Evelyn's dream of securing a scholarship to America's top ballet school shattered when her mother was brutally murdered during her teenage years. Determined to make a difference, she became a detective, ready to take on the world. Assigned to invest...
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The days crawled by as Evelyn and Athena waited, trapped in a limbo of anticipation. The question of whether they would be allowed to start their organization weighed on them like a storm cloud. Even Jax, usually a man of patience, had seemed to acknowledge it was time and promised a meeting today. Now Evelyn sat in her room, never truly alone, waiting for someone to arrive with the verdict.
"I hate waiting," Athena groaned, leaning against Evelyn's desk. Evelyn lifted her head from the pillow she had been resting on, the soft cotton cool against her cheek. At the foot of the bed, Emma sat quietly, needles clicking as she knitted a small, delicate hat for one of the twins. Her lips curved gently at the old lady's complaint, the rhythmic movement of the yarn somehow calming the tense atmosphere.
"They've been speaking for over an hour," Emma said softly, voice steady.
"they'll have an answer soon." She held up her knitting so Evelyn could see it. Evelyn's lips curved into a smile.
"It's perfect, Emma," she said, reaching out to brush her fingers over the tiny stitches. The action was small, tender, a way to anchor herself. Even with the lingering shadow of James' death hanging over them, and the guilty ache that never quite left her, Evelyn found a moment of calm in the simplicity of the act. Her focus, however, remained razor-sharp on the promise she had made, with or without the MC's approval.
"I will kill Gunner if he even thinks about voting this idea down," Athena muttered, eyes drifting to the rain streaking down the window. For days, a relentless storm had draped itself over the territory, keeping most inside. Evelyn let out a humorless laugh, the sound low in the otherwise quiet room.
"No, you won't," she said, and Athena turned to her as if she had just insulted the old lady herself.
"Oh, maybe not kill him, but he won't get a piece of thisuntil he's made up for it," Athena said, tilting her head in a teasing gesture that made both Evelyn and Emma laugh. The image of the two of them, teasing and bickering with the ease of long familiarity, was almost comforting. The quiet affection between them was palpable, a warmth that made Evelyn's chest tighten with the sweetness of it. Footsteps echoed down the corridor, sharp against the soft patter of the rain outside. All three women turned toward the locked door, hearts skipping a beat at the sound. For a brief second, Evelyn's chest tightened with fear, imagining danger, but the distant shadows of the two bikers stationed outside reminded her they were protected. Three short knocks cut through the quiet, and Athena sprang up, unlocking the door to reveal Titus. The third-in-command gave Athena a single, almost imperceptible nod before turning and walking down the corridor again. Athena spun back to Evelyn, a nervous smile playing at her lips.
"They're ready to reveal their answer," she said, trying to steady her voice. Evelyn leapt from the bed, moving to stand beside Athena. Emma set her knitting aside, eyes tracking the two as they walked toward the door. She did not like the risk they were courting but knew better than to interfere.
