Page 23 of Raven

Then darkness surged in from the beach—River, Cyclone, Gage—sweeping the field, securing the scene, cuffing the unconscious.

It was over.

Not the war. Not the scars.

But this battle?

We won.

Raven stood beside me, breathing hard, face cut at the temple.

“You okay?” he asked.

“No,” I admitted. “But I will be.”

He took my hand.

Held it tight.

And for the first time since I burned that compound to the ground, I believed it.

13

Beatrice

The house was quiet.

Too quiet.

No boots stomping across the deck, no radio chatter, no warning clicks of weapons being checked. Just the sound of waves brushing the shore, and the soft rhythm of Mike snoring beside the couch.

The team went to their homes, leaving Raven and me behind.

But Raven never left.

He didn’t ask for permission.

He just… stayed.

* * *

I foundhim out on the deck, barefoot, coffee in hand, watching the sunrise like it might give him answers.

He didn’t turn when I stepped out. Just said, “You sleep?”

“For a few hours.”

He nodded slowly. “You cried in your sleep.”

I tensed.

“I didn’t wake you,” he added gently. “I just… held you.”

The ache behind my eyes throbbed. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He looked over at me, eyes dark and quiet. “You’ve earned every tear.”

I sat beside him, the wood still warm beneath my legs. “It’s not over. Those kinds of men are everywhere. I learned that when I was undercover, our government hired them more than anyone else.”

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