Page 25 of Raven

“Why good?”

“Because fear means something’s worth losing. And you’re not losing me, Beatrice.”

Not this time.

Not ever.

14

Raven

The call cameat two-forty-two a.m.

I was up before the second ring.

River’s voice was tight. “We’ve got a situation.”

I was already throwing on clothes. “Where?”

“Iran. Border region. A forward recon team of Marines disappeared seventy-two hours ago—two confirmed captives. One presumed dead. The Pentagon wants it buried. Quiet retrieval, no press, no diplomatic footprints.”

“And they wantus?”

“They trust us to make the impossible look clean.”

I looked over at the bed.

Beatrice was curled under the blankets, her hair spilled across my pillow like gold thread, her breathing soft and steady.

I’d just won her over.

Now I had to walk away.

* * *

An hour later,I stood in the hallway, packing gear while she leaned against the doorframe.

“You don’t have to say it,” she said softly. “I knew what this was when I fell for you.”

I looked up. “It’s not a one-way street, Bea. This is the job. Butyou—you’re the reason I come back.”

She didn’t cry.

Of course, she didn’t.

She just crossed the room, wrapped her arms around my waist, and held on like she was anchoring me to earth.

“Promise me one thing,” she whispered.

“Anything.”

“Don’t do anything heroic.”

I smirked. “No guarantees.”

She kissed me—deep, fierce, full of everything we didn’t have time to say.

* * *

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