Page 49 of Rogue Hope (Hope Landing: New Recruits #4)

Twelve hours later, the rhythmic beeping of hospital monitors provided a strangely comforting soundtrack to Zara’s vigil.

She shifted in the uncomfortable plastic chair, adjusting her position to ease the ache in her legs.

The flare had subsided to manageable levels, but after everything they’d been through, her body was demanding rest she couldn’t afford to take.

Not while Finn lay here, motionless except for the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Now that she knew Finn was out of danger, she had time—way too much of it—to consider their relationship.

Did she even want to try crafting a relationship with a man who’d literally sold her out?

Was she crazy?

Zara studied his face, relaxed now in sleep, the lines of tension and determination temporarily erased. Her throat tightened as she remembered the moment he’d stepped in front of her, the split-second decision that had put him in this hospital bed instead of her.

She reached out, hesitating briefly before allowing her fingers to rest lightly on his. The simple touch sent a wave of emotion through her chest that she wasn’t entirely prepared for.

“Thank You for protecting him,” she prayed quietly, the words coming naturally after years of practice. “For showing me the truth before it was too late.”

The door opened with a soft click. She straightened, quickly withdrawing her hand as Ronan, Maya, and Kenji entered. Their expressions held that particular combination of relief and triumph that came after successful operations.

“How is he?” Ronan asked, his voice deliberately low.

“Stable,” Zara replied. “Kenji was right. His lung had collapsed, and he’s got a few broken ribs. But the bullet missed his heart. He’ll make a full recovery.”

Kenji moved to check Finn’s chart, his medical training impossible to suppress. “Good trajectory. Clean wound, minimal tissue damage. Plus, you know, I’m brilliant.”

“Speaking of which,” Maya said, leaning against the wall, “Admiral Knight sends his regards. Said to tell you both ‘well done.’”

Zara shook her head slightly. “It was Finn who figured it out. I should have trusted him sooner.”

“We all missed it,” Ronan countered firmly. “Reynolds played the long game. Nobody suspected him.”

Zara’s shoulders slumped as she exhaled. “If I’d just listened to Finn sooner ...” She shook her head, frustration evident in her voice. “He tried to tell me about Reynolds, but I wouldn’t hear it.”

“Hey,” Ronan cut in, his tone firm but kind. “Reynolds played us all. The man spent years building his cover—nobody had him pegged as Cipher.”

Maya nodded. “He was your mentor, Z. Of course you trusted him. Plus, Finn earned your distrust. After what he did to you in Paris, you would have been justified taking him down the minute he showed up here.”

Zara looked up. “Wait—how did you all make it out? I never got the chance to ask.”

A ghost of a smile crossed Ronan’s face. “The Griffster had a feeling something was off. Before we even stepped foot in that facility, he released those new micro-drones—the ones with the biometric mimicry tech.”

“Seriously?” Zara’s eyebrows rose.

“Left them broadcasting our signatures while we slipped out the maintenance shaft,” Maya added, a hint of pride in her voice. “Reynolds’ team blew the whole place, thinking they’d buried us alive.”

Ronan’s eyes glinted. “By then we were already headed back to extract you two. Our boy Griff doesn’t trust coincidences.”

And their Savior had been watching over them. Zara couldn’t suppress the shudder that racked her.

Kenji moved closer to Zara, his gaze subtly assessing her condition. “How are you feeling? Any increased joint pain? Fever?”

“Now that I’m on real meds, I’m fine, Kenji,” she assured him with a small smile. “Really.”

His skeptical expression made it clear he wasn’t entirely convinced, but before he could press further, the door burst open with considerably more force than necessary.

Izzy stood framed in the doorway, her vacation attire—flowing beach pants, loose tank top, sunglasses perched atop her head—creating a surreal contrast to the sterile hospital environment. She surveyed the room with dramatic disbelief, hands planted on her slim hips.

“Girl, I leave town for a week and you start an international incident without me?”

The familiar, irreverent greeting loosened something in Zara’s chest, and for the first time in days, a genuine smile spread across her face. “Good to see you too, Iz.”

Ronan, Maya, and Kenji exchanged amused glances.

“We’ll give you two some space,” Ronan said, nodding toward the door. “The team’s meeting at 1800 for full debrief. You’re both excused, of course.”

“Thanks,” Zara said softly, grateful for the understanding—not that she would’ve left Finn’s side anyway.

After they’d filed out, Izzy crossed the room in three quick strides and pulled Zara into a fierce hug. The solid presence of her best friend caught Zara off guard, and she felt tears prickling behind her eyes.

“You okay?” Izzy whispered against her hair.

When they separated, Zara drew a steadying breath, finding it difficult to meet her friend’s concerned gaze. “Iz, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner—about the lupus. I just couldn’t?—”

“Hey, none of that, amiga.” Izzy waved her off with gentle firmness. “You don’t owe anyone explanations about your health.” Her expression softened into a mischievous grin. “But you do owe me lunch and a long, detailed gossip session.”

Relieved, Zara nodded, blinking back the moisture in her eyes.

Izzy turned her attention to Finn’s still form, arching a skeptical eyebrow. “So this is the guy? The jerk turned hero?” She jerked a thumb in his direction, her tone deliberately unimpressed. “Doesn’t look like much to me.”

Zara choked back a laugh, shaking her head. “He took a bullet for me, Izzy. Give him a little credit.”

“Eh, anybody can take a bullet,” Izzy replied with a dismissive shrug, though her eyes twinkled with humor. “You really care about him, huh?”

Zara hesitated before nodding. “More than I should.” She sighed softly. “But he’ll leave as soon as he’s cleared. It’s what he does.”

Izzy crossed her arms, her expression serious. “So tell him you want him to stay.”

The blunt statement caught Zara by surprise. Her eyes widened slightly. “Izzy, after everything—how could I? He made a fool of me in Paris?—”

“Look, Z,” Izzy cut her off firmly but gently, “I’m no expert on men. But it seems to me the guy we got here isn’t the same guy who threw you under the bus seven years ago. Agreed?”

She nodded slowly. “Agreed.”

“So if this guy means something to you, you have to tell him. Otherwise, he’s gonna disappear, and you’ll always wonder.”

Zara sighed deeply, voicing the fear that had haunted her thoughts. “What if he disappears anyway?”

Izzy placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Then you have a good cry and I set you up with that stud at Hope Landing Crossfit. I see that as a win-win.”

She wanted to laugh, but the thought of Finn walking out of her life again hurt too much.

Izzy stared down at Finn’s sleeping face. “One thing I know about life—people surprise you, especially the ones who care. But you’ve got to give him the chance to surprise you, entiendes ?”

The words settled into Zara’s heart with unexpected weight. She looked again at Finn, his features softened by sleep but still strong and resolute, even in repose. For the first time, she allowed herself to imagine what it might be like if he stayed—not just temporarily, but permanently.