bJade’s /bPOV:

bI /bbleaned /bbback /bagainst bEthan’s /bchestb, /bfeeling his arms tighten around bmy /bwaist bas /bwe stood in the center bof /bbthe /bbgym/b. For over a bmonth/bb, /bbhe’d /bbeen handling everything–helping bMax /bwith his programming, sending gifts, arranging for Zach and Ryan to bstay /bat bthe /bHaxton bestate/bb, /beven taking care of Captain’s bvet /bappointmentsb. /bbWhile /bbI /bwas off dealing with Chris’s kidnapping and Arctic Fox business, bEthan /bhad bstepped /bup withoutint.

b“/bbYou /bknow,” I said, tracing a finger along his forearm, “you’ve been doing way too muchtely.”

“Hmm?” Ethan’s chin rested on my shoulder.

“Taking care of Max, handling my assignments, managing your actual job–all while I’ve been country–hopping.” I turned slightly bto /bsee his face. “You even picked up Captain’s fancy organic dog food.”

He shrugged. “Someone had to do it.”

“You’ve barely left town in weeks because you wanted to make sure everyone was safe.” bI /bshifted to face him fully. “Meanwhile, I’ve been gallivanting across continents.”

b“/bGallivanting?” A small smile yed at his lips. “That’s a big word.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m trying to apologize for leaving you with everything, and you’re critiquing my vocabry?”

“You don’t need to apologize,” he said, his expression softening. “I wanted to do it.”

“Still,” I insisted, “you’ve been handling my life better than I have.” I leaned forward, pressing my forehead against his. “Did Ifort you properly, Mr. Haxton? Or should I try harder?”

His smile widened, eyes darkening. “I think I need more convincing.”

“Greedy,b” /bbI /bmurmured against his lips before kissing him again.

“Absolutely,” he agreed, pulling me closer.

bJust /bas his hands slipped under my shirt, I stiffened. “Someone’sing.”

Before Ethan could respond, Captain burst through the gym doors, tail wagging furiously. Behind him, Connor appeared with Zach and Ryan following close behind.

“Holy shit!” Connor’s eyes widened in horror when he spotted us. He spun around to flee, but the door mmed shut with a bang. He stood frozenb, /bback to bus/bb, /bshoulders hunched like he was waiting for execution.

Ethan reluctantly released me.

bCaptain /btrotted over to Connorb, /bsniffing curiously at his legs. When I tapped Connor’s shoulder, he flinched so hard I thought he might bjump /bout of his skin.

Connor’s eyes remained tightly shut. “Please don’t kill me,” he whispered.

b“/bLet me through,” I said calmly.

I could feel bEthan’s /bpresence behind meb, /bbclose /benough that Connor could probably sense him toob. /b

bRyan /bleaned bagainst /bbthe /bwallb, /bpletely unfazed. He nced at bConnor’s /bhalf–dead bposture /band offered ban /bapologetic bshrug/bb. /b“Sorry babout /bbthe /binterruptionb./bb” /b

bZach /bbwas /bnowhere to be seenb. /b

When we made it to the main floor, Max spotted me immediately, his eyes narrowing bas /bhe examined my bface/b.

“Sisb, /bwhat happened to your lips? They’re all swollen.”

I kept my expression neutral. “Bumped into a table.”

“Let me see-” Max reached toward my face, but Zach suddenly appeared and dragged him away.

“Come on, I need your help with something,” Zach insisted.

Max frowned, confused. “Zach? Where are we going?b” /b

J

He struggled to keep pace as Zach pulled him down the hallway.

During lunch, I noticed the empty chair across from me. “Where’s Zach?”

Max looked up from his te. “In his room. He’s upset about something. Won’te down for food. I’ll bring him a teter.”

Ryan stabbed a piece of broli with his fork. “Don’t worry about it. That’s just how he gets sometimes.” fnb64c ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? find[?]ovel/fnb64c

bI /braised an eyebrow but didn’t push further.

After lunch, I knocked on Zach’s door, not waiting for a response before entering. He was sitting on the windowsill, staring outside.

“Little Zach?” I called softly. When he didn’t respond, I tried again. “You’re not jealous of Ethan, are you?”

“Don’t tter yourself,” he snapped, still not looking at me.

Zach finally turned to face me. “Nobody once blew up Transcendent Military Alliance headquarters.”

bI /bshrugged. “Ethan doesn’t care about that.”

“She didn’t like the Transcendent Military Alliance,” Zach saidb, /bstudying my reaction.

1 touched bmy /bbnose/bb. /bb“/bbI /bthink byou /bmisunderstood.”

bI /bpulled bout /bbmy /bphoneb, /bbtapped /bthe screen ba /bbfew /btimes, then held it out to him. “I brought you ba /bgift.”

bZach’s /bbface /bhardened. “I bdon’t /bwant anything.”

bDespite /bbhis /bbwords/bb, /bhis beyes /bflicked toward the screenb. /bHe frozeb, /bhis expression transforming from irritation to disbelief.

On my phone was a photograph of Nobody–a woman in tight purple leather, long blonde hair pulled binto /ba high ponytailb, /bbcasually /bbraising /ba ss bin /bsome dimly lit bar.

Zach’s eyes darted back to my bface/bb, /bglistening with unshed tears.

“There are more,” I said softly, extending the phone further. “Take your time. I’ll send them to you when you’re done.”

He took the phone with trembling hands, staring at the image as if hypnotized. In the photos, Nobody was captured in various moments- eatingb, /bsleepingb, /bshooting at a range, driving, working on aputer. Night had taken these candid shots, preserving everyday moments that made Nobody seem alive again.

I watched Zach scroll through them, his thumb moving carefully as if each photo might break. I debated telling him the truth–that I bwas /bNobody–but decided against it. The timing wasn’t right. After I settled my score with Shadow Organization, maybe then.

He paused on a photo of me in a gold evening gown at a Russian g.

“You look like her sometimes,” Zach said quietly. “Something in the eyes.”

“Where did you get these?” he asked. “Who took them?”

“I’ll tell youter,” I promised.

“You better.” His voice was husky with emotion.

“When have I ever lied to you?” I asked.

Zach didn’t answerb, /bbjust /bcontinued staring at the photos, memories ying across his face.

In the hallway, Ethan was waiting, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

“What about bmy /bgift?” he asked, a yful glint in his eyes.

I raised an eyebrow. “With your resources? What could I possibly get that you don’t already have?”

“bI /bbcan /bthink of something.” His voice dropped lower.

“Oh? bAnd /bwhat would that be, Mr. Haxton?b” /b

bHe /bstepped closer. “Something priceless. Something unique.”

“If you’re suggesting what bI /bthink byou /bbare/bb,/bb” /bbI /bnarrowed bmy /beyes dangerously, “byou /bmight want to breconsider/bb./bb” /b

Ethan’s bexpression /bchanged bquickly/bb. /bb“/bbI /bbjust /bmeant that byou /bing back safe is the best gift.”

b“/bbNice /bsave,” bI /bsmirkedb. /b“bYour /bmouth has bits /bbuses /bafter all.b” /bMy eyes flickered briefly to his blips/b.

bA /bmechanical whirring interrupted bus/bb. /bThe little robot–Maxib–/brolled around the corner, bits /bcamera beyes /bblinking rapidly.

‘Data processing error. Data processing error,” it chirped, its questionb–/bmark eyes blinking frantically. “Recording for further banalysis/bb./b”

bI /bshot Ethan a look. “Better go delete that before it corrupts kid’s innocent mind.”

“bHe’s /bba /bsmart kid,” Ethan replied, not moving. “He won’t understand.”

“Go or don’tb. /bYour choiceb./b” I turned to walk away.

b“/bComing right now,” Ethan said, hurrying after me.

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