Page 38 of Rescuing Ally: Part 1

Their eyes find me at the same time.

“You cook?” My voice is softer than I intend, a little shy, as I move toward the barstool.

Hank barely glances up from the stove. “Man’s gotta eat.”

I bite my lip, watching his forearm flex as he flips the eggs, controlled precision in every movement. Gabe,meanwhile, watches me like a hawk. I can feel his attention, a slow drag against my skin, assessing.

I shift on the stool, my mind running through puzzle pieces—through them.

They’re partners. Friends. More than that.

They share.

“So…” I let the question trail off, my heart hammering. “How does this work?” My words come out breathy, but I don’t back down.

Hank’s grip tightens on the spatula. Gabe’s smile turns knowing.

“We take it slow, sweetheart,” Gabe says, his voice smoother now, coaxing. “One step at a time.”

“However you want,” Hank adds, his tone steady but laced with something deeper. “We’ll show you. Guide you. If you want to stop at any point, say the word, and everything ends. No questions asked.”

Something inside me melts and unravels.

I slide off the stool, stepping closer to Hank. He doesn’t move, doesn’t react—just lets me.

I rise onto my toes, brushing my lips against his cheek, my fingers curling around his bicep. Testing.

Gabe’s heated gaze tracks us, the air between us thickening with an energy that isn’t just attraction—it’s understanding.

I bite my lip, my mind working through the next step, the next question, the next unknown variable in this equation of us.

“Show me,” I whisper. “Show me how this works.”

Gabe rises from his chair but keeps his distance. Hank remains still, his breath steady, but his body thrums with barely held restraint.

“You sure about this?” Hank’s voice is rough. “There’s no rush. No expectations.”

“I trust you,” I say softly but with certainty. “Both of you.”

Silence.

Not awkward. Not tense. Just charged.

I take another breath. “I lost a little bit of myself the first time I was taken. Not just safety… but agency. The ability to determine myfate was suddenly and forcibly taken.” My voice doesn’t shake. It’s steady, sure. “But you two… You offer a different kind of surrender. The kind that makes me feel…” I search for the word. “Safe.”

Something shifts.

Something unseen but felt.

Hank’s eyes darken, understanding flashing behind them like a tactical brief locking into place.

Gabe’s lips part slightly, his fingers twitching at his sides.

I step toward him. Slowly. Purposefully. He watches me like a wolf sizing up prey, but I see what’s behind that—restraint.

I reach up, tracing the hard line of his jaw. His breath hitches—a tell I don’t think even he expected.

“You’re both so careful with me,” I murmur. “So restrained. But I’ve seen the darkness you carry. The control you want.”

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