Page 68 of Rescuing Rebel

Ethan

Days passsince that dinner when my teammates and I were honored guests at Kaufman’s table, where the horrible truth was revealed.

Rebel’s working with Kaufman. Selling innocence to the highest bidder. Ever since that night, my dreams have become nightmares.

Those nightmares always start the same, playing out in slow motion. A macabre dance that twists my guts and sets my heart racing. A flash of fiery red hair. Her voice is distant and cold. Then, there’s Kaufman leering at Rebel, who stands beside him.

I wake with a start, drenched in sweat, the image of Rebel’s betrayal fresh and raw, her association with Kaufman gnawing at my soul. The threat she presents to me and my men is significant.

We’re undercover, pretending to be something we’re not. She knows who we are. What we are. And what we do. At any moment, she could blow our cover.

It’s the worst time to be distracted.

Her eyes pierce me even in sleep.

Her betrayal remains a deep, raw, and angry, festering wound.

For now, we’re safe, and I’m on task.

Why hasn’t she betrayed us?

That’s the one question that keeps spinning in my head, going round and round, without any answer that makes sense.

Today, I’m out investigating Kaufman’s peripheral security systems. I patrol the halls, catalog monitoring devices, and dutifully match them against Kaufman’s list. It’s my job to uncover discrepancies. After telling him there may be a mole in his organization, he’s much more forthcoming with information—and access.

It’s an opportunity my team takes full advantage of. Over the past few days, we’ve nearly mapped out the entirety of Haven, personally walking the halls, cataloging server locations, video cameras, and sweeping for listening devices. You name it, we’re looking for it.

Looking for ‘anomalies.’ Anomalies that don’t exist. But Kaufman doesn’t know that. He’s a paranoid motherfucker and desperately wants to find the breach, seal it, and make whoever created it pay.

That’s where my focus should be.

But all I can think about is Rebel.

When I glance up from my musings, I see fiery red hair turning a corner down the hall.

Could it be?

Rebel?

The vacant corridors and a bit of Mitzy Magic to block any surveillance of my actions offer an opportunity I can’t refuse.

With a sharp intake of breath, a reaction I can’t control, my legs move of their own accord, lengthening my stride. Before she can slip away, I catch up to her and block her path.

“We need to talk. Now.”

Her emerald eyes, those stunning jewels that once drew me in, flash dangerously. They’ve changed and hardened over the months since we last saw each other.

Since we had sex on the beach.

Since she disappeared from my life, taking the Guardians’ secrets I spilled to her—with her.

“I have nothing to say to you.” Her voice is cold and distant.

She tries to shove past me, a forceful push aimed at my chest, but my hands find her shoulders, and I hold her in place. The warmth of her body radiates through my palms, and I can’t help but notice how right it feels to hold her, even now.

Even here.

I spin her to face me, desperation clawing at my insides. “Why are you here?”