Page 81 of Rescuing Ally: Part 1

The SUV idles. Hank waits in the driver’s seat, his gaze straight ahead, giving nothing away.

Gabe moves ahead of me, strides purposeful, controlled—but there’s tension in his shoulders like the storm inside him hasn’t fully passed. He reaches the car first, pulls open the door, and then turns to me.

Our eyes meet, and for a moment, the world stills.

No words. Just the heat of his gaze, the way his hand reaches for mine—steady, warm, real. Fingers brushing mine, a soft touch in stark contrast to everything before. A spark arcs between us, sharp and sudden, igniting something I can’t name but feel in every inch of me.

A silent acknowledgment of what just happened.

What we shared.

I slip into the seat, heart thudding as he closes the door with a solid thunk. Then he climbs into the passenger seat.

Chapter 24

The rideto Guardian headquarters is silent.

The scenery blurs past. I still feel the ghost of Gabe’s hunger. My body aches pleasantly, but my mind is still reeling. That glimpse of what lurks beneath his careful control has left me shaken and intrigued—maybe afraid—not of him but of how desperately I wanted him to lose control.

He’s right.

I pushed.

I chose my words carefully, looking for a reaction.

Gabe did not disappoint.

He sits in the passenger seat, seemingly relaxed, but tension bunches in his shoulders. He grips his phone, scrolling through messages without really seeing them. The feral energy hasn’t completely dissipated; it simmers below the surface, a low-burning flame that could ignite again with the right spark.

Occasionally, his eyes meet mine in the side mirror. When they do, that same electricity from the bedroom sparks between us.

Unspoken. Powerful.

The silence isn’t uncomfortable, just heavy with unprocessed feelings.

Hank drives, occasionally glancing at Gabe, then catching my eye in the rearview mirror. After a few minutes of this, he finally breaks the silence.

“Do I want to know?” he asks, his tone light but his eyes serious as they flick between us.

Gabe’s mouth curves into something between a smile and a smirk. “She pushed. I caved.” His voice is still rough around the edges. “She handled it well.”

Hank’s eyebrow rises as he looks at Gabe. “Did she?”

“Yes,” Gabe answers without hesitation, a note of pride in his voice. “She did.”

“Did you, luv? Are you okay? He can be… intense when he lets go.” Hank’s eyes find mine in the rearview mirror.

Heat rises to my cheeks, but I meet his gaze steadily. For a moment, I consider deflection, but something in Hank’s expression demands honesty.

“Yes,” I say quietly.

“That’s fair,” Hank says with a soft laugh.

“You could have warned me,” I say, but there’s no accusation in my voice.

“I did,” Hank says. “Repeatedly.”

Gabe’s gaze flicks to mine, searching, assessing. “You were warned multiple times,” he says, his voice lower now, steady. But then, softer, more intent—“But seriously, how are you?”

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