64. Blaze
BLAZE
By the time we reached the safehouse, dawn was starting to bleed gray across the mountains.
Nobody relaxed.
Not even close.
Shadow Division vehicles surrounded the property.
Operators moved across rooftops and tree lines with rifles ready.
Motion lights cut through the rain.
Every entrance guarded.
Every window watched.
Because Shepherd had crossed a line tonight.
And everybody knew it.
The second the SUV stopped, Flick reached for the door handle.
I caught her wrist gently.
“Wait.”
She looked over at me immediately.
Concern flashed across her face when I shifted painfully beside her.
“You shouldn’t even be standing.”
“Probably not.”
“Hersh—”
“I need five seconds.”
Her expression softened instantly.
That look was becoming dangerous for me.
I kept hold of her hand while the others cleared the perimeter outside.
Didn’t let go.
Wouldn’t.
Not after tonight.
“You scared me,” she whispered finally.
The honesty in her voice cut deep.
I looked down at our joined hands.
At the mud still streaked across her skin.
The dried blood on her sleeve.
Mine.
“I know.”
“That man…” Her voice shook slightly. “The way he looks at me…”
Rage rolled through me so hard it turned my vision sharp.
I leaned closer carefully despite the pain in my ribs.
“Listen to me.”
Her eyes locked onto mine instantly.
“He does not own your fear.”
Something fragile moved across her expression.
“He followed me for years.”
“He hunted you.”
A pause.
Then quietly?—
“But he never had you.”
Emotion hit her face so fast I saw her trying not to cry again.
Hell.
I brushed rain-damp hair gently behind her ear.
The movement felt too intimate. It felt perfect.
Too natural.
Like my body already thought she belonged there.
“He won’t get close to you again,” I said softly.
“You can’t promise that.”
“Yes,” I said calmly. “I can.”
Because I already knew something she didn’t.
Shepherd made one critical mistake tonight.
He showed himself.
And once men like me locked onto a target?—
we didn’t stop.
Flick stared at me for a long second.
Then her fingers tightened around mine.
“You really would die for me.”
Not a question.
A realization.
I held her gaze.
“Without hesitation.”
Her breath caught visibly.
And before I could stop myself?—
before pain or logic or common sense could interfere?—
my hand slid gently along her jaw.
Her lips parted slightly.
The air between us shifted instantly.
Heavy.
Emotional.
Too close.
Outside the SUV, Wolf suddenly banged on the hood.
“Hey Romeo, if you two are done staring into each other’s souls, Rook wants everybody inside.”
Flick startled softly.
I closed my eyes briefly.
“Wolf’s gonna die someday.”
She laughed.
Actually laughed.
Small.
Breathless.
Beautiful.
And just like that?—
some of the darkness eased from her face for the first time all night.
Worth it.
Absolutely worth it.
I opened the door carefully and stepped out into the cold morning air.
Pain ripped through my side instantly.
I ignored it.
But Flick noticed.
Of course she noticed.
Her hand slid around my waist before I could protest.
Supporting me.
Staying close.
And something about that nearly wrecked me harder than the bullet.
Because nobody had stood beside me like this before.
Not when things got ugly.
Not when blood got involved.
But Flick?
She moved closer.
Like loving broken things came naturally to her.
The safehouse door opened.
Rook stood waiting inside.
Expression grim.
“Conference room,” he said. “Now.”
“Marshal Ava and the child are now in protection. You don’t have to worry about her.”
That got everyone’s attention.
Because from what I knew about Rook, he only used that tone when things were bad.
Very bad.
Trigger shut the door behind us as Wolf muttered, “Please tell me Mercer’s dead.”
Rook tossed a file onto the table.
“No.”
The room went still.
Then he looked directly at Flick.
“We finally identified what your father stole.”
A cold knot formed in my stomach instantly.
Flick slowly sat down beside me.
“What was it?”
Rook opened the file.
Photographs.
Politicians.
Military officers.
Bank records.
Crime scene images.
Children.
Jesus Christ.
Flick covered her mouth shakily.
“What is this?”
Rook’s jaw tightened.
“This… is a list of every powerful person connected to the Hollow Men.”