Page 37 of Fired at the Heart

“Convenient for you to care when it’s one of your own,” Cassian mutters.

Ezra, who’s been silent until now, finally speaks, voice smoother than expected but with a clipped precision that demands attention. “We didn’t wait for Jade to go missing. We have already been investigating for several months. We just brought you in when it became too big for us to keep handling alone.”

“Months?” Jace scoffs with disbelief. “Like you didn’t notice the crates of people coming and going alongside your artwork and cheese at the docks for over a year now?”

Caleb runs a hand through his hair, frustration evident in every line of his body. “Look, hate us if you want. But Jade is missing, and each passing hour puts him in more danger.”

The standoff tears me in half. My team is right to be angry. The Rockfords abandoned us when they decided their reputation was worth more than loyalty. But I also remember Jade, the cocky Omega with a mouth that got him in trouble more often than not. Even if he wasn’t a Rockford, I considered him part of my family at one point.

And despite everything, I’ve experienced the pain of losing someone I cared about.

“We’re wasting time,” I finally say, drawing everyone’s attention to me. “Whatever history we have, Jade doesn’t deserve what’s happening to him. And neither do the other Omegas being taken.”

Rico curses under his breath, and Lena’s expression softens a little. Jace gives a tight nod.

Cassian steps close enough for his breath to fan across my neck. “This doesn’t mean we trust them.”

“No,” I agree, staring at Raphael. “It doesn’t.”

Caleb and Ezra exchange glances, relief evident in the loosening of their shoulders. Raphael’s expression remains impassive, but I catch the brief flash of hurt before he buries it.

“Then let’s get started.” Raphael straightens, the air around him snapping back to business, all traces of our earlier encounter erased. “Sebastian’s sent over the building plans and security details.”

The group moves toward the large tactical van, still divided. Cassian stays close to my side, his hand brushing mine with a reminder of where he thinks I belong. The Rockfords lead the way, presenting a united front despite the hostile reception.

My skin still tingles in all the places that Raphael touched me earlier, and the guilt of that reaction presses down like lead in my stomach as Cassian’s protective presence hovers behind me. I’m all too familiar with how I become after a fight. I should have ridden in a different SUV until I cooled down enough to think clearly instead of letting desire take the reins.

There’s no undoing what happened, though. There’s only moving forward.

The van’s interior glows with the cold, blue light of tablet screens, turning everyone’s faces into ghostly masks as we sit on the built-in benches, huddling around the digital display of the warehouse.

I try to focus on the mission. I need to. But the ghosts in this van aren’t just projections. The convergence of my past and my present is starting to wear after so many hours on the job.

Sebastian’s plans are meticulous. Of course they are, the man leaves nothing to chance, with every security camera, guard post, and potential entry point marked in different colors.

I tap the screen to expand the blueprint, trying to focus on the mission.

But it’s hard to concentrate with Cassian pressing his thigh against mine on the left, and Raphael hovering too close on the right. Their mutual hostility crackles in the confined space, a tangible thing I can’t ignore.

“Sebastian’s intelligence suggests three rotating guard shifts.” Raphael’s finger traces a path along the perimeter of the warehouse. “Heaviest security is at the front entrance and loading bays, lighter coverage on the east side where there are only emergency exits.”

The warehouse appears on our screens like a concrete fortress, a sprawling, two-story building with high windows and multiple access points. The surrounding area is made up of empty lots and chain-link fencing, offering little cover for approach.

“Are those cameras?” Lena points to red dots clustered around the building.

“Motion-activated,” Caleb replies. “And they’ve got heat sensors.”

Rico snorts. “Fancy. Someone’s spending money to protect their investment.”

I zoom in on the interior layout, studying the divided spaces Sebastian marked as potential holding areas. “What’s their security system?”

Ezra taps his tablet, bringing up a new screen. He hasn’t said much during the planning. He lets the others debate while his fingers move swiftly across the screen, cross-referencing schematics like he’s already run six versions of this op in his head.

When he does speak, it’s brief and to the point. “Standard alarm with cellular backup, but they’ve added some custom features. Remote monitoring and silent alerts to their security team. They’re ready for trouble.”

“They should be,” Jace mutters.

Raphael leans forward, his shoulder brushing mine as he expands a section of the blueprint. The brief contact sends an unwelcome jolt through my system, and Cassian shifts closer, his arm a warm reminder that he’s there to protect me from Raphael. As if.

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