Page 82 of Stealthy Seduction
They had each other.
And just like the brotherhood that bound Hudson to his team, this sisterhood would be their strength, their anchor, their promise that no matter what came next, none of them would have to face it without the others standing beside her.
SEVENTEEN
The hot shower had been absolutely necessary.
Three hours of cleaning bathrooms had left Steele smelling like a toxic combination of bleach and things he preferred not to identify. Dante hadn’t been exaggerating—those bathrooms were disasters that belonged in a hazmat containment facility, not a mansion masquerading as a military base.
After scrubbing himself raw with soap that could probably strip paint, he strode down the hallway toward his room.
Their room, he corrected himself, remembering how Izzy had claimed the space with those two simple words earlier.
The door was cracked open, spilling warm light into the corridor. He expected to see her seated at the desk with the laptop in front of her. To his surprise, he could see her silhouette against the window, her arms wrapped around herself in that protective posture he was learning meant she was processing something difficult.
His chest tightened with the familiar urge to shield her from whatever thoughts were putting that stiffness in her shoulders.
“Hey,” he said softly, pushing the door open wider.
She turned, and the smile that crossed her face was like sunrise after the longest night of his life. “Hey yourself. You showered.”
“You don’t even wanna know what I’ve been doing,” he drawled, crossing the room to her, drawn by the same gravitational pull that had been operating between them since that first poker game.
He raked his gaze over her beautiful face. She looked like Izzy.HisIzzy.
“How are you holding up, honey?”
“I’m okay.” She studied his face with those keen amber eyes that missed nothing. “Do I have to go?”
The unexpected question hit him like a physical blow. “What?”
“You weren’t supposed to break the rules, Hudson. I know that much about military protocol.” Her voice was steady, but he could hear the brittleness underneath. “So do I have to leave? Is that your punishment?”
Steele felt something cold settle in his stomach. Of course she’d assume that. Of course she’d think his decision to save her would result in her being removed from his life entirely.
“Izzy, you’re still in danger.” He curled his fingers around her wrist and tugged her toward the bed. He sank to the edge and pulled her down beside him. “If anything, you’re in more danger now because you’re the first person to actually talk to Cipher face-to-face. Con’s going to want to debrief you extensively about that conversation.”
Understanding flickered in her eyes. “So I’m stuck here until he’s caught.”
The way she said it—like she was accepting a prison sentence—made his chest constrict. “You’re safe here until he’s caught.”
“Right.” She nodded, her expression carefully neutral. “I’ll keep that in mind. Try not to get too attached to the place.”
“What are you talking about?” The words came out harsher than he’d intended. “You’re going nowhere, Izzy. Not now, not when this is over, not ever if I have anything to say about it.”
“But the rules,” she said quietly, lifting a trembling hand to her brow. “You broke them. For me. And now you’re facing consequences, and I’m the reason—”
“Stop.” He caught her hands in his, forcing her to meet his eyes. “The rules say we can’t get involved with civilians. The rules say we maintain a professional distance and don’t let personal feelings compromise mission objectives.”
She was quiet, waiting.
“But you’re not just any civilian, Izzy. You’re the exception to every rule I’ve ever followed.” He brought her hands to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. “You said it yourself on one of our first nights together—how can someone have a life with a person who’s supposed to be dead? The answer is that you can’t, unless that person is the perfect person for you and you’ll do anything to be with her.”
Her breath caught, and he could see the war happening behind her eyes—hope battling with self-preservation, love fighting logic.
“Izzy…Christ, honey. You make me want to break all the rules. You’re worth risking my career, my standing with the team, everything.”
“Hudson…” His name came out as barely a whisper.
