Chapter 34

chapter

thirty-four

Izzy flinched as the gunshot echoed through the ruined lobby. She thought for sure she was dead, but…

She was still breathing. Hard and fast, but she was.

She blinked as Callahan hit the floor, her smirk replaced by a look of slack-jawed shock that would never fade.

And there was Rylan, standing in the doorway, his rifle lowering, his face pale. Relief swept through her, so overwhelming that her knees nearly buckled.

“Rylan,” she whispered.

Before she knew it, she was running to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He caught her, holding her tightly as if he needed the hug as much as she did. She buried her face against his chest.

“I thought—” she started, her voice trembling, but he cut her off, his hands gripping her shoulders as he pulled back.

“What the hell were you thinking?” he snapped, his voice rough, his hazel eyes blazing. “You could’ve been killed, Izzy. Do you have any idea what that would’ve done to me?”

“I-I didn’t have a choice,” she said, her voice cracking. “They had Mateo.”

“You should’ve told me!”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t risk it. They said they’d kill him if I told you.”

“So you thought going it alone was the better option?”

“I didn’t come alone.” She looked at Callahan’s body and had the overwhelming urge to kick the dead woman. “I called her . The bitch. God, no wonder Monica was so afraid.”

“Damn it, Izzy.” Rylan’s voice broke, raw with emotion. “You should’ve trusted me.”

“Hey, back off,” Mateo rasped from behind them, his voice hoarse but firm. Izzy turned to see her brother leaning heavily on Shane, his face battered but his dark eyes burning with protective fury. “She saved my life.”

“Mateo—” Izzy started, but he held up a hand to stop her.

“No,” he said, his voice stronger now. “You did what you had to do, Issa. And I’m standing here because of it.”

Rylan’s jaw tightened as he looked between them, but his gaze softened when it returned to her. He touched her cheek. “You scared the hell out of me.”

“I know,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”

For a moment, they just stood there. Then Rylan pulled her in close and kissed her. It wasn’t gentle—it was desperate and raw, a collision of relief and need and everything he couldn’t say aloud. He was angry only because he was scared, she realized. Not because he thought she’d betrayed him again.

She melted into him, the world around them fading away. When they finally broke apart, both breathless, she saw the storm of emotions in his eyes—fear, relief, love, and a lingering anger that she knew would take time to dissipate.

“Don’t ever do that to me again,” he murmured, his forehead resting against hers.

Before she could respond, a commotion at the entrance drew their attention. They turned to see the team with their guns up, trained on Monica, who clutched Grace tightly to her side. They both looked awful. Monica was bruised and battered, and Grace was gaunt.

“Wait,” Izzy called, breaking away from Rylan’s arms to shield her friend. “It’s okay! She’s not here to hurt us.”

The guns lowered, and Monica exhaled a trembling breath in relief. “Izzy, I’m so sorry. I came as soon as I got your message. I never wanted any of this. I never wanted you or anyone to get hurt…” Her gaze landed on Callahan’s body, and a mix of relief and revulsion crossed her face. “Is she?—?”

“Dead,” Rylan confirmed.

“Oh, thank God.” She swallowed hard. “I went to her for help when Julian threatened me.”

“Jesus,” Rylan muttered. “Callahan was the woman we saw on the trail cam at Whispering Pines. She probably used her credentials to get a key to the cabin and told the owner to keep it quiet. That’s why he wasn’t thrilled about sharing the trail cam footage.”

Monica looked at him, then nodded. “She was on his payroll, too. That’s why I ran. That’s why I tried to get my kids someplace safe.” She hugged Grace tighter. “Is Noah safe?”

“He is,” Izzy confirmed. “My parents have him.”

Tears flooded Monica’s eyes. “I don’t know how I can ever thank you.”

Zak stepped forward. “How about you start by telling us who Callahan’s boss was?”

Nicolas Stroud.

Tech billionaire, philanthropist, and…

Human trafficker.

Back in the command center at Redwood Coast Rescue, Rylan stared at the screens as Sawyer sorted through Monica’s files.

Nicolas Stroud of Stroud Dynamics was behind this all.

He looked down at his prosthetic arm and watched the fingers roll into a fist. “Son of a bitch.”

Zak crossed his arms, his gaze hard as he studied the screens. “How far does this go?”

Sawyer’s usual smile was nowhere to be seen, his expression darkening with each new file he opened. “Far. Stroud’s not just dabbling in trafficking—he’s built an empire. Money laundering, bribery, leveraging political power to silence whistleblowers. He’s got his hands in everything.”

Ash growled softly. “Stroud Dynamics funded AG Parker’s last election campaign.”

“Well, that’s one problem solved, at least,” Anna said. “You don’t have to worry about that corruption investigation anymore. If he comes for you again, you can throw this in his face.”

“Even if this news gets out, Parker will weasel out of it like he always does. But, yeah, I think my job’s safe.” Ash exhaled and scrubbed a hand over his beard. “Stroud also funds half the tech sector and a good chunk of Washington. Taking him down won’t just rattle cages— it’ll bring the whole damn house down.”

“Good,” Zak said flatly.

Monica, seated on the lumpy couch beside Grace, rubbed her daughter’s back. “These files were all I managed to collect before Julian caught me. They’re enough to make noise, but it’s not enough to touch Stroud. You see his resources and connections. You’ll need more if you’re going after him.”

She was right. Stroud was a powerful man who profited off pain, whose empire thrived on destruction—and now, that destruction had reached Rylan’s team, his family.

“Then we’ll get more,” he said. He looked at Zak, then at the rest of the team. “Valor doesn’t have a leg because of him. Let’s bury the bastard.”

The room was silent for a beat, and then they all hooted with agreement.

“Hooyah,” Shane said.

“Fuck, yeah,” Donovan said.

Rylan’s gaze landed on Izzy, who shook her head in disgust and walked out of the room. He followed her out and found her leaning against the wall out in the hallway.

He propped himself next to her and brushed his fingers against hers. “You okay?”

She nodded and tried for a smile that was half the wattage of her usual one. “Just… angry, I think. Mostly. Angry and disgusted. All of those lives Stroud has ruined... terrifying Monica, traumatizing Grace and Noah… All for what? So some billionaire who already has more money than he needs can make a few more bucks? I couldn’t stand there any longer looking at those files.” She sucked in a sharp breath and glanced over at him. “What about you? Are you okay?”

“I’m pissed.” He raised his prosthetic arm. “A lot of veterans will benefit from this technology, but Stroud’s corruption is going to set its release back months, maybe years. QuenTech Biotics will have to find another manufacturer. ” He exhaled to dispel the surge of fury and shook his head. “But, yeah, otherwise, I’m okay.”

“And Valor? Have you checked on him?”

“I did as soon as we got back. He’s good, too.”

She hesitated, and he glanced over at her again. When he saw the tears in her eyes, he turned to face her and cupped her cheek in his hand.

“What about us?” she asked, her voice choked. “Are we okay?”

He brushed away the tear that escaped down her cheek. “We will be. I’m not going to lie and say this didn’t scare the hell out of me, Izzy. And I am angry. The thought of losing you...” He trailed off, unable to finish.

She covered his hand with her own, leaning into his touch. “I know. I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. It’s not that I didn’t trust you. I trust you more than anyone. I just… you were in with Valor, grieving over what happened to him, and I was afraid to pile more on.”

“I know. And I understand why you did what you did. Both tonight and back at that safe house. It’s who you are— fiercely protective of the people you love. It’s one of the reasons I fell for you in the first place.”

“You… fell for me?”

Rylan’s heart clenched at the vulnerability in her voice, the way her eyes shone with a fragile, tentative hope. He’d spent so long fighting his feelings, trying to keep her at arm’s length, terrified of getting hurt again. But standing here now, with the scent of her shampoo filling his nose and her skin warm beneath his fingertips, he knew he couldn’t deny it anymore.

“Yeah,” he said roughly. “I fell for you, Izzy. Hard. I tried not to, but...” He lifted her chin with his index finger and grinned at her, hoping to make her smile. “Why else would I agree to dinner with your family tomorrow night?”

Her eyes flared wide. “Oh my God, that’s tomorrow ?”