60 - Found You, Dove

Ruin

The moment Chloe Jane’s knees buckle, everything else fades into irrelevance. I surge forward, my only thought is to catch her before she hits the ground. As my arms wrap around her, a feeling of rightness settles over me, despite the chaos.

She’s light in my embrace, too light, and it makes me want to rip that fucker’s heart out again.

“I got you, dove,” I whisper, lifting her with ease. The warmth of her against me, something I’ve been aching for since the moment we were torn apart, floods me with relief.

Finding this damned place took everything we had. Every lead felt like a dead end, every clue a frustrating riddle. But the moment I caught her peach scent, I knew we were close.

With Chloe Jane secure in my arms, I reach out over the mind link to Ryker. /“Ivan is dead. Chloe Jane is safe,”/ I send, the words stark in their simplicity. There’s a beat of silence before Ryker responds, a rush of relief palpable even through the mind link.

/“Good work. I’ll handle the other fat