23. June

Chapter twenty-three

June

T he morning light filtering through the curtains is soft, muted, a gentle caress on my skin as I slowly drift into wakefulness. For a moment, I'm disoriented, the warmth of Cara's body nestled against mine feeling too good to be true after the endless nights of cold, lonely longing.

But then she stirs, her hand splaying across my chest, and the reality of our reunion crashes over me in a wave of overwhelming emotion. She's here. She's safe. And for this one perfect, crystalline moment, nothing else matters.

I bury my nose in her hair, breathing in the scent of jasmine and something uniquely Cara. It's the smell of home, of love, of everything I've been fighting for these past harrowing months.

A soft knock at the door shatters the peaceful stillness. I tense, old instincts kicking into high gear, but Cara's sleepy murmur and the recognition of Judith's distinctive knock pattern eases the spike of adrenaline.

I extract myself carefully from Cara's embrace, brushing a kiss to her temple as she grumbles in protest. Pulling on a pair of discarded sweatpants, I pad to the door, opening it just wide enough to slip outside.

Judith's waiting in the hallway, her usually impeccable composure ruffled around the edges. There's a weariness in her eyes, a tightness around her mouth that sets my teeth on edge.

"We need to talk," she says without preamble, her voice low and urgent. "It's about Elaine."

The name is like a bucket of ice water down my spine, a visceral reminder of the danger still looming over us. I nod, casting a glance back at the bedroom door. "Give me a minute to get dressed. I don't want to wake Cara."

Judith's expression softens, understanding mingling with the strain. "Of course. I'll put on some coffee."

Ten minutes later, I'm sitting at the kitchen table, nursing a mug of black coffee and trying to ignore the coil of dread tightening in my gut. Judith sits across from me, her fingers drumming a restless pattern on the scarred wood.

"Elaine contacted me last night," she says, cutting straight to the chase. "She's threatening to expose some... sensitive information about my personal life if I don't go through with a 'real' wedding."

I feel my hackles rise, a snarl building in my throat. "That fucking bitch. I swear to God, I'm going to-"

"June." Judith's voice is sharp, cutting through my building rage. "There's more."

She takes a deep breath, and I brace myself for the worst. But what comes out of her mouth next is so unexpected, it feels like a physical blow.

"The thing is... Drew, Caleb, and I have been talking about making our relationship official for a while now. The fake wedding was just a convenient cover."

I stare at her, my mind struggling to process this new information. "Wait, what? You mean you're actually marrying the rancher? And Drew is okay with this?"

To my surprise, Judith's lips curve into a small, secret smile. "That's how it started, yeah. But things have... evolved. Drew, Caleb, and I... we've grown close. Closer than I ever thought possible."

Understanding clicks into place, and I feel my eyebrows climbing towards my hairline. "Hold up. Are you telling me you're in some kind of polyamorous throuple situation with a rancher and an oil tycoon?"

Judith's laugh is a welcome sound, a momentary break in the tension. "Leave it to you to make it sound like a bad romance novel. But yeah, I guess that's the gist of it. Surprised?"

I blow out a breath, running a hand through my sleep-mussed hair. "Surprised doesn't even begin to cover it. But hell, Jude... if they make you happy, if they're good to you... then I'm happy for you. Truly."

Her smile softens, gratitude and affection warming her gaze. "They do. Make me happy, I mean. Happier than I ever thought I could be, after... everything."

We share a moment of silent understanding, the ghosts of our past hovering at the edges of our consciousness. But the sound of a tentative knock at the door shatters the reverie, putting us both instantly on edge.

"June?" a familiar voice calls softly. "It's Sarah. Can I come in?"

I exchange a glance with Judith, surprise and wariness mingling in my gut. Sarah, the nurse who risked everything to help me escape Faulkner's clutches. A wild card in this dangerous game we're playing.

But she's also a friend, or something close to it. And right now, we need all the allies we can get.

I nod to Judith, who moves to open the door. Sarah steps inside, her face etched with concern and exhaustion. She's still in her scrubs, her hair escaping its neat bun, as if she came straight here from her shift.

"I'm sorry for just dropping by," she says, her hands twisting nervously in front of her. "But I needed to see you. To make sure you were okay, after... everything."

Her gaze darts to the bedroom door, to the unspoken presence of Cara on the other side. Something flickers in her eyes, too quick to decipher, but it sets my teeth on edge nonetheless.

"We're fine," I say, a little more sharply than I intend. "Better than fine, actually. No thanks to my mother."

Sarah flinches, the barb hitting home. "I'm sorry, June. I can't imagine how hard this must be for you, for both of you. If there's anything I can do, anything at all..."

I soften, the sincerity in her voice easing some of the tension in my shoulders. "You've already done more than enough, Sarah. More than I can ever repay. But thank you. It means a lot, knowing we have people in our corner."

She nods, a small, tentative smile curving her lips. But before she can respond, the bedroom door creaks open, revealing a sleep-rumpled Cara.

My heart clenches at the sight of her, at the vulnerability and confusion in her stormy gray eyes as she takes in the scene before her. I'm at her side in an instant, pulling her into the shelter of my arms.

"Hey," I murmur into her hair, breathing in the warm, familiar scent of her. "It's okay. We just had some unexpected visitors, that's all."

Cara's gaze darts from Sarah to Judith and back again, a small furrow forming between her brows. "What's going on? Is everything alright?"

I hesitate, torn between the need to protect her and the knowledge that she deserves the truth. But Judith saves me from having to decide, her voice calm and measured as she fills Cara in on Elaine's latest scheme.

To her credit, Cara listens without interruption, her face a mask of composed attentiveness even as I feel the tension thrumming through her body. Only the white-knuckled grip of her hand in mine betrays the depth of her fear, her anger.

"So, what do we do?" she asks when Judith finishes, her voice steady and strong despite the shadows in her eyes. "How do we stop her?"

Pride and love swell in my chest, so fierce it steals my breath. This woman, this incredible, resilient woman... she never ceases to amaze me.

"We fight," I say simply, catching and holding her gaze. "We use every weapon in our arsenal, every dirty trick and backdoor dealing. And we don't stop until Elaine is ground into dust beneath our heels."

Judith nods, grim determination etched into every line of her face. "June's right. We have to hit her where it hurts, take away her power base. And that starts with securing Caleb and Drew's support."

Sarah clears her throat, drawing our attention. "I might have some information that could help with that. Rumors I've heard around the hospital, whispers of Elaine's less-than-legal business dealings. If we can get proof..."

"Then we'll have leverage," I finish, my mind already racing with possibilities. "Something to hold over her head, keep her in check."

Cara's hand tightens in mine, her eyes blazing with a fierce, protective light. "Whatever it takes," she says, the words ringing with conviction. "For our family, for our future... we'll do whatever it takes."

I pull her closer, dropping a kiss to her temple. "Damn straight, sweetheart. Elaine may think she holds all the cards, but she's got no idea who she's messing with. We're the Deveaux-Briers, and we don't go down without a fight."

A ripple of assent goes through the room, a silent acknowledgment of the battle ahead. Sarah and Judith exchange a look of grim solidarity, an unspoken pledge to stand with us until the bitter end.

But even as the fire of righteous anger burns in my veins, even as the thrill of impending victory sings through my blood... there's a kernel of unease that lodges itself beneath my breastbone.

Because I know my mother. I know the ruthless, relentless creature she is, the depths to which she'll sink to get what she wants. And as much as I want to believe that we can beat her at her own game, that we can emerge from this crucible unscathed...

I can't shake the feeling that we're dancing on the edge of a precipice, that one wrong move could send us tumbling into the abyss.

But I push the thought aside, locking it away in the darkest recesses of my mind. I can't afford doubt, not now. Not when everything I hold dear hangs in the balance.

So I focus on the warmth of Cara in my arms, on the steely determination in Judith's eyes, on the quiet, steadfast support radiating from Sarah. I let their strength flow into me, shoring up the cracks in my armor.

Together, we'll weather this storm. Together, we'll claw our way out of the darkness and into the light. Together, we'll build a future so bright, it will burn the shadows of the past to ash.

Elaine Deveaux may think she's untouchable, that her web of secrets and lies will keep her safe from retribution. But she's about to learn the hard way that when you mess with a Deveaux, when you threaten the people we love...

There's no power on this earth that can save you from our wrath.

As the morning unfolds, as plans are made and alliances forged over cups of steaming coffee, I feel a sense of grim purpose settle over me like a second skin. The road ahead will be long and treacherous, paved with blood and sweat and tears.

But with Cara by my side, with our child nestled safe beneath her heart...

I know I can face anything. Endure anything. Overcome anything.

For them, for the family we've fought so hard to build...

There's no price I won't pay, no depths I won't plumb.

Elaine may be a monster, a blight upon this earth...

But I'm the man who's going to slay her. The avenging angel, the relentless hunter.

And when the dust settles, when the last blow is struck and the final secret unraveled...

I'll stand tall amidst the wreckage, my wife and child sheltered safe in the circle of my arms.

Victorious. Unbroken.

Free.

As the weight of our impending battle settles over the room, a sharp knock at the door cuts through the tension. We all freeze, exchanging wary glances. It's too soon for this to be part of Elaine's machinations, isn't it?

Then another. It's not a knock—it's the sound of inevitability, of our fragile peace crumbling around us.

"Police! Open up!"

The words slice through the air like shrapnel, leaving us frozen in the sudden, deafening silence that follows. Cara's hand finds mine, gripping so tightly I feel bones grind together. Her eyes, wide with a fear I haven't seen since Elaine's clutches, bore into mine.

"June," she whispers, her voice cracking. "What's happening?"

Before I can answer, before I can pull her into my arms and promise her that everything will be okay, the door explodes inward. A flood of uniformed officers pours in, weapons drawn, faces set in grim determination.

"Juniper Deveaux!" A burly sergeant steps forward, his voice booming in the confined space. "You're under arrest for the murder of Dr. Adrian Faulkner."

The name hits me like a physical blow. Faulkner. The architect of my nightmares, the man who tried to unmake me. Dead? By my hand? The absurdity of it would be laughable if it weren't so terrifying.

As the cuffs click shut around my wrists, a flash of memory sears through me - Faulkner's leering face, the bite of restraints, the helplessness. I struggle to breathe, to stay present.

'Cara,' I think desperately, seeking her eyes across the chaos of our violated home. She meets my gaze, and in that moment, I see it - the steel beneath her tears, the unspoken promise. We've survived worse. We'll survive this too.

But as they drag me away, a chill runs down my spine. One of the officers, his face oddly familiar, leans in close. 'Better hope that pretty wife of yours stays out of trouble,' he murmurs, his breath hot against my ear. 'Be a shame if something happened to her or that baby while you're locked up.'

The threat ignites something primal within me. As they shove me into the back of the police car, as Cara's anguished face recedes in the distance, I make a silent vow. I'll play their game for now. I'll let them think they've won. But they have no idea what I'm capable of. What we're capable of.

Elaine, Faulkner, this whole corrupt system - they're about to learn why you don't come between a man and the people he loves. The game has changed, Mother. And I've got checkmate in three.