Chapter 212 Something Fitting Roman “Did Jace send you after my fiancé?” Savannah asked, her voice sharp enough to cut bone. Paula didn’t hesitate. “No. I doubt he’d want that, considering his daughter is in love with Blackwood’s son. He loves you too much to do anything that'd hurt you.” Savannah stepped forward, jaw set. “Well, newsflash, Paula. You’re not touching him. I won't let you.” Paula laughed. “And what are you going to do? If I decide to take my sweet revenge, Savannah, what can you do to me? I mean, besides your fiancé intervening?” “Don't mess with me. If you dare me, I'll make sure whatever plan my father made with you will never amount to anything. I'll take it as far as I can, Paula. Be warned.” Paula laughed—an ugly, scraped-out sound. “Does your father know about this? Your real father. Does he know that you plan to stand in his way of getting back at The General?” “Yes,” Savannah snapped. “Uncle Jace has met Roman. And he knows Roman is a good man. Whatever you’re planning, better get it out of your head, you psychopath.” I just watched them, my mind running circles around everything I’d learned today. I felt stretched thin, pulled apart at the seams. Too much, too fast, and still not enough answers. The truth was a beast with seven heads, and every time I cut one off, three more grew back in its place. There was still one person who owed me the full truth. Only one man who could tie all these loose, rotting threads together. My father. I exhaled, tasting bitterness. Then I looked at Paula. “You’re going back with us to New Hope.” She arched her brow. “Oh really? You want to personally deliver me to your daddy? Is that it?” I folded my arms. “No. I’m taking you to Jace first. And you both have a lot of explaining to do.” “And after that?” she pressed, eyes glinting like a shark scenting blood. “Then,” I said slowly, “we go see my father. That confrontation is long overdue. We’ve left too many corpses unburied. I guess it’s time for a mass burial.”Savannah tugged my arm and whispered, “We’re going to see uncle Jace?” “Exactly what I said.” I leaned close. “And before you suggest calling him, let me remind you this is far bigger than a phone call. This involves murders and illegal businesses, baby. You can’t solve this with a ringtone.” I glanced at the two women. Paula stared back with that silent, hateful calm, while Chloe shook like a cheap leaf in a storm. “Besides,” I said, “we wouldn’t want to risk him running. We don’t know how he’ll react when we give him a heads up by calling first. It’s best to catch a suspect unawares. We can’t risk screwing up the element of surprise if it's the only thing we've got. Do you get me, my love?” Savannah nodded slowly. “Okay. I just… I just want to rest. We’ve had a long, horrible day. It’s getting late, and we’ve been here all day.” Her voice wavered. My chest tightened. “Forgive me, my love. Just give me a few minutes and we’ll be done. Okay?” “Okay.” I kissed her forehead—soft, quick—and went back to the two snakes tied to the chairs. “You’re both going back with us,” I said, voice cold enough to frost over the entire room. “You’re going to admit to your crimes, Chloe. And you’re going to face punishment. Believe me, I’ll see to that.” Chloe scoffed and lifted her chin, trying to look brave but failing spectacularly. “And how exactly are you going to do that? Bundle me into a plane and fly me off to New Hope against my will?” I smiled. “Exactly.” Her smirk shattered. “You’re not serious,” she whispered. Panic flared. Then her voice pitched up into a screech. “No. I’m not going back there. I refuse. I—” She screamed as the guards tightened their grip on her shoulders. “I SAID I’M NOT GOING BACK!” She thrashed around wildly, but the men holding her down didn’t budge. Her chair didn’t even shake. I turned to Paula. “Any objections?” She shook her head once. Her jaw clenched. “No. If it gets me in the same room as Reginald Blackwood, then I’ll take it. I want that bastard dead.” Of course she did. I studied her face for a long moment. There were a dozen things I wanted to tell her. That this wasn’t going to be easy. That she didn’t know half of what she thought she knew. That Reginald Blackwood wasn’t the only one my father had screwed, used, sacrificed. That there were names and ghosts she’d never even heard of. That if anyone was going to kill The General, it damn sure wouldn’t be her. But I owed her nothing. Not honesty. Not clarity. Not even a warning. So I simply nodded. “Good. We’re on the same page.” Paula shrugged. “Just don’t tell my brother. He’s a fucking pussy. Zane would try to talk you out of it. The only person he ever stuck his neck out for was this girl.” Her voice curdled with hatred as she glared at Chloe. “That’s why I had fun breaking them apart.” Savannah made a small disgusted sound behind me. I didn’t blame her. At this point, I’d had enough twisted history to last me the rest of my life. I squeezed Savannah’s hand. “These men are going to stay here with you two tonight and watch you. Make sure you don’t try anything stupid.” My eyes pinned Paula. “Especially you. Any crazy thoughts spinning around up there? Don’t act on them.” She lifted her chin. “You have my word.”I didn’t trust her word any more than I trusted broken glass not to cut. “We’re done here.” I said. “Stay here,” I ordered the men. “Watch them. If either of them tries anything stupid… assume they’re suicidal.” Paula looked amused. Chloe looked like she was about to faint. I turned to Chloe. “And you… I almost hope you try something. Give them a reason to finish you off.” She paled instantly, every ounce of bravado leaking out of her like air from a punctured tire. I grabbed Savannah’s hand tighter. “Let’s go, baby.” She nodded and stepped beside me, but before we could get to the door, something tugged at the back of my mind. I turned. “One more thing. If you both think you’re stepping foot into my jet, rethink it. We’ll send you across another way. Something… fitting.” I smirked, savoring their reactions—Paula’s narrowed eyes, Chloe’s collapsing spirit. We stepped out into the hallway, and the heavy door thudded shut behind us. Savannah leaned into me, exhausted, trembling slightly. I wrapped my arm around her waist and guided her down the corridor. She spoke first. “Roman… Do you think Paula’s telling the entire truth?” “No.” I didn’t sugarcoat. “She doesn't look like someone who tells the whole truth. She tells whatever piece benefits her.” Savannah swallowed. “And Chloe?” “Chloe just wants to survive. She’ll lie, cry, kneel, scream—anything.” “And Jace?” she whispered. I inhaled deeply. “I don’t know anymore.” That was the real truth. Savannah rested her head on my shoulder as we walked. Her exhaustion was a weight I could feel through her skin. It felt heavy and soft and human. It was a sharp contrast to everything else around us. “We’re really going to confront The General, aren’t we?” she asked quietly. “Yes.” “You’re not afraid?”I gave a low laugh. “I’ve been afraid of that man more than half of my entire life. This time, fear doesn’t matter.” She squeezed my hand tightly. “What if… what if he tries to hurt you?” “He won’t,” I lied smoothly. She knew it was a lie. I felt her stiffen. But she didn’t push. We stepped into the cool night air outside the building and Savannah exhaled shakily. “I hate today.” “I know.” I pressed a kiss to her temple. “It’s almost over.” She didn’t answer. Just climbed into the car with slow, drained movements. I stood outside a moment longer, letting the night settle over me. Letting the weight of what was coming sink deeper into my bones. Jace. Then Julius. Then my father. The chain reaction that would burn down everything that’s been rotting in the dark. I got into the car beside Savannah. She curled into my side, and her breathing softened into the rhythm of someone barely holding herself together. And as Alonzo pulled away, she whispered, “Roman?” “Yes?” “When we finally face your father… what are you going to do?” I stared ahead, watching the road stretch into shadow. Somewhere deep inside, something cold shifted. Something old and tired and done pretending. So I answered her honestly. “Whatever I must.”