Across the garage, Ronan watched the moment with a small smile. Dante noticed it too. His little sister hadn't just survived another attack. For the first time since Keller stole her freedom, she'd chosen to trust someone outside her family. It wasn't much, but it was enough to make Jasper silently vow one thing. He wasn't just going to protect Sophia Manzo. He was going to help her keep every promise Keller had stolen from her—including finding the little girl she'd never forgotten.
Jasper had learned long ago that silence told him more than words ever could. The drive away from the hospital should have been filled with relief. Instead, no one spoke. Avery drove, and Dante sat in the passenger seat, scanning every mirror. Ronan occupied the third row, keeping an eye on the vehicles behind them. Sophia sat beside Jasper, not because anyone had assigned seats, but because she'd quietly chosen the one place where she could see every door in the armored SUV.
They drove for about twenty minutes before Avery turned through a pair of iron gates hidden behind a dense line of pine trees. The estate looked more like an upscale lodge than a STARR safe house. Stone walls lined the outside of the building, and it was covered in floor-to-ceiling windows. A private lake was just beyond the trees. The place was well protected with motion sensors, thermal cameras, and enough security to withstand a small army.
"This one's clean," Avery said. "No one outside the Director knows this location."
Ronan smirked. "You say that every time."
"I mean it every time,” Avery insisted. The SUV rolled to a stop, and no one hurried to get out. Jasper climbed out first. He checked the rooflines, the tree line, and perimeters. When he was satisfied, he opened Sophia's door.
"You good?" he asked.
She nodded and then looked down. "I hate that you ask me that."
"I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m just checking in on you.”
"It makes me feel—” She searched for the word. "Fragile."
He shook his head. "No."
"What then?" she asked.
"Important,” Jasper said. She looked at him, and he smiled. "There's a difference. You’re important, Sophia, and I need to know how you’re doing.”
“All right,” she breathed. She shivered, and he silently cursed.
“Let’s get you inside,” he said. Sophia nodded and followed him into the safe house.
Inside, the house felt warm. A fire burned in the great room, and the kitchen smelled faintly of fresh bread. Someone had stocked the refrigerator. Sophia stood just inside the doorway as her eyes swept across the room. She wasn't looking at the furniture. She was calculating escape routes. Jasper recognized it instantly. He'd done the same thing for years after Afghanistan. He knew firsthand that trauma never really disappeared; it simply became quieter.
Ronan wandered into the kitchen. "I'm making coffee."
Avery laughed. "That's optimistic."
"You say that like it's a difficult task," Ronan said. He disappeared into the kitchen, and within minutes, smoke poured from the kitchen. Ronan came running out to the great room, cursing.
Jasper pinched the bridge of his nose. "What did you do?"
"I—” Ronan looked genuinely confused. "I may have forgotten water."
Avery burst into laughter. "You burned coffee?"
"I didn't know that was possible,” Ronan said.
Sophia stared at Ronan, and a small laugh escaped her, and everyone stopped. Ronan looked absurdly pleased with himself. Sophia covered her mouth immediately.
"I'm sorry,” she said.
Jasper frowned. "For laughing?"
"I—” She looked embarrassed. "It felt wrong."
His chest tightened. "No." He met her eyes. "It sounded right."
Dante cleared his throat. “How about we get you settled in one of the rooms, Sis, and then I need to head home to check onLark. She’s due any day now, and I like to check on her every few hours—especially while Rocco is out of town on a mission.”
“You’ll let me know when she goes into labor, won’t you? I don’t want to miss my nephew’s birth,” Sophia said.
