Page 199 of Severed Heart

Within the length of their kiss—one Ceceliais participating in—I watch in real-time as the rest of Tobias and his future relationship with his brothers implodes.And at the sight of it, and the knowledge that Cecelia is actively kissing him back—I’m. Fucking. Out.

However this plays from here on out is on them. Any further involvement makes me culpable.

Nope.

Walking away, I shake any sense of responsibility for what’s taking place off my shoulders. Dom and Sean did their best to prepare Cecelia for our club, and so far, she has stepped up—even flying blind. It’s past time sheseesand has more knowledge of all the players involved. In doing so, this is either the end of her involvement or the beginning—a decision only she can make.

Stalking back to the car I borrowed from the King’s lot, I pull up my smartphone to gauge my birds’ locations to determine if I can call it a night. Spread out across the map, I see a few are currently huddled at the garage. As it is, Russell’s working late at King’s with Jeremy as well as Peter.

Layla and Denny are home. The rest of our Falls chapter is scattered throughout town, doing their thing. Besides the circus in the clearing, it looks to be a quiet night.It’s that damn inkling that won’t stop gnawing at me that clues me in that soon, quiet nights such as these might become scarce. Turning over the Kia, a picture of Delphine on that hilltop replaces my map on screen. In seeing it, seeing her victorious smile atop it, I instantly feel the relief it brings as I swipe to answer. “Hey, General,” I greet, “what are you up to?”

“Soldier, hi!” she coos over the roaring motor of the Ranger I gifted her a few weeks ago in the background.

“You taking a late-night ride?”

“Yes, I love my Ranger so much!” she exclaims.

“I know you do. I can’t keep you in the house at all anymore.” I grin, forcing the anxiety of what just transpired out of me as I shift my focus on her.

“I cooked earlier and am waiting to eat with you, but no promises on taste, or if it’s ... merde,”shit, “what is the word?”

“Edible?” I chuckle.

“Yes, that’s it.Edible.You know how I am with measuring, and I tried to follow Charlie’s recipe without help.”

“I guess we’ll see, and you know I’ll eat it anyway.”

“I know you will, soldier of my heart, but I made sure it was salt, not sugar, this time,” she laughs, and I grin at the healing sound.

“How are things?” she asks, now fully in the know about everything regarding the club, and every secret I’m privy to. Her involvement in the day-to-day has become the very thing she was growing restless for. It’s proven to be beneficial for us both, keeping us close as we share the burdens and working together constantly to better up our game and delegate. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to help me, but in doing so, I spare her no truth.

“As of right now, things are kind of going to shit,” I relay.

“Oh, no. How?”

“Well,” I drawl, “as of minutes ago, you can start a fucking timer that in two months, things are going to get a lot worse, but I’m too fucking interested in getting back to you right now to give it much more attention tonight.”

“How much worse, Soldier?”

“Enough to probably haveus bothin therapy,” I chuckle.

“Putain,”fuck, she says as she kills the engine of her Ranger.

“Don’t panic, at least not yet. I’ll explain when I get home. Promise.”

“Then hurry up, Soldier,” she murmurs.

“On my way, baby,” I promise before I hang up, sitting back in the seat and rolling down the window, allowing the peaceful night noise in. The cicadas and crickets sound like heartbeats as the lush evergreens sway in a light breeze. Glancing in the direction of Roman’s house, I decide to log into the security camera, managing to catch Cecelia walking past the pool and towards Roman’s back door, her shoulders slumped. Pissed at T for taking what little happiness she was gifted away, I decide to take it as a good sign they went no further sexually, hoping it ended with that kiss.

Fucking hopefully.

If not, the temporary peace I’ve come to know is about to fucking end. An unsettling feeling that is the case washes over me as I pull onto the road. Racing toward my refuge, I start to soak up what peace remains, determined to bask in it and create more in the months to come, even as the mental timer I just set starts to tick.

* * *

That kisswasn’tthe end of it.

The truth of that painfully apparent mere days later as I finish my sweep of Roman’s house. Tasked by Tobias this morning to recheck the cameras and mics Dom and I put in place last summer. Ironically, during none of our interactions in the last few days has Tonce mentionedthe necklace, and it’s becoming evident why. Especially with his sudden insistence that I sharpen my eagle eyes on Roman’s house, in addition to upping the number of eyes on the man himself. That we scrutinize his every move more closely—until further notice. With that order, I know Tobias has made some decisions to change our game on Roman. A strategy T’s altered withCeceliain mind and has yet to share.