Chapter 196: Brothers in War

Roman Wolfe wasn’t an easy man to find—but Nat and Ginger knew him too well to let him disappear completely.

They found him in a safe house on the outskirts of the city, a rundown warehouse that looked abandoned from the outside. But inside, it was fully operational—a temporary command center lined with monitors tracking Elias Carter’s crumbling empire. Roman stood at the center of it all, scanning intel, his face hard with focus.

He didn’t look surprised when they walked in.

"You’re both persistent," Roman muttered, barely sparing them a glance. "Shouldn’t you be playing house?"

Nat crossed her arms, stepping closer. "Shouldn’t you be smarter than to take on an entire empire alone?"

Roman exhaled, rubbing a hand over his jaw. "I don’t need backup. This isn’t your fight anymore."

Ginger scoffed. "Yeah? Then why does every single move you’ve made scream that this is about Nat? Don’t bullshit us, Wolfe."

Roman’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t deny it. He glanced at Nat, his gaze softer for only a fraction of a second before his walls went back up. "I started this. I’ll finish it."

Nat shook her head. "No. We finish it. Together."

Roman was silent for a long moment. He wasn’t used to letting people in—he never had been. But he had spent enough time watching from the outside to know one truth: Nat wasn’t backing down, and Ginger wasn’t going anywhere either.

"Fine," Roman finally muttered. "You want in? Then you follow my lead. No reckless moves, no playing hero. If we’re doing this, we do it right."

Ginger smirked. "Finally, he says something I agree with."

Nat nodded, her expression resolute. "Then let’s get to work."

Later that night, as Nat slept in one of the side rooms of the warehouse, Roman sat at his desk, reviewing maps and intel, when Ginger stepped in.

"We should talk," Ginger said, leaning against the doorframe.

Roman didn’t look up. "About?"

Ginger exhaled, stepping forward. "Nat."

That got Roman’s attention. His sharp blue eyes flicked up, watching Ginger carefully. "What about her?"

Ginger crossed his arms, his voice steady. "I know you still love her."

Roman’s fingers tapped against the desk, but his expression gave nothing away. "And?"

"And I’m not here to tell you to walk away," Ginger admitted. "I used to think that’s what I wanted. That it would be easier if you were gone. But the truth is, that’s not how this works. She’s tied to both of us, whether we like it or not."

Roman studied him for a long moment before leaning back in his chair. "So what are you saying?"

Ginger ran a hand through his hair, exhaling. "I’m saying that when this is over, she’s going to have to make a choice. And I need to know—if it’s not you, can you live with that?"

Roman’s jaw tightened. He had spent so long convincing himself that letting Nat go was the right thing, but now, standing on the edge of war again, he couldn’t deny the truth.

"I’ll live with whatever keeps her safe," Roman finally said, voice rough. "That’s all that matters."

Ginger nodded, though he wasn’t sure he believed him. "Good. Because no matter what happens after this, we both owe her more than just survival. We owe her peace."

Roman let out a slow breath. "Then let’s make sure she gets it."

For now, that was enough.