Chapter 10 - The Secret Dossier
The work light hummed softly in the cramped garage as Jax scrolled through the files, his weathered face draining of color under the harsh white glow. The documents detailed a corporate land grab, rigged contracts, and a hit-and-run cover-up orchestrated by a powerful local developer—the very same developer who now owned half the county, including the police force that had been tracking them. And right at the center of the evidence was her mother, who had worked as the accountant before stumbling onto the ledger and going into hiding. ""She didn't just run away from me,"" Jax murmured, his voice thick with a sudden, overwhelming wave of grief and cold fury. ""She was running to protect you, and she left the evidence with me because she knew I'd tear the world apart to keep you safe."" The girl looked at him, tears finally spilling over her lashes, tracing clean tracks down her dust-smudged cheeks. ""Can we stop them?"" she asked, her voice cracking with the vulnerability of a ten-year-old child who had been forced to grow up far too fast. Jax stood up slowly, towering over the workbench, his eyes burning with a dangerous, long-dormant fire. He reached for his leather vest, pulling out a heavy hunting knife and strapping it securely to his belt. ""We aren't just going to stop them, kid,"" he said, his voice dropping into a lethal, steady register. ""We're going to finish them.""
