“Stand down.”He looks at Kody, then me, and wraps his fingers around Leo’s hand.
Leo jerks like he’ll resist, but Monty rises and puts his lips near Leo’s ear.
I don’t hear what Monty says, but the fight slowly leaks from Leo’s shoulders like steam escaping a cracked pipe.His breathing slows.His glare loses its venom.Then he nods and drops to the couch with Monty at his side.
“All right.”Monty trains his ice-blue eyes on me as the air continues to crackle.“Say your piece, Son.”
I take a breath.Not a shaky one.An important one.Because everything I’m about to say matters.
“I’m not asking for your approval.”I glance between them.My blood.My family.My chaos and my anchors.“When it was Frankie on the line, you threw yourselves into battle for her.Against Denver.Against the Arctic.Against the doctor.Against all odds.You protected her, chose her, when the cost could’ve been your lives.I didn’t question it.I respected the hell out of it.That level of loyalty and love?It’s the only thing that’s ever made sense to me.”
I turn to Leo.“You would’ve died for her.”
To Kody.“You almost did.Twice.”
Then to my dad.“You gave up your life, your career, everything in your world to get her back.”
They don’t argue.They remember.
“That’s what this is for me.”I tap my chest, slow and hard.“You think I’m reckless and fall too fast.Maybe you’re right.But this isn’t some crush or passing obsession.It’s instinct, bone-deep and loud as a gunshot.My gut, the same one that kept us alive in the hills, tells me she’s the one I’m supposed to protect now.Not because she’s weak or helpless.But for the first time in my fucked-up life, I look at someone and see a future that doesn’t end in loneliness.”
They don’t move.Don’t speak.
“If I ignore this instinct, if I walk away because it’s inconvenient or messy or dangerous…” A huff escapes my throat.“I’ll regret it every day for the rest of my hellborn life.I have enough ghosts.I’m not adding her to the list.”I square my shoulders, my voice calm despite the volcanic heat in my chest.“You don’t have to trust her.You just have to trust me.The same way I’ve always trusted you.”
Silence swells around them, no longer angry or hostile.Just heavy.When it settles in their eyes, I see approval.And something deeper.
Pride.
Respect.
For once, I think that means I said it right.
“You want to protect her.”Monty straightens.“Then we’ll protect her.But understand this.When she brings danger to our door, we’ll do what’s necessary.All of us.No hesitation.No apologies.We go full Strakh on this.”
My mouth dries.
Full Strakh.
I know what that means.I’ve seen what that means.When they’re in, they’reall in.
“She’s under our roof now.”Monty shares a look with Leo and Kody.“So we’ll protect her like she’s one of our own.”
“Fine.”Leo sits back.
Kody nods and returns to his spot on the couch.
One of our own.
Deep in my chest, an ancient instinct coils.The instinct to kill for her.Or die trying.
“We’ll handle the legal and digital side and put a discreet security detail on her.”Monty meets my eyes.“How will she respond to that?”
“She won’t run.”I rub my nape, thinking.“She’s different than anyone I’ve met.She’s tough and doesn’t want anyone to save her.But she needs us.She needsme.”
The patio goes quiet for a stretch before Leo speaks.“If she doesn’t want anyone saving her, she won’t tolerate a security team.”
“She’s stubborn.”I exhale a breath.“But not irrational.She knows when to accept help.”
