Page 126 of Toxic Revenge: Part Two

She avoided eye contact. “He’s the leader of our biggest rivals. It only makes sense.”

“If Talia goes to meet him alone, he could target her too,” Conrad said.

“He has no reason to.” Lavinia got out her phone, clearly already set on her task. “She’d be giving him valuable information, and believe me—that man has enough problems already without needing to deal with a pissed off Jurah. None of his guys will touch her.”

Emilia spun in her chair to face the rest of us. “I agree with her. I’ve been keeping an eye on Brooks, and he’s not volatile. Very level-headed. I wouldn’t say it’ssafefor him to meet Talia in person, but it’s the best out of a bunch of bad options.”

“There you have it, then.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “This is the plan. Lav, make the call to set it up.”

She nodded and left the room before my alphas could complain more.

Emilia yawned, waving her hands at me and my pack. “Time to leave. I need sleep, or I’ll be useless as backup when it counts.”

“Thank you, Emmy.”

“Don’t mention it. I’m here for you, no matter what.”

I gave her a small smile and a nod. We were all in it together; not only because Benjamin was out to get the family as a whole, but because helping was what family did. I’d lost that for a while in my desperate desire to be ‘normal.’

Grabbing Conrad’s hand, I dragged him out of Emilia’s room with me, knowing the others would follow. Once we were out,he ended up being the one leading me around. I followed along behind him until we reached my bedroom again.

Inside, he pinned me to the wall and laid his forehead against mine. “God, I wish you were more willing to let us do things,” he mumbled. “I’m not even the one who worries, usually. West and Mercer are basically going insane with worry at this point.”

I brushed my lips against his. “I have to face him.”

“I know. I respect that. It doesn’t mean I like it, and I won’t let you face him without us.”

My hands slid up his chest and around his neck until I was hanging off my huge alpha. “Having you there will help me make it through.”

Fuck, I hoped the plan worked as intended. I didn’t want Benjamin to find me before my mates found him, but I knew that was a risk.

My phone buzzed in my pocket as Mercer and West stomped through the door. I took it out, staring down at the text from Lavinia.

The day after tomorrow. Jubilee Harbourfront Hotel, 2pm.

That was it.

My meeting time with the head of our mafia rivals, which was somehow the least intimidating thing about the ordeal.

Mercer shoved Conrad away in order to steal me, pulling me into a tight hug. “Any chance I can talk you out of this plan?”

“None whatsoever.”

He sighed, loosening his hold on me enough to pull back and look me in the eyes. “Talia, are you absolutely fucking certain this is the best plan?”

I chewed on my bottom lip and gave a small shrug. “I don’t think there are anygoodplans. Benjamin really screwed me over. But this one… it could give me my life back. It could let me bond you.”

West grabbed me next, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around me. “As much as I want to bond you, it’s not necessary for us to love you and be with you.”

Leaning back into the embrace, I sighed. “I want him gone. He’s taunting me. Threatening me. He wants to ruin my family, and the longer we stay bonded, the more chances he has to do it.”

“We could go to your fathers, get them to send a team,” Mercer suggested. “That’s always an option.”

“No.”

I closed my eyes, taking a second to breathe. There were so many decisions to make, I was getting fatigued, but this one had been lingering in the back of my mind for a while. His call had cemented it.

“I don’t just want you to bond me,” I admitted. “I want him gone. Forever. I’ve decided that I have to take the risk to get rid of him.”