The sound feels strange in my chest after tonight.
Gabriel mutters something under his breath and sits anyway while I move toward him.
Clay follows immediately.
Of course he does.
I kneel in front of Gabriel carefully and pull his soaked tactical jacket aside.
Bullet graze.
Bruised ribs.
Possible shoulder strain from the river.
Nothing fatal.
Thank God.
“You saved Eli,” I murmur while checking his shoulder.
Gabriel watches me quietly for a second.
Then:
“You used to try saving everybody.”
The words hit harder than they should.
Because suddenly another memory flickers—
me patching up scraped knees in a dim underground room while Gabriel sat beside me handing me bandages stolen from medical storage.
My throat tightens instantly.
“You stayed with me.”
Gabriel’s expression softens.
“Always.”
Emotion crashes into me so fast I nearly lose it again.
Clay’s hand settles against the back of my neck gently.
Grounding me.
Keeping me here.
Gabriel notices immediately.
Not jealous.
Not angry.
Relieved.
Like some part of him spent years terrified I’d never have anyone safe again.
