He turns from the window, and the fear in his eyes stops my breath. "It's the only solution that works."
"For who?" The question comes out sharper than I intended. "Because it certainly doesn't work for me. Or for this town. Or for the people depending on us to finish what we started."
"You don't understand?—"
"I understand perfectly." I step closer, forcing him to meet my gaze. "You think distance protects people, but you're wrong. Leaving now would cause just as much damage as staying."
His jaw tightens. "At least if I leave, no one else gets hurt."
"Someone already got hurt today. Timmy could have been seriously injured because we haven't stopped this yet." My voice rises despite my efforts to stay calm. "And you want to abandon the investigation because Thornak lost his temper?"
"It's not about Thornak."
"Then what is it about?"
The silence stretches between us like a chasm. Brakkor's hands work at his sides, and I watch him wage some internal war I'm not privy to.
"It's about you." The admission comes out raw, unguarded. "It's about what happens when I care too much to think clearly."
The words hit deeper than any argument. I see the real fear now—not of failure, but of caring enough to make the wrong choices. Of letting emotion cloud judgment until someone pays the price.
"You don't get to decide that for me." My voice steadies, finding the authority I use in the newsroom. "This is my town, my choice. And I am choosing to face this with you."
"Calla—"
"No." I close the remaining distance between us, refusing to let him retreat. "You don't get to decide I'm too fragile or too important to risk. That's not your choice to make."
His eyes search my face, looking for cracks in my resolve. "What if I'm wrong again? What if I push too hard and someone gets hurt because I couldn't let go?"
"Then we deal with the consequences together." The certainty in my voice surprises even me. "But we don't abandon the town to save it."
"You make it sound simple."
"It is simple." I reach up, my fingers brushing the stubble along his jaw. "You stay. We finish this. We trust each other to make the right choices."
His hand covers mine, pressing my palm against his cheek. "I don't know how to do this without keeping you at arm's length."
"Then learn."
CHAPTER 26
BRAKKOR
Her hand against my cheek burns like a brand, and the certainty in her voice strips away every careful defense I've built. The weight of her words settles in my chest—not demanding, not pleading, just stating truth like she's reading from one of her perfectly organized files.
"I don't want to leave." The admission scrapes out of my throat like gravel. "Even knowing what might happen, I don't want to walk away from this. From you."
Her thumb traces along my jawline, and I lean into the touch despite every instinct screaming at me to maintain distance. "Then don't."
"It's that simple for you?"
"Nothing about this is simple." Her other hand finds my shirt, fingers curling into the fabric. "But I'm choosing it anyway. Fully aware of the risk."
The space between us disappears. I don't know who moves first—maybe we both do—but suddenly her mouth is on mine and every argument dies in my throat. She tastes like determination and something sweeter underneath, like the honey cakes from Maddie's bakery.
My hands find her waist, pulling her closer until there's no air left between us. The kiss deepens, and I feel her fingers tangle in my hair, tugging gently at the strands that always fall into my eyes.
"Calla," I breathe against her lips, and her name sounds different now—less careful, more desperate.
