Page 168 of Rescuing Ally: Part 1

“I couldn’t have made it any easier for my father’s enemy.” I drag in a breath, steadying myself. “A consignment kidnapping. Planned like a goddamn business transaction. The auction was just for show. The real aim was to punish my father. Let him know what happened to his daughter… and that he couldn’t stop it.”

Hank’s jaw clenches, his grip tightening around my hand, anchoring me. Gabe doesn’t speak, but I feel the storm rolling beneath his stillness.

“You rescued me.” I look between them. “Saved me. And I learned a valuable lesson. I had to accept the cage.”

Gabe’s thumb strokes my skin.

My voice wavers, but the weight I’ve carried for years begins to ease. “I’ve never told anyone how that experience changed me. How I stopped running… and started accepting instead. Built walls. Locked everyone out. Until you.”

“Fate’s been hard at work since that day,” Gabe murmurs, his voice laced with something softer now. “Bringing us back together. The first time, you were a mission objective. In and out of our lives.” His eyes meet mine, something fierce behind the smile. “But the second time? That’s when we found you.”

Hank’s hand tightens around mine, grounding me. “Yeah. That’s when we knew we weren’t letting you go again.”

Gabe’s grin returns, slow and wicked. “We were always meant to be.”

Hank’s eyes meet mine, steady and sure. “You’re ours now.”

“Yeah… I am.” I nod, heart thudding.

A silence settles between us—not empty, but full. Of memory. Of emotion. Of something I’m only beginning to understand.

“And no one will ever put their hands on you again.” Gabe’s voice is quiet but absolute.

“Tell me you’re done with that, luv.” Hank’s hand finds mine, but the touch isn’t just reassuring—it’s firm, grounding.

My brow furrows. “With what?”

His grip tightens slightly, and his voice dips into something darker. The command is unmistakable: “Skipping out on your security detail. Sneaking off. Playing games with your safety.”

A flicker of defiance sparks in my chest, reflexive. “I’m not a kid, Hank. I don’t need?—”

“Weneed it.” His fingers press just enough to cut me off—not forceful, but deliberate. His eyes are unyielding, the soldier in him front and center. His expression leaves no room for compromise, just certainty.

“So that’s what this is?” I stiffen. The old walls rise, instinctive and immediate. “Trading my father’s cage for yours?”

Gabe slides between us, his easy smile nowhere to be found. “What Hank is trying to say, with his usual charm—” a quick, pointed glance at Hank, “—is that we’ve seen what happens when you’re unprotected. Twice.” His voice lightens, but his eyes don’t. “And sweetheart, my heart can’t take a third time.”

I cross my arms. “So this is what? House arrest with benefits?” My voice rises, years of resentment bubbling up. “Because I’ve spent my entire life with people telling me where I can go, who I can see, what I can do—all in the name of protection.”

“It’s protection, not imprisonment.” Hank exhales sharply. “There’s a difference.”

“Is there?” I challenge. “Because from where I’m standing, they both come with guards and restrictions.”

Gabe throws his head back with a bark of laughter, though there’s an edge to it. “Oh man, she’s got you there.” He turns to me, amusement dancing in his eyes even as something more complicated lurks beneath. “Look, I get it. The caged bird thing sucks.” He steps closer, all traces of humor suddenly gone. “But what doesn’t suck is being alive.”

Hank remains unmoved, his jaw set in a hard line. “Your father’s enemies are still out there. Malfor is still outthere. We care too much to let you walk around with a target on your back.” His smile returns, but it’s sharp at the edges. “And trust me, there’s definitely a target.”

I look between them—Hank’s unflinching resolve and Gabe’s disarming honesty—and feel my resistance wavering.

“I want this to work,” I say finally. “But I can’t live in a box.”

“No boxes,” Gabe agrees quickly, his hand finding mine. “No cages.” He shoots a glance at Hank. “Right?”

Hank’s expression remains grave, his jaw set. “I understand your fear, luv. But you were taken. Twice. The second time, we nearly lost you.”

“You think I don’t know that?” My voice breaks on the words. “I lived it. I still have the nightmares to prove it.”

“Then you know what’s at stake.” Hank’s thumb traces circles on my wrist, gentler now but no less intent. “This isn’t about control. It’s about keeping you alive.”

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