Page 164 of Rescuing Ally: Part 1

A thrill arcs through me, sharp and exquisite. Not fear, but anticipation. I feel it coil low in my belly, a spark igniting into something dangerous, something mine.

“I hope so,” I whisper, breath unsteady. “I’m not ready yet. But I think…” I draw in a breath, letting it fill me with courage. “Maybe soon.”

His hand tightens around mine, a subtle shift—possessive. Promising.The air between us hums, thick with tension, but beneath it lies something else: unspoken questions.

I wet my lips, heart thudding. “What about Hank?” I ask, searching his face. “Where does he fit into what you want from me?”

Something flickers in Gabe’s eyes—respect,acknowledgment, and something heavier. “Hank’s the leader of this,” he says. “Ofus. He commands the pace, the balance. He keeps us grounded. Keepsmegrounded.”

His thumb drags over my knuckles, slow and contemplative. “He hasn’t shown you his love of rope yet,” Gabe murmurs,voice lower now, “because he’s afraid of triggering your trauma. He won’t move until he knows you’re ready to be bound and trust him fully.”

The thought stirs something in me—curiositybut also respect. Hank is always watching, always measuring—not because he doubts me, but because he refuses tofailme.

Gabe’s gaze sharpens, pulling me back to him. “But whereIwant to take you… that’s just us.” His voice is raw now, stripped bare. “What I’ll demand of you—it won’t be easy. It’s not soft. It’sdark. It’ll test everything you think you know about submission. Aboutcontrol. About me.”

My pulse flutters, but I don’t look away.

“He knows that,” Gabe continues. “That’s why when the time comes … he’ll be there. Watching. Making sure I don’t take too much. Don’t move too fast. Until he trusts thatyoutrustmeenough never to go too far.”

I swallow, the weight of his words sinking in—not fear, but thegravityof it. What he wants. What he’ll need. What I’ll give… when I’m ready.

“And when that happens,” Gabe murmurs, his voice a low growl, “you won’t have to wonder where you stand. You’ll feel it. In every breath, every bruise, every time I take you past the edge and hold you there.”

His fingers tighten, gaze locked on mine. “When you’re ready, I’ll take you into my world.” His voice is laced with dark promise, “Until then … Hank leads, and we go at your pace.” He leans in, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. “And I’ll wait.”

The air between us hums, electric with what’s coming—not now, not yet…but soon.

The conversation flows to safer topics—the weather, the local wildlife, an upcoming storm front—but beneath runs a current of anticipation and promises yet to be fulfilled.

Their easy banter washes over me, but my mind drifts. I watch the way Hank scans the horizon out of habit, the way Gabe walks with casual alertness, every step purposeful.

They’re always alert.

Always ready.

And suddenly, I don’t want the space between us to be filled with small talk. I want to know them—not just the men who touch and command me, but the warriors beneath the surface.

I slow my pace slightly, a question slipping out before I can second-guess it.

“Tell me about your hardest missions,” I say, the words quieter than I intend, vulnerable, betraying my need to pierce the armor they wear so effortlessly.

“Our hardest missions?” Hank’s eyes narrow, assessing me with that tactician’s gaze that misses nothing. “What do you want to know?”

“I don’t know, but I want to know you better—the men behind the phenomenal sex.” I lift my chin, refusing to be intimidated despite the sudden acceleration of my pulse. My throat tightens around the admission. “What was your worst? What’s stuck with you?”

The air between us changes. Gabe’s usual easy demeanor slips, revealing something more complex beneath the charmer’s mask.

He exhales slowly, stretching his arms behind his head—a casual gesture at odds with the shadow crossing his features.

“You sure you want to know that?”

“I do, but only if you’re okay sharing that with me.”

“I intend to share everything with you, sweetheart, but that’s a rough question.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Gabe takes in a breath as if bracing himself. “My first mission was a drug interdiction op in the Caribbean. Cartel was using small fishing vessels to smuggle product onto the Florida coast. It should’ve been simple—take the crew, seize the shipment, get out clean.”

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