Chapter Fifteen
The quiet of the room was a luxury I had not felt since the day my father dragged me into this world. I kept my forehead pressed against Jake’s chest for a long, silent moment, listening to the steady, heavy beat of his heart. It was a solid, reassuring rhythm that made the rest of the dangerous compound feel like it was a million miles away.
Slowly, Jake’s large hand slid down from the back of my neck, his fingers trailing gently over my shoulder before his arm wrapped firmly around my waist. He did not squeeze me, and he did not push me. He just held me against his massive frame, his body acting like a solid shield against the cold and the fear.
"Come on," he murmured, his deep, gravelly voice vibrating against my cheek. "You need to rest."
He guided me slowly toward
