LOGINWe step out into the corridor together, heading towards the room we’d seen him go into. “Hey,” I call as we spot Jake’s assistant leaving the room opposite. “Have you seen Jake?”She looks up, relief flickering across her face as if she’s glad it’s not another emergency.“Yeah,” she says. “He stepp
**Poppy’s POV **After the tree of death tried to kill me, we head back into the clinic for breakfast. Jake leaves to check on his patients, promising to catch up with us soon. I want to tell him no, that I need him with me, but that will only worry him and Leo. I feel fine; the chill I had last ni
His mouth twitches slightly, but he doesn’t quite smile.“Good,” he says.Good? I stare at him.“That’s not an answer.”“No,” he agrees. “It isn’t, but you also didn’t ask a question.”My hands clench at my sides, which is more Leo’s style than mine. I force them to relax.“Ronnie…”“When something
** Jake’s POV **That baby should have died. The thought swirls in my mind, no matter how many times I try to push it aside. I’ve seen enough births to know the difference between a close call and a miracle. That wasn’t a close call; it was impossible.I stand at the end of the bed, watching as the
“Poppy,” Jake’s voice calls, softer than before.I glance over at him. He’s watching me now.A flicker of unease slides through me.“Yeah?” I call back, forcing a small smile.His gaze narrows slightly, as if he’s trying to piece something together that doesn’t quite fit.“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Jake watches me closely.“I’m fine,” I insist, before he can say anything. I know he doesn’t fully believe me, but he doesn’t argue.We step out into the corridor together, and I hear a few voices drift in the distance. “Jake,” Leo says quietly beside me. “What’s going on?”Jake exhales slowly as
** Paige’s POV **For a few minutes, everything feels normal. I rest my hands against the cool stone of the wall. Then Callen lands hard after taking a hit to the ribs. He doesn’t flinch much, but I feel it, sharp and sudden, like the echo of pain pressing against my chest.I blink, clutching the ed
“I get that, but I hope with time you’ll be able to rely on us to take some of the mental load too.”“I’d like that,” I smile.I look out the window, still craving the feeling of the sun on my face.“Do you want a coffee?” Parker asks.I think about it for a moment before shaking my head. “Not yet,
His face softens, and he exhales slowly, the tension draining from his shoulders. “You always make it sound so simple.”“It’s not simple,” I admit, “but it’s true.”He looks away, staring into the water. “You think he knows that? That I still…” His voice falters. “That I still want him?”“Yes,” I sa
**Paige’s POV **When I wake up, the world is quiet.The faint grey light of early morning seeps through the curtains and spills over the bed. For a second, I can’t remember how I got here. Then it comes back in pieces… the vision, the fear, the sound of Ryder’s voice shouting my name. He must have







