All Chapters of The Phoenix Heiress: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Jace sat in the backseat, quiet but alert. His eyes didn’t leave the road ahead, like he was memorizing every turn, every landmark—like he was making sure this wasn’t a dream that would vanish if he blinked too long. Fifteen, but already carrying more than most grown men. He didn’t trust easily. Not promises. Not places. Not people.But he trusted Kat. And he was trying to trust me.Koda, on the other hand, was full of bounce. “Daddy Wolf,” he said, kicking his little boots against the seat. “Do the clubhouse got snacks? Like the cheesy ones?” I chuckled. “We’ll find out soon, little man.”Jace didn’t smile, but his shoulders eased just a little. He was watching. Measuring. Protecting.Kat just smiled, her hand resting on my thigh like she’d finally exhaled.She wasn’t mad anymore. Not about Liam. Not about the raid. She’d seen it—why I hadn’t told her he wasn’t in the caravan. She understood now that it wasn’t about keeping secrets. It was about keeping her steady. Focused. Safe.And

KodaDaddy showed us the house today.It’s big. Bigger than the old place. Bigger than the store. Bigger than my dreams.I run through the halls like a race car. My socks go slip! My giggles go loud. “Mama! Mama! Is this our house now?”Mama smiles and says, “Almost, baby. We’re gonna move in soon.”I grab her hand and pull her to the room with the window that looks like sky. “This one’s mine,” I say. “I picked it. It’s got space for my bear chair and my wolf blanket and my dragon poster. I want dragons on the wall. And wolves. And bears. But not scary ones. Just huggy ones.”She kneels down and brushes my hair back. “You want huggy wolves?”“Yep. Like Daddy. He’s a huggy wolf.”She laughs and kisses my cheek. “Okay, baby. Huggy wolves it is.”I spin in a circle and point to the corner. “That’s where my bear chair goes. And my toy box goes by the door. And my dragon poster goes up high so it can fly.”I sit on the floor and hug my wolf stuffie. “We live here now,” I whisper. “Me and y

I was halfway through dialing when Sarah stepped into the office, her expression tight but steady. She didn’t need to speak—I could see it in her eyes. She’d already read the room, already knew what I needed.“Grim’s outside,” she said. “He’s waiting on your call.”I nodded and hit send.Grim answered on the second ring, voice gravel and steel. “Wolf.”“I need bodies,” I said without preamble. “Liam’s not alone. He’s got help—more than we expected. And Boris is still locked in the Shield. I can’t split my men and keep the perimeter tight.”Grim didn’t hesitate. “I can have twenty here by sundown. Vultures who know how to move quiet and hit hard.”“Good,” I said. “I’ll clear space in the warehouse. They’ll bunk there.”Sarah stepped closer, arms crossed, her voice low. “There’s more.”I raised a brow.“One of the girls we pulled out—she’s Reaper royalty. Club princess. She already called her dad. He’s on his way.”That landed heavy.“The Reapers?” I asked.She nodded. “If they show up,

The clubhouse was quiet, but not still. You could feel the movement—Kat with the boys and the moms in the common room, building lists like they were laying bricks for a future that finally felt solid. Koda’s voice carried through the hallway, all excitement and certainty. Jace’s quieter, steadier tone followed. Kat was guiding them, listening close, making sure every want and need was heard.I stayed in my office.Not because I didn’t want to be with them—but because I had to be here. The shield out back held Boris, and while he wasn’t going anywhere, we hadn’t had time to deal with him properly. That time was coming. Soon.Luca and Matteo flanked the far wall, Salvatore sat near the window, his gaze sharp despite the exhaustion. My father leaned back in the chair opposite me, arms crossed, watching. Hovak had the logistics board open, already sketching out routes and names. We knew Liam was close. We just didn’t know who was helping him.“Boris is locked down,” Luca said. “But Liam’s

I sat on the edge of the bed, the blanket twisted in my fists like it could hold me together. The room was quiet, but not empty. My father sat across from me, his elbows on his knees, eyes locked on mine like he was afraid to blink. My brothers flanked him—silent, tense, protective. The Reapers' room. Our room now. Four beds, one door, and a thousand unsaid things hanging in the air.“I need to tell you,” I said, voice barely above a whisper. “All of it.”My Dad didn’t move. He just nodded once, slow and steady. “We’re listening, baby girl.”I swallowed hard. My throat still felt raw, like the screams I never got to release were stuck there. “It was supposed to be a celebration. Finals were over. I was done. I was free. Me and a couple girls went out—nothing wild, just drinks and dancing. I remember laughing. I remember stepping outside to call you.”My voice cracked. He flinched.“I didn’t even see him coming. One second I was reaching for my phone, and the next—darkness. A van. Zip