Page 61 of Blake

"Damn," she muttered under her breath, her eyes fixed on the flickering images of the TV screen. Her thoughts raced at the notion of partnership—true partnership—with someone who understood the world she inhabited and the darkness that came with it. It was overwhelming, yet strangely liberating.

Savannah's fingers traced the rim of the sippy cup, a sudden wave of realization washing over her. For so long, she had been fighting her battles alone, carrying the weight of her past and her determination to find justice for those like her best friend, Mia.But as she sat on Blake's couch, surrounded by his comforting presence, even in his absence, it dawned on her that she was allowed moments of happiness, too. She allowed herself a small smile.

"Something on your mind, Savvy?" Jax asked, coming to check on her.

"I... I'm just realizing, I don't have to do this all alone. I've got Blake." Savannah's voice trembled slightly as she spoke, unused to admitting vulnerability.

"Blake's got your back, that's for sure," Jax nodded, offering her a reassuring smile. "And so do the rest of us."

"Thanks, Jax," Savannah managed a small smile before turning her attention back to the cartoon.

Last night, she had wanted nothing more than to dive straight into an article divulging everything she knew about the traffickers. This morning, she felt strongly that she wanted to wait a while. Blake had given her so much support that she wanted him to be involved. The thought of working side by side with him, united in purpose and passion, felt totally perfect.

Her heart pounded in anticipation of Blake's return, eager to share her decision with him and begin their joint mission.

Chapter nineteen

BLAKE

There she was. Sitting on the couch in the snug, engrossed in a cartoon, just as he’d asked. Good girl.

Blake smiled at the sight, feeling a warmth in his chest that was becoming all too familiar.

"Hey, Savvy," he called softly, not wanting to startle her.

She looked up, her green eyes sparkling. “Daddy! You should see this cartoon! There’s this cartoon duck and he’s soooo funny.”

Blake grinned. “If there’s one thing I love, it’s cartoon ducks.”

Her gaze fell upon the flowers he was holding. “Ooh, those are pretty!”

He held out a bouquet of orange roses, the petals mimicking the fiery shade of her curly auburn hair. "These are for you, pumpkin. Thorny because of your fierceness, beautiful because that’s what you are, inside and out."

"Daddy, they're gorgeous! Thank you so much," she beamed, taking the flowers and inhaling their sweet scent.

Blake's heart swelled at the title, still feeling the thrill of being her protector and guide. He watched her delight in the gift,feeling a surge of pride in making her happy. “That’s not all I brought. I’m sorry I had to leave early this morning, but I had a meeting with a real estate vendor.”

She frowned. “Real estate?”

He set down a glossy brochure beside her. Her eyes widened as she picked it up, flipping through the pages of suburban homes.

"Is this . . .?" she started, looking up at him with excitement.

"Yep," he confirmed, his voice low and gruff. "I've arranged for us to view a variety of houses in the suburbs today. Thought it was time we found our own little haven."

Savannah bit her lip, holding back an eager grin. "Really? That sounds amazing, Daddy." She paused. “But . . . we can’t afford it, can we?”

“We can more than afford it,” he told her. “When my parents were shot, we received a large amount of money from a Victim Compensation Program. Plus, I worked in Special Ops after that. Never had anyone special in my life to splash that cash on.” He smiled. “But I do now.”

Savannah smiled too, but her expression soon fell again. “Does that mean we give up on all our work in the city?”

“No,” said Blake firmly. He sat on the couch beside her, pointing to a few of the listings. "I picked out some places I think you'll like. We can make one of the spare rooms into a playroom for you, and another into an office."

“An office?” she asked. “You mean like . . . crimefighting headquarters? The batcave?”

He chuckled. “Something like that. I want us to have it all, Savvy. A cozy home with a white picket fence and a cute yard," he said, a hint of vulnerability coloring his voice. "But I also want us to keep fighting for justice, together."

Savannah's eyes darted between the images in the brochure and Blake's face. "Blake, I . . . I don't know what to say," shewhispered, reaching out to touch his hand. "This means so much to me."

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