But fear sits heavy in my stomach, whispering that I have been wrong before.
I finish dressing with trembling hands and stare at myself one last time, torn between hope and terror. Then I reach for the door.
Riot waits just outside. His gaze lifts the second I step out, sweeping over me like he is checking that I am still in one piece. I clutch the small bag to my chest. He takes it gently from my hands.
“I’m going to grab my truck,” he says. “I’ll be right back.”
I nod. The idea of him leaving, even for a few minutes, sends a flicker of panic through me, but I swallow it down. He slings his backpack over his shoulder and gives me one last look before slipping out the door.
The room feels too big without him.
A few minutes later, Elena returns with a folder tucked against her chest. She smiles when she sees me dressed.
“There you are,” she says softly. “All ready to go.”
I sit on the edge of the bed, my hands twisted together in my lap. She moves around the room with easy familiarity, checking a few things before coming to stand in front of me. Up close, her eyes are warm and kind.
“Are you okay, sweet girl?” she asks gently.
The question breaks something open inside me. The words rise before I can stop them.
“I’m scared,” I whisper. “What if… what if he’s also a bad man?”
The confession hangs between us. Shame burns in my chest, but I force myself to keep going. I need to say it out loud. I need someone to hear it.
Elena steps closer and brushes my hair back from my face with a tenderness that makes my throat ache.
“You remind me so much of my daughter,” she says quietly. “She’s tiny like you.”
Her thumb smooths over my temple. Her voice is steady and certain when she continues.
“I’ll tell you this as if you were my baby. The Iron Reapers men are good. They are good men, and they have strong wives who would tear the world apart to protect someone like you. I wouldn’t let you go with Riot if I didn’t know he would protect you and take care of you.”
Something inside me loosens. Not completely. The fear is still there, curled tight in my stomach, but her words soften its edges.
She picks up my discharge papers and pauses, then writes quickly across the top sheet. When she hands them to me, I see her name and phone number in neat ink.
“I’m not supposed to give out my information,” she says quietly. “But if you ever need to talk, please call me.”
My fingers close around the papers. Emotion rises hot and sudden in my chest. “Thank you,” I whisper.
She cups my cheek for a brief second, her smile soft and proud. For the first time since she told me I was leaving, walking out that door does not feel quite so terrifying.
The door opens and Riot steps back into the room, filling it with his presence like he never left. His gaze finds me instantly, checking me to make sure I’m okay. “Good to go?” he asks.
I nod, and beside me, Elena nods too. He shifts his attention to her. For a moment they simply look at each other. Something quiet passes between them. Elena straightens and fixes him with a firm look. “You take care of her, you hear me?” Her tone is gentle but unyielding.
Riot gives a single, solid nod. “I will. You have my word.”
Elena studies his face, then points a finger at him. “I’m going to hold you to it.”
“You should,” he replies quietly.
Her eyes soften when they return to me. She squeezes my hand once, a silent reassurance. I cling to that touch for a second longer than I mean to, then let go.
Riot steps close to my side, warm and steady. He waits for me to move first. When I do, he falls into step beside me.
TWO
