Page 75 of Sanctuary

I nodded my understanding. “How are you feeling about it?”

She was quiet for a moment, her gaze fixed on the moonlit water. “Terrified,” she admitted. “Excited. Grateful.” She turned to me, vulnerability shining in her eyes. “What if she hates me? What if she doesn’t want anything to do with us once she learns the truth?”

“Then we’ll respect her wishes,” I said gently. “But I think you’re underestimating the power of family, Mia. Look at how Wren responded—even after everything, she’s finding her way back to you.”

“That’s different,” Mia argued softly. “Wren and I met under very different circumstances. She thought she killed Cookie, but it was me, remember?”

“Who could forget,” I chuckled. “But give Lily a chance. Give yourself a chance.”

She leaned into me, her head resting against my shoulder. “When did you get so wise?”

“I’ve always been wise,” I replied with mock seriousness. “You were just too busy planning assassinations to notice.”

She laughed—a genuine, unguarded sound that echoed across the water. It struck me then how rare her laughter had been before, how carefully she had controlled every aspect of herself. Here, away from danger and obligation, she was blooming into someone more vibrant, more alive.

“I love you,” I said, the words slipping out naturally.

She stilled against me, then slowly raised her head to meet my gaze.

Mia

His words hung in the air between us, simple yet profound. For a moment, I couldn’t speak, overwhelmed by emotions I’d spent a lifetime being trained to suppress.

“Say that again,” I whispered, needing to hear the words once more.

Connor’s eyes softened, his hand coming up to rest on the side of my neck. “I love you, Mia. Not despite your past but including it. Everything you are, everything you’ve been through—it’s all part of the woman I love.”

I leaned into his touch, feeling tears gather in my eyes. “I love you too,” I replied, the words unfamiliar yet right on my tongue. “More than I thought was possible.”

He kissed me then, gentle at first, then with growing intensity. I melted against him, savoring the certainty of his embrace, the security I’d never thought I’d find.

The sharp trill of my phone shattered the moment. I pulled back reluctantly, recognizing the ringtone assigned to Agent Winters. “I should get that.”

Connor nodded, though neither of us moved for a beat, reluctant to break the connection.

The phone continued its insistent ringing. With a sigh, I extracted myself from his arms and went inside to answer.

“Winters,” I said by way of greeting. “Is everything alright?”

The agent’s composed voice from twenty minutes ago held an edge of urgency that immediately set me on alert. “We have a situation. Gregory Vance has resurfaced.”

Ice flooded my veins at that name. Vance had been Matheson’s second-in-command, a man whose sadistic tendencies rivaled even Craven’s. Unlike most of Matheson’s operatives, Vance had true loyalty to the director—a devotion that bordered on fanaticism.

“Where?” I demanded, my body automatically shifting into operative mode.

“Vancouver,” Winters replied grimly. “Near your sister’s school.”

Connor appeared in the doorway, alerted by my change in tone. I put the phone on speaker so he could hear.

“We had intel that Vance was eliminated in an operation in Brussels last year,” Winters continued. “Apparently, he faked his death—probably with Matheson’s help. He resurfaced on our radar two hours ago when he used a known agency safe house access code.”

“And you’re certain he’s targeting Lily?” Connor asked, moving to stand beside me.

“We intercepted communications,” Winters confirmed. “He’s executing what appears to be a contingency plan Matheson put in place. If Matheson was killed, key operatives were to eliminate specific targets—including your sister, Mia.”

“Why?” I demanded, though I already knew the answer. “Matheson is dead. What’s the point?”

“Revenge,” Connor said quietly. “A final punishment for your betrayal.”

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