Page 53 of Vital Signs

"Fine. Yes. He's a liability. And you're too close to see it." River's expression didn't change. "Not evil. Not worthless. But dangerous because he can't think straight, and he's pulling you into his chaos."

I looked at Hunter again. His expression had gone carefully blank, but I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his fingers curled into fists at his sides. Something in his eyes said he half-believed them.

That he was dangerous. That he was pulling me down. That I deserved better.

The realization made fury bloom white-hot in my chest.

"You literally kill people, but Hunter's the threat?" I said. "I'm done being your victim."

"We held a family meeting," River said after a long moment. "Everyone voted. We're going after Wright, but you need to step back. You're too close to this, too angry to think clearly. We'll handle the investigation through proper channels first."

"Then I guess I'm on my own."

"Misha." Annie stepped forward. "Don't do this. Don't throw away everything we've built because you're angry."

"I'm not angry. I'm tired." I met her eyes. "I lived through the system's failure in Paris. I know how it protects men like Wright. Tyler is dead because Wright saw him as disposable. More people are dying right now while you want me to file complaints that will disappear into bureaucracy."

"So, your solution is to commit federal crimes?" River asked. "To burn every bridge you have chasing revenge with someone who can barely stand up straight?"

"My solution is to act on knowledge instead of hope."

"That's not knowledge," River said. "That's trauma. And you're letting it control you."

The silence that followed carried weight. River had drawn the line. Choose their way, or lose them.

I studied their faces. Then I looked back at Hunter, leaning heavily against the van's side, sweat dripping from his temples. "You're damn right I'm choosing him over you."

I watched the realization hit them. River's eyes narrowed. Annie's mouth pressed into a thin line. Xander looked like I'd shot him.

They saw it too. The moment I crossed the line from defending a friend to burning bridges.

No going back now.

"Not because I don't love you," I continued, my voice carrying steel now, no longer the damaged boy they'd rescued from Paris. "But because he's the only person who's looked at me and seen someone worth trusting with life and death decisions. The only one who doesn't treat me like I'm made of glass."

Xander made a choked sound, as if I'd physically struck him.

"We opened our home because we wanted to," Annie said quietly. "But we can't protect you from choices that might destroy you, family or not."

"I already had a family," I said. "They rejected me, but they were still my family. You didn't replace them. You became something new. But you gave me a cage. A beautiful, loving cage where I'd never have to make hard choices or face real consequences."

"This choice is going to destroy you," River gestured toward Hunter. "He's going to disappoint you the second withdrawal gets bad enough."

"Maybe. But it'll be my choice to make. My mistake to own."

Silence fell between us.

"Fine," River said finally. "Your call. Don't come crying to us when this whole thing blows up in your face."

"Misha, please." Xander's voice broke. "Don't do this. Don't leave us for him."

"I'm not leaving you," I said. "I'm choosing myself. You're the ones making this an ultimatum."

"That's the same thing!" Xander's voice went shrill. "You're choosing him over me. Over us. After everything we've been through together."

Annie caught Xander's arm gently. "He's made his choice. We have to respect it."

"Respect it?" Xander stared at her like she'd lost her mind. "He's destroying his life for a stranger!"