7. Jace
Jace
The Jeep hums along the quiet coastal road as we head back to the safe house.
The top’s still down, and the night air rushes over us, carrying the heavy scent of salt and distant bonfires from the beach.
Sadie sits beside me with her hands folded in her lap, her sundress fluttering lightly against her legs.
She hasn’t said much since we left the boardwalk.
The lights from the marina fade behind us, replaced by the darker stretch of road lined with sea oats and dunes.
I keep one hand on the wheel and the other resting near the gear shift, close enough that I could reach for her again if I wanted.
However, I don’t. Not yet. The memory of her blush when I told her what I wanted in a woman still burns behind my eyes.
She glances over once, her profile soft in the glow of the dashboard. “Thanks for tonight. The dinner. The walk. It almost felt normal.”
“Almost is good enough for now,” I reply, keeping my voice light even though my chest feels tight. “We sold the story well. You were convincing as the smitten fiancée.”
She gives a small laugh that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “You’re the convincing one. I followed your lead.”
The safe house comes into view, tucked behind dunes with its light blue shutters and wide porch.
I pull under the carport and kill the engine.
The sudden silence feels loud. Crickets chirp from the tall grass, and the constant crash of waves provides a steady rhythm.
I walk around to Sadie’s side and open the door.
She steps out, and for a moment we stand close in the dim light from the porch fixture.
Her hand brushes mine as she moves past me toward the steps.
Inside, the bungalow feels cooler than the night air.
The living room lamp casts a warm pool of light over the couch where I’ve been sleeping.
Sadie pauses in the hallway entrance, one hand on the doorframe.
She looks tired, the kind of tired that comes from holding tension in your shoulders all day.
“I think I’m going to head to bed,” she says. “It’s been a long day.”
“Get some rest,” I tell her. “I’ll do a final check on the perimeter and lock up.”
She nods, offers a small smile that lingers a second too long, then disappears down the hallway.
Her bedroom door closes with a soft click.
The sound echoes in the quiet house. I stand there for a moment, listening to the faint sounds of her moving around, the rustle of fabric, the click of a lamp. Then silence.
Nervous energy floods through me the second she’s out of sight.
I can’t sit still. I pace the length of the living room twice, checking the front door lock even though I know it’s secure.
My boots thud softly on the hardwood. I move to the kitchen and check the back sliding door, sliding it open a few inches to listen to the night.
The ocean breathes in and out. No unusual sounds.
No footsteps in the dunes. Still, my skin prickles with awareness.
I step outside onto the back porch and walk the short perimeter of the bungalow.
The sea oats whisper against my legs. I scan the tree line and the road beyond, my eyes adjusted to the dark.
Nothing moves except the wind. Satisfied for now, I return inside and lock the door.
The house feels too empty without her in the room.
I drop onto the couch and lean forward, elbows on my knees, rubbing my hands over my face.
The conversation on the boardwalk plays on repeat in my head.
The way Sadie looked at me when she asked about my type.
The easy way those words about “the one” came out of my mouth.
I meant every damn word. The realization hits me harder now that I’m alone.
The thought of her getting hurt twists something inside me.
It isn’t about keeping Anniston’s sister safe for the sake of the family mission.
It’s about Sadie herself. The softness that slips through when she talks about her sister.
She’s getting under my skin, and I don’t know how to stop it.
I stand again and walk to the kitchen, and pour myself a glass of water I don’t really want.
The cool liquid does nothing to settle the restless feeling in my chest. I check my phone.
No new messages from the team. The waiting grates on me.
My brothers are out there somewhere. Every day without word feels like another knot tightening.
I need to talk to someone who understands. Mack always has the level head when it comes to this kind of thing. I pull up his number and hit call before I can second-guess it. The phone rings twice before his familiar voice answers.
“Jace. Everything alright out there?” Mack sounds alert even though it’s late. Logistics never really sleep.
“Yeah, we’re secure for now,” I say, pacing back to the couch. “Safe house is locked down. Sadie’s in bed. I needed to check in.”
“Copy that. You sound wired. What’s going on?”
I melt into the cushions and close my eyes for a beat. “I told her some things tonight. About what I want. About the kind of woman I’m looking for. It came out more real than I planned.”
Mack’s quiet for a beat. Then he chuckles. “Let me guess. You’re starting to feel something for the client.”
I rub the back of my neck. “It’s more than that.
Every protective instinct I have surges to the surface.
Not because she’s Anniston’s sister or because it ties into finding Dad.
It’s her. The way she looks at me when she thinks I’m not paying attention.
The way she blushes when I say something honest. I keep telling myself it’s the job, but the job doesn’t make my chest feel like this. ”
“Sounds like you’re in it now,” Mack says. His voice stays steady, no judgment. “How did she take the heart-to-heart on the boardwalk?”
“She blushed. Hard. Then she pulled back into that professional shell. Asked if she could call Anniston tomorrow. She’s always looking out for her little sister. It’s one of the things that gets to me.”
Mack exhales. “Family first. I get it. Listen, you called for advice, so here it is straight. You need to keep your head clear. We still don’t know where Nash and Sin are.
Dad’s trail is cold but getting warmer in places we don’t like.
Victor Liotta’s name keeps coming up in connection with the people who grabbed them. Distraction could get someone hurt.”
I sit up straighter. “Have you heard anything new? Any updates on Nash, Sin, or Dad?”
“Everything’s the same as the last check-in,” Mack replies.
The disappointment in his voice mirrors my own.
“No new sightings. No ransom demands. No chatter on the usual channels. Banks is still digging through digital footprints. Crewe is running recon on a couple of properties. Colt’s training a new batch of guys and waiting for the word to move.
It’s a waiting game right now, and I hate it as much as you do. ”
“Bummer,” I mutter. “I keep thinking if I push harder on Liotta out here I’ll shake something loose. The Lobster Shack visit tonight didn’t give us much, but the guy at the bar looked too interested. I’m going back tomorrow to poke around more carefully.”
“Good. Stay on it. But don’t let whatever’s happening with Sadie cloud your judgment. You asked how to keep personal feelings out of a job. I’ll tell you what worked for me when I was guarding Indigo.”
I lean back, interested. Mack guarded the supermodel Indigo Lyric during that Cupid City operation. He came back different afterward. “Yeah? How did you manage it?”
“I tried my hardest not to let the attraction fog my focus,” Mack says.
His tone turns serious. “Every time I felt myself slipping, I reminded myself why I was there. Her safety came first. Always. I ran scenarios in my head. What if the threat escalated right then? What if I was too busy thinking about how she smelled or how her laugh hit me to react fast enough? It kept me sharp. You need to do the same. Think about Sadie’s safety first and foremost. Not with your dick.
Not with your heart. With your training. With the mission.”
I laugh despite the tension. “Easy for you to say now. You ended up with the girl anyway.”
“Different circumstances,” Mack replies, and I can hear the smile in his voice. “But the principle stands. You’re on protection detail in a town where Liotta has reach. One wrong move and it’s not just your heart on the line. It’s her life. And it’s our brothers’ lives if this ties back to Dad.”
I nod even though he can’t see it. “You’re right. I know you’re right. Maybe I should call Colt instead. He’s the only one who has never fallen for a client. The man’s a machine when it comes to keeping things professional. I don’t think he’ll ever fall in love.”
Mack laughs outright this time. “Colt would tell you to do a hundred push-ups and then run ten miles until the feeling goes away. Or he’d grunt and say ‘focus.’ Not much help on the emotional side.”
“True,” I say. “Thanks for the talk, Mack. I needed it. Keep me in the loop if anything breaks on Nash or Sin.”
“Will do. Stay sharp out there, little brother. And watch your six with the pretty teacher.”
We hang up. The quiet of the house rushes back in.
I set the phone on the coffee table and stand again, the nervous energy still thrumming through my veins.
Mack’s words loop in my head. Safety first. Don’t think with your dick.
I know he’s right. I’ve known it since the moment I picked Sadie up in Halo City.
But knowing it and living it are two different things when she looks at me the way she did tonight on the boardwalk.
I walk to the hallway and pause outside her closed door.
No light shows underneath. She must already be asleep.
I picture her curled on her side in that big bed, hair spread across the pillow, that stubborn expression finally relaxed.
The insane need to protect her flares again, stronger than before.
I’d burn the whole coastline down before I let anyone touch her.
The thought should scare me. Instead it settles something deep in my chest.
I return to the living room and pick up the phone again. This time I dial Sloane Archer. He runs SBS, the firm that keeps most of us employed when we’re not chasing family ghosts. Sloane answers on the third ring, voice crisp even at this hour.
“Jace. I assume this isn’t a social call.”
“Never is with me,” I reply, settling back on the couch.
“I’m out at the Sunbreak Harbor safe house with Sadie Wells.
We made contact at the Lobster Shack tonight.
Blended in as a couple. No direct hits on Liotta yet, but there was a guy at the bar who watched us a little too closely. I’m going back tomorrow to dig.”
Sloane’s quiet for a moment. I hear papers shuffling in the background.
“Liotta’s name’s been circling in connection with some of the same players who took your brothers.
Nothing concrete yet. Banks is running deeper traces on financials tied to the properties we flagged.
Crewe has eyes on a warehouse outside the city that might be one of Liotta’s distribution points.
We’re moving slow and quiet. We don’t want to spook anyone until we’ve got Nash and Sin’s location locked. ”
“Anything I should know on my end?” I ask. “Any new intel on Victor himself? Patterns? Weak spots?”
“He likes to operate through cutouts,” Sloane says.
“Restaurants, marinas, charter companies. The Lobster Shack fits the pattern. He owns it through a shell. The manager is loyal but not high enough to know the full picture. If you can get close to the staff without blowing cover, you might hear something. Maybe check out the country club. He’s a member.
But don’t push too hard. We need you and the girl alive more than we need one lead. ”
“Understood. I’m keeping her close. Public appearances as a couple. Private security tight.”
“Good. How’s she holding up? Anniston was worried about her sister getting dragged into this.”
“She’s tough,” I say, and the words come out softer than I intend. “Stubborn as hell. Smart. She doesn’t like the situation, but she’s playing along. Asked tonight if she could call Anniston tomorrow. I told her yes first thing.”
Sloane makes a thoughtful sound. “Family ties are strong with those two. Keep that in mind. It could be useful if Anniston has any new intel from her side.”
We talk for another twenty minutes about logistics.
Supply runs. Backup protocols if things go sideways.
Possible extraction points along the coast. Sloane gives me the latest sitrep on the rest of the team.
Colt’s still stateside training. Crewe is deep in recon.
Banks is buried in data. No one’s slept much since Nash and Sin vanished.
After we hang up, I sit in the dark living room for a long time.
The only light comes from the moon through the front windows and the faint glow of the porch light outside.
I replay both conversations in my head. Mack’s advice about keeping feelings out of the job.
Sloane’s confirmation that Liotta’s shadow stretches further than we thought.
My own words to Sadie on the boardwalk keep surfacing.
The kind of woman I’d burn down every rule for.
I stand and walk to the window, peering out at the dunes.
The ocean glitters under the stars. Somewhere out there, my brothers are waiting for us to find them.
My father might still be alive, caught in the same web.
And here in this safe house, a woman I barely knew a week ago is sleeping under my protection.
The weight of all of it presses down, but it doesn’t crush me. It sharpens me.
I check the locks one more time. I walk the interior perimeter again, pausing outside Sadie’s door to listen. Steady breathing. Safe.
Back on the couch I stretch out, one arm behind my head, the other resting on my chest where my heart still beats a little too fast. Tomorrow we shop again or hit the marina. We keep selling the story. I keep her close. I stay sharp. Mack’s voice echoes. Safety first. Don’t think with your dick.
I close my eyes, but sleep stays away. Instead I plan. Routes. Contingencies. The next move at the Lobster Shack.
The waves keep rolling outside. The house settles around me. I stay awake a long time, listening to every sound, guarding the woman down the hall, and wondering how much longer I can keep the professional line from blurring completely.