Beatrice’s POVI didn’t think twice and just hit the button while Dalton swerved again. The motorcycle jerked to the side with us. “Tris, what the hell!” he yelled over the roaring wind. “You’re gonna get me killed!” As they leaned in closer, I took a deep breath to steady myself. My heart was racing so hard, I could feel it in my fingers. I shot at the driver’s leg, and the motorcycle swerved back into control. The guy on the back adjusted his aim, but before he could pull the trigger, I hit the rider in the arm. The gun fell to the ground in the dark, and the bike wobbled before speeding up next to us again. “Aim for their damn heads!” “I’m trying!” Not really. Killing people means a ton of paperwork with the bureau. This stuff is supposed to be preapproved. The driver fired off a bunch of shots at the car, but they missed. This guy couldn’t steer, aim, and shoot all at once. The passenger was slumped over, holding his arm. “Ram them!” Dalton swerved again, and
Beatrice’s POV “Mafia,” I correct her, raising a finger. “We’re way more than just a basic gang.” Her laughter echoes in the grand entrance, and when I turn my head, I spot Flint standing at the junction of the two sides of the house, hands tucked in his jeans pockets. “You off to spill some tea?” Sierra tilts her head. “Just catching up on how Tris nearly got herself killed today.” “Sounds like a bit of an overstatement.” “Oh.” She pretends to be confused. “You were there, huh?” Flint smirks slightly. “Not exactly. Dalton tends to blow things out of proportion.” I feel a flicker of annoyance. I’m not keen on exaggerating what went down in front of Sierra, but come on, let’s stick to the truth. We could’ve been in serious trouble because Flint wants Nolan back on his side. “We’ll catch you at dinner.” I pull her around the corner, heading through Nolan’s part of the house to mine. We reach the end of his hallway just as his bedroom door swings open. “Tris!”
Beatrice’s POVSierra is putting on another layer of mascara on my lashes when the doorbell rings loudly through the house. I decided to let her glam me up for old times' sake. I’m in a black dress that fits snugly on top but flows and is sheer at the bottom. It looks great and is comfy, which makes us both happy. “Sounds like someone’s arrived.” She examines my face. “Just one more coat.” “I’ll wake up looking like a raccoon.” “No way, because you’re going to take off your makeup like a good girl.” “You know I usually don’t wear much makeup. I’ll need a crowbar to get this off.” I gesture to my face with a smirk. “I’ve barely put anything on you. I wish I had skin like yours.” She flicks the mascara wand and leans back on her heel, checking me out one last time. “You look perfect.” Standing up, I smooth out my dress. “Do you think the people Nolan invited are here because of you?” “It’s the only thing that makes sense. He said he’d make it worth my while. I told
Beatrice’s POVFlint’s attention shifts to our group and then back to Connor. Nolan steps away from me to join them. Instantly, the guys switch to Italian, leaving only Sierra out of the loop on their conversation. She starts filling me in on the deal she struck with Thomas and Connor. I should be paying attention, but I can’t help but be drawn to the other chat happening nearby. It’s one of those moments where I wish I could split my brain in two. I catch bits and pieces of their talk, but the context is lost on me. A caterer walks in and leans in to whisper to Nolan. “Gentlemen. Ladies. Dinner is served.” He gestures toward the table. I take a seat at the far end. Nolan is at the head on my right, Sierra is directly across from me, and Connor is next to me on my left. Flint occupies the opposite end of the table. Even during dinner, it feels like they’re ready to go head-to-head. As the soup is served, Liam picks up the conversation. He glances between Nolan and Flint before s
Beatrice’s POVFlint downs his shot and pours another. “That’s a ridiculous question.” “I need you to tell me what happened.” “After all these years, you never asked anyone?” His intense gaze scans her face. “I was so close to dying. Just a hair’s breadth away.” She touches her chest again. “Why would I want to go through that again?” I’m chugging my beer, feeling a bit out of place while they dive into this heavy stuff. Their conversation feels personal, and it catches me off guard. “Didn’t you ever wonder why I didn’t come back?” “Every single day.” Her voice is thick, tears welling up in her eyes. Flint’s tough facade cracks a bit. He pours another shot, as if trying to drown whatever tension lingers between them. “Don’t cry.” “I’m drunk. Of course, I’m going to cry.” She wipes her tears and holds out her glass for a refill. “I should probably head out.” I glance between them. Finishing my beer, I set the bottle down. If I stick around, I’m just intrudin
Beatrice’s POVLocking eyes with him, I say, “Flint believes you’ll freak out over what happened. He thinks it’ll bring you two closer.” “Closer?” Nolan laughs bitterly. “He murdered our father. There’s no way we’re getting closer.” “You can’t be sure of that yet.” “I’m sure. I just can’t prove it.” He jabs a finger at me, all charm gone. “That’s on you.” “He claims he didn’t do it.” “Of course, he’s going to say that.” His gaze is intense. “I get that you’re in a tough position. You can either hold back or spill everything to Flint. But with me, I want all the details—no matter how small.” I bite my lip and hold his stare. “Alright.” “It’s not alright. You can’t keep this stuff from me.” “What’s your plan for the Zhangs?” “I’ll do what needs to be done. My brother thinks he can provoke a reaction, and that’s exactly what he’ll get. If I don’t act, he’ll sense something’s off.” He sizes me up. “I look out for my own. Always.” My heart tightens at the loo
Beatrice’s POVThe building is just one story and looks more like a big, overgrown bungalow than a hospital or a long-term care place. One perk of my job is that I could find a nice spot for my mom, even if she doesn’t realize it’s the best option out there. “You’ll wait here?” I ask. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come in?” Nolan replies softly, his eyes full of sincerity. “I’ve got these broad shoulders you can lean on if you need.” Without thinking, I run my fingers down his arm. “Maybe later.” He takes my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. “You’re armed?” “Always.” “If anything feels off, I’m coming in.” “It’s an old-age home. It’s not exactly a high-stakes situation.” He doesn’t laugh at my joke. Instead, his gaze sharpens. “I protect my own.” “It’ll be fine.” I stroke his cheek with my thumb. “Promise.” This place isn’t part of my cover story. If he steps inside, he’ll find out more than he should. He nods toward the building. “Text me if you n
Beatrice’s POVSomehow, I manage to get through shopping with Sierra without freaking out about Nolan snooping around James. When we pull up to the house to grab her suitcases, I half-expect the brothers to be waiting at the door, guns drawn, ready to take me out right then and there. “You good?” she yawns, dragging her suitcase down the hallway. “I’m the one who crashed with Flint last night. Man, I was so wasted. What a stupid move. You’re acting like you’re the one who did something scandalous.” I bite my lip, wishing I could spill the beans. She knows the undercover me better than anyone else, and the holes in my stories would be obvious. “Just a lot happening in this house, you know?” “Oh, I get it,” she nods. “So, you and Nolan…?” “Maybe?” She gives my back a reassuring rub. “Could be worse.” “What about you and Flint?” “Ugh, no way. I can’t go through that again. I’m too old for his drama now.” “You really think he hasn’t changed?” “Oh, I’m sure he ha
Beatrice’s POVDai Qing’s phone buzzes as we make our way to the medical building. “He’s out of the coma and ready for visitors. Perfect timing.” She slips her phone into her pocket. My stomach twists at the thought of James and the fact that Nolan and Flint are responsible for what happened. Flint did it for kicks, and Nolan thought he was protecting me. I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans as we step inside. I know he won’t blame me, but I can’t shake the feeling that I could have done something to help him sooner, maybe figured out that Flint was gathering people I didn’t even know about.“How are you holding up, seeing him like this?” She turns slightly and raises an eyebrow. “I don’t think anyone enjoys seeing him like this. That’s not really what you mean, is it?” “Well, I know you two had a… thing.” Dai Qing chuckles. “Did he mention that to you?” “He hinted at it a few times, but he never outright said it.” “That makes sense.” “Does it?” “I mean, he’s had feelings for yo
Beatrice’s POVNolan’s remarks about his secret project, how Flint didn’t grasp the significance of what he was working on, and his mention of setting something in motion that he wasn’t sure he could stop, keep popping into my mind. “No one told me anything?” She slams the folder down on the table behind her. “And risk you blowing your cover? You’re already too invested in him. If you knew, you’d have ruined your own story.” I shake my head, though a small part of me wonders if she’s got a point. “I should have been informed.” “We couldn’t take that chance. He turned us down flat. He said he’d only give up Flint if his brother killed their father. Any other situation wasn’t negotiable.” She gestures toward Nolan in the other room, leaning over the table at Zahir, who looks completely unfazed, hands relaxed. Other agents are around, watching closely, hands near their weapons. “You can guess he’s a bit upset we were at his place.” “What did you tell him?” “That when he refused us,
Beatrice’s POVI reach out blindly for a steel chair and plop down into it. “You knew?” Dai Qing asks, her brow furrowing. “No,” I reply, shaking my head. “I was just a kid.” Her frown deepens. “But you know something now.” I feel a wave of nausea. If Nolan was behind John's death, could he also have had a hand in Claude's? Flint mentioned they killed for each other, and Nolan had told me about John. Flint fought Claude in The Corral, and Claude was really good, one of the best. Could Flint have done it? Did they both do it? “If you know something,” she says, tapping the folder, “you need to share it.” “I don’t know anything,” I say, glancing at her before looking away. “I was only ten. What could I possibly know? I didn’t even realize John was a mechanic. He was just a loser to us. I’m—” I struggle to find the right words. “Shocked he died like that.” Dai Qing sits down in the chair across from me and pulls the folder closer. She flips through it for a moment bef
Beatrice’s POVFrowning, I stare at the text for a few minutes. They’re calling me to headquarters for a meeting. While it would be nice to see James, the timing isn’t great. I need to speak to Dai Qing before I leave for the airport.I dial Sierra’s number and hold the phone to my ear.She answers on the first ring. “Oh, God, Tris. Is he still alive?”“What?”“Flint. He called me early this morning or late last night. I was in a meeting, and so my phone was off. But he left this rambling message on my phone because he was dying.” Her voice catches on a sob.“He’s alive, Sierra.” What else did he say in that message? She’s calling me, so he couldn’t have outed me as FBI to her, or she’d be here shooting me herself. “What did he say in his message?”Sierra takes a few steadying breaths. I picture her worrying a wad of tissues as she talks. “Some personal stuff.”“He has a phone in his room, if you want to call him. But—” I purse my lips. “He won’t remember calling you. His memor
Beatrice’s POVWhile I wait for Nolan to emerge from Flint’s room, I try to stay as still and calm as possible. Inside, I want to fidget, jump up and pace around, anything to release this nervous energy.When the hospital door swings open, Nolan pauses at the threshold for a minute, scanning the hallway for me, and I almost collapse in relief. His expression is the one I’ve come to recognize so well. There’s no rage or confusion anywhere. Whether Flint remembers or not, he didn’t say anything to his brother.“He wants to see you.” Nolan nods at me.We’re toe-to-toe and he still hasn’t moved from the doorway.“You okay?” I ask.A wisp of a smile flits across his face before it vanishes. His lips brush my temple as one of his arms circles my waist. “I’m headed home. I’m leaving one of the guys here to come with you.” He gestures to a man whose name I can never remember. Felix? Jorge? It’s strange to think how much I relied on Dalton. Nolan’s hand slides away, and his footsteps retr
Beatrice’s POVWe're deep into our second game of Settlers of Catan while we wait for updates. Nolan suddenly remembers that the game was stashed away in a cupboard from a previous waiting period. When I brought it up, he got quiet and mentioned that he used to play it with his dad. Later, Dalton decided to join us while we waited during some other tense moments. The thought of him playing this game with Nolan is both sweet and a bit sad. It's hard to picture him being good at it, but it feels wrong to think that way now that he's gone. Still, I appreciate the distraction from Flint's situation and James's extraction. I'm trying to keep Nolan's strategy in mind because my worrying won't change anything for either of them. When I look up from the board, I catch Nolan watching me. “Need a hand?” he teases, a playful spark in his eyes. “I think I can handle it.” “Because you have choices.” “I see them.” I nod at the board, fiddling with a card in my hand. “I wouldn’t
Beatrice’s POVI stare at Flint’s unconscious body. No one would know if I left him out here. Ian was supposed to have searched the grounds. He’ll bleed out. There’s already so much blood.“Tris?” Nolan’s voice travels across the field, and when I scan behind me, he’s silhouetted against the double doors.Thoughts flick through my brain, almost too brief to catch. He’ll see me walk away. If Flint killed their father, I could get away with leaving him to die. We don’t know for sure. Could Nolan forgive me? Would he understand?Time’s up. Make a choice.“Nolan!” I scream. “Nolan!”He breaks into a run, and I drop to my knees beside Flint. Cradling his head in my lap reminds me of my brother and makes it impossible for me to do anything but sit there, staring at the blood leaking out of him and across the flagstones.Once Nolan reaches my side, there’s a flurry of activity as he struggles to staunch the bleeding while calling an ambulance and then a cleaning crew to collect and dis
Beatrice’s POVThe blaring alarms are so loud they feel like they’re shaking the walls. I bolt upright, my heart racing and adrenaline pumping. Nolan’s already up, slipping into his pants. “What’s going on?” I ask, still trying to shake off the sleep. “Alarm system. We’ve got an intruder.” “Could Flint have accidentally set it off? Or maybe someone else?” I really don’t want him heading downstairs. It’s 3:10 a.m. They could still be lurking around. “Have you heard it go off at all since you got here?” Nolan snaps as he heads to the walk-in closet, rummaging through his clothes. I swing my legs over the side of the bed and quickly throw on my shirt and pants to keep up with him. He’s opened a gun safe and is loading up on weapons, stuffing ammo into his pockets like we’re gearing up for a fight. “You need to stay here.” “If you’re going, I’m going.” His worried eyes lock onto mine. “I don’t want you involved in this.” “If you stay, I’ll stay. If you go, I’m goin
Beatrice’s POVI made it clear to Nolan that he needed to shower before I’d even think about dealing with him. He tried to persuade me to join him, but I was on a tight schedule to find Dai Qing, fill her in on James, and grab whatever info she had on my file. As I rushed out of Nolan’s room, I told him I needed to change because I had blood on my clothes—James’s blood. Just the thought of it makes my stomach twist.I sprint down the hallway and spot Yichun cleaning my area. I pop my head in and say, “Can you please get Dai Qing as fast as you can?” She nods quickly and takes off while I punch in the code to my room. The light flashes red, and it beeps at me. I messed up the numbers. My hand shakes as I try again. Taking a deep breath, I remind myself to stay calm. I can’t lose it now. Flint doesn’t know anything. James needs me. Breathe. I enter the code once more.Just as I’m pulling off my shirt, there’s a sharp knock at the door. Dai Qing walks in with her cleaning supplies, dropp