Page 53 of Rescuing Ember

She turns and heads toward the waiting SUV, leaving me with a mix of determination and something softer as I look back at Ember. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe, but I also need to earn her trust—not just as a protector, but assomeone she can rely on. Tonight, I’ll make sure she’s okay. And tomorrow, we’ll face whatever comes next.

“Oh, there it is.”

“What?”

“Your Alpha is showing.” Jenny stares at me for a beat, then lets out a short laugh. “A protector at your core. Can’t argue with that, but you screw this up and you’re flying home civilian.”

“Civilian?” I arch a brow, already knowing where this is going.

“Coach.” She delivers it with a smirk, eyes glinting with challenge.

I groan, rolling my eyes. “Bustin’ my balls with coach. That stings.”

“You’ve got options,” she fires back with a grin. “Behave and fly back in comfort with the team, or fold that large body of yours into a middle seat. Your choice.”

I shake my head, a grin tugging at my lips. “I’m not flying coach.”

“Yeah, well,” she says, stepping forward and clapping a hand on my shoulder, her voice dropping just a notch. “Just be smart. Don’t complicate things.”

“Complicate things?” I pause, narrowing my eyes at her. “Me?”

Her smirk widens, a knowing glint in her eyes. “You know exactly what I mean.”

I let out an exasperated sigh, rolling my eyes as she lobs the jab. “Come on. I’m a professional.”

She raises her brows, clearly not convinced.

“I’ll keep it together. Promise.” I shake my head, but the small smile creeping in gives me away.

“Just don’t make me come back here to clean up your mess.”

I chuckle, leaning back slightly. “What could happen in one night?”

Jenny doesn’t miss a beat. She arches a brow, her smirk widening. “With you? Plenty. I’ve seen you lose control in less time than that.”

I scoff, throwing up my hands. “You don’t trust me, do you?”

She snorts. “I trust you to do your job, but I’ve seen how you look at her. Just ensure you’re thinking with the head on your shoulders, not the one in your pants.”

I groan, running a hand through my hair. “Come on. I’m notthatbad.”

Her grin widens, still unconvinced. “I’ve got eyes, and I’ve seen you work your charm. You look at a woman; the next thing you know, her clothes fall off. So yeah, forgive me if I’m skeptical.”

“I can keep my junk in my jeans.” I roll my eyes, shaking my head again with a laugh.

“We’ll see.” She gives me one last amused look before stepping back. “Just don’t make me say ‘I told you so’ when you’re stuck in a situation you didn’t think through.”

With that, she claps my shoulder and leaves. Her warning lingers in the air as her SUV pulls away. I can almost feel her eyes still on me, daring me to prove her wrong.

I turn back to Ember. She hasn’t moved, her arms still wrapped around herself like a shield. She meets my eyes, exhaustion written all over her face. She doesn’t say anything, but her slight nod is enough.

As night falls, the house grows quiet. Ember’s exhausted but too keyed up to sleep. We end up on the sofa, with a respectable distance between us and some mindless action movie on TV.

The silence stretches, the hum of the TV filling the space, but an undercurrent lies between us—something simmering just below the surface.

“You know,” Ember says suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes fixed on the screen. “This… All of this… It’sthe first time I’ve felt safe in a long time.” She glances my way, her gaze flicking over my face, her expression vulnerable.

My throat tightens, and I force myself to look away. She’s too close, and yet not close enough. The tension in the room thickens, pulling tight between us.

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