The Valkyrie Returns and Slays (Raven)

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The crew behind Jax stared at the phone on the ground, swapping confused glances.

They couldn't figure out what kind of call could shake Jax enough to make him drop it like that. The guy always kept it together.

Next to him, Dane sat in his wheelchair, watching Jax's stiff posture. A sick feeling churned in his stomach.

"Jax, what's up?" he asked, his brow wrinkling.

Jax didn't say a word, just stood there quiet.

Then he slowly turned his head toward Raven, his glare cold and piercing.

"You behind this?" he asked, voice low.

Raven looked back with a small smile.

"Told you," she said easy, "I'd show you what regret feels like."

Jax's fists tightened, knuckles cracking from the pressure.

Dane caught their back-and-forth, and panic hit him hard.

"Jax, what's going on?" he pushed, his voice jumping with worry. Jax took a deep breath, his words coming out rough and gravelly. "The Group-it's finished," he said, heavy and slow.

Dane's eyes widened. He was dumbfounded.

He scrambled for his phone, pulling it out of his pocket in a clumsy rush.

It'd been on silent before they got here he hadn't even noticed till now.

When he got it out, the screen lit up with a call coming in.

He sucked in a shaky breath, his trembling finger tapping accept

over! The Group's done!" the voice on the line burst out,

heart stopped. He jumped in

"What happened?" he snapped.

before he left-how could

the voice raced on. "Everything's out-all the files. You know a ton of that stuff can't hit the light. The cops are

eyes went wide, shock all over his

files were locked tight. The Group had killer programmers-They were supposed to

added, sounding helpless. "Our firewall was like

breath

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Chapter 23

fix it?"

quiet dragged on

could hit up Mr. Jax Grayson to bankroll a

"Smash!"

slammed the phone down

his phone smashed into the ground, breaking apart. It didn't touch the

of work, wiped out in minutes. Hopelessness

he couldn't stomach a hit like this. His fists clenched hard. Then he swung his head toward

noticeable, then set his eyes on Raven and spoke

going to end you fast," he said cold, "but you've

line and shook her head, half-smirking, half-

around the same tough-guy talk back then-and she'd still snapped

of wasting words on Jax and got to the

I'm about out of patience," she said, her voice cool. "Give

I'll take a little

darker, his whole vibe

hard stare on Raven, each word sharp as a

got," he

and the Grayson family