Rush ends it with steel in his tone. “Gage will take her. End of discussion.”
My jaw grinds. “I’ll do it. But only until we find who’s behind this. Then I’m out.”
Cassidy exhales, relief softening her shoulders. “Thank you.”
I ignore the gratitude and force my attention back to the mission. Boundaries. Rules. Professionalism. I stack them like sandbags against a rising flood, convincing myself that if I keep the lines rigid, I can control my wolf. The truth? It’s already pressing against the bars, and every time Sadie’s name is spoken, the lock feels weaker. I cling to the illusion of control because admitting otherwise would mean acknowledging the bond clawing at me.
The briefing doesn’t end cleanly. Dalton tosses me a look. “Good luck, Remington. She’s fire, that one.”
Gideon adds with a crooked smile, “Better you than me.” Gideon’s smile fades as his gaze lingers on me, sharper than the joke. He doesn’t say it, but I can read it in his eyes—he’swondering how long I can keep my distance. Maybe he’s already decided I can’t.
“Knock it off,” Rush growls, but his eyes hold the faintest glint of amusement.
Even under fire, the team leans on banter. It’s how we bleed pressure without breaking. Cassidy and I leave them to it.
I lay my hand on Cassidy's arm. I like Rush's mate. Always have. “I think it's understandable, and she will come around. Difficult I can handle,” I answer. My voice is steady, but inside, my chest is a war zone. "She's just going to need time and structure. With the guilt you seem to be carrying, I'm not sure you or Rush is the best one to give either of those to her."
We walk through the penthouse, past the gleaming kitchen and the wide sweep of windows. Cassidy briefs me in a low murmur. “I don't know if you read the file, but right after we got home, someone tried to breach the building. Security caught them on camera, but they got away before the police arrived. The cops think it was a run-of-the-mill break-in, but I'm not buying it. I don't like coincidence. We don’t know if it was professionals or just a desperate opportunist, but a team for a random break-in makes me think professional.”
“Me too. Security footage?” I ask.
“Inconclusive,” she admits. “They were masked. But the way they moved—disciplined. Military, maybe.”
A low curse escapes before I can choke it back. This isn’t random. It’s coordinated, practiced. My instincts flare hot, my wolf pressing at the edges of control, certain that whoever is after Sadie isn’t finished; they’re only getting bolder.
Cassidy studies me. “She's never trusted easily. After what's happened, she's not just upset, she’s angry and hurt. Don’t push her too hard.”
“Rush didn't assign me to coddle her. He assigned me to keep her alive.”
Cassidy nods and says softly. “You’re here because you won’t let anyone harm her. Not even herself.”
Her words hit with the weight of both caution and promise, sinking into me like a line I can’t afford to cross and can’t help but heed.
I spot Sadie the moment Cassidy opens the bedroom door. She’ssitting on the floor with her back to the balcony doors, knees pulled to her chest, hair a tangled halo around her face. She looks fragile and furious all at once. Her scent slams into me—wild, sharp, unbearably tempting. My wolf surges, snarling and claws scraping against bone.
She lifts her head, eyes locking on mine. And the world tilts. The air between us tightens until it’s hard to breathe. I see the defiance in her posture, the brittle humor in the tilt of her mouth, the storm she’s barely keeping contained.
“Sadie,” Cassidy says carefully. “You remember Gage, right? He’ll be staying with us. To keep you safe.”
Sadie’s eyes flick over me, sharp and assessing. “Safe? Or leashed?”
Her tone slices, clever and caustic. I feel heat crawling through my veins. Damn if she isn’t exactly as I remember—sassy, intelligent, and already breaking through my defenses.
“Safe,” I answer, voice low. “Though leash might not be the worst idea.”
Her brows lift, challenge sparking. “Try it, Ranger. See what happens.”
Cassidy sighs, exasperated. “Please don’t antagonize each other.”
It’s too late for that. The spark is there, electric and undeniable.
I step further into the room, unable to stop myself. “Get up.”
Her chin tips higher. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. If someone gets past this security, the last place you want to be is on the floor. On your feet, Marlow.”
She doesn’t move, just narrows her eyes. “I don’t take orders from you, and even if I did, barking those orders at me wouldn’t make me more inclined to follow them. Do you think ordering people around makes you a leader?”
