Page 216 of Rescuing Ally: Part 1

“Not a thing.” I feel his heat like a brand pressed against the inside of my thigh. “Not. One. Thing.”

“Good,” he murmurs. “Because that was just a teaser.”

That voice—a velvety purr edged in dark steel—slides over my skin and lands low and hungry. My pulse stutters.

I force myself to meet his eyes.

He’s not watching Jenna. Not the commotion.

Just me.

That smirk. That utter confidence.

He knows exactly what that text did to me.

And I hate how much I love it.

His grin?

Absolutely feral.

Then, his gaze flicks past me—barely a glance—but I know exactly what he’s looking at.

The chalkboard on the wall.

The new column added this morning.

A big, curling O at the top.

Still blank.

No one’s written a single thing under it yet. No one’s had a chance.

Gabe’s breath brushes my ear, velvet over a blade.

“Let’s put the first tally on the board, sweetheart.”

I freeze.

Sure, I joked about it earlier. Teased the girls. Smirked when Carter practically dry-humped Jenna in front of God and caffeine.

But this?

Me?

Now?

I swallow hard, eyes flicking around the café. Everyone’s here. Jenna. Malia. Rebel. Blake, Walt, Ethan. Even Carter, still smug from his kiss-and-conquer maneuver, is perched at the corner bar watching like he’s got money riding on this.

“No way in hell,” I breathe, pulling back just enough to catch Gabe’s eyes. “Not with all of them watching. Knowing.”

Gabe just raises a brow. “Not a request.”

He steps back half a pace, then leans in one last time, low and unyielding.

“Hank gave the order.”

I blink. “What?”

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