29. Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Twenty-Nine

C andy

Maury's face fills the laptop screen, his brow furrowed with concern as we catch him up on the latest developments. "Candy, bubelah . You're scaring the shit out of me here."

I manage a weak smile, my throat tight with emotion. "I'm scaring the shit out of me too, Maur."

Beside me on the couch in our hotel room, Courage squeezes my hand, a silent show of support. Fury paces the hotel room like a caged lion—or wolf—his claws flexing with barely leashed aggression.

"Run it by me one more time." Maury rubs his hand over his weathered face. "You're actually considering meeting with these schmucks? Alone?"

"Not alone," Courage corrects, his voice a low rumble. "Never alone. Fury and I will be with her every step of the way."

We lay out the plan: the hidden cameras, the mics, the trackers. The contingencies we've put in place, the evidence we hope to gather. The role I'll play—the bait to lure the serpents from their hole.

By the time we're done, Maury's face is a mask of grim resignation. "I don't like it." His tone is blunt. "Not one fucking bit. But…"

He sighs, long and heavy. "But I trust you, Candy. I trust your judgment, your strength. If you say this is something you need to do, then I'm in your corner. It would be great if you could put all of this in your rearview mirror."

Tears prick at the back of my eyes, gratitude and love welling in my chest. "Thanks, Maury. That means… everything."

"Just promise me one thing?" His voice is gruff, thick with emotion. "You come back to me. In one piece. Because if anything happens to you, honey, it'll kill me. You understand?"

I nod, not trusting myself to speak around the lump in my throat.

The call ends with a round of tense goodbyes and fervent promises to check in after the deed is done. As the screen goes dark, I slump against the couch, sudden exhaustion weighing on my bones.

"You should try to get some rest," Courage murmurs, brushing a lock of hair from my forehead. "Big night ahead."

"I don't feel very brave," I confess, my voice small. "I feel… terrified. Sick to my stomach. Like I'm five seconds away from shattering into a million pieces."

Fury crouches in front of me, his frigid silver eyes boring into mine. "That's what bravery is, kitten. It's not the absence of fear. It's the choice to keep going, to keep fighting, even when you're piss-your-pants scared."

Courage nods, his arm slipping around my shoulders. "And that's exactly what you're doing. What you've been doing this whole damn time. Fighting. Surviving. Refusing to let the bastards win."

I draw in a shaky breath, their words washing over me like a balm, giving me strength. "I couldn't do it without you," I whisper, my eyes burning. "Either of you. Knowing you have my back, that I'm not in this alone… it's the only thing keeping me standing."

"Always," Courage rasps, pressing his forehead to my temple. "We're a team, Candy. A unit. In this together, no matter what."

"Fuck yeah, we are." Fury stands, a fierce, feral glint in his eye. "And tonight? We're gonna show those shitstains what happens when you mess with a female from our pack."

Wow! Did I just get a promotion? Fury, who looks as though he takes shit from no one, just said I'm one of their pack. The words resonate deep in my gut, a primal chord of belonging, of rightness.

With these two males by my side, I can face anything. Even my darkest demons, my most deep-rooted fears. Because make no bones about it, this meeting is life and death. It's just that I can't live the rest of my life in fear. I refuse!

I stand, squaring my shoulders and lifting my chin. "Alright, guys. Let's go to war."