FAZER LOGIN“Hey,” Callen says, moving in fast, one hand wrapping around her arm. “Easy.”“I’m fine,” Paige brushes it off quickly, but her voice isn’t as steady as it was a second ago.Ryder’s already there on her other side, his hand settling at her back without hesitation.“You’re not fine,” he says, calm bu
** Leo’s POV **Something else is off. I feel it the second Paige touches her. It’s not obvious. Probably not even something anyone else would notice. To anyone watching, it looks normal. Two sisters hugging. But through the bond, there’s a jolt. Like two currents brushing the wrong way.My shoulder
We 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
** Paige’s POV **We go through the details for another half hour. Mr Keating talks about documents, deadlines, and witness lists. I take notes as if I’m back in college. Ryder asks questions I’d never have thought of, and the others keep quiet, although Callen can’t resist the occasional smirk when
The words hit me like a punch, knocking the breath from my lungs. In an instant, I’m back to being that 18-year-old girl again, helplessly whispering prayers into the dark and begging my parents to survive, to come back to me, even when some part of me already knew they wouldn’t. Grief had been tear
I can feel him now. Not just the heat of his body against mine, but his emotions spilling through. They’re warm, fierce devotion, and something so deep it makes more tears escape my eyes.“Don’t cry,” he whispers, brushing his thumb across my cheek. His voice is rough, but laced with tenderness. “Yo
** Paige’s POV **When I turn, Ryder is already crouched naked on the floor. He reaches for the pair of shorts draped over a chair and pulls them on, then pushes to his feet, rolling his shoulders as if they ache.His eyes meet mine, still alert even through the exhaustion I can feel coming from him







