Just relief.
He's dead. The threat is over. I'm safe.
This is my life now. This is who I married. This is what protection looks like in this world.
And I'm okay with it.
More than okay.
Shadow turns immediately, holstering his gun, running to the cage.
"Grace. Baby. You okay?"
His hands are on the bars, his face pressed close, his eyes scanning me frantically for injuries.
"I'm okay," I manage, and my voice is shaking now, adrenaline crashing. "I'm okay. Just get me out. Please get me out."
Shadow's examining the cage lock. Heavy padlock. Industrial.
A man I don't recognize appears beside him—older, weathered, wearing a cut that says Mojave Wolves MC.
"Bolt cutters," he says, handing them to Shadow.
Shadow takes them, positions the blades around the padlock, and squeezes with everything he has.
The lock snaps.
The cage door swings open.
Shadow reaches in, and I'm crawling out, desperate to be out of that metal box, desperate to be in his arms.
He catches me as I emerge, pulls me against his chest, and holds me so tight I can barely breathe.
"You're safe," he's murmuring into my hair. "You're safe. I've got you. Nobody's ever touching you again."
His hands are all over me—checking the bruise on my face, the rope burns on my wrists where the zip ties cut in, running over my ribs where his name is tattooed.
"Did he hurt you?" Shadow pulls back to look at me, his eyes wild. "Did any of them hurt you? Touch you?"
"No," I say quickly. "Just knocked me out. Just the cage. I'm okay, Shadow. I'm okay."
"You're shaking."
"Adrenaline. I'm okay."
He pulls me back against him, and I feel him trembling too.
The fear is catching up to him now that I'm safe.
"I knew you'd come," I whisper. "I knew you'd find me."
"Always," his voice breaks. "I'll always find you. Always."
"Grace."
My father's voice.
I turn in Shadow's arms and see Dad.
