I Deleted You Traitor Even My Blade Forgot Your Name novel Chapter 2

Chapter 2

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

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

he 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?”

idn’t even let me 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?”

ce–cold killer. Doesn’t even care about family.”

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

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

looked at her. Felt my insides turn to stone.

ears 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.

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

ow she’s standing here defending the girl who took my man.

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

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

et’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 zá le didn’t mean anything. Why are you going after her?”

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

one talking. I pressed my fingers to my temple, Started walking.

Jesper, don’t go! Please…”

enna suddenly threw herself at my legs.

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

ure instinct. Musde memory kicked in. My leg jerked free.

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

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

Jante shoved me back “You make me fucking sick!

ienna 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 our comms. All our intel. Her hands are her life. And you actually just tried to break them?!”

Chapter 2

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.”

Ay 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.

he 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.”

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

laughed. Tasted like ash. “Not anymore-”

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

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

ressed it to my ear. Kept it cold.

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

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

hat blade.

en 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.

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

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

Keep it. I’ll get it later.”

fung up.

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

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

Woke up to footsteps.

hot upright. Dante was standing in my room

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

I barely looked at it. “Didn’t need to come all the way here for that ”

He shook his head. “You’ve had this thing for ten years. It’s seen everything we’ve been through”

“Vesper. A decade. All the shit we survived together. Why are we torching it over this?”

Chapter 2

Memories slammed into me before I could stop them.

Him diving in front of me mid–firefight. Bullet tore through his shoulder. Almost lost the arm.

ungle op gone sideways. Explosion shredded my legs. He carried me a hundred miles on his back to get me out.

irst time I took a fall for him. They broke me for days. And he looked me in the eye after and swore he’d never turn on me.

eah, we were good back then.

lis voice snapped me back.

Sienna’s fingers are just cracked. Needs to stay off them for a bit.”

She’s supposed to be running logistics. You cover her shifts the next few days.”

le crossed his arms. “Wedding’s in a week. Whole family’s watching. We gotta keep this clean.”

met his eyes. Voice flat. “Dante. I don’t want to marry you anymore. So why the hell would I keep pretending?”

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Chapter 3

Chapter 3