Page 101 of Victorious: Part 3

I move in almost forehead to forehead. “Final words are for men with dignity. You lost that the day you fucked with my family.”

As I twist the knife one more time for good measure, Javier lets out stuttered breaths, his body failing him as I pull back and stand tall. This is it, the end of an era, the end of the fucking Rojas Cartel drawing to a final breath.

But I’m not going to let him fade out.

Fuck no.

Looking him square in the eyes, I yank the blade out of the side of his neck, his jugular vein pulsing rapidly, and spurting blood all over the side of my Chapel wall as he instantly turns ghostly white.

I lean in again, my breathing heavy, my heart racing as I grit my teeth. “We. Are. Defiance!” I say loud and proud, then with one swift movement, I ram the blade into the side of his head, straight into his brain.

With one last breath, his head finally flops to the side, and then…

Nothing.

Silence settles through the Chapel.

My lungs don’t move for a second, and then I step back, blood on my hands, my eyes fierce and haunted but calm all at once,and finally, Haven steps in, wrapping an arm around me.

I don’t hesitate, pulling her into me as Poppy slams into my leg, and I wrap my arms around my girls, holding onto them—they meanevery-fucking-thingto me.

A bright smile lights Poppy’s face, and she cuddles into me so tightly I can barely breathe. “Daddy! We’re finally free.” And for the first time since this started, she sounds like mylittlegirl. The one I thought I lost when the Cartel took her from me.

But I’m not going to treat her like that right now, I’m going to let her know how fucking proud I am of her. Even though I never,everthought I could fucking do this, I’m going to acknowledge that part of her. Because that is what a good parent does. Embraces their child for who they are.

And this?This is who Poppy is, even if she did lay down her weapon.

I lean in against her ear, and I whisper, “You did good, Hummingbird. You didrealfucking good.”

Poppy jerks her head up to look at me with gratitude in her eyes that I finally acknowledged her as a bird, even if she did just denounce being one. I lean in, pressing a kiss to her head, my eyes landing on Haven. Her chest heaves with every breath, watching me with Poppy. Blood spatters Haven’s shirt, her neck, and even her cheek, but there’s a gleam in her eye that makes my pulse spike.

She moves like a goddess of war.

Wild. Untamed. Glorious.

Andall mine.

She meets my gaze, and her mouth twitches in the barest smile.

Fuck, she’s beautiful.

These birds might have fucking scared the shit out of me, but maybe, seeing them in all their untamed glory, they might have just set me free.

The silence in the clubroom floods the air almost like a calmness.

Javier’s Cartel terror in Los Angeles is finally over, and somehow, we can all get on with our lives.

Can you imagine?

A life without the Cartel?

I hold Poppy as Haven leans into my side, and the silence is finally broken.

“So, ahh, is anyone else really fucking turned on right now?” Ink asks as Nighthawk steps up to his side.

We all look at each other, slow smiles crossing our faces, and then, as if in unison, the entire Chapel bursts into a fit of laughter.

Nighthawk grins, reaching out for Ink’s hand, and she gestures for the clubhouse door. “C’mon, let’s go get a drink.”