Page 2

TWO

ZEKE

I’M NOT SURE what I was expecting to see this morning when I pulled up outside the high-end gated community a short drive from headquarters, but this is not it.

Savannah hustles toward me down the sidewalk flanking the row of townhomes where she lives next door to her sister and brother-in-law. Her fur trimmed snow boots seem to do a decent job of gripping the salt covered path, so I only tense a little when she turns to look back, the move throwing off her balance. One arm flails out a little as she regains her stability and continues my way in a pair of bubblegum pink leggings and a deep rose parka. The soft curls of her dark hair peek out under the hood covering her head, bouncing a little with each step. The arm not helping her stay upright clutches a large bag printed in a muted floral pattern that closely resembles many of the dresses she usually wears.

Actually, this is probably exactly what I should’ve expected. If sunshine and butterflies could be embodied, it would be the woman giving me a hesitant smile as she ventures off the shoveled path to pick her way along the packed snow, quickly approaching the secluded gate between us. Savannah is about as different as it gets from her sister Sadie, who is just as scowly and serious and dry as her husband Jamison. Which is almost as scowly and serious and dry as I tend to be.

“Good morning.” Savannah offers me a little wave as she closes in on where I stand, leaning against the passenger side of my idling SUV.

I straighten as she unlocks the security gate between us and slips through. “Morning.”

After swinging the passenger door open, I stand back, making sure I give her plenty of room. Her cheeks pink up as she passes, sparing me the tiniest glance before ducking into the seat with a quiet, ‘ Thank you’ .

Once she’s safely inside, I close her in and round the front, taking my place behind the wheel before angling away from the complex that houses the bulk of Team Rogue. I know she doesn’t want her sister or Jamison to know what she’s doing, so I parked in a spot that didn’t have a sightline to any of their windows. Honestly though, it’s only a matter of time before they figure it out. I’ll be as careful as I can, but there’s only so much I can do. The guard at the main gate won’t keep her secret, and it would be easy enough to access the security system to view the camera feeds and see whose code has unlocked the gate she just came through.

But if they do find out, I’ll do everything in my power to make sure they keep their mouths shut about it and mind their own fucking business. If Savannah needs this—needs me—I won’t let anyone get in her way. Not even her sister.

I glance to where she sits beside me, spine stiff, hands gripping the bag on her lap, green eyes locked on the windshield. I know how hard this is for her. How far out of her comfort zone she is. Unfortunately, I don’t have the words to make it easier.

I wish I did.

After a few minutes, her gaze comes my way, lingering a second before darting back to the windshield. “Thank you again for doing this.”

I dip my head in a nod. “You’re welcome.”

She doesn’t have to thank me, but I know I need to tread carefully when it comes to her, so I don’t tell her that yet. She’s been through a lot in the past year—something some people wouldn’t survive—and I want her to feel comfortable around me. Safe.

Because I don’t just want Savannah to learn to protect herself. I want her to reclaim the power that was taken from her. I know how vital that is. How important of a role it will play in the direction the rest of her life takes.

Savannah goes quiet again, and that’s fine. She needs to get used to me. Needs time to acclimate to this new situation. It happens almost every time, so I’m used to it.

Over the years, I’ve helped lots of women learn how to keep themselves safe. How to avoid becoming a victim. But this time is different. It hits a little closer to home. A little closer to an old wound I’ve been trying to heal every way I know how. Deep down, part of me hopes this will be the time I succeed. That helping Savannah will bring an end to my suffering.

The rest of the drive to headquarters is silent. I can feel the tension rolling off her as the minutes tick past. My presence is the likely cause for her discomfort, but there’s nothing I can do to change that. Not right now anyway. Hopefully, over time, Savannah will see I understand what she’s been through more than she realizes. That I will never be someone she needs to be afraid of.

But the closer we get to headquarters, the more uncomfortable she looks. The knuckles on her hands are nearly white from how tight she’s gripping her bag, and while I know she’s the one who came to me, I still feel obligated to give her an out.

“We don’t have to do this if you’re not ready.” It’s taken her a year to get to this point, but no one’s going to judge her if it takes longer. If they try, I’ll knock their fucking heads from their bodies.

Savannah doesn’t seem relieved by my offer. The tension bunching her shoulders remains, as well as the pinched expression on her face. “Yes, we do.”

The anger always simmering inside me bubbles up and I have to force myself to maintain some semblance of calm. “Don’t let anyone make you feel like you should be somewhere different, Savannah. No one can tell you how to get through this.” My eyes swing her way. “And if anyone tries, you tell me and I’ll take care of it.”

Surprise blinks across her expression. There and gone in a flash. “No one’s pressured me.” Her eyes drop to her lap, watching where her hands twist the fabric of her bag. “I’m just tired of feeling the way I feel.”

I take a slow breath because I know what’s coming next. “And how do you feel?”

She’s quiet for a minute, gaze staying on her hands. “Afraid.” She picks at a corner of one pink polished nail, her voice barely a whisper as she continues. “Ashamed. Helpless.” Her eyes finally meet mine. “Weak. A little broken.”

I grip the steering wheel, trying to channel all the rage away from my face and into my fists as they flex against the leather. “Sounds like you’ve got a lot going on.”

She snorts, and it almost sounds amused. “Actually I’ve had nothing going on because I’m too scared to leave the house.”

I inhale slowly, keeping my voice even when I ask, “Even with Sadie?”

Savannah’s sister is highly capable and likely one of the most dangerous women I’ve ever met. I would have expected Savannah to feel safe with someone like Sadie at her side. Especially since I know firsthand the lengths she will go to in order to keep Savannah safe. A year ago, Sadie put herself in the hospital in an effort to do just that.

Then she sent a handful of men to their graves.

Savannah’s lips twist to one side. “I know Sadie is capable of a lot, but I guess I don’t want to put her in the position of having to protect me.” She chews her lower lip. “Again.”

I don’t like the loneliness in her voice. The sadness. And I sure as fuck don’t like the isolation I know can come from the way she’s feeling. That’s why my next words are less careful—less gentle—than they should be. “Don’t ever fucking feel bad about that, Savannah. The people who love you will never get tired of protecting you. Never .”

Her skin pales and I realize I’ve already overstepped. Already pushed her too hard.

“Okay.” Her voice is soft and shaky and the edges of her eyes shimmer with tears that are likely due to my tone.

I knew when I agreed to this I would have to be careful with her—more careful than I’ve ever been with anyone—and I’m already fucking it up because of my own issues. My own fears.

I scrub one hand over my face, rubbing my burning eyes as I blow out a long sigh. “I’m sorry. I just want you to know you’re not alone in this.”

An experience like what she went through can make a person feel isolated. I understand that more than she realizes. More than anyone realizes.

Savannah gives me a little nod, but once again her eyes won’t come near me.

Biting back another sigh as I pull up to the gate blocking the drive leading back to Alaskan Security’s headquarters, I swipe my card and punch in the security code, tipping my head at the member of Stealth monitoring the perimeter before pulling through.

Savannah’s jitteriness from earlier returns as we drive through the thick treeline blocking the view of the large campus. She seems to press as far back into her seat as possible as we close in, ducking her chin in what appears to be an attempt to obscure her face.

“No one can see inside here. They won’t know you’re the one in that seat.”

I’m taking every precaution I can with her. From ensuring no one knows what she’s up to until she’s ready, to making sure I don’t invade her personal space, I’m doing my best to make sure she feels safe and secure. I want Savannah to know I will look out for her. That she’s not as alone as she might think.

The delicate line of her shoulders seems to relax under the bulk of her parka at my reassurance. “Okay.” She peeks my way from the corner of her eyes. “I don’t like keeping secrets from my sister, but...” Her words trail off.

“I understand.” Sadie is pretty fucking great, but she can be a lot. Even for me. She could easily overwhelm someone as sweet and soft as Savannah. “Sadie would make it her personal mission to train you on every weapon in the building.” I almost smile. “Before lunch.”

Again, Savannah’s eyes widen, but this time it’s in surprise and not fear. “Exactly.” She drops my gaze again. “And I don’t want her to be disappointed if I can’t pick it up as quickly as she wants me to.”

I want to say that wouldn’t happen, but it might. When someone you love is broken, you want to help them fix all the cracks as quickly as possible. You want to stop the bleeding. You want to help them get everything they lost back, and you want it to happen now.

But that’s not the way this works. Sometimes it takes years. Decades. Even then, you never get it all back. Some things can’t be reclaimed. Savannah will never be who she once was, and I know Sadie is clinging to the hope that she can. That would make her handle this differently than I will.

Because I know Savannah will never be what she was. And I will never ask her to be.

I pull to the opposite side of the compound from where most people go, avoiding the underground parking garage in favor of a row of parking spots under a carport directly adjacent to the training area. No one uses these spots in the winter, making the location perfect for our purposes.

I park and round the SUV, getting Savannah’s door open before her hand’s even reaching for the handle. She gives me a hesitant smile as she gets out. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” I point at the slippery area that nearly took me out yesterday. “Watch your?—”

I don’t get to finish, because she immediately plants one boot right on the black ice and starts to go down. I grab her quickly, managing to keep her upright instead of hitting the hard, cold asphalt. Savannah flails around, her hands grabbing at my coat as she tries to get both feet under her.

I hold a little tighter, supporting more of her weight. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. I won’t let you fall.”

Her eyes lift to mine, fair skin pinking up the tiniest bit from the cold as she stares at me.

I’ve worked hard to keep my assessments of Savannah simple. Appropriate. Respectful. But there’s no denying how goddamned pretty she is. And for a split second, I forget myself and get lost in the green depths of her gaze.

Everyone at Alaskan Security has opinions about me. Many of them aren’t flattering. I get it. I can be abrupt. Abrasive. Direct. That means most people are inclined to glare at me more than a smile.

Not Savannah. Even after everything she’s been through, there’s nothing but kindness and warmth in her gaze. And for just a second, I accidentally soak it up. Accidentally take something from her I shouldn’t.

Clearing my throat, I force my eyes from her face before carefully moving her to a safer spot, keeping a respectable amount of space between us while she finds her balance. As soon as she has it, I drop my hands and step back, giving her space. “Better?”

She gives me a little nod. “I think so.” Her lower lip pinches between her teeth as she scans our surroundings, worry creasing her brow. “Are there any other slick spots?”

“There weren’t yesterday, but a lot can change overnight.” I start to step away. “I’ll go first just to be safe.”

One of Savannah’s hands flings out, coming to grip the arm of my coat. “Can I hold onto you to be sure?” Her lips press together. “I don’t like falling. I don’t like the way it feels.” She tries to take another step, but somehow manages to find yet another slick spot. Leaning heavily into me, her other hand grips at my same arm, holding tight. “It’s the feeling of impending doom. It reminds me of—” Her legs flail around again, but she stays relatively steady using me for balance. “It reminds me of the way I felt every day when I was being held captive.”

I’m a little surprised at how quickly she’s talking about what happened to her. It’s a fucking gift, and it gives me hope this will go smoother than I’m expecting.

“Then we’ll make sure you don’t fall.”

I move my arm her way, so she can grip it better. As soon as she’s latched onto me, we slowly make our way to the building. Pausing at the door, I swipe my badge again before reentering the passcode required to get anywhere at Alaskan Security before opening the door and helping her into the vestibule.

Savannah lets out a little sigh of relief once she’s on the rug inside the door, and her grip on me relaxes. After swiping and entering the code one more time, we finally make it inside.

I’ve brought us through the door that leads straight to the arena, but that’s not actually where we’re headed today. I know she wants to start learning how to protect herself, but there’s a much more important step we have to take first.

Savannah gives me a questioning look as I lead her through the arena to the door at the back corner. The indoor firing range is the best place for what we’re doing today. It’s private, but more than that, it’s sound-proof, and I want her to feel like no one but us will hear whatever happens inside.

After closing and locking the door behind us, I pull down the privacy screen, covering the glass and marking the space as occupied. I don’t expect anyone to come in this early in the day, but you never know.

I shuck my coat and hook it on the wall. When I face her, Savannah’s eyes are darting across the line of weapons stored on the back wall.

“I didn’t really expect we would start with guns.” Her throat works as she swallows. “I don’t plan on carrying a gun, so I’m not sure?—”

“You’re not gonna be shooting guns today, Savannah.”

Her shoulders drop a little and she lets out a breath. “Okay. Good.” Her eyes move over me, dragging down my chest before dropping to her coat. “Should I take this off?”

“Do whatever makes you comfortable.” That’s my whole goal. Making her comfortable again.

Savannah drops her bag to the floor before working down the zipper of her parka. She hangs it next to mine before smoothing down the fabric of her pink cropped sweatshirt. “Should I change into my tennis shoes now too?”

“Not unless you want to. You won’t need them for this.”

She seems to relax a little more, her fidgeting fingers dropping from where they’re twisting the hem of her shirt. “Okay.” Her eyes shift from side to side before coming to me. “Now what?”

I move a little closer but keep enough space between us that she won’t feel crowded. “Now you scream at the mother fuckers who put you in this position.”