Page 34 of Rebel

He nodded.“Just sleep.I want to wake up with you.”

The simplicity of it, the honesty, made my chest ache.This man, who could have anyone, wanted just to wake up beside me.The thought of sharing a bed with him both excited and terrified me.Was I really ready for that step?I liked to think I wasn’t a coward.

“Yes,” I said.“I’ll stay.”

His smile was slow and genuine, lacking the cockiness he showed the world.This smile was just for me.

Later, lying in his bed with his arm around me, I felt something I hadn’t expected: resolution.Not an ending, but a beginning.The future stretched before us, uncertain but full of possibility.

Rebel’s breathing had evened out, his body relaxed in sleep.I studied his face in the moonlight filtering through the blinds.Peaceful.Human.

Mine, if I wanted him to be.

And I was starting to think I did.

Chapter Eight

Rebel

I leaned against the wall of the Church, which we’d turned into more of a war room, watching Charming pace the length of the space.The air hung heavy with cigarette smoke and tension, the kind you could cut with a knife.Maps spread out across the table showed our territory -- the roads we claimed, the places we protected.

“She’s safe for now,” Ashes said, his voice cutting through my thoughts.He stood at the head of the table, fingers splayed across the map like he was reading Braille.“We’ve got her covered here at the compound.”

I nodded, but something in my gut twisted.Safety was always temporary in our world.How many times had this place been hit?We’d lost people from behind gates that should have been impenetrable.No matter how much we increased our security, it never seemed to be enough.At the same time, I couldn’t lock her down in the house or the clubhouse.She needed the freedom to at least walk through the compound or go on a ride.

The door burst open, slamming against the wall hard enough to rattle the framed patches hanging there.Shade rushed in, his laptop balanced on one arm, his eyes wild behind his glasses.

“We’re in deep shit,” he announced, not bothering with greetings.His fingers flew across the keyboard the second he set it down, turning the screen to show us digital maps and security camera feeds.“Rio’s attackers are pooling with the Moretti family for reinforcements.They’ve got at least fifteen men joining them from the east side of town.”

“Fuck,” I muttered, pushing off the wall.The room went silent.

I exchanged a look with Charming, his eyes narrowed, jaw set in that way that meant blood would spill before the night was over.He didn’t need to speak.He’d always known when to listen first.

Ashes stepped forward, his weathered face grave.“Let’s reach out to our Bratva contacts now.I don’t think we need to sit and wait this time.Charming, your connection through your father might --”

“Waste of time,” Rio interrupted, her voice cutting through the room.It was highly unusual for one of our women to be allowed in here, but with her background, Charming had made an exception.

She’d been in the corner, half-hidden by Renegade’s broad frame.She stood with her arms crossed, her eyes hard as ice, but I caught the way her fingers dug into her own skin.She was scared, but damned if she’d let anyone see it.

“Those fuckers have a way to track me,” she continued.“While I have no idea how they’re pulling that off, what I do know is how they work.At least the military men.We can outmaneuver them.”

“They drugged and raped you,” I said bluntly.No point sugarcoating it.“And now they want to silence you.”

Rio’s chin lifted.“All the more reason to deal with this ourselves.The Bratva will want something in return, right?”

“They always do,” Charming agreed, running a hand through his gray-streaked hair.

I began to pace, my boots heavy on the floor.Everyone watched me -- they knew my history before the club, the skills I’d brought with me.Despite the easygoing guy I appeared to be, I could handle myself.

“They’ll expect us to fortify here,” I said.“But that gives them time to surround us, cut off escape routes.”

Renegade folded his arms, nodding slowly.“So we don’t sit and wait.”

“Exactly.”I tapped the map sharply.“We split into three teams.First team creates a diversion at the north entrance.Second team circles around and cuts off their route back to the highway.Third team --” I looked directly at Rio, “-- extracts you to a secure location they don’t know about.”

“I’m not running,” Rio said, stepping forward.The overhead light caught the strawberry tones in her hair, making it look like fire.“Those bastards already took enough from me.And if they’re tracking me, won’t they just find me anyway?”

Shade cleared his throat.“Not if I make sure you don’t have bugs hidden in any of your shit.Clothes, shoes, vehicle.They could hide a transmitter anywhere really.”

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