↳ 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐑 ー 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐗 ー 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥

◉

Exchanging hushed words, Kaden nods and parts ways with his brother who heads back downstairs.

Hearing faint sobs through the cracked door, he pushes it open wider in time with Sierra's shrill screams. He catches her flailing hands, causing her to jolt awake with a gasp.

"It's me. It's me, babyー"

She chokes and allows her arms to relax under his hold. Glassy eyes blinking as he moves her hair away from her damp and rosy cheeks. A small apology is muttered as she sniffs.

"You have nothing to apologise for." He kisses her forehead, wrapping his arms around her when she leans into him. Sighing silently as she clings onto him, he gently rocks her side to side, playing with the ends of her hair.

"I'm here. I've got you."

○ ○ ○

"I hate how we can't do anything to help." Eiza sighs. "I wish there was something we could do. I hate leaving them alone, especially during a time like this."

"There's nothing any of us can do," Grayson replies. "They went through the worst part together, this is something they have to do together too."

Diego leans back with an arm draped over Eiza's chair. "At least Hope's coping."

"She would've suffered if they'd have taken her to see Kaden. They wanted to kill us off one by one and leave our bodies for him to just stare at." He dreads to imagine how he would have handled being surrounded by their bodies.

Eiza shakes her head and Diego places a comforting hand on her leg. "What about you? How are you holding up?" he questions with a sincere tone.

"Nothing bad happened to me so I'm fine." He shrugs a shoulder.

"The Shadows might not have done anything to you, but I know the kinda things you've been through. You've had it rough too."

"It's alright to admit your feelings," Eiza reminds. "It's okay to say if you felt scared."

"I was to begin with. When they broke in and took us down one by one. I heard the bang upstairs as they got to Hope first and I froze. It didn't feel real until I saw Kaden just lying there. Taking down one Roman is an achievement but both of us?" He scoffs and finishes his coffee.

"What are you gonna do now?" Diego rests his arms on the table. "They're still out there. You only took out a fraction of them. If they attack a third time..."

"They play the long game. They'll probably wait another decade before they try again. But we're gonna strike first."

Eiza frowns. "What do you mean?"

"The night Kaden and Sierra returned, I told our men to find out everything they could about the Shadows. I wanna know every little detail about them before I hit them with everything I have."

"But they don't exist."

"They're good at hiding their tracks, but our guys are better. They've already uncovered the locations of three hideouts in the country. Once we find the rest we're gonna take them down for good."