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Rylan shot her a flat look. “We do not gaze longingly. And there was no cuddling.”
“If you say so.” She lifted onto her toes to kiss his cheek. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned this week, it’s life’s too short not to take a chance on love. If you like Izzy, take the chance.”
Rhiannon left Rylan on the porch, still flustered and red-faced, and went back inside the house. The living room was empty now; the tactical gear and maps cleared away. Low voices drifted from the kitchen. They must have moved the “war room” in there.
She found Pierce deep in conversation with Ethan, Zak serving as his translator. When he caught sight of her, his expression softened for a brief moment, but then his walls came back up.
Yep, he’d taken Rylan’s advice to heart. He was trying to pull away.
She waited until Ethan nodded and moved away, then approached him.
“Pierce, can we talk?”
He didn’t turn at first, and her stomach sank. She’d finally breached his walls, only to have Rylan come in and give him the mortar to build them up thicker than before.
Zak glanced between them. “I’ll just…” He motioned vaguely over his shoulder. “Be over here somewhere.”
Pierce remained quiet for a beat. His lips pressed into a thin line before he gave a slow nod.“Let’s go outside.”
Together, they slipped through the side door and onto the small porch that overlooked the backyard. The night air was cool, a welcome relief after the heavy tension inside. The quiet stretch of trees beyond the house provided a false sense of security—like they could pretend the world wasn’t falling apart around them for just a moment.
Izzy was out there, pacing the treeline as she spoke to her mom on the phone. She was too far away to hear, so Rhiannon figured their conversation was as private as it was going to get.
She wrapped her arms around herself and faced Pierce, biting her lip as she tried to figure out where to begin.
Right to the point, she decided.
She met his gaze. “I love you.”
His eyes all but bugged out of his head. He stared at her, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief.“You can’t. We can’t. It’s too dangerous, Rhiannon. I won’t let you get hurt because of me.”
The sharp pain of rejection twisted in her gut, but she ignored it and scowled at him. “I see you’ve been listening to my brother.”
“Because Rylan is right. I’m not good for you. I’ve brought nothing but danger into your life, and I can’t—”He stopped, his hands flexing like he was trying to contain his frustration.“I can’t let you get hurt because of me.”
She merely shook her head. “You don’t get to decide what’s good for me, Pierce. Neither does Rylan. I’m the only one who has that privilege.”
“I have to protect you, even if that means?—”
“No,” she cut him off. “No, you don’t get to push me away. Not after everything we’ve been through. I’m not some fragile thing that needs protecting. I’m not running from you. From this.” She wrapped her hands around his and pressed her lips to his bruised knuckles. “From us.”
Pierce’s eyes darkened, and he took a step toward her, pulling his hands free from her grip.“The people after me—they’re never going to stop. I can’t— I won’t lose you.”
“No, you won’t.” Rhiannon’s throat tightened, but she held his gaze, refusing to let him retreat into that dark place.
He raised his hands to argue, but before he could say anything, the sound of a step creaking behind them drew their attention.
Izzy stepped up onto the porch, her face pale and her expression tight with agitation. Her phone was clutched tightly in her hand, the glow from the screen casting eerie shadows across her face.
“Everything okay?” Rhiannon asked.
“Um.” Izzy looked down at her phone as if surprised it was still in her hand. “Yeah. Just… a problem with my mom.”
“Nothing serious, I hope.”
“Uh, maybe. I-I need to go.” She hurried to the door but paused and glanced back before opening it. “I’m sorry.”
Then she was gone.
