Chapter 30: Under Fire

The room was still heavy with the warmth of what had just passed between them, the silence humming like a secret they were both too breathless to disturb. Racheal lay nestled against Austin, her cheek pressed to his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. It grounded her, held her still, made her unwilling to move. His arm, strong and steady, curved protectively around her waist as if letting go would break the spell they had fallen into.

For the first time in so long, she felt safe. Whole. Almost loved.

But the spell was shattered by the sharp, insistent buzz of his phone on the bedside table. The sound cut through the thick silence like a blade, pulling Austin’s gaze away. He frowned, leaned forward, and glanced at the screen. His expression hardened, the softness in his eyes retreating behind the cool, unreadable mask he often wore when business called.

“It’s work,” he muttered, the regret in his tone betraying him even as he tried to appear detached. His thumb h