Page 11 of Ranger's Oath
Cassidy cuts in, voice rough. “Sadie’s not ready to be dragged across the city. She needs time, not another upheaval.”
Rush doesn’t flinch. “We don’t have time. If this place is burned, staying here puts you in the crosshairs right beside her.”
I stand at the edge of the room, arms crossed, watching the two of them lock horns. My wolf wants to push forward, to take Sadie away right now, but discipline keeps me rooted. I’ll move when ordered, not before. Still, when Sadie’s eyes flash, when she bites out that she isn’t some package to be delivered, it takes everything in me not to step in and muzzle her fire before it gets her hurt.
“You think I’m just going to hide out at your ranch?” Sadie snaps. "This penthouse is bad enough..."
"Thanks Sadie," drolls Cassidy.
"You know what I mean. I'm used to living in Houston. Galveston is way too small for me. I've never understood the allure."
"Ocean. Clean Air. Slower pace of life."
"Exactly," she says. "I'm an event planner, Cass. A major event planner. You know Cattlemen's Association, oil barons, the symphony? There's nothing for me to do here."
"Stay alive," I offer from my point of view at the back.
She whirls around. "This is a family discussion and you are not part of my family." She turns back to Rush. "The idea of being surrounded by the team is enough to make me puke."
"Cassidy is coming out to the ranch with me. You will remain here at the penthouse with Gage."
I recognize Rush's tone. He's made his decision, and that's the way it's going to be.
"What? How long am I going to be stuck here?"
“Until I know you’re safe,” Rush says evenly, “and in case you missed it, you don’t get a vote.”
Her lips part, ready to argue again, but Cassidy puts a hand on her arm. "Take it easy, Sadie. It's going to be okay."
Sadie yanks away, furious. “This is insane. I’m not built for this.”
She’s wrong. I can see it in the line of her shoulders, in the way her chin tips stubbornly higher every time someone tells her no. She’s built for fire, for surviving storms she doesn’t even believe she’s in. And my wolf is already pacing inside me, straining to prove it to her.
Moving Cassidy out and keeping Sadie penned in isn’t quick or clean. We strip the penthouse piece by piece, comb through every room, sweep the cars twice, and map out fresh escaperoutes. Dalton and Deacon have joined us and flank me through the work, adding extra eyes and muscle to the exit strategy.
Rush pulls me aside. “You’re glued to her until I say otherwise. She’s a target, and after the attempted breach at the balcony door, I’m not taking chances. Deacon and Dalton will stay on site to back you up, and Dalton will be upgrading the security systems while you keep her close.”
“I’ve got this,” I say.
His gaze hardens. “That’s not the problem. The problem is that you want her, and we both know it. I’ve seen that look before, Gage. Don’t let it screw with your head.”
I grind my jaw, keeping my voice level. “I know the line. I won’t cross it.” The words come out clipped, too sharp. My hand flexes against my thigh, fist curling once before I force it open. Rush’s eyes narrow, but he lets it pass.
Rush studies me another beat, then nods. But my wolf doesn’t nod. He growls.
I take point, barking orders and checking angles while Rush coordinates with Gideon and keeps Cassidy and Sadie safe and out of the way. His presence is steady as he keeps the larger plan moving. Sadie lounges on the sofa shooting me looks like I personally designed this operation just to ruin her night.
“You really enjoy this boss act, don’t you?” she mutters when I check the sight lines from the balcony.
“I enjoy keeping you breathing,” I say without looking at her. “The rest is just window dressing.”
She snorts. “You’re insufferable.”
“Better than dead,” I remind her.
The silence from her lasts only a heartbeat before the next spark of temper lights in her eyes. By the time Rush ushers Cassidy into the secured SUV bound for the ranch, Sadie is bristling, arms locked tight across her chest and her mouth pressed in a stubborn line as she watches from the penthouse.I stay behind with her, not giving an inch, because if anyone makes a move on her they’ll have to go through me first.
Inside the penthouse the tension doesn’t let up. Sadie paces the room and fires off barbed little remarks, testing boundaries, testing me, maybe testing herself. I let most of it slide, but when she asks if I was born this uptight or if the stick got shoved up my ass later, I finally turn my head and give her a look that makes men twice her size back down.
