Jake shrugged, uncomfortable with the praise. “Anyone would have done the same.”
“No,” I insisted. “Not anyone. We both know that. It was you who risked your life for mine.”
His eyes met mine, intense and unwavering. “And I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
My throat tightened with emotion. “Jake, about what Mikhail said—”
“You don’t need to explain,” he cut in, pulling hishand away from mine. “He’s Nora’s father. He’s alive. That changes everything.”
“No, it doesn’t,” I whispered, reaching for his hand again. “It doesn’t change how I feel about you.”
His eyes widened slightly, hope warring with caution. “And how’s that?”
I took a deep breath. “When I was under the ice, when I thought I was dying, I saw your face. Not just Nora’s, not just my past—yours. What does that tell you?”
Jake moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed. Through the blankets, his leg against mine, had a calming effect that I couldn’t explain. “I don’t know. What does it tell you?”
“That you’ve become important to me,” I admitted. “More important than I was ready to admit to anyone, including myself.”
He reached up to brush a strand of hair from my face. His fingers, light as a feather, brushed across my skin. “Ella…”
A knock at the door interrupted us. A nurse entered, carrying a tray with medication. “Sorry to intrude,” she said, noting our closeness. “Just time for your next dose.”
Jake stood, stepping back to give her room. I swallowed the pills she offered, forcing them past the lump in my throat.
“The doctor will be by in the morning for onefinal check,” she informed me as she recorded my vitals. “If all looks good, you should be discharged before noon.”
We thanked her as she left. But the moment had been broken, Jake remained standing, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. “We need to talk about what happens next,” he said, his voice carefully neutral.
I nodded. “Mikhail thinks we should go to a safe house until his father is dealt with.”
“And what do you think?”
I sighed, the weight of the decision pressing down on me. “I think I’m tired of running. Tired of looking over my shoulder. But I can’t put Nora at risk.”
“There’s another option,” Jake said quietly. “My ranch. The main house is secluded, defensible. Declan’s already beefed-up security. He, Kane, Connor, Rory, and Dave, my helper, and I are all willing to take shifts watching the perimeter.”
I stared at him, surprised. “You’d do that? Put yourself in danger for us?”
“I told you before—you’re not alone in this anymore.” He moved back to the bed, his expression earnest. “Let me help you, Ella. Let all of us help you.”
The offer tempted me more than I wanted to admit. Not just the safety of his ranch, but thechance to stay close to him, to explore what was growing between us. But Mikhail’s warnings echoed in my mind.
“Jake, you don’t understand what these people are capable of. Mikhail’s father—”
“Is just a man,” Jake interrupted. “A dangerous one, sure, but not invincible. And we’ll have something he doesn’t expect—Mikhail himself, working from the inside.”
I considered this, turning the idea over in my mind. “Mikhail won’t like it. He’ll say it’s too risky.”
“This isn’t his decision to make,” Jake said firmly. “It’s yours.”
He was right. For too long, I’d allowed others to dictate the course of my life—first Tomas, then Mikhail, then my own fear. Perhaps it was time to take back control.
“Okay,” I said finally. “We’ll go to the ranch. But only until Mikhail delivers the evidence and his father is arrested. After that...” I trailed off, unsure how to finish the thought.
Jake nodded, understanding the unspoken. After that, we’d have to figure out what came next—all of us, including Mikhail and Nora.
“Get some rest,” he said, leaning down to press a kiss to my forehead. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”
