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“Leave her alone. She has nothing to do with any of this.” The words escape before I can stop them. My heart rate spikes, but I force myself to remain still, to betray nothing.
Wolfe’s eyes gleam with triumph. “Ah, there we are. She matters to you, doesn’t she? More than just an asset or a mission.” He leans in close, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. “You should hear her, you know. The way she whimpers in her sleep. The way she calls out your name when the nightmares come.”
My jaw clenches so hard I think my teeth might crack.
Images flash through my mind.
Ember scared.
Ember hurt.
Ember calling out for me, but I can’t reach her.
It takes every ounce of willpower not to lunge at Wolfe; restraints be damned.
“She’s quite beautiful when she’s afraid,” Wolfe muses, watching my reaction closely. “So vulnerable. So—malleable.”
“If you touch her—” I start, my voice a low, dangerous growl.
Wolfe cuts me off with a laugh. “Oh, Mr. Hawkins. Who said anything about me touching her? There are so many other possibilities. So many interested parties who would pay handsomely for someone like Ember.”
Bile rises in my throat.
“You sick bastard,” I spit out, struggling against my bonds. “I’ll fucking kill you.”
Wolfe’s smile widens, satisfaction evident in every line of his face. “There it is. That passion, that rage. Tell me, how far would you go to protect her? What would you be willing to do?”
I freeze, realizing too late that I’ve given him exactly what he wants. Wolfe leans in, his voice soft but filled with menace.
“Think about that, Mr. Hawkins. Think about Ember, alone and afraid. Think about what awaits her if you continue to be uncooperative.”
He straightens, adjusting his cuffs. “I’ll give you some time to consider your priorities. When I return, I hope you’ll be more—amenable to our discussion.”
As the door closes behind him, I slump in my restraints, heart pounding. The image of Ember, terrified and at Wolfe’s mercy, burns in my mind. For the first time since this nightmare began, real fear grips me.
Not for myself, but for her.
As Wolfe’s footsteps fade, I close my eyes, trying to shut out the pain and the oppressive reality of my situation. Instead, unbidden memories of Ember flood my mind.
I see her in that first moment at the warehouse, fierce and defiant despite her trauma. The way she stood up to Bruiser, refusing to be cowed. How she went back to rescue the children. Her eyes, green as sea glass, blazing with a fire that spoke of a lifetime of battles fought and won.
Then, softer moments. Ember curled up on the sofa, lost in thought, as she toyed with one of her candles. The vulnerability in her voice as she opened up about her past, sharing pieces of herself she never revealed to anyone before. The way she looked at me when she thought I wasn’t aware, with curiosity and growing trust, which made my heart race.
I remember the feel of her hand in mine as we ran through city streets, her grip strong and sure despite the chaos around us. I also remember the determination in her stance as she helped formulate our escape plans, her street smarts complementing my tactical training in ways I never expected.
A ghost of a smile tugs at my split lip as I recall her sarcastic quips, the way she uses humor as armor against the world’scruelties, her fierce determination hidden beneath that casual bravado.
But I also remember the moments when that armor cracked—the tremor in her voice when she spoke of the kids she couldn’t save, the haunted look in her eyes when nightmares jolted her awake, the way her hands shook when she thought no one was watching.
Each memory strengthens my resolve. Ember has survived so much and fought hard for every scrap of safety and dignity. The thought of Wolfe destroying that, of extinguishing the light in those sea-glass eyes, is unbearable.
I think of our growing connection, how we move in sync, anticipating each other’s actions without words.
My fists clench, muscles straining against the restraints. I’ll die before I let Wolfe harm her. Whatever it takes, whatever price I have to pay, I’ll get her out of this hellhole.
THIRTY
Ember