Chapter 57 Ethan
Ethan
Two hours later, we hit the safehouse at a run.
The door swings open before we reach it.
“You good?” Jonah asks.
“No.”
He nods once. “Yeah. Thought so.”
I’m already past him.
Across the room—
And there she is.
At the table.
Head bent over a screen.
Alive.
Something in my chest gives—hard.
I don’t slow.
Don’t think.
I close the distance in seconds and pull her up into me.
Hard.
Not careful.
Not controlled.
She gasps—sharp from the movement—but her arms come around me just as fast.
Just as tight.
“I told you to stay,” I mutter into her hair.
“I did.”
“Barely.”
“You came back.”
“Always.”
The word scrapes out of me.
Real.
She pulls back just enough to look at me.
Eyes scanning my face—checking, counting, making sure I’m still here.
“You okay?” she asks.
A breath leaves me—too rough to be a laugh.
“Not even close.”
A faint smile touches her lips.
My hands come up, framing her face—holding her there.
Grounding.
“You don’t get to leave me again.”
Low.
Fierce.
She swallows.
“I’m not planning on it.”
“Good.”
Because I’m not asking.
I lean in and kiss her.
Not slow.
Not gentle.
This is something else—
urgent—
alive—
real.
She meets me instantly, fingers gripping my shirt, pulling me closer like she needs this just as much.
We break just enough to breathe.
Foreheads pressed together.
Her breath uneven.
Mine worse.
“We’re going to fix this,” I say.
Her eyes stay locked on mine.
This time—
no doubt.
“I know.”