Knox:
Nightfall hit heavier than usual. The streets were quieter. Sky darker. Even the city seemed to be holding its breath.
I drove with one hand on the wheel, the other tapping restless patterns on my thigh. I’d done my rounds. Checked in with Riot. Met with Prez. Played the part like it was just another goddamn Friday and I didn’t have a war coming tomorrow.
But I was wired. Every nerve, every breath, every instinct humming just beneath my skin. Because this wasn’t just about business. This wasn’t about the club or the drugs or the deals anymore.
This was about her.
Viv.
And the chance to finally, finally break free.
I pulled into the back lot behind her place, headlights dimmed, engine quiet. Her car was there—black, clean, nondescript—and when I popped my trunk, I saw hers was
