“No,” he says firmly. “You’re not broken. You’re not less. You’restrongerthan you’ve ever been. You survived something awful, and now… now you get to take your power back.”
My throat tightens again, but this time it’s not just fear—it’s gratitude. For him. For this moment. For the fact that Iwasfound. That I was saved.
“Can we just stay like this a little longer?” I ask, fingers tightening around his shirt.
“For as long as you want, baby girl,” Elijah murmurs into my hair. “For as long as you need.”
We don’t move. Not yet. Not until the storm inside me settles into something I can walk with.
And when I finally look up into his eyes again, I see no fear, no doubt—justlove.
Love that doesn’t run. Love that stays.
By the time we pull apart, I feel… not whole, not yet—but steadier. Like I can breathe without shaking.
Elijah gently brushes a tear from my cheek and nods once, silently asking if I’m ready. I squeeze his hand.
“I’m ready.”
We walk side by side toward Kade’s office, our fingers still laced together. The hallway feels longer than usual, heavier somehow, and when we reach the door, Elijah pauses.
“You don’t owe anyone anything,” he whispers. “Whatever you choose to share—it’s onyourterms.”
I nod. My throat is tight again, but I manage to keep my head high. “I know. But I need to do this. For me.”
He opens the door and we step inside.
Kade is seated behind the desk, looking every bit the calculating strategist that he is, but there's a softness in his eyes when they meet mine.
Gabriel stands by the windowsill, arms crossed tight over his chest, the tension in his jaw betraying the calm he’s trying tohold. But the second his eyes land on me, the mask cracks—relief flickering across his face like light breaking through storm clouds.
In a few long strides, he’s in front of me, arms open. The invitation is all I need. I slip my hand from Elijah’s and fall into Gabriel’s embrace. His warmth swallows me whole, his scent grounding me in a way I didn’t know I needed.
“I’m so damn glad you’re okay, sis,” he mutters against my hair, voice rough with everything he’s not saying. The words hit something deep in my chest, sharp and aching. He’s claiming me as family—as if I’ve always belonged here. A family forged in chaos and choice, not blood.
“Thank you,” I whisper, my voice barely holding together.
He presses a kiss to the top of my head, his breath trembling. “I’d do it again,” he says quietly. “As many times as it takes. But God, I hope I never have to.”
I nod against him, the weight of it all settling heavy between us.
Kai sits on the armrest of a chair, his eyes unreadable but focused.
The room quiets completely when we enter. No one says a word as Elijah guides me to the sofa and helps me sit. He stays close, with his hand resting on my thigh like a silent promise:You’re not doing this alone.
Kade leans forward, voice even but gentle. “Ava. I’m glad you’re here. Take your time. Whatever you can tell us—it helps. But if it’s too much, just say the word.”
I glance at each of them. These men—deadly, powerful, ruthless when they need to be—are looking at me like I’m something worth protecting, not something broken.
Chapter forty-four
Elijah
Theroomisthickwith sweat and silence. George hangs from the ceiling, wrists shackled, arms pulled so tight he has to fight for every breath. The blood-soaked bandage on his shoulder tells me the bullet wound Gabe gave him didn’t kill him—but it sure as hell hurt.
He deserves worse.
I walk a slow circle around him, the echo of my boots making him flinch with each step. Kade leans against the wall, silent, watching. His eyes are cold, calculating. He’s ready to step in—but he knows this is mine.
