Page 74 of Beautiful Scars: Unshakeable

Sunny's warmth lingers after she leaves. On screen, Jade laughs at something Colt says, her head thrown back in genuine joy. These moments are important—they remind everyone why it all matters. Z was right.

"Ten minutes," Wolf reports. "All sectors still clear."

I check the thermal imaging again, then the motion sensors. Everything normal. The knot in my stomach loosens slightly.

"Remember when security meant one guy watching the door at the warehouse?" Zane muses.

"Remember when I thought my father was the worst of our problems?" I counter.

The conversation dies there. We both know how naive we were back then. How unprepared we were to deal with Garrett's level of obsession and resources.

"Five minutes," comes the next check-in.

Jade and Colt start gathering their things, following the schedule perfectly. The guards tighten their formation, covering their return path to the house.

When Colt and Jade finally step back inside, I take a deep breath. The security team maintains position for another fifteen minutes before rotating shifts.

"All clear," Wolf confirms. "Switching to night-watch positions."

I lean back, rolling tension from my shoulders. Another successful evening. The routine is working, even if it sets my nerves on edge every time.

"Same time tomorrow?" Zane asks, though we both know the answer.

"Same time tomorrow," I confirm, standing to stretch. "I'll take first patrol tonight."

But Zane shakes his head. "Go watch that movie with Sunny. I've got this. I'll be there as soon as Wolf gets back inside."

I hesitate, but he's right. We can't let fear rule every moment.

Still, I check each monitor one final time before heading upstairs to find Sunny. Because that's who I am now—forever walking the thin line between too much and not enough. It's not perfect, but it's working.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Zane

IwatchSunnyrubher temples for the third time in ten minutes. The slight furrow between her brows and the way she keeps squinting at her phone tells me everything I need to know. When she finally sets the device down with a soft sigh, I catch her eye.

"Headache?" My voice comes out quieter than usual, already adjusting to her discomfort.

She nods, then immediately regrets the movement. "Think I'm going to head up early."

Levi looks up from his laptop, concern etched across his features. "Want company, Angel?"

"No, you guys need to relieve Wolf. I'll be fine." She stands, swaying slightly. Before either of us can move, she steadies herself against the couch. "I just need some sleep."

I resist the urge to follow as she makes her way to the stairs. She's still not getting nearly enough sleep. There are nights I wake up long after we've gone to bed only to find her sitting andlooking out the window. I know she's exhausted. Maybe some time by herself will help.

"That's happening more often lately," Levi mutters, closing his laptop.

"She's just tired." I gather my tablet and papers. "Come on, Wolf's been in there since three this afternoon."

The security room hums with electronics when we enter. Multiple screens show different angles of the property—the tree line, the barn where Colt's finishing up, the kitchen where Jade's already setting up for their nightly routine.

Wolf looks up from the main console, rolling his shoulders. "It's been quiet. Nothing to report."

I take his seat, immediately checking the thermal imaging feeds. "Get your team sorted. We've got it from here."

"Colt's heading in," Levi says, watching him lock up the barn. "Right on schedule."