Page 23 of Victorious: Part 3

I let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, that too.”

We both turn back, looking at the stars, sitting in comfortable silence once more for a few minutes, both of us processing the weight of everything that’s shifted in the past few hours.

“You know what the worst part is?” Montana finally says.

“What’s that?”

“Atlas won. Even in death, that fucker won. He gotexactlywhat Javier wanted him to get. Rico dead. The club destabilized. And a war that’s going to cost us everything before it’s over.”

“Maybe.” I shrug. “But Atlas didn’t count on one thing.”

“If you say family and team spirit or some shit, I will literally gut punch you.”

Letting out a laugh, I shake my head. “I mean, there’s all of that, but also, we’re not the same club we were when this shit started. We’ve got Haven and Nighthawk on board. We’ve got other chapters backing us up. We’ve got allies in the prison system and intel we didn’t have before.” I stand up. “Aaand… we’ve got family and team spirit or some shit.”

Montana takes my hand and lets me pull him to his feet. “I don’t know if we can do this without casualties?”

“We have to,” I reply. “Because the alternative isn’t an option. C’mon, it’s late, we need to rest up. We have a big fight coming up.”

“But we have family and team spirit to get us through, Mav!” Montana mocks, waving his fingers through the air like a damn pussy.

“All right, fuck you! Let’s go inside and get a damn beer.”

Montana chuckles. “Yeah, now that I can get behind.”

I slap his back, and we head inside the clubhouse, making our way to the bar, and on my way in, I spot Clover and Phoenix cuddling on the sofa. Letting out a heavy exhale, Montana follows my gaze, bumping my shoulder. “Just rip off the Band-Aid, brother. Go talk to them.”

Groaning, I huff. “I don’t wanna.”

Montana laughs, grabbing my shoulders and spinning me toward my little sister. “Go. Fucking stop being a pussy and talk to them.”

A low growl reverberates from my throat before I start to walk off. “Fine, but I go begrudgingly.”

“I’ll have a beer waiting for you when you get back.”

I wave him off and head toward them.

Clover is curled up next to Phoenix on one of the sofas, her head on his shoulder. She looks exhausted, and after everything that’s happened today, I almost forgot that she’s been through hell herself in the past few days. The kidnapping, the drugs, the hasty marriage, and now coming home to all this chaos.

I stop in front of them, clearing my throat.

Phoenix looks up first, his body tensing slightly like he’s bracing for a punch.

Maybe he should be.

Because I really want to fucking knock those teeth from his face right now.

Clover’s eyes flutter open, and when she sees me, she straightens up a little, rubbing her face like that will erase the exhaustion.

“Hey, Mav,” she says softly.

I nod, keeping my expression neutral. “You look wiped. Go to bed, Clover.” It’s a demand, not a request.

She blinks at me, surprised, probably expecting a lecture. “Please don’t punch him!”

My eyes shift to hers, my tense posture softening a little.

God, she knows me so well.