Page 101 of Cyber Revenge

Because he can.

He always knows.

I squeeze his hand, grounding myself as I glance down at Alia, her little fingers tangled with mine. Her eyes are wide, filled with wonder as she takes in the beauty around us, her lips slightly parted.

“This is so cool,” she whispers, her voice barely above a breath. I smile, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

“Yeah, baby,” I murmur, my heart swelling as I look at her. “It is.”

Trip kneels beside her, his free hand brushing her hair back with a tenderness that makes my chest ache.

“Ready, kid?” he murmurs, his voice low and warm.

Alia nods, her eyes flicking between us.

“Are you guys really doing this?”

Trip’s lips twitchs, that cocky smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth as his gaze shifts to me.

“Yeah, sweetheart,” I whisper, my throat tight with emotion. “We’re really doing this.”

Her little fingers squeeze mine, her face lighting up with a smile that could easily bring me to my knees.

“Good,” she whispers. “I like him.”

God, I’m going to cry.

Trip’s hand finds my waist as he stands, his eyes locking onto mine.

“Ready, killstreak?”

My pulse pounds in my ears, my heart swelling so big it feels like it might burst.

“I’ve never been more ready,” I whisper, my voice barely holding steady.

We stand there, in the heart of the forest, surrounded by towering trees and the quiet hum of nature. The wind whispers through the leaves, carrying the scent of wildflowers and pine, wrapping around us like a blessing.

Trip wears his mask. The mask. The one that started it all. And I… I wear his.

The black tactical mask that he left on my pillow that night after he saved me, the one that still carries the faintest trace of his scent.

It feels like armor.

Like protection.

Because that’s what Trip is.

My protector.

I take a slow breath, my eyes never leaving his as I speak the words that have been lodged in my chest for so long.

“I was broken before you found me.”

My voice trembles, my throat tight with emotion as I speak.

“I didn’t trust. I didn’t believe. I didn’t think I could ever feel safe again.”

Trip’s jaw clenches, his hand tightening around mine, his eyes dark and intense as they hold mine.