"I’m not going anywhere," I breathe into her hair, my hand splayed firmly across her back, pulling her even closer until there isn't a sliver of space left between us.
I don't close my eyes right away. I lie there, watching the way her breathing evens out as she drifts off. She’s finally safe, and I am exactly where I need to be. For the first time in my life, I don't need a mission to define me; I have her, and that’s more than enough.
8
RYA
My fingers fly across the mechanical keyboard, the rhythmic clicking the only sound filling the small, secure cabin. Miller told me he was doing a perimeter check, but my tech-brain is firmly in the zone. I’ve bypassed three firewall layers on an encrypted file I pulled from the Syndicate's digital money trail, and I’m seconds away from cracking it.
The thrill of it—that’s the part I didn't expect. My heart is thundering against my ribs, but it’s not just pure terror anymore; it’s the intoxicating, razor-sharp rush of the chase. I’ve spent my life hiding in the digital shadows, using whatever outdated hardware I could cobble together, but this? Having the full, unbridled power of Aegis Security at my fingertips is like trading a dull butter knife for a surgical laser.
Every firewall they throw at me is a puzzle, and every digital barrier is just another chance to prove I’m better. I love the way the data screams across these high-end monitors, clear and crystalline. I have access to sophisticated decryption suites and massive processing power that I’ve only ever dreamed of, and every line of code I tear through feels like a small victory against the bastards who think they can hunt us.
Miller is out there playing the physical game of cat and mouse, a dangerous dance of steel and shadows, and I’m the ghost in the machine ensuring he never walks into a trap blind. The stakes are catastrophic, yes—my life, his, everything—but feeling this capable, thislethalwith a keyboard, has ignited something fierce in me.
I’m not just the girl hiding in the cabin anymore. I’m the tactical advantage. I’m the edge. And as I crack the next layer of encryption, I let out a sharp, breathless laugh, fueled by the sheer, adrenaline-soaked joy of knowing that with these tools, I’m finally fighting back on my own terms.
I’m so hyper-focused that I don't even hear the heavy, booted footsteps enter the room.
Suddenly, a massive, scarred hand grips the top of my office chair. Before I can even gasp, the chair spins around almost violently, locking my knees right between two solid columns of denim-clad muscle. Miller is looming over me, his broad shoulders blocking out the cabin lights. His messy chocolate brown hair is windswept, and his sharp blue eyes are dilated, practically burning into mine with a fierce, hungry look.
"Miller!" I pant, my heart doing a wild flip in my chest. "You startled me. I’m almost through this file?—"
"You're too damn sexy when you're locked into a project, baby girl," he rumbles, his voice a low, gravelly vibration that goes straight to my thighs. He doesn't care about the file. He doesn't care about the firewalls. His gaze roams over my face, tracking the flush on my cheeks before dropping down to the curve of my chest. "The way your tongue pokes out when you're typing, the way you adjust those little glasses... It's driving me insane. I need you. Now."
My breath stutters. Before I can utter a syllable of agreement, his massive hands grip my waist. He pulls me clean out of thechair as if I weigh nothing at all, lifting me high and tossing me effortlessly over his broad, rock-hard shoulder.
"Miller! Put me down!" I squeal, though I’m already melting, my hands instantly gripping the back of his t-shirt. The sheer power of this man leaves me completely breathless.
"Never," he growls, slapping my ass with a heavy, possessive hand that sends a thrill right down my spine. "You're mine, Rya. And right now, my bed is the only place you belong."
He strides into the bedroom, his heavy steps deliberate and dominant, and traps me beneath his massive frame the second my back hits the mattress.
“Need you naked, but can't stop kissing you,” he rasps.
I nod, knowing exactly the pain he’s feeling at the moment. Miller chuckles darkly and then steps away from me, stripping off his shirt. God, I’ll never get tired of looking at his immaculate body. I can’t stop the soft, needy whimper that falls from my lips.
Everything aches now that he’s no longer touching me. My skin is too tight, the electricity humming along my nerves too powerful.
“You’re shaking, baby girl,” he murmurs, stepping closer to me, completely naked. I’m still fully clothed, and for some reason, that makes it all so much hotter.
“I know.”
“You hurting for me?” he whispers, ghosting his fingers down my neck and across my shoulder.
“Yes. Everywhere.”
Miller grunts and spins me around so my back is to his front. He grabs my hips and grinds his cock against my ass while nuzzling into my neck. He sweeps my hair to one side and places a soft kiss on the back of my neck while sliding his hands under my shirt to lift it off my head. He continues trailing kisses down my spine as he undresses me.
As soon as Miller has my bra off, his hands cover my breasts as he pulls me back into his hard chest. He squeezes the sensitive flesh and rubs my nipples until they harden into tight little points. Miller trails his hands lower, taking time to explore my body.
I’m aware of every dip, curve, and roll his fingers touch. I want to squirm out of his embrace or just have him fuck me already. I don’t know what to do with this kind of attention on all my imperfections.
Miller grips my hip with one hand while lightly wrapping his other hand around my throat in a possessive hold I love so much. “I thought I told you I love your sexy fucking body,” he rasps. “I thought I showed you how crazy you make me.”
“You’re just so… perfect,” I whisper.
“Perfect for you. Just like you’re perfect for me.”
