The Fallen Rose had dismantled the Venomous Snakes with terrifying ease. They’d hunted down every single member, breaking arms and cracking bones until the office floor was a sea of groaning bodies.
For the Snakes, the fallout was permanent. Some of their top hustlers would never be able to pull off their sleek sleight-of-hand tricks at a gambling table again; their fingers were completely crushed. One thing was absolutely certain—none of the survivors would ever even dream of touching the Black Hounds or testing the borders of the Billion Bloodline again.
"What kind of freaks are they?" the gang boss wheezed from the floor, barely able to push himself up against a shattered table that had flipped over during the raid. "The Black Hounds were bad enough, but now the Fallen Rose too? Are they trying to force every gang in the country to form an alliance against them?"
In the underworld, a sudden, explosive spike in power was always a massive red flag. The bigger syndicates rarely sat back and let a new player expand without pushing back. The Billion Bloodline might have been too green to realize they were painting a massive target on their own backs, but ignorance wasn’t an excuse in this game.
None of that mattered to the Fallen Rose right now. Cutting through the midnight air, their motorcycle engines roaring down the center of the empty streets, the women were shouting to each other in pure celebration.
"Job well done!" Sarah yelled over the roar of her exhaust. "That was way easier than I expected. Now that people know we’re working for the Billion Bloodline, maybe everyone will finally think twice before attacking them."
"I doubt it," Shooting called back, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. "I have a feeling whoever placed that original hit contract on the Bloodline had a pretty good idea of how strong they are. They aren’t going to be clueless idiots like the Venomous Snakes."
Further back in the pack, Abby had a smile that stretched from ear to ear. She was just incredibly happy that she’d finally been able to execute a job that actually helped Max out. She couldn’t wait to get back to the fortress and deliver the good news to him personally.
With this new body... I can finally protect him in ways I never could before, Abby thought, a sudden warmth settling in her chest. But I wonder... will the chance ever come up for me to tell Max the truth? I’ve played the scenario out in my head again and again, trying to find a perfect time. What could I even say to prove it’s me? Is there anything only the two of us would know about?
A very specific memory flashed through her mind—something intensely private that only she and Max had shared—and her face instantly blushed bright red behind her helmet.
Before she could lose herself in the thought, a massive black van tore out from a side street, cutting off the entire column.
"Watch out!" Shooting yelled.
The women slammed on their brakes. Tires shrieked against the asphalt as bikes skidded sideways across the street. A few riders nearly lost control and flipped, but through raw instinct and muscle memory, the entire unit managed to slide to a halt just inches from the vehicle’s reinforced bumpers.
But the trap was already springing. Headlights cut through the darkness from behind them as more vans of the exact same model boxed them in from the rear, completely sealing off the street.
"Be careful, Vera," Shooting warned, dropping her kickstand and resting her hand on her weapon. "Something is seriously wrong here."
The rear doors of the front van slammed open. A dozen heavily armed enforcers spilled out into the street, forming a tight perimeter. Stepping out last was a man wearing a unzipped black leather jacket that put his conditioned physique on full display.
"You know, when the scouts reported that the Fallen Rose had crossed into our city limits, I didn’t quite believe it," the man said, a smug smile on his face as he scanned the bikers. "But since you’re actually standing here, it makes me think that other ridiculous rumor might be true too. Are you girls seriously playing lapdogs for the Billion Bloodline group?"
Shooting tilted her head, her eyes narrowing through the glare of the headlights as she analyzed his face. Suddenly, something clicked.
"Unlop," Shooting said, her voice dropping into a hard, defensive tone. "From the Syndicate known as the Unicorns."
"Wait, this guy is from an actual Syndicate-level group?" Sarah asked, her grip tightening on her wooden blade.
"The name’s kind of cute," Abby muttered under her breath, blinking. "The Unicorn group?"
Unlop took a step forward, ignoring the insults as he gestured toward them. "So, tell me. What did it take for a fresh street gang like the Bloodline to buy the allegiance of you beautiful ladies? More importantly, what’s your price to pivot and come to our side of the fence?"
"Ha!" Sarah let out a loud, mocking laugh, shaking her head. "You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. They offered us a massive premium, Unlop. Way more cash than a mid-tier syndicate like yours could ever come up with."
"You really think so?" Unlop countered, his smile vanishing as his men raised their weapons. "I have some incredibly deep corporate connections backing my play. Why don’t you name a number and try me?"
Instead of answering, Sarah and Shooting stepped out in front of Abby’s bike. They shook their heads, letting out synchronous tuts of disapproval as they pointed their heavy wooden swords directly at Unlop’s chest.
"You don’t understand a single thing about our contract," Shooting said, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "Because the price the Billion Bloodline is paying us... is love!"
"Love?" Abby gasped from behind them, her jaw dropping. "What do you mean, love?!"
"Oh, come on, Vera," Shooting said, glancing back over her shoulder with a wink. "You seriously think the two of us wouldn’t have noticed? You are completely, head-over-heels for their Boss. But hey, it’s to be expected. Max is a great guy, and honestly? If it’s a man like him, I think the rest of the Rose can accept him as our brother-in-law."
Abby’s brain completely short-circuited. Her face turned a furious shade of crimson, and she desperately wished the asphalt would open up and swallow her whole. She wanted to crawl into a ball and die of pure embarrassment right then and there.
Unlop looked between the women, his expression turning completely cold as he realized negotiations were over.
"Love... I see. Well, that makes our corporate restructuring exceptionally difficult," Unlop said, his hand dropping to his side to signal his enforcers. "If you can’t join my payroll, then I have no choice but to completely get rid of you."