Page 18 of Rogue Hope
The audacity was staggering.
“Skip the redemption speech. Why are you here?” She needed facts, not emotions. Evidence, not the confusing cocktail of rage and relief fighting for dominance inside her.
“Cipher’s back. And you’re in his crosshairs.”
The statement connected too neatly with the threats, sending ice down her spine. Her pulse quickened, though her aim remained perfectly steady—a physical contradiction that mirrored her internal conflict. The possibility that he was telling the truth whispered through her defenses, undermining her certainty.
“Nice try. Cipher’s been inactive for years.” Her words sounded hollow even to her own ears.
“Not inactive. I’ve been disrupting his operations.” Finn’s posture remained deliberately non-threatening. “He’s deploying resources I haven’t seen before—Vanguard. Elite mercenaries with cutting-edge tech.”
The calm, factual delivery triggered her analytical mind, even as another part of her cataloged how different this Finn was from the charming, seductive man who’d breached her defenses in Paris. This version was harder, more focused—the playfulness gone from his eyes. It was easier to hate the version she remembered than this stranger wearing his face.
“So he targets me now because ... what? Computer help? Old grudge?”
“He’s planning something big. Something requiring your skillset—breaching supposedly impenetrable systems. A system called Sentinel Network.”
The name registered like a fingerprint on classified glass. “Nice story. Any actual evidence?”
“His team tried to grab me today. Three operatives, coordinated attack during the parade.” Finn reached slowly into his jacket, telegraphing every move before withdrawing a small object. “Vanguard’s identifier. There’s serious black-ops tech inside.”
The stylized compass rose pin was unmistakably a suspected Cipher connection from old intelligence briefings. Her heart contracted painfully. If he was lying, it was the most elaborate, researched lie possible. If he wasn’t ...
“Check your phone,” he continued. “There were three localized electronic disruptions today. Signal jamming technology, classified and advanced.”
The threatening message replayed in her mind.You‘ll receive your assignment in the morning.
Not random. Specific. Her life had started unraveling precisely when Finn Novak returned from the dead—either the most unlikely coincidence or the most dangerous truth. She kept her expression neutral, refusing to let him see how thoroughly he’d shaken her foundations—again.
“You could have approached me directly, you know, like a grown up.”
Now it was his turn to roll his eyes. “Right. Your team would have pounded me before I said ‘Hello.’”
“Exactly.”
He ignored the jibe. “I couldn’t approach you in public, either. Public contact would confirm to Cipher’s surveillance that we’re connected.”
“So you invaded my home instead.”
“Came to leave a warning only you would understand. Never meant to fall asleep.”
Zara calculated escape routes, threat assessment, and optimal firing positions—all while the emotional fortress she’d spent seven years constructing threatened to collapse from within. Each heartbeat seemed to chip away at carefully maintained walls, revealing raw wounds that had never truly healed.
She forced her breathing to remain measured, refusing to let Finn glimpse the hurricane behind her eyes. “Tomorrow morning. My team. Full disclosure, all evidence. If they verify your intel, we discuss options.”
“Zara—”
“Non-negotiable. I don’t trust you. Can’t trust you. But I won’t ignore a credible threat, regardless of the messenger.”
He studied her, then nodded once. “Fair enough.”
“Until then, stay away from me and my home.” She gestured toward the door with a slight head movement, weapon steady.
Finn stood, hands visible. “For what it’s worth, I am sorry. For Paris. For everything.”
“Like that helps.”
As he reached the door, he looked back. “Be vigilant tonight. Keep your weapon close.”
