Page 22 of A Ballad of Blackbirds and Betrayal (Dynamis Security #4)

“She has Jane’s heart,” Atticus said, his voice softening with a tenderness that made Sabrina’s chest ache.

“Her compassion, her stubbornness. She wants to change the system from within—political science major with a focus on legislative reform.” Pride colored his words, undercutting the worry that never seemed far from his expression when he spoke of his daughter.

“You’re a good father,” Sabrina said quietly.

Atticus’s laugh held no humor. “I wasn’t there when she needed me most. When bullets were tearing through her body, I was three steps away—close enough to see it happen, too far to stop it.”

The raw pain in his voice sparked an answering ache in Sabrina’s chest. Without thinking, she reached across the table, her fingers closing over his.

His hand turned beneath hers, their palms pressing together, fingers intertwining in a connection that went beyond comfort into something far more dangerous.

“You were there for everything that came after,” she said softly. “The surgeries, the recovery, the nightmares. You’ve built an entire organization dedicated to stopping the people who hurt her.”

His fingers tightened around hers, the calluses on his palm creating a delicious friction against her skin. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the contact between them saying more than words could convey.

“We should get back to work,” she said, though she made no move to withdraw her hand.

“We should,” he agreed, his dark gaze dropping to her mouth for a brief, heated moment before returning to her eyes.

The air between them seemed to thicken, charged with possibilities neither of them was ready to name. Sabrina felt caught in his gravitational pull, helpless against the tide of attraction that had been building since their first meeting.

The intercom buzzed, shattering the moment with brutal efficiency.

“Atticus,” Cal’s voice carried an urgency that instantly shifted the atmosphere. “We’ve got movement at BioGenix. They’re loading transport vehicles now.”

Atticus released her hand, the transition from man to commander happening in the space of a heartbeat. “Show me.”

The screens on the wall shifted to display thermal imaging of a loading dock where figures moved, transferring what appeared to be refrigerated containers from the facility to unmarked trucks.

“They’re not waiting for the demonstration site to be ready,” Cal continued, his voice tight. “They’re moving it now.”

“Where?” Atticus demanded.

“Working on that,” Cal replied. “But there’s more. Mitchell sent a two-man team to Georgetown.”

Atticus’s expression shifted to one of grim satisfaction. “Anna?”

“Already extracted,” Cal confirmed. “Griffin got her out last night. She’s at the Florida compound with Evangeline—security protocols alpha through delta. Mitchell’s team is surveilling an empty dorm room.”

“Good,” Atticus said, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. “Let’s make sure it stays that way. I want hourly updates on her status.”

Sabrina watched the interplay, understanding dawning. Dynamis hadn’t just been reacting—they’d been anticipating, moving pieces on the board before Mitchell even knew the game had started. It spoke to the level of preparation and foresight that defined Atticus’s operation.

Sabrina watched him closely, noting the intensity of his focus, the way his entire body seemed coiled with purpose. The man who’d shared coffee with her minutes before had transformed into the commander of Dynamis—strategic, decisive, and utterly formidable.

“We need to move on this,” she said quietly. “Mitchell won’t wait, and neither should we.”

His gaze snapped to hers, something like appreciation flickering in his eyes. “Agreed. How close are you to a viable countermeasure?”

“With the molecular decoy concept, closer than I was an hour ago. Let me get back to the lab—I’ll have something for you by the time those trucks reach their destination.”

“Cal,” he said, not looking away from her. “I want constant updates on Mitchell’s movements. If those trucks leave BioGenix property, I want to know where they’re headed. Tell Max and Jade to prep for interception.”

“Copy that,” Cal replied, disconnecting.

For a moment, neither of them moved, the space between them charged with unspoken words and promises they couldn’t yet make.

“Let’s move,” Atticus said, his voice steady with renewed resolve. “We’ve got work to do.”

Sabrina nodded, already turning toward the door. “I’ll be in the lab. When you’re ready to deploy, I’ll have the countermeasure.”

He caught her wrist just before she could leave, his fingers warm against her pulse. “Sabrina.”

She turned back, meeting his gaze.

“When this is over…” he began.

The unfinished sentence hung between them, filled with possibilities neither of them had dared to voice.

“When this is over,” she agreed softly, understanding perfectly what remained unsaid.

After he’d gone, Sabrina remained in the conference room, her mind already racing with the implications of Atticus’s suggestion. A molecular decoy. It could work—if she could develop it in time, if she could perfect it before Mitchell’s demonstration.

With renewed determination, she gathered the last of her breakfast and headed back to the lab.

There was work to be done, lives to save.

And perhaps, when it was over, there would be time to explore what had begun between her and Atticus—this connection that felt both unexpected and inevitable, as if they’d been moving toward each other their entire lives.

As she stepped into the lab, her phone buzzed with an incoming message. Eden’s name appeared on the screen, along with two words that sent a chill down her spine:

They’re moving.

Time had just run out.