Page 36 of Forgiveness River

“Who says I’m calm?” Sophie replied with a rueful smile. “My hands haven’t stopped shaking since Hank told me what happened at your boutique. But falling apart won’t help anyone, especially not you and Wyatt.”

Across the room, Wyatt was deep in conversation with Blaze and Tommy, their heads bent over a tablet displaying what looked like blueprints of the hunting lodge. His expression was focused, his posture tense but controlled—the trained agent rather than the husband she’d been estranged from.

“He’s good at this,” Sophie noted, following Raven’s gaze. “You can see it in the way the others defer to him, even Blaze with all his sheriff authority.”

“He always has been,” Raven said softly. “Even when we were kids, he was the one with the plans, the strategies. It’s what made him excel in the military and later with the DEA.” She paused, a realization dawning. “I just never thought those skills would be needed here. In our home. For our safety.”

“No one ever does,” Simone said, appearing beside them with fresh coffee. Her expression softened as she looked at Raven. “When Tommy was deployed, I’d lie awake imagining every possible danger, planning how I’d protect the family if those dangers ever followed him home.” She glanced toward her husband, love evident in her eyes. “Not once did it occur to me to regret loving a man with a dangerous job.”

“I don’t regret loving Wyatt,” Raven said firmly. “I never could. I just?—”

“Regret the secrets,” Simone finished for her. “The distance they created. The trust they damaged.”

Raven nodded, her throat tight with emotion.

“That’s what you rebuild first,” Simone advised, her voice gentle but firm. “When this is over. When you’re both safe. The rest will follow.”

“I need to borrow my wife for a minute,” Wyatt said, approaching them. “Tactical planning.”

Simone nodded, her hand briefly squeezing Raven’s shoulder before she moved away. Sophie followed after giving Raven an encouraging smile.

Wyatt led her to a quieter corner of the room, his voice low as he outlined his concerns. “I don’t want you at the command center here at the ranch.”

Raven stiffened. “We agreed?—”

“I know what we agreed,” he cut in, his voice low and urgent. “But that was before I saw the satellite images Blaze just received. Moss has more men than we anticipated. The risk level has increased significantly.”

“All the more reason for me to be involved,” she countered. “You need every person you can get.”

“What I need,” Wyatt said, taking her hands in his, “is to know you’re safe. Truly safe. Not just relatively safe behind ranch security.”

She studied his face, reading the fear beneath his professional composure. “And where would that be, if not here with your family?”

“The safe house on Forgiveness River. The one the DEA established for witness protection. Kwan has a team ready to transport you there now.”

Raven pulled her hands from his. “No. Absolutely not.”

“Raven—”

“Don’t ‘Raven’ me,” she said, keeping her voice low despite her rising anger. “We’re past that, Wyatt. Way past it. We agreed to face this together. As partners. As equals.”

“This isn’t about equality or partnership,” he insisted, frustration evident in the set of his jaw. “It’s about keeping you alive. If anything happened to you?—”

“If anything happened to me, it would be my choice,” she finished for him. “My informed choice. After months of being kept in the dark, I finally understand what we’re facing. And I choose to face it by your side, not hidden away while you risk your life.”

His expression softened, the professional mask slipping to reveal the man beneath—her husband, the boy who’d shared his blue crayon in kindergarten, the teenager who’d climbed a radio tower to ask her to prom, the man who’d vowed to love her through all of life’s storms.

“I just got you back,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “The thought of losing you again?—”

“You won’t,” she promised, reaching up to touch his face. “But Wyatt, separating now, after everything we’ve been through to find our way back to each other—that would be its own kind of loss. Don’t ask me to accept that. Not when we’ve come this far.”

He covered her hand with his own, turning to press a kiss to her palm. The gesture was achingly tender, a contrast to the danger surrounding them. “You’re the strongest person I know,” he said finally. “Always have been.”

“Not stronger than us together,” she replied. “That’s what I’m counting on.”

A throat cleared behind them. They turned to find Blaze waiting, his expression apologetic but determined. “We need to finalize the approach strategy,” he said to Wyatt. “Kwan’s teamis in position at the Murphy cabin, awaiting your arrival to coordinate the synchronized breach.”

Wyatt nodded, his hand finding Raven’s again. “Show me.”

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