Sandra continues. «I’m recommending temporary emergency placement with Gloria as primary guardian, with the club providing housing and financial support. Ninety days while the investigation proceeds. Dean’s already been flagged. The trailer is being inspected this week. If things go the way I think they will, you won’t have to worry about him.»
Pete feels something crack open in his chest. «We can stay.»
«You can stay.»
That evening, the club throws together a low-key celebration. Nothing fancy. Burgers on a grill Wrench drags out from the storage shed, sodas in a cooler full of ice, and chips in bowls on the workbench. Diesel brings coleslaw. Jinx makes his infamous potato salad that everyone pretends to like.
Victoria sits on an overturned crate, watching Copper teach her how to play cards. She’s terrible at it, but she’s laughing. The sound is so unexpected that Pete stops mid-bite and just stares.
«Kid’s got a good laugh,» Jinx says, appearing beside him with a soda. «Bet you haven’t heard it in a while.»
Pete shakes his head. «Can’t remember. Might’ve been before mom left.»
«Well, you’re gonna hear it a lot more now.»
As the sun sets, the garage lights flicker on, casting long shadows across the lot. The air smells like charcoal and autumn and something Pete can’t quite name. Maybe safety, maybe home.
Ryan finds him later, standing near the fence line, watching the street like old habits die hard. «You’ve been watching the door for her for a long time,» Ryan says, leaning against the chain link.
Pete doesn’t deny it. «Someone had to.»
«Yeah, but not anymore.» Ryan’s voice is firm, certain. «We’ve got it now. You can rest.»
Pete looks at him, searching for the catch, the expiration date on this kindness. He doesn’t find one. «I don’t know how to do that,» Pete admits quietly.
«You’ll learn. We’ll teach you.»
Inside, Victoria is explaining the dragon book to Gloria with animated hand gestures. Her hands swoop through the air, mimicking wings. Gloria laughs at something Victoria says, and the kid beams like she’s just discovered she’s funny.
Diesel is showing her the patches on her vest. Copper is teaching her the proper way to shuffle cards, even though she keeps dropping them. Jinx locks the front gate and sets the alarm—a new edition, installed two days ago. Wrench does a final walk around the perimeter.
Everyone moves with purpose, with care, like they’ve done this before, like they know what it means to protect something fragile.
That night, Victoria falls asleep on the couch in the small lounge area behind the office. Her dragon book is open on her chest, and Gloria’s knitted scarf is draped over her like a blanket. Her face is peaceful, unguarded, the face of a kid who finally feels safe.
Pete sits in the chair across from her, not quite ready to sleep himself. Old instincts don’t fade in three days, but Gloria brings him a pillow anyway. Jinx leaves a bottle of water on the side table. Copper locks the doors and double-checks the windows.
Ryan stops by before heading out. «You good?»
Pete nods. «Yeah, I’m good.»
«Get some sleep. Tomorrow Copper’s gonna teach you how to change oil. Victoria’s got a reading session with Gloria at ten.»
Sounds so normal. So impossibly, wonderfully normal.
After everyone leaves, Pete sits in the quiet garage and lets himself breathe. Victoria is safe. They both are. The Iron Lanterns weren’t looking to be heroes. They were just people who saw someone in need and chose to act.
And sometimes that’s all it takes. Pete gave everything to protect Victoria, and the Iron Lanterns gave them both something just as powerful: a place to belong.