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Ember doesn’t respond immediately. Her gaze locks onto mine, wary and exhausted. When she finally speaks, her voice is raw.
“I just want to go home.”
The simplicity of her statement catches me off guard. There’s no sarcasm, no bravado—just bone-deep weariness.
“I get that, but it’s not that simple. The people who took you are still out there.”
“They didn’t take me. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I mean nothing to them. I just want to forget this ever happened.”
I take a step closer, careful not to crowd her. “It’s not safe for you to go home.”
“Safe?” She lets out a bitter laugh. “Nothing in my life has ever been safe. I can take care of myself. Always have.”
“I believe you, but this is different. These people won’t let you walk away.”
Ember wraps her arms tighter around herself, a gesture that seems more about holding herself together than warding off the cold.
“So, what? You’re gonna protect me? Lock me up ‘for my own good?’ ”
The distrust in her voice is palpable, and it hits me hard. I realize that in her world, help always comes with strings attached.
“No,” I say firmly. “No locks, no cages. But I am asking you to let us help. Just until we can be sure you’re safe.”
She stares at me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Finally, she sighs, the fight seems to drain out of her.
“Fine. But the second I want out, I’m gone. No questions asked.”
I nod, understanding the weight of the concession she’s making. “Deal.” I stand, offering her my hand. “First, we get you cleaned up and fed. Then we figure out the rest.”
She hesitates for a moment, then takes my hand. Her fingers are cold, trembling slightly, but her grip is firm. As I help her to her feet, I’m struck again by the strength in this woman. After everything she’s been through, she’s still standing.
As we walk toward the waiting SUV, I feel like I’m walking a tightrope. One wrong move and Ember will disappear, but something tells me keeping her safe and earning her trust might be the most important mission of my life.
Jenny and Mac join us at the waiting SUV. Aria Holbrook is placed inside the other SUV with Charlie, Brett, and Jon escorting her.
It feels like the dead of night, but the sky is brightening with each step. I meet Ember’s gaze, seeing the fear fading, replaced by gratitude, and something else—something warm and dangerous.
FOURTEEN
Ember
Aftermath and Revelations
The black SUVrolls to a stop, its tinted windows reflecting the early morning light. We’re joined by Jenny, the team leader, and a massive brick of a man named Mac. Jenny gets out first, her tactical gear gleams in the predawn twilight. She scans the perimeter, the visor of her helmet hiding her eyes but not her intensity.
“Let’s move.” Her voice is slightly muffled by her headgear.
Blaze opens the door and steps out, offering me a hand. He’s a towering figure in black armor. His face is hidden behind his helmet’s visor, the HUD glowing faintly.
I trace the contours of his gear, lingering on the sharp angles of his jawline barely visible beneath the helmet’s edge. The visor reflects my image, but I lean in, searching for a glimpse of his eyes behind it.
Are they as intense up close as I imagined in the warehouse? My heart quickens, picturing the strength and determination etched in every line of his face. I shake my head, banishing my errant thoughts. No matter how heroic he seems, now is not the time to fantasize about my rescuer.
Get it together, Ember.
Behind us, Aria climbs out of the second SUV. Like me, she’s dwarfed by the imposing figures in similar tactical gear. One is noticeably smaller than the others, another woman, I suppose.
We’re a ragtag group—two shell-shocked victims and a team of what looks like futuristic soldiers. Daniel doesn’t join us; his injuries were too severe and kept him at the hospital.