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“The evidence is ironclad,” Atticus interrupted.“And now that it’s in federal hands, too many people know.He can’t make this disappear.”

Kessler nodded.“Consider us even for Bucharest,” she said.“Though I suspect we’ll be cleaning up this mess for years.”

After she departed, Atticus and Sabrina were left alone in the small maintenance room, the adrenaline of the past minutes slowly ebbing away.

“Atticus,” Cal’s voice came through the comms.“News networks are already breaking the story.Mitchell’s arrest is trending worldwide.It’s done.”

Sabrina watched the tension finally drain from Atticus’s body—not completely, perhaps never completely—but enough that she could see the first hints of a man who might someday exist without vengeance as his primary purpose.

“It’s done,” he repeated.

She stepped closer, her hand finding his, fingers intertwining in a gesture that had become familiar in the brief but intense time they’d known each other.

“What now?”she asked softly.

Atticus turned to her, and the transformation stole her breath—the commander who had orchestrated Mitchell’s downfall had receded, revealing the man beneath, one who was tentatively reaching for something beyond vengeance and duty.

“Now,” he said, his voice rough with emotion he no longer needed to suppress, “we begin.”

His mouth found hers beneath the harsh fluorescent lights, transforming the sterile maintenance room into something intimate and sacred.Their kiss held the assurance of everything they’d endured—a seal on promises spoken and unspoken, a bridge between vengeance satisfied and possibility awakened.

The hunt was over.Their story—the one written in something stronger than blood—was just beginning.

Epilogue

Golden autumn sunlight bathed the lakeside cabin in amber warmth as Sabrina stood on the weathered dock, coffee mug cradled between her hands.The early morning chill nipped at her exposed skin, her breath forming delicate white clouds with each exhale.She’d wrapped herself in one of Atticus’s thick sweaters, its sleeves falling past her wrists as she gazed out across the water where mist still hovered over the surface, creating a dreamlike quality that matched her contentment.

A few maple leaves, brilliant crimson and gold, spiraled down from overhanging trees to land on the water’s surface, creating ripples that expanded outward into the stillness.Behind her, through the cabin’s open door, she could hear Atticus moving around the kitchen, the familiar sounds of their weekend routine settling into place.

The simple platinum band on her finger caught the light as she raised the mug to her lips, the coffee’s warmth a welcome contrast to the crisp morning air.Three weeks married, and sometimes she still found herself staring at it in wonder.The small, private ceremony had been exactly what they both needed—understated, efficient, and focused on what mattered.

“They’re calling for another indictment,” Atticus said, stepping out onto the dock.His boots made hollow sounds against the wooden planks as he approached, carrying a fresh cup of coffee.He handed it to her, taking her cooling one in exchange.“Mitchell’s chief financial officer is cooperating with prosecutors.The conspiracy just keeps expanding.”

“Good,” Sabrina replied, leaning into him as his arm circled her waist.The warmth of his body cut through the autumn chill, as comforting as the solid strength that had become her anchor.“Justice should be thorough.”

He pressed a kiss to her temple, his lips lingering against her skin.“Speaking of thorough, the Chief Medical Officer’s new bioweapon protocols were approved by the board yesterday.Unanimous vote.”

Pride warmed her at the news.In the three months since accepting the position at Dynamis, she’d revolutionized their medical response procedures, drawing on both her surgical expertise and her field experience.The work was challenging, meaningful, and allowed her to save lives on a scale she’d never imagined possible at Dallas Memorial.

The weekend retreat to Atticus’s Lake Cypress cabin had become a monthly tradition—three days away from Dynamis operations, from Washington politics, from the demands of their respective responsibilities.Three days of normalcy, hard-won and fiercely protected.

Sabrina twisted in his arms to face him, studying the changes three months had wrought.The shadows hadn’t disappeared from his eyes—perhaps they never would—but they no longer defined him.He smiled easier now, laughed more often.The mission that had driven him for eight years was complete, yet he had found purpose beyond vengeance.

“I never thought I’d have this again,” he said quietly, his fingers tracing the curve of her cheek as if memorizing her features.“After everything…I never thought I’d find someone who understood both sides of me—the commander and the man.”

“And yet, here we are,” she replied, covering his hand with hers, feeling the cold metal of his matching band against her skin.They’d had this conversation before, in different ways, at different times.The ghosts of their pasts hadn’t disappeared, but they’d learned to make room for them, to honor what came before without letting it overshadow what lay ahead.

Atticus’s phone buzzed, and he checked it with the reflexive attention of someone who had spent a lifetime responding to crises.His expression remained calm as he read the message, betraying none of the tension such interruptions once triggered.

“Max and Jade took down that arms dealer in Prague,” he reported, slipping the phone back into his pocket.“Operation complete, all objectives secured.”

“Any casualties?”she asked, the doctor in her always alert to potential injuries.

“None on our side.”His arms tightened around her briefly before releasing her.“The team handled it perfectly.”

The fact that he could step back, delegate critical missions to his team without personally overseeing every detail—this was perhaps the most significant change of all.He’d built Dynamis as an extension of himself, a tool for hunting.Now he was transforming it into something greater: a legacy that would continue beyond any single mission.

“So we have the weekend to ourselves,” Sabrina observed, smiling as another plume of white breath escaped her lips.She slid her hands beneath his jacket, feeling the warm skin beneath.

His answering smile held promise and heat, but also something deeper—a contentment that had once seemed impossible.“I have some ideas,” he murmured, gathering her closer as a gust of wind sent leaves dancing across the dock around them.

She yielded to his embrace, her body fitting against his as naturally as breathing.The simple truth of loving and being loved in return still amazed her—this feeling neither of them had expected to find again but had somehow discovered in each other.

The water lapped gently against the shore as they held each other, two hearts finally at peace.After everything, they had found a love that no darkness could touch.