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Chapter 24
The instant Jax’s dropped phone started ringing, he and Dane both froze, holding their breath.
A split second later, they whipped their heads toward Raven, eyes wide with pure shock and fear.
Raven gave a small smile and flicked her hand in a laid–back “go ahead” motion.
That little gesture dialed the tension in their chests up to max.
Jax hesitated for two shaky breaths before bending down, grabbing the phone, and hitting accept.
“Yeah?” he mumbled, keeping his voice low.
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“Sir, we’re done! A dozen guys just hit Cloudshade Crew HQ–bodies are dropping fast, and the crew’s about to break!” The voice on the line came quick and panicked.
The words slammed into Jax, and he staggered back a step, thrown off.
But maybe because he’d steeled himself before answering, he pulled it together fast.
“Just a dozen?” he asked, leveling his tone.
“Yeah! All Warriors, every single one–we can’t keep up!” the guy fired back, sounding desperate.
“How long can you hold?” Jax pushed, his voice turning grim.
The answer came shaky and rough.
“We can’t–can’t hold… ahh!” he yelled.
A scream ripped through before he could finish.
“Thud!” The sound of a body hitting the ground came next.
The call didn’t cut off, though.
A moment later, a clean, sharp voice–cool and almost cheerful–slid into Jax’s ear.
“Tell Raven Valor for me–mission complete. Cloudshade Crew’s finished!” the guy said viciously.
Then he hung up, leaving a sharp beeping sound behind.
That hit Jax like a brick to the head.
Jax’s mind went blank in an instant.
It was over. For real this time.
Everything he’d sunk half his life into–gone in minutes!
With Cloudshade Crew wiped out, the Grayson family’s biggest edge in Bastion was ash.
The high–and–mighty Grayson family might collapse in no time. Dane stared off, dazed.
While Jax stood there on the brink of losing it, Dane looked like he’d checked out too.
He’d been close enough to hear every word from the call.
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Slowly, he lifted his head to Raven.
Right then, he wasn’t looking at a person–he was facing a straight–up monster.
Even now, he couldn’t figure out how some girl straight out of jail could be this scary..
A beat later, he turned to Jax, his voice rougher than ever.
“Jax,” he said, “if she doesn’t go down, the Grayson family’s done for good!”
Jax snapped out of it at that.
His eyes locked onto Raven, brimming with killing intent.
“You’re clever,” he said, voice ice–cold. “You knew I’d drag almost every Cloudshade Crew big shot here to take you out.”
“But now, I’ll prove it–brains don’t mean a damn thing against real strength!”
With that, he turned to the crew behind him.
“Full force–wipe out everyone of them!” he bellowed.
“Yes, sir!” Two Mid–Class Warriors, ten Base–Class Warriors, and over two hundred regular guys yelled back in sync.
Vivian jolted at the loud roar, her whole body shaking.
She didn’t hesitate, leaping forward.
She shouted in fear, “Mr. Grayson, I’m Vivian from Regalhold’s Jennings family–I’m not with that witch!”
Jax’s eyes tightened. “Jennings family from Regalhold?”
Vivian nodded fast, like her head was on a spring. “Yes, yes, yes! I’m the granddaughter of the family head. I bet you’ve heard our name. My uncle’s Lieutenant General Drake Jennings!”
The words “lieutenant general” landed, and a spark of curiosity flashed in Jax’s eyes.
But he didn’t let her off the hook yet, still looking doubtful.
“You’re not here to help her?” he asked.
Vivian shook her head like crazy. “No, no chance! She got my grandpa killed, and she smashed my hands–I’d take her out myself if I could. Help her? Not
ever!”
“Fine, step back. They won’t touch you,” Jax said, his tone solid.
Vivian let out a big breath, relieved.
But then she glanced at Raven, then back at Jax, clearly torn about something she didn’t voice.
She was worried Jax’s crew would just kill Raven right there.
If that happened, she’d lose her chance to get even personally–and all the payback she’d been craving.
Before Vivian could say a thing, Eddie glanced at the mob of toughs behind Jax, paused for a split second, then clenched his jaw and stepped up.
“Mr. Grayson,” he said, “I’m Eddie, grandson of Franklin Valor from Regalhold, next in line to take over the family. I’m asking you to let Raven off, for my
sake.”
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Jax’s brow furrowed.
He knew of Regalhold’s Valor family. If his Cloudshade Crew and Grayson Group were still standing, he wouldn’t give them a second thought.
But now? He didn’t have the muscle to go head–to–head with a big name like the Valors anymore.
Vivian noticed the shift in Jax’s face and couldn’t help feeling like luck was on her side.
“Mr. Grayson,” she said smoothly, “he’s still got his dad in the way–Franklin’s spot isn’t his to grab that easily.”
“But if you’re worried about him kicking up a fuss you don’t need,” she pressed on, “I’ve got an idea.
“My plan saves any trouble from the Valor family and could put you back on top in Bastion–maybe even Regalhold!”
She hadn’t heard what came through Jax’s phone, but she’d pieced together enough from his and Dane’s exchange with Raven.
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Yeah, she was a bit rattled that Raven could pull off something this huge, but to her, Bastion was just a small–time nowhere. Taking down a little group and a weak crew here? No big deal.
“What’s your plan?” Jax asked, his voice edged with doubt.
His dark, sharp eyes drilled into Vivian.
“I just hit the perfect age to get married,” she said, lowering her tone. “I had my sights on Eddie at first, but he’s let me down big time.”
She flashed a quick smile. “You, though–looks, style–you’re way more my speed.”
“If you marry me,” she said, firming up, “you’d have a military lieutenant general backing you. That’s twenty years of climbing handed to you, no sweat.”
Eddie’s breath caught at her words.
He couldn’t believe Vivian would throw her whole future on the table just to get back at him.
He flicked a glance at Jax–not because he cared much about Vivian, but because he didn’t want this turning into a total disaster.
“Mr. Grayson,” he said, rushing, “her ideas don’t mean the Jennings family’s on board. You don’t match their standards for a son–in–law. One bad step, and you could sink yourself.”
“Think it through before you bite!” he warned, his voice tight.
But Jax didn’t even look at Eddie,
He eyed Vivian’s young, good–looking face for a few seconds, then gave a small nod.
“Alright,” he said with a smug grin, “once we’re done here, I’ll think your offer over.”
Hearing what was pretty much a green light, Vivian felt her old confidence flood back.
She was Vivian Jennings–any guy she wanted, she got.
Eddie thought she was stuck on him? Hilarious. She wasn’t about to let anyone look down on her like that.
If Eddie didn’t get it, she’d drop him, end of story.
Her real “plan” was to use him to mess with Raven, have a little fun for a few days, then ditch him when she was over it.
Vivian turned to Jax with a bright, winning smile.
“Don’t kill that witch, Raven. I need to handle her myself,” she said.
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Jax nodded. “Done.”
With that, he stopped stalling, waved at his crew.
Then he barked, “Full force–take her alive!”
“Yes, sir!” the group shouted back.
Eddie felt their energy hit like a crashing tide, his breathing speeding up fast.
He spun to Raven, voice cracking with panic.
“Run! Raven, get out now!” he yelled.
“Go, now! Hit a busy spot once you’re out–they won’t dare push it with a crowd around! Move!” Eddie pressed, his voice wild with panic.
But Raven didn’t respond.
She just stood there, cool as ever, eyeing the wave of fighters closing in, like she had zero intention of doing anything.
The three Mid–Class Warriors leading the charge picked up on her steady, unbothered vibe, and their eyes sharpened.
“Go to hell!” one of them snapped.
In a flash, the three were right on top of Raven and her crew. One dove in, throwing a hard kick straight at Raven’s knees.
He was aiming to break both legs in one go!
But the instant his foot was about to land-
“Boom!” His body jerked like it’d been hit by a freight train, flying backward.
He smashed into a tree trunk twenty feet off, blood spurting from his mouth as he slumped down, lifeless against the wood.
“Boom! Boom!” At the same moment, the two Mid–Class Warriors rushing Brynjar and Eddie got knocked back just as quick.
A split second later, a swell of voices–thick with respect–echoed through the clearing.
“We’re late, Master. Sorry about that!”
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