Chapter 25

Ranger

My finger hovers on the trigger, my weapon trained on Tank Top as he shifts nervously, the barrel of his own gun trembling in my direction. Every fiber of my being is screaming at me to end this—to take the shot and get Tory out of here.

But then, the sound of boots and authoritative shouts fills the compound. The Bravo team bursts in, their movements swift and efficient as they secure the room. Guns are trained on the remaining Earth’s Bounty members, and I lower my weapon just enough to let them take over.

“Drop it!” one of the Bravo team yells, and Tank Top freezes. He hesitates for a moment too long, and one of the operatives knocks the gun from his hand, shoving him to the ground and cuffing him in one smooth motion.

The tension in the room evaporates in an instant, replaced by the controlled chaos of Bravo securing the scene.

I waste no time.

“Tory!” I shout, rushing across the room.

She looks up at me, her blue eyes wide and shimmering with unshed tears. Her father is tied up beside her, his face pale but determined. I grab my Kershaw knife from my pocket, cutting through the ropes binding her wrists and ankles first. She collapses into my arms the second she’s free, her body trembling against mine.

“I’ve got you,” I murmur, holding her tightly. My heart feels like it might burst as I press my lips to the top of her head. “You’re safe now.”

“I knew you’d come,” she whispers, her voice muffled against my chest.

I pull back just enough to look at her, cupping her face in my hands. “Always,” I say, my voice raw.

I turn to her father, quickly cutting him loose. He stands shakily, his expression a mix of relief and gratitude. “Are you okay, sir?” I ask, steadying him as he wobbles slightly.

“I am now,” he says, his voice hoarse. He looks at Tory, his gaze softening, and then his eyes flick to me, and for a moment, we just look at each other. Then he nods, his expression somber but genuine. “Thank you,” he says simply. “You saved us.”

I nod back, unable to find the right words.

“I should tell you something,” Tory says, her voice soft but steady. She looks at her father, her hands still clutching his. “I’ve fallen in love with him.”

Her father’s brows lift in surprise, but after a moment, he smiles faintly. “Well,” he says, his voice warming, “if anyone’s going to keep you safe, I suppose it’s him.”

Before I can respond, paramedics rush in, ushering Tory and her father to a corner of the room for medical evaluations. I hover close, watching as they’re checked over. Tory keeps glancing back at me, her eyes never straying far, and I give her a small nod to let her know I’m not going anywhere.

A familiar voice pulls me from my thoughts.

“Ranger.”

I turn to see Dean walking into the room, his expression unreadable as he surveys the scene. “Nice work,” he says, his tone clipped but approving.

“They’re all secured?” I ask, nodding toward the Earth’s Bounty members now in cuffs and surrounded by Bravo team operatives.

“Every last one of them,” Dean confirms. “The merry band of idiots are headed straight to federal custody. And with the evidence we’ve collected here, they won’t see the light of day for a long time.”

“Good,” I say, the weight in my chest easing slightly.

Dean’s gaze shifts to Tory and her father, his expression softening just a fraction. “They okay?”

“They will be,” I reply.

Dean claps a hand on my shoulder. “You did good, Ranger. Real good.”

I nod, but my focus is already back on Tory. She finishes with the paramedics and walks toward me, her steps unsteady but determined.

“I’m not letting you out of my sight again,” she says, her voice trembling slightly as she reaches me.

I pull her into my arms, holding her close. “You won’t have to,” I promise, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

The chaos around us fades into the background as I hold her, my world narrowing to just this moment. She’s safe. Her father’s safe.

And for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’ve found something worth holding onto.

Forever.