“You’re safe,” I tell her.
Her breath breaks. “I knew you’d come.”
That nearly drops me to my knees.
I cut the ties, then slide my hands to her face, thumbs brushing her cheeks.
“You don’t get to scare me like that,” I murmur.
She lets out a shaky laugh that turns into a sob she tries to swallow. “I didn’t exactly schedule it.”
“I’m serious,” I say, forehead pressing to hers for one brief second. “I thought?—”
Her fingers latch onto my shirt like she’s anchoring herself. “I’m here.”
I wrap my arms around her, pulling her against my chest, feeling her heartbeat slam into mine. She clings, and I don’t care who sees it. I don’t care that we’re in a hostile room with cuffs and radios and the stink of betrayal.
All I care about is that she’s breathing.
My team clears the rest of the building. Hammond is cuffed. Stanton is hauled out. Evidence bagged. Chen’s voice confirms units are converging from below.
And still, I keep my arms around Riley like letting go might invite the universe to try again.
She presses her face into my throat and whispers, “I’m so mad at him.”
“I know.”
“I trusted him.”
“I know.”
“And I—” Her voice catches. “I was so scared, Crewe. I was so scared you wouldn’t?—”
I hold her tighter. “Never. Not you.”
She lifts her head, eyes glossy. “You’re shaking.”
“Yeah,” I admit. “Because I love you.”
The words come out before I can stop them.
No strategy. No plan.
Just truth.
Riley goes completely still.
Then her expression softens in a way that makes my chest ache. Her hand rises to cup my cheek, gentle like she’s touching something fragile in me.
“You… love me?” she whispers.
“I do,” I say, voice rough. “I’m done pretending it’s just adrenaline. I’m done pretending you’re just a mission. You’re not.”
Her throat bobs. A tear slips free. She wipes it angrily. “I’m not good at… fast feelings,” she whispers.
“I’m not asking for fast,” I say. “I’m asking for real.”
Riley’s lips part. She stares at me like she’s seeing through every layer I built to keep the world out. Then she nods once. “Okay,” she whispers. “Real.”
