Eli gave a small nod, steady and sure. “We hear you.”
Delaney’s voice was soft. “And we believe you.”
Olivia looked between them for a moment longer, as if trying to gauge whether that was the truth. Then she stood, her movements slow but determined.
“They told me I’m being moved today.Crossfire Ops is taking me to another safe house,” she said. “My mom’s coming too. But not Grant. I made that clear.”
“Good,” Eli said.
Her expression cracked just a little. “Will it really be safe this time?”
Eli met her gaze without hesitation. “If Noah set it up, yeah, it will be. You’ll be checked for trackers, and so will your mom.”
Olivia gave a tight nod, her shoulders lifting and falling with a long breath. Some of the panic in her eyes faded.
“I’m tired of running,” she whispered.
Eli understood that more than she knew. But he just said, “Then we’ll make sure this is the last time.”
He walked beside Delaney as they stepped out of Olivia’s hospital room and into the hallway. Two Crossfire Ops guards stood at attention near the elevator. He recognized both of them.
“Diaz. Renner,” Eli greeted in a low voice.
Diaz, a former Marine with eyes that missed nothing, gave a slight nod. Renner, lean and sharp with a no-nonsense presence, tipped his chin in silent acknowledgment.
“She’s ready,” Eli said quietly. “Do not let her out of your sight. Not for a second.”
“Understood,” Diaz assured him.
Renner checked his earpiece and muttered into his mic, likely alerting the transport team they were about to move. Across the hall, Vivianstood speaking with a nurse, her eyes shadowed with exhaustion. Grant paced beside her, his jaw clenched.
As the guards moved toward Olivia’s room, Grant stepped forward. “I’m going with them.”
“No,” Eli said, his tone flat and final.
Grant’s eyes narrowed. “She’s my fiancée. I have a right—”
“You don’t,” Eli cut in. “Not on this op. Olivia made it clear she doesn’t want you there. And until we know more about what’s going on, we’re not taking any chances.”
Grant looked to Vivian, but she didn’t say anything. Just stared at the floor, her mouth drawn tight. After a long beat, Grant stepped back, his jaw working like he wanted to say more but thought better of it.
Eli met Delaney’s eyes, and she gave the smallest nod.
Time to keep moving. There were still too many unanswered questions, and the pieces weren’t falling into place fast enough.
They went out of the hospital and to their SUV. Eli climbed into the driver’s seat while Delaney shut her door on the passenger side. He was just about to start the engine when his phone buzzed with a call from Isla.
He hit speaker. “Go ahead.”
“I just found something,” Isla said, her voice clipped. “Lawrence Melborne filed paperwork this morning. He’s petitioning to have Vivian declaredlegally incompetent. Not just over her finances, but also as guardian to Ava.”
Delaney sucked in a breath. “What?”
“He’s claiming emotional instability, poor decision-making, and mental health issues,” Isla went on. “It’s a fast-track petition with a hearing set for later today. I double-checked it with a contact at the courthouse.”
Eli’s knuckles tightened on the wheel. “He doesn’t even need the money.”
“No, but he wants control,” Isla said. “Vivian’s got money. And if he gets legal guardianship of Ava, he gets access to her trust fund. Olivia’s eighteen, so she’s out of his reach. But Ava isn’t. Not yet.”
