Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Gabbi
Gabbi’s hands gripped the steering wheel as she pulled up in front of the firehouse, her pulse hammering in her ears.
The red-brick building stood solid, the garage doors open, revealing the massive fire trucks inside.
The faint scent of smoke and diesel lingered in the air, mixing with the distant sound of chatter and movement inside.
She killed the engine, her fingers trembling slightly as she reached for the door handle.
This was a terrible idea.
She knew Bobby wouldn’t want to see her.
She knew he’d shut down the second she walked through that door.
But this wasn’t about them. This wasn’t about what happened in his truck, or his cold words after, or the years of heartbreak still lodged in her ribs like broken glass.
This was about Liam. And for the first time in six years, she had something real.
She climbed out of the car, slamming the door harder than necessary. Every step toward the firehouse made her chest tighter, her breath shorter. She had no idea how Bobby was going to react, no clue if he would believe her or push her away like he always did. But she couldn’t ignore this.
As she stepped inside, the scent of burnt coffee and old smoke filled her lungs.
The place looked exactly the same—bunk beds lining the back wall, gear neatly stacked in the corner, the long wooden table where the firefighters sat between calls.
A few of them were gathered there now, laughing over something, their voices echoing through the space.
But as soon as they saw her, the conversation stopped.
All eyes turned toward her.
She swallowed hard, her gaze locking onto the man standing at the counter, pouring coffee into a chipped mug. Bobby.
His shoulders stiffened instantly. His back straightened, his grip tightening around the handle of the mug as if he could sense her before even turning around. The laughter from the other firefighters faded into the background, the tension in the air suddenly thick enough to choke on.
Slowly, he turned.
And when his eyes met hers, everything inside her twisted.
He looked like hell. Dark circles beneath his eyes, his jaw locked tight, his expression unreadable. He wasn’t just tired—he was worn down, guarded, already bracing for whatever she was about to say.
"What are you doing here?" His voice was sharp, flat.
Gabbi inhaled, steadying herself. "I need to talk to you."
His green eyes flickered, scanning her face, looking for whatever storm she had brought with her this time. Then he exhaled through his nose, setting the mug down harder than necessary. "I think we said everything that needed to be said."
The words stung, but she ignored them.
"This isn’t about us," she said, stepping closer. "It’s about Liam."
The second his name left her lips, Bobby went completely still.
A muscle ticked in his jaw. His hands curled into fists at his sides, his breathing changing. It was so subtle, so quick, but she caught it—the way his entire body reacted.
"Gabbi—"
"There’s a boy," she interrupted, her voice steadier now. "A fourteen-year-old. He escaped from a human trafficking ring."
Silence.
Bobby didn’t move, didn’t even blink, but she saw the way his throat worked, the way his chest rose and fell just a little too fast.
She forced herself to continue. "He was taken six years ago."
Bobby’s breath hitched, his mask cracking just slightly.
"Six years," she repeated, her voice softer now. "The same year Liam was taken."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them was charged, filled with something raw, something close to hope but too dangerous to name.
Then, just like that, Bobby snapped back.
He let out a rough laugh, shaking his head as he turned away.
"You think I haven’t followed every bullshit lead for the last six years?
" His voice was bitter, edged with something borderline broken.
"You think I haven’t had people telling me they saw something, heard something, only for it to be nothing? "
Gabbi clenched her fists. "This isn’t nothing."
Bobby whipped back around, his anger hitting her full force. "How do you know that?"
"Because he remembers Liam."
The room went silent.
Bobby’s entire body locked up.
His breathing stalled, his eyes flashing with something wild, desperate. "What?"
Gabbi stepped forward, her voice gentler now, careful. "The boy. He remembers Liam. He was there with him."
Bobby’s expression shattered for just a second. A single moment where everything in him broke open, laid bare. Then his hands ran through his hair, his jaw clenched so tight it looked painful. He turned away again, pacing, fighting whatever war was happening inside him.
"You’re sure?" His voice was hoarse, almost a whisper.
Gabbi nodded. "He said they kept them in the mountains. A place hidden, isolated. There were others. Some were taken before him, some after. Some… never came back."
Bobby braced himself against the counter, exhaling sharply. His knuckles were white against the surface, his broad shoulders rising and falling with each heavy breath.
Gabbi swallowed hard, waiting.
Waiting for him to say something. Anything.
Then, finally, he turned back to her. His expression was unreadable, his eyes dark and unreadable. "When do we leave?"
The words hit her like a punch.
She knew Bobby. Knew how deeply he had buried his emotions, how hard he had tried to pretend he was fine. But this? This wasn’t anger anymore. This was something else.
Determination.
Resolve.
Maybe even hope.
Gabbi exhaled, feeling the weight of the past six years shifting between them. "Tomorrow," she said. "We leave tomorrow."
Bobby nodded once, sharp and certain. Then he grabbed his jacket, already moving, already shifting into action. "I’ll get what we need."
Gabbi hesitated, watching him, something catching in her throat. "Bobby."
He paused but didn’t turn around.
She swallowed hard, the words thick on her tongue. This could be it. This could be real.
"Thank you," she whispered.
For believing her.
For not shutting her out this time.
For finally, finally, letting her in.
Bobby didn’t say anything.
But as he walked past her, his fingers brushed against hers—just for a second.