Chapter 198: The Night Before the Storm

The warehouse was quiet, the tension in the air thick with anticipation. Weapons were laid out, blueprints of Carter’s compound spread across the table, and yet, for this brief moment, none of that mattered. The three of them sat together, takeout containers stacked haphazardly between them, the scent of greasy noodles and soy sauce cutting through the weight of what was coming.

It was the night before the storm, and for a fleeting moment, they allowed themselves to breathe.

Nat reached for a carton of fried rice, poking at it absentmindedly with her chopsticks. "I can't believe we’re sitting here eating takeout like tomorrow isn’t going to be a complete bloodbath."

Roman smirked, shoveling a bite of noodles into his mouth. "Gotta keep our strength up. Plus, if I’m going to risk my life, I’d rather do it on a full stomach."

Ginger snorted, rolling his shoulders as he reached for an egg roll. "Yeah, well, I’m still trying to wrap my head around what happens after this. Taking Carter down is one thing. Figuring out what the hell our lives look like afterward? That’s a whole different kind of battle."

Nat hesitated, glancing between them. "Do you regret it? Any of this?"

Roman and Ginger exchanged a glance before Roman leaned back, shaking his head. "No."

Ginger sighed, setting his food down. "I won’t lie, it’s… a lot. But regret? No. If this is what it takes to have something real, something that doesn’t fall apart the second life gets complicated, then it’s worth it."

Roman smirked, nodding toward Ginger. "Look at that. You’re almost sentimental."

"Screw you, Wolfe," Ginger muttered, though there was no real heat in it.

Nat exhaled slowly, stirring her rice. "I don’t know what comes next either. But for the first time in my life, I’m not afraid of the future. I just… I want it to be ours. Whatever that means."

Roman’s smirk softened into something rare—something genuine. "Then let’s paint the picture. If we make it out of this, what does life look like for us?"

Ginger leaned back, rubbing his chin. "Well, for starters, I think we’ll need a bigger house. A boat’s fine for some things, but kids need space to run."

Nat chuckled. "Are you saying my houseboat isn’t the ideal family home?"

Ginger smirked. "I’m saying unless you want Grace and Alejandro growing up learning how to tie sailor knots before they can read, we might want something with a backyard."

Roman hummed, considering. "Somewhere quiet, maybe. Near the water but not on it. Something with big windows."

"And a porch," Nat added. "One we can sit on in the evenings."

Ginger nodded. "And a massive kitchen because I’m sick of eating like a bachelor."

Roman snorted. "You act like you cook."

Ginger pointed a chopstick at him. "I could cook. You don’t know my skills."

Nat grinned. "Okay, let’s say we get the house. What about us? How does this—" she gestured between the three of them "—even work in the real world?"

Roman and Ginger exchanged glances.

Ginger exhaled. "I guess we figure it out as we go. Maybe it doesn’t have to look like anything people are used to. Maybe we make our own rules."

Roman nodded. "We raise the kids together. We build something solid. No secrets, no running. Just us."

Nat’s heart ached at the simplicity of it, the way they spoke as if it was as easy as breathing. "You really think we could do that?"

Roman smirked. "You doubt us?"

Ginger shrugged. "Look, we’ve survived everything else. Why not this? We’ll take turns making breakfast. Nat gets mornings off because she’s the meanest when she’s tired."

"Damn right," she muttered.

Roman smirked. "And the kids?"

Nat bit her lip, imagining it. "Grace will have two dads who adore her, and Alejandro will grow up never knowing a life without both of you."

Ginger’s voice softened. "And you’ll have both of us."

Roman nodded. "No more choosing. No more running."

A silence stretched between them, thick with emotion. Because the truth was, none of them knew if they would even survive tomorrow. This might be nothing more than a dream, a fleeting moment before the fight that could end everything.

But for tonight, they let themselves believe in it.

Tomorrow, they would go to war.

But tonight, they were simply them.