“Kane—”
His eyes softened for a fraction of a second.
Then hardened again.
“This is not your fight,” he said. “You protect her.”
The door opened.
Rain misted in.
He stepped out into the gray street without hesitation.
The SUV behind us shifted position, doors opening.
Men moved.
Fast.
Disciplined.
Weapons concealed but ready.
The vehicles ahead remained still.
Waiting.
I watched Kane walk forward alone, shoulders squared, posture unyielding.
He didn’t look back.
And fear bloomed fresh in my chest.
Not for Sabine.
For him.
34
KANE
Iknew the second I saw the vehicles pull out and position themselves with military precision.
The way they moved in perfect synchronization. The timing. The coordinated blocking maneuver that spoke of serious tactical training and substantial resources.
Consortium Prime had found us.
Had been tracking our movements. Waiting patiently for exactly the right moment to make contact.
I knew exactly what I had to do in that critical moment.
Get out of the SUV immediately. Draw their complete attention. Make myself the singular focal point of whatever was about to happen.
Give Ella and Sabine a real, fighting chance to get away safely to the Sanctuary.
Hope desperately that once I was standing in the open, vulnerable and alone, they'd let the SUV leave without incident or pursuit.
No one stopped the vehicle as it pulled away with Ella and Sabine protected inside.
