Russ didn’t smile, but his nod was respectful, like he’d known all along I wouldn’t sit this one out. Boone didn’t even glance up from the laptop, just muttered, “Would’ve bet money on that.”
But Adam—Adam didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Just stared at me, his jaw tight, his hands braced on the table like if he let go, the world might come apart.
I stepped closer, meeting his storm-dark eyes head-on. “You can order your men around all you want, Stoker. But you don’t get to order me. Not anymore. Not after the ridge. Not after the clinic.”
Silence fell heavy.
Finally, he let out a slow exhale, his hand dragging down his face. Then—just the faintest shake of his head, equal parts frustration and pride.
“Damn stubborn woman,” he muttered.
I almost smiled. Almost.
“Damn right,” I said.
Hawk chuckled. Blade didn’t say a word, but the look he shot Adam was plain enough:she’s in, whether you like it or not.
Logan scowled, but I caught the faint flicker of relief under it. He didn’t want me here—but deep down, he trusted me to fight.
Adam finally straightened, meeting my eyes again. And what I saw there wasn’t anger anymore. It was respect. And something deeper, heavier.
“Fine,” he said. His voice was rough, but steady. “You’re in. But you don’t leave my side.”
My chest loosened, the knot in my throat breaking free. “Deal.”
And for the first time since the storm, I felt like me again—not just a survivor, not just Adam’s woman.
Captain Raine Carter. Soldier. Fighter. Partner.
Ready for war.
74
Adam
The room emptied into motion the second Raine declared herself in. Hawk and Blade checked weapons with the same calm precision as if they were tightening bootlaces. Russ spread out maps across the bed, his neat handwriting already filling the margins. Boone muttered into the glow of his laptop, chasing down the next breadcrumb. Logan paced near the window, arms crossed, still bristling but not fighting anymore.
And Raine—she stood with her chin high, checking her pistol like she’d never set it down.
I let my gaze linger on her a second too long. She caught me, of course. She always did. That little spark in her eyes said she knew exactly what I was thinking:she shouldn’t be hereandI wouldn’t let her be anywhere else.
I cleared my throat and turned to the team. “We’ve got four hours before that truck rolls. Rest if you can, but gear up. Boone’ll track route changes from here, feed intel to Russ. Hawk, Blade, Logan—you’re with me on the intercept. Raine’s with me, period.”
Logan’s jaw ticked, but he didn’t argue. Progress.
Hawk grinned, low and wolfish. “About damn time we stretched our legs.”
Russ just nodded. “I’ll handle the paper trail. Make sure the evidence sticks.”
“Good,” I said. “Because this op isn’t about a body count. It’s about proof. We get evidence on who’s running this machine, we use it to cut deeper. One hub leads to another. One shipment gives us a chain.”
Blade twirled his knife, silent, but I saw the hunger in his eyes. He was ready to spill blood if the chance came.
Boone looked up finally, his expression tight. “You’re not just poking the bear, Stoker. You’re jamming a knife in its throat. You sure you want to start in Dallas?”
I met his eyes. “We don’t wait for them to come back for us. We take the fight to them.”
The silence that followed wasn’t disagreement. It was acceptance.
