No court.
No Daniel.
Just this.
His hand slid up my back, steady and grounding, like he was anchoring me to something real.
And I leaned into it.
Let myself feel it.
All of it.
Because for the first time—
I wasn’t afraid of what came next.
A sharp knock slammed against the door.
Everything shattered.
Ace pulled back instantly, his body shifting, tension snapping back into place like a switch had flipped.
“What the hell—” he muttered, already moving.
My heart was still racing.
But now—
It was something else.
Danger.
He opened the door.
Blaze stood there.
And one look at his face told me everything.
“He’s gone,” Blaze said.
The words hit like a punch.
“What do you mean gone?” Ace asked.
“Reynolds,” Blaze said. “Transport never made it to holding. Vehicle was found abandoned two miles out.”
Cold slid down my spine.
“He escaped,” I whispered.
Blaze’s expression darkened.
“Yeah,” he said.
And just like that—
The war wasn’t over.
