#horseman

It has been ten years since the Horseman last performed a show together. Ten years since the disaster in Russia that fractured the group beyond repair.. all except for the two of you.

Your relationship with Jack had been a slow, steady burn from the moment you met. He’d always had a talent for picking locks, slipping past barriers no one else could manage—and somehow, he’d managed to pick the lock around your heart too. The two of you had been secretly dating, waiting to share your relationship with the others after the big mission to take down an arms dealer. But when a close friend was captured, the plan collapsed—along with the Horsemen themselves.

Afterwards, you and Jack built a quiet life far from the chaos of illusions and secrets. You returned to school to chase the degree you’d always dreamed of, and Jack settled into work at a small local office. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was safe. Predictable. Yours.

Until the night a sudden knock echoed through your home—shattering the calm you’d fought so hard to build, and letting magic slip back into your life like it had never left at all.

The private event was as glamorous as the special guest; the heart diamond. You stood off to the side of the grand room, dressed in a backless black gown. One shoulder was draped in soft fabric, and the hem hovered just above the marble floor as you mingled with guests. You wore your best practiced smile, though your eyes kept drifting across the room.

And there he was.

Jack—sharp in a black-and-white suit reminiscent of the one he wore on your wedding day. He caught your gaze and gave you a subtle wink before seamlessly melting back into the shadows.

A wave of gasps rippled through the crowd. Your head lifted just in time to see an old friend standing atop a pedestal, commanding the room. Danny’s voice carried over the gathering as he teased the diamond’s owner, the so-called royalty of the event, Veronika. With a few taunting words, he coaxed her into lifting the Heart Diamond from its locked case and tilting it beneath the lights.

The gem was breathtaking—though too large for your taste—and you couldn’t ignore the dark history you and Jack had uncovered during research before arriving in Antwerp.

Danny’s eyes swept dramatically across the room… until they landed on you. His expression faltered in a flash of recognition. Caught, you turned your back and pretended to strike up a conversation with the nearest person.

“Hi—have you tried the arancini balls?” you asked brightly, already forming a plan.

The man stared at you, stunned into silence as his gaze traced your dress. He nodded slowly.

You inhaled, locking eyes with him as your hand curled around his forearm. “I think it’d be great if you grabbed me a plate,” you said sweetly. “Though…I suggest you trip and fall onto the table.”

His eyes glazed with compliance. He shuffled toward the serving table. You counted down from five under your breath—

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

A spectacular crash. The man sprawled dramatically across the table, food scattering in every direction. The crowd’s attention whipped toward the chaos—just in time for Danny to reclaim the spotlight with a burst of light as the diamond exploded into dust, then reappeared in his hand.

You rolled your eyes. Of course. Now you understood his angle. And now you needed to figure out yours. Observation—the magician’s greatest weapon.

Scanning the room, you spotted a girl who couldn’t have been more than twenty, moving strangely—eyes darting toward two guards as the mess unfolded. When she stepped toward them with a wine bottle in hand, instinct—or maybe something maternal—propelled you forward.

On the way, you snatched a long silk tablecloth. The first guard was already distracted by the girl, so you focused on the second. In one swift motion, you whipped the cloth around his torso and yanked him toward you.

He stumbled, confused. You winked.

Then drove the heel of your shoe down onto his foot.

He folded in pain, giving you the perfect opening to cinch the silk tightly around him. One hard shove sent him crashing backward into a table piled high with food.

The girl stared at you, dark eyeliner making her eyes appear even wider as recognition hit her. “You… it’s you.”

You gave her a small nod, understanding now—she wasn’t a bystander. She was part of this. Part of someone’s plan.

You jerked your head toward the exit, spotting Danny weaving through the crowd with Jack close behind him.

Without another word, the two of you sprinted toward the grand staircase leading out of the hall. You glanced back to check that she was still with you—

—and collided head-first into something solid.

Fortunately, that “something solid” was the chest of your husband.

Jack’s arm immediately wrapped around you, steady and protective, his other hand instinctively checking you over. “You okay?” he murmured, worry etched across his face.

You nodded quickly and looked past his shoulder—only for your breath to catch.

“Henley!”

She stood a few steps away, looking almost exactly the same but somehow sharper, stronger. You hadn’t seen her in years—not since everything fell apart—and yet instinctively, you pushed past Jack and threw your arms around her.

She hugged you back just as tightly.

The moment barely lasted a heartbeat before a familiar voice boomed across the space.

“Alright, emotional reunion later—we gotta move!”

Merritt. Loud as ever. Unchanged, for better or worse.

Jack’s hand pressed gently but firmly against your back, guiding you forward. “Come on,” he urged.

You followed the group toward the exit, the world suddenly spinning back into motion—the old team, the old danger, the old magic pulling you in whether you were ready or not.

The exit plan was reckless at best, but typical of the Horsemen. You landed hard on the boat waiting below, Jack’s arms catching you before you could stumble. The moment your feet were steady, you moved toward the railing, bracing your palms against the cool metal as you tried to gather your thoughts. The night had been chaos layered on chaos, and your mind was still struggling to keep pace.

Behind you, the others were talking—old rhythms slipping back into place as if no time had passed at all. You leaned back against the built-in bar, only half-listening, until Henley’s voice rose above the rest.

“Wait—hold on. Is that a ring?”

Your breath caught. You looked down at your left hand as if you’d forgotten the band was there, glinting faintly in the boat’s lights. Henley’s gaze was locked on it, her brows high in genuine shock.

The whole deck went quiet.

You swallowed, glancing toward Jack. He was leaning casually against the railing, arms crossed, wearing a smirk that told you he was thoroughly enjoying the show.

“Yeah,” you said finally, your voice steadier than you felt. “I’m married.”

The reaction was immediate.

Merritt let out a whoop. “Little you? Married? No way—absolutely not. Last time I saw you, you were practically a kid!” He pointed accusingly at you before breaking into a proud grin. “Look at you all grown up!”

Henley clapped her hands over her mouth, delighted. Danny gasped. The three newcomers—Atlas’s new recruits—looked on awkwardly, unsure if they were allowed to join in.

Questions exploded at you from all directions.

“When did this happen?”

“Who’s the unlucky—uh—lucky guy?”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“Do we know him?”

You opened your mouth to answer, but Danny cut through the noise, eyes narrowing playfully.

“Hold on… Jack, you haven’t said anything.” He pointed between you and your husband. “What’s wrong? Upset your little crush on her from all those years ago didn’t work out?”

Merritt let out a loud laugh.

Jack didn’t.

He pushed off the railing and walked toward you, his stride slow and deliberate. The others watched, confusion spreading across their faces as Jack stopped at your side, his hand brushing your lower back before he pressed a soft kiss to your forehead.

The deck fell silent again.

Jack looked up, meeting every stunned stare with a raised brow. “Why would I be upset,” he asked smoothly, “when I’m the one she married?”

Henley’s jaw dropped. Merritt made a strangled noise. Danny blinked like his brain had short-circuited.

“You—wait—WHAT?”

“We were going to tell you years ago,” you added, sliding your fingers into Jack’s. “But the timing was… complicated. And then everything fell apart. So… yeah. Surprise.”

There was a beat of silence before the entire group erupted again, this time louder—laughing, shouting, cheering, asking ten more questions at once. Even Atlas cracked a rare smile from the back.

And through the noise, Jack leaned toward you, whispering just for you:

“Guess the cat’s out of the hat now, sweetheart.”

mini georgia note x