Page 45 of Danger Close
Ezra laughed.
Ricky leaned in, voice low.“Best rescue ever.”
They walked toward the vans, shoulder to shoulder.
Behind them, the monster house collapsed into fire.
Ahead of them, five children waited for a better life to begin.
****
The hum of the engineswas low and steady, a lullaby for the exhausted.
Sophia was curled up in one of the reclining seats near the back of the private jet, tucked beneath a fleece blanket two sizes too big.Her hair was still braided in the neat, too-tight style the compound had forced on her, but strands had started to slip loose around her face.She looked younger in sleep.Softer.
Safe.
Ezra watched her from across the aisle, head resting against the seat back, hand still loosely laced with Ricky’s.
“She’s got them all wrapped around her finger already,” Ricky murmured, voice warm with affection.“Marsh gave her his tablet.Hogan let her brush his hair.”
Ezra snorted softly.“Bateman carried her to the jet.Didn’t say a word when she stole his protein bar.”
“She growled at Kai for making Hogan angry,” Ricky added with a smirk.“And he apologized.”
Ezra chuckled under his breath, then looked back at her, his smile fading into something quieter.“She’s got Van’s eyes.”
“Yeah.”Ricky’s thumb brushed Ezra’s knuckles.“And that little crinkle between her brows.He used to get that exact look when he was trying to make sense of one of Marsh’s spreadsheets.”
“She had it earlier,” Ezra said softly.“When Marsh tried to explain Bluetooth.”
They sat in silence for a moment, the warmth of her presence wrapping around them like another blanket.The mission was over.The monsters were gone.But the weight of what came next ...lingered.
“What about the other girls?”Ezra asked.
Ricky sighed.“Kai’s taking them back stateside.He’s already got three nonprofit contacts lined up—families ready to foster, maybe adopt.Some will go back to relatives.Others...”He trailed off.“He’ll find them homes.”
Ezra nodded slowly.“Good.”
More silence.
Then Ricky shifted in his seat, just enough to turn toward him.“I’ve been thinking.”
Ezra shot him with a side eyed look.“Dangerous.”
“I’m serious,” Ricky said, voice lower now, more vulnerable.“I’ve been thinking about what comes next.For her.For us.”
Ezra held his gaze but didn’t speak.
“I want you at the Ridge,” Ricky said.“With me.I want ...us.There.Together.”
Ezra blinked, surprised.“You mean, like, live there?”
Ricky’s jaw tightened slightly.“Yeah.I mean exactly that.”
Ezra exhaled a long, shaky breath, then leaned in and kissed the corner of Ricky’s mouth.Soft.Solid.Real.
“My life,” he said quietly, “is wherever you are.”
