Chapter 86
Carter
The cabin quieted as the others settled into their rotations.
River caught a couple hours of rest in the back room.
Gideon stayed glued to his laptop, eyes bloodshot, fingers hammering across the keys as he tore through encrypted files.
Cyclone prowled the perimeter outside, his shadow crossing the window every so often.
And me—I stayed planted in a chair across from Sable.
The bastard sat bound, wrists and ankles tied, his injured leg bandaged just enough to keep him conscious. He shifted occasionally, testing the restraints, but his eyes never left me. Like he thought staring me down would change something.
It didn’t.
The rifle rested against my thigh, safety off, my hand steady on the grip. I didn’t need to say a word. He knew if he tried anything, he’d be dead before he hit the floor.
Behind me, the bedroom door creaked open. Bare feet padded softly across the wood, and then Harper’s presence brushed against me like a whisper. She didn’t come closer, but I felt her. Watching. Needing to see with her own eyes that he was contained.
I turned my head just enough to catch her in the corner of my vision. She stood wrapped in one of my shirts, her hair loose, her arms folded across her chest. Her eyes flicked from me to Sable, and for a moment, I thought she might speak.
But she didn’t. She just looked at me—steady, sure—and then she nodded once before slipping back into the room.
That single nod tightened something deep in my chest. Trust. That’s what it was.
Sable chuckled low, breaking the silence. “She’s stronger than you think. You can cage her in all you want, soldier, but strength like that doesn’t stay hidden. Redwood will see it. They’ll use it.”
My jaw locked, fury curling hot through my veins. I leaned forward, my voice a lethal whisper. “Say Redwood one more time, and I’ll make sure you don’t have a tongue left to use.”
His smirk faded, and the silence returned.
I sat back, eyes fixed on him, the storm inside steadying. Because dawn was coming. And when it did, we’d move him, break him, and tear his whole world down.
And through it all, Harper would be safe. Because I wasn’t giving the universe another option.