Adopted to Biological? Keep Your Golden Child Scapegoat Out novel Chapter 72

Chapter 2

Before I could get another word out, Sienna cranked up the waterworks.

“Vesper… you’re gonna throw me out? Is that it?”

She whirled toward Dante, sobbing. “What happens to me then? You know what they’ll do to me out there…”

Dante’s jaw went tight. Stared at me like I’d just spat on his shoes.

“You’re really pulling rank on a little girl who can’t defend herself? That’s what we’re doing now?”

Didn’t even lee answer. The whole crew jumped in.

“Vesper, you know how this works. One of you leaves, it’s gotta be her. You basically signing her death warrant?”

“Ice-cold killer. Doesn’t even care about family.”

Lana stepped up, grabbed my arm. Tried to look sympathetic.

“Come on, Vesper. You were green once. Cut her some slack.

I looked at her. Felt my insides turn to stone.

Years ago, she blew an op. Set off every alarm in the building. I was already out. Went back in alone and pulled her from a room full of bodies.

She was soaked in blood. Swore she owed me everything.

Now she’s standing here defending the girl who took my ma.

“Lana, I’m leaving because I choose to. Nobody said anything about kicking her-”

Dante shut me down. Hard. “You finished yet?”

“Let’s be real. You’re jealous.” He pulled Sienna against him, eyes burning into me. “This whole mess is my fault. You got beef, come at me. Sienna’s just a kid. She didn’t mean anything. Why are you going after her?”

Pain spiked through my skull. Memory wipe screwing with my head.

Done talking. I pressed my fingers to my temple. Started walking.

“Vesper, don’t go! Please…”

Sienna suddenly threw herself at my legs.

Went down hard on her knees. Arms locked around my calf. Her nails raked my ankle, broke skin.

Pure instinct. Muscle memory kicked in. My leg jerked free.

I was barely moved. But everyone saw it like I’d punted her cross the room.

Sienna screamed. Hit the floor. Her left hand twisted wrong

Dante shoved me back. “You make me fucking sick!”

Sienna cradled her wrist. “My hand… I can’t feel my fingers…”

Dante scooped her up. Looked at me like I was garbage.

“She runs all omms. All our intel. Her hands are her life. And you actually just tried to break them?!”

He carried her past me. Stopped. Voice dropped to a whisper

“Vesper. You don’t wanna work anymore? Fine. Get out. See how long you survive without the family watching your

back.”

Room cleared out fast. Everyone followed him.

Even the newest guy-barely been made a year-went out of his way to avoid me. Snorted as he passed.

“Getting old, huh? Acting like some jealous high schooler. Embarrassing.”

My nails dug crescents into my palms. Swallowed the fury.

Dante’s call came through while I was in the Boss’s office, signing my way out.

The Boss didn’t blink.

“Vesper, your contract’s been paid off for years. What you’ve done for us since then? Worth twenty times what we put in.”

He looked up. Eyes like steel. “So why now? You and Dante are getting married.”

I laughed. Tasted like ash. “Not anymore-”

My comm lit up. Call had been live for ten seconds.

Dante’s voice crackled through. “Vesper. The hell did you just say?”

Pressed it to my ear. Kept it cold.

“I’m out running errands. You heard wrong.”

Chapter 2

Beat of silence. Then his tone shifted. Went soft a little. “You left your blade here. Want it back?”

That blade.

Ten years ago, first job we ever ran together, we’d lifted it from some dead guy’s safe. Dante carved our initials into the grip later that night.

Said to me, “I ever betray you, you stick this right through my heart.”

Carried it every damn day since. Now? Couldn’t give less of a shit.

“Keep it. I’ll get it later.”

Hung up.

The Boss slid a credit chip across his desk. “Your share. Enough to disappear anywhere on the planet. Rest is up to

you.”

Got home. Migraine was eating through my skull. Crashed early.

Woke up to footsteps.

Shot upright. Dante was standing in my room.

“Brought your knife back.” He set it on the nightstand.

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