"Twelve hours." His thumb brushed over her knuckles—when had he started holding her hand? "You've been in and out."
Hannah's eyes caught on his bandages, darkened in places with what looked like burn marks. "You're hurt."
Jake's lips curved in a ghost of a smile. "I'm fine."
"Liar." The word slipped out before she could stop it.
But instead of flinching, Jake's expression softened. "Okay, yeah. But I'd do it again." His voice dropped lower, rougher. "I thought—when I saw the flames, when I couldn't find you at first—" He broke off, swallowing hard. "I thought I'd lost you."
Something cracked in Hannah's chest. Because he'd run into fire for her. Because he was still here, holding her hand likeshe might disappear if he let go. Because maybe some lies were forgivable when balanced against certain truths.
Like the truth of Jake choosing her over his own safety.
Like the truth of him sitting vigil at her bedside for twelve hours.
Like the truth in his eyes right now as he looked at her like she was everything.
When Jake's thumb stroked across her skin, she didn't pull away. Instead, Hannah's fingers tightened around his.
A nurse came and went,checking vitals, adjusting monitors. Hannah barely registered the activity, too focused on the warmth of Jake's hand still wrapped around hers. The simple contact felt like an anchor, keeping her tethered when everything else seemed to be floating away.
"The recipe box?" she asked finally, remembering how tightly she'd clutched it in those final moments.
"Safe." Jake nodded toward the small table beside her bed. "A little smoky, but intact."
Hannah's eyes burned. Such a small thing to risk their lives for. And yet?—
"He locked me in." The words came out hollow, the reality of what Michael had done finally sinking in. "He started the fire and made sure I couldn't..."
Jake's hand tightened around hers. "I know." His jaw clenched, something dark and dangerous flashing in his eyes. "The policefound the bolt on the back door. And the accelerant pattern—" He broke off, like he couldn't bear to finish the thought.
"You knew he was watching me." It wasn't a question. She remembered all those nights seeing Jake's truck parked across the street, all those "routine checks" that weren't routine at all.
Jake didn't try to deny it. "I couldn't get the FBI or local PD to take it seriously." His free hand curled into a fist. "So I watched him. Every night. Documented everything. But it wasn't enough. I couldn't—" His voice cracked. "I couldn't stop him."
"You saved me."
"I should have done more." The words seemed torn from his chest. "Should have found a way to protect you better. Should have?—"
Hannah squeezed his hand, cutting him off. "You ran into a burning building for me."
"I'd do it again." No hesitation. No uncertainty. Just truth, raw and absolute.
"Why?"
Jake's eyes met hers, and the intensity there stole her breath. "You know why."
Hannah's heart monitor betrayed her, beeping faster. "Say it anyway."
"Because I love you." His voice was rough, desperate. "I've loved you since that first morning you asked me to fix your sink. Everything else—the investigation, my cover, all of it—that was the lie. But loving you?" His thumb brushed over her pulse point. "That was the only real thing I've ever done."
Hannah's chest felt too tight, her carefully built walls crumbling. Because she believed him. God help her, she believed him.
"I was so angry," she whispered. "When I found out who you really were. What you'd been doing. I thought everything had been fake."
"Not us." Jake lifted their joined hands, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "Never us."
And there it was. The truth she'd been fighting since the moment she'd discovered his badge. The reason she hadn't been able to truly hate him, even when she'd wanted to.
