The Riot Kings clubhouse felt different when Valentina walked in two days later. The usual easy camaraderie had been replaced by tension thick enough to cut.
Axel met her at the door, his expression grim. "We need to talk. All of us."
Inside, the club members were divided—literally. Half sat on one side of the room, half on the other. Denny stood in the middle, looking torn.
"What's going on?" Valentina asked.
"Connor happened." Axel gestured to the divided room. "He came by yesterday. Made some compelling arguments about Duke's leadership."
"What kind of arguments?"
"That Duke's arrest is putting the whole club at risk. That his secrets and lies have made us all targets." One of the members on the left side stood—Jake, a heavyset man with a graying beard. "He's not wrong, Valentine.
