Chapter Ten
Jack
The words in the briefing blur together, just noise in the background. Numbers. Threat levels. Movement of assets. Doesn’t matter. None of it matters. Not when every cell in my body is screaming at me for what I did twelve hours ago.
Twelve hours. That’s all it’s been since I walked away from Charlie. It feels like a lifetime.
I tell myself I did the right thing. That she’s safer with her father’s team, behind those gates, surrounded by more protection than I alone could ever give her.
But the truth? I feel empty.
I close my eyes for half a second and she’s there. Her laugh. The way she wrinkles her nose when she pretends to be annoyed with me. The heat of her body against mine, her voice whispering Daddy in the dark like it was meant only for me.
Christ. I left her.
And I’ve been trying like hell to convince myself that it was necessary. That it was the smart choice. That it was the only choice. But every time I replay the look in her eyes as I walked away, I lose that argument. Over and over.
I’ve spent my whole damn life building walls. I didn’t think anyone could break through them. But Charlie? She didn’t just break them, she tore them down and set them on fire. And now there’s no going back.
“Steele?”
My boss’s voice snaps me out of it. I blink, realizing everyone at the table is staring at me.
“Status report?” he prompts, his brows knitting.
I look down at the files spread in front of me. Intel. Briefing notes. The job. The life I’ve lived since the day I put on a uniform.
For the first time in years, it all feels meaningless.
I push back my chair, the scrape loud in the tense silence. “Excuse me,” I mutter.
“Steele,” my boss snaps, his voice sharp. “We’re not finished here.”
“Yes, we are.” My tone leaves no room for argument. I stand, already heading for the door, my blood pounding like a war drum in my ears.
He calls after me, but I don’t slow down. I can’t. Because nothing…no job, no code, no rule is worth a life without her.
I’m done fighting myself. I’m done pretending I can live without her.
It’s time to get my princess back.
I drive like a man possessed, my grip tight on the wheel, every thought circling back to the same thing. Charlie.
I’ve never second-guessed myself this much in my life. I’m a man who makes decisions, sticks to them, and never looks back. But her? She makes me reckless. Unpredictable. Hell, if anyone else saw me now, they wouldn’t recognize me.
But I don’t give a damn. Not anymore.
By the time I pull into the Freeman estate, the place looks like a goddamn anthill that’s just been kicked over. Men in black suits swarm the property, barking orders into radios, running in and out of the house. My stomach drops.
I step out of the car, already bracing myself.
One of the men spots me. “Mr. Steele.”
“What’s going on?” I snap, my voice harder than I intend.
He swallows, shifting nervously. “Miss Charlie is missing, sir.”
Ice floods my veins. “Missing?”
“She slipped away about twenty minutes ago. We’ve got men combing the property.”
“Specifics,” I bite out, my patience hanging by a thread.
“She was last seen near the west gardens. Her phone’s still active, but we haven’t been able to—”
That’s all I need. I don’t wait for him to finish. I pull out my phone, link to her tracker—of course I still have it—and pull up the map.
A small blinking dot appears just beyond the perimeter.
Jesus, Charlie…
I take off at a sprint, the men shouting after me, but I ignore them. My boots pound against the stone paths until I see her.
She’s climbing the wrought-iron fence, hair flying, fingers gripping tight as she hauls herself up with a determination that makes my chest ache. She looks like something out of a damn spy movie, straining, slipping, stubbornly trying again.
And I do something I haven’t done in years.
I laugh.
It’s a low, surprised rumble in my chest, growing louder with all the relief and fierce devotion I feel in this moment. Because of course this is her. Reckless, wild, untamable. The very fire that drew me in from the start.
“Going somewhere, princess?”
Her head whips around so fast she nearly loses her balance. “Jack?”
She drops down, cheeks flushed, brushing off her hands like I didn’t just catch her red-handed trying to jump over a sky-high fence. “I was just…getting some fresh air.”
I arch a brow, smirking. “Over a fence?”
She straightens, crossing her arms with forced nonchalance. “Don’t judge me.”
“Not judging,” I say as I step closer, my tone softening. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss this side of you.”
Her eyes flicker, that stubborn mask faltering. “I was going to find you. Try again to convince you that you’re the only bodyguard I need. Why are you here?”
“Because I can’t stay away from you,” I admit, my voice rough, honest. “I tried, Charlie. I really fucking tried. But you’re in my head, in my blood. You’ve ruined me for anything else.”
Her lips part, her brown eyes glassy. “Jack…”
I close the last bit of distance, cupping her face in my hands, forcing her to see me. “I love you. From the second you walked out of your hotel room looking like trouble in heels, I’ve been yours. And I’m done pretending I can live without you.”
Her breath hitches, and then she’s in my arms, her hands gripping the front of my shirt like she’ll never let go. “I love you too. Even when you’re bossy and impossible, God help me…I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
I kiss her then, deep and hard, pouring every ounce of what I feel into it. She melts against me, and once again, everything feels right. The world can go to hell. I’ve got my princess.
But of course, someone clears their throat behind us.
We break apart, and there he is. Senator George Freeman. Arms folded. Watching us.
Charlie flushes crimson, and I straighten, bracing myself for the blow. But instead of fury, the senator sighs. “I had a feeling about you two.”
“Dad—” Charlie starts, but he holds up a hand.
“No need to explain. Charlotte, you’ve always been headstrong.
Reckless…just like your mom. It’s what got her killed, so I tried to cage that fire in you.
I realize now, that would only destroy you.
” His eyes cut to me, sharp, assessing. “And Jack Steele…I know your reputation. I know the kind of man you are. If anyone can keep her safe and grounded…it’s you. ”
He steps closer, his expression hard, but there’s no hiding the desperation in his eyes. “But I need your word. That you’ll protect her. Not just her body, but her spirit. Always.”
I meet his stare, unflinching. “On my life, sir. She’s mine. No one will ever touch her, not as long as I’m breathing.”
The senator studies me for a moment longer, then nods once, satisfied. “Then that’s all I need.” He claps me on the shoulder, then turns back toward the house, leaving us standing there in stunned silence.
Charlie lets out a shaky laugh, leaning into me. “Well…that was unexpected.”
“Your old man’s smarter than I gave him credit for.”
She tilts her head up, eyes sparkling. “So…I guess this means you’re not leaving me?”
I bend, brushing my lips against hers in a softer kiss, one that promises everything. “Not a chance, princess.”
Her face lights up in a smile so bright it rivals the sun, and my chest expands with emotions beyond me. This is it. She’s my fire. My ruin. My salvation.
And I’ll spend the rest of my life keeping her safe.