take down Lochlann and his remaining men.

"How many are we looking at?" Sniper asks, studying the map intently.

"Our sources say no more than ten," Caesar replies. "Lochlann's lost a lot of men in recent months."

Ghost nods grimly. "Good. That makes our job easier."

As we finalize our plan of attack, I can't help but think of Willow and Wren. I promised them I'd come back, and I intend to keep that promise.

"Renegade," Ghost says, turning to our resident explosives expert, "I want you to rig the place to burn. Once we've cleared it, we're taking it down."

Renegade grins, a dangerous glint in his eye. "With pleasure, boss."

As we gear up, checking our weapons and strapping on bulletproof vests, I feel a hand on my shoulder. It's Ghost.

"You good, brother?" he asks, his eyes searching mine.

I nod, my jaw set with determination. "Let's end this."

The ride to the warehouse is tense, each of us lost in our own thoughts. As we approach, we kill the engines and coast the last few hundred yards in silence.

Ghost gives the signal, and we move in. The sound of gunfire erupts almost immediately as we breach the building. I duck behind a stack of crates, returning fire.

It's chaos—shouts and gunshots echoing off the metal walls. I see Savage take down two Hawks in quick succession, while Hades and Tempest work in tandem to clear another section of the warehouse.

As I move deeper into the building, I catch a glimpse of a familiar figure—Lochlann. Rage boils inside me at the sight of him. This is the man who hurt Willow, who's been threatening everything I love.

"Lochlann!" I roar, charging toward him. He’s not getting away this time. Not again.

Lochlann whirls around at the sound of my voice, his eyes widening in recognition. He raises his gun and fires a shot. I dodge it, rushing toward him. I use my shoulder to knock him off his feet, and then I throw punch after punch. His face is bloody and a mess as he tries to get me off him.

All I can think about is Willow—her pain, her fear, the years she spent suffering because of this monster. With each punch I land, I feel a savage satisfaction.

"This is for Willow, you sick fuck," I growl, slamming my fist into his face again and again.

Lochlann manages to knee me in the stomach, momentarily knocking the wind out of me. He tries to scramble away but I grab his ankle, yanking him back.

"You're dead, Rogue," he spits, blood and saliva spraying from his mouth. "You and your whole fucking club."

His words only fuel my rage. I haul him up by his shirt collar, slamming him against a nearby wall. "You're the one who's dead," I snarl. "You'll never hurt Willow or anyone else ever again."

I see a flicker of fear in Lochlann's eyes as he realizes this is the end. Good. I want him afraid. I want him to feel a fraction of the terror he made Willow feel.

My hand closes around his throat, squeezing. Lochlann claws at my arm, gasping for air, but I don't let up. His eyes close and I hear a deep laugh from behind me. I turn to see Ghost and the others approaching, their faces grim but triumphant.

"It's over," Ghost says, clapping me on the shoulder as I drop Lochlann to the ground. "We got them all."

I nod, suddenly feeling drained. "Renegade?"

"Already working on it," Savage replies. "This place will be ash within the hour."

As we make our way out of the warehouse, I can't help but think of Willow. It's over now. We're safe. We can finally start building the life we should have had all along.

"Let's go home," I say, swinging my leg over my bike. "I've got a promise to keep."

As we ride away, the warehouse goes up in flames. It should feel like a victory, but there’s something niggling at me. The Shadow Hawks are dead.

The ride back to the clubhouse feels longer than usual, my body aching from the fight and my mind racing with thoughts of Willow and Wren. As we pull into the lot, I see the lights on in the clubhouse. The brothers are no doubt waiting on word of what's happened.

I make my way to my room, desperate to wash off the blood and grime of the night. The hot water of the shower eases some of the tension from my muscles, but it does little to calm the storm in my mind. Lochlann is dead. The Shadow Hawks are finished. We should be safe now. So why do I still feel on edge?

As I step out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around my waist, I freeze. Willow is sitting on my bed, her eyes wide as she takes in my half naked appearance.

"Ezra," she whispers, standing up. "Are you okay?"

I nod, suddenly at a loss for words. She's here, in my room. Waiting for me. That's not what I had expected.

Willow approaches slowly, her hand reaching out to touch a bruise forming on my chest. Her touch is gentle, almost reverent. "Is it over?" she asks softly.

"Yes," I reply, my voice rough. "Lochlann's dead. The Shadow Hawks are finished."

Relief washes over her face, followed quickly by something else. Desire. Before I can react, she's pressing her lips to mine in a fierce kiss.

I respond immediately, pulling her close. All the pent-up emotion, the years of longing and regret, pour into this kiss. Willow's hands roam over my chest and shoulders as I back her toward the bed.

"Are you sure?" I ask, breaking the kiss to look into her eyes. I need to know this is what she truly wants.

Willow nods, her eyes dark with desire. "I'm sure, Ezra. I want this. I want you."

That's all the encouragement I need. I capture her lips again, my hands working to remove her clothes. Soon, we're both naked, skin against skin.

I take a moment to drink in the sight of her. She's even more beautiful than I remember. "God, I've missed you, Little Flower," I murmur, trailing kisses down her neck.

Willow arches into me, her breath coming in soft gasps. "I've missed you too," she admits. "So much."

I lay her down on the bed, covering her body with mine. The feeling of her beneath me, soft and warm and willing, is almost overwhelming. I've dreamed of this moment for so long.

"Ezra, please," Willow whimpers, her hips rocking against mine. "I need you."

I enter her slowly, savoring every sensation. Willow gasps, her nails digging into my back. For a moment, we're both still, overwhelmed by the intensity of our connection.

Then I begin to move, setting a slow, deep rhythm. Willow matches me thrust for thrust, her legs wrapping around my waist to pull me closer.

"God, Willow," I groan, burying my face in her neck. "You feel so good."

She responds with a breathy moan, her hands roaming over my back and shoulders. I can feel her getting close, her inner muscles starting to flutter around me.

I pick up the pace, driving into her harder and faster. Willow cries out, her back arching off the bed. "Ezra, I'm going to?—"

"Let go, Little Flower," I urge her. "Come for me."

With a final cry, Willow shatters beneath me, her release triggering my own. I groan her name as I come, holding her tight against me.

As we lay there afterward, tangled in the sheets and each other, I feel a sense of peace wash over me. This is where I belong. With Willow in my arms, our daughter safe and sound.

"I love you," I murmur, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Willow looks up at me, her eyes shining. "I love you too, Ezra," she whispers. "I never stopped."

As we drift off to sleep, I can't help but feel like everything is finally falling into place. The danger is past, and we have our whole lives ahead of us.

But even as I hold Willow close, that nagging feeling of unease returns. Something tells me this isn't over yet. Not by a long shot.