Page 14 of Oliver

“Yeah. Being needed by the world but forgotten by the people you love… It messes with you.”

That struck deeper than I expected.

We sat there for a long time, the silence less awkward now. He didn’t push. Didn’t pry.

Just stayed.

Eventually, I leaned my head against his shoulder.

And for the first time in days, my heartbeat slowed.

Oliver didn’t move when I leaned on him. He just let me rest there, warm and steady, like a wall I hadn’t realized I needed.

It was oddly comforting for a girl who spent her life breaking records and pretending she didn’t need anyone.

I don’t know how long we sat there, but at some point, his hand shifted. Not possessive. Not pushy.

Just… there.

Solid.

I closed my eyes for a second. “You think they’ll come after me again?”

His voice was low, calm. “If they know who your father is—maybe. First we need to find out why they took you.”

I sat up straighter. “But that doesn’t make sense. Why would they care who my father is? If they know who he is, they’d know he’s not the kind of guy to let this go.”

Oliver’s jaw flexed. “Like I said we’ll have to wait and see what this is about.”

My stomach turned.

“They weren’t just after money,” I whispered.

“No,” he said. “I don’t think they were.”

I stood and started pacing. My thoughts felt jumbled, half-formed, like puzzle pieces that didn’t quite fit.

“Maybe it was political?” I offered. “Or revenge? Or maybe someone needed leverage against the Band of SEALS? I just don’t know why this happened.”

Oliver stood too. “We’re not ruling anything out. That’s why you’re not going home yet.”

I turned to face him. “But I can’t just vanish. I have sponsors, a training schedule—”

“And if you walk back into that life without knowing who’s behind this, you could be walking into round two.” His tonewasn’t angry. It was matter-of-fact. “I get it. You want your life back. But you’re not ready.”

I bristled. “I’m not some fragile girl you have to babysit.”

“I know that,” he said, stepping closer. “I saw you fight. I saw the way you held it together when most people would’ve broken. But being strong doesn’t mean going it alone.”

I looked up at him.

Too close.

Too steady.

Too… everything.

“Why are you really still here?” I asked. Why are you still protecting me?”

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