"Is that why you seek out the little headspace?" he asked perceptively. "To escape those memories?"
She considered his question. "Partly, I think. When I'm little, I don't have to be strong all the time. I don't have to be vigilant. I can just... be."
"And your Daddy keeps the monsters away," he said softly.
Her eyes met his. "That's the idea. But Daddies can leave too."
"Like Greg," he recalled. "The fiancé who couldn't handle that you couldn't have children."
She nodded, the old hurt still stinging. "He said he wanted a Daddy/little dynamic. Said he loved taking care of me. Until he found out I couldn't give him biological children. Then suddenly, the only 'little girl' he wanted was one he could actually father."
"He's an idiot," Blade said flatly. "And he didn't deserve you."
The vehemence in his voice surprised her. "You don't even know me," she pointed out.
"I know enough," he replied. "I know the little you, I learned her when we played together at The Citadel. I truly believe you were being the real you, not an act. Am I right?” He waited for her to nod. “I know you've survived things that would break most people. I know you protected your parents even when it put you in danger. I know you'd rather suffer yourself than see others hurt because of you." His eyes held hers. "I know you're strong and brave and loyal. And any man who couldn't see your worth because of something you can't control is a fool."
Her throat tightened with emotion. No one had ever seen her so clearly or spoken of her with such conviction.
"Thank you," she whispered.
He nodded once, then checked his phone again as it buzzed with an incoming message. "Hammer is on the move again. Heading toward the mountains."
"Toward us?" she asked, alarm spiking.
"No," Blade reassured her. "Different direction. But Savage thinks he might be headed to a secondary Rejects property. A hunting cabin they use."
"To meet with Zeb," she guessed.
"Possibly," Blade agreed. "Savage is staying on him. We'll know more soon."
As if on cue, his phone rang. He answered immediately.
"Go," he said by way of greeting. He listened for a moment, his expression growing more intense. "You're sure? ... How many? ... Any sign of Zeb? ... Alright. Keep your distance. Wait for backup. I'm on my way."
He ended the call, already moving toward his weapons cache.
"What is it?" Lily asked, fear clutching at her heart.
"Hammer just arrived at the hunting cabin," Blade explained, checking a handgun before holstering it. "There are at least five Rejects there, heavily armed. And they've got someone inside. Savage thinks it's Tim."
"He's alive?" she gasped.
"For now," Blade confirmed grimly. "But from what Savage could see through his scope, not in good shape."
"You're going," she realized, watching him gather equipment.
"I have to," he said. "This might be our only chance to get Tim out alive. And to eliminate the immediate threat."
"But you'll be outnumbered," she protested. "At least five of them, maybe more inside that Savage couldn't see."
"Savage and Rampage will be with me," he told her. "And Lucky's sending Irish as backup. We've handled worse odds."
She wanted to argue, to beg him not to go, to remind him that he'd promised to stay with her. But she knew it would be selfish. Tim was suffering because he'd helped her. She couldn't stand in the way of his rescue.
"What about me?" she asked instead. "If you're going, what am I supposed to do?"
Blade approached her, taking her face in his hands. "You're going to stay in the safe room. Lock the door. Don't open it for anyone but me. The security system is active—if anyone approaches within a half-mile radius, you'll get an alert on the tablet inside."
