Chapter 21
The warehouse door burst open as Kaden and Ryder charged in with security personnel right
behind them.
Kaden’s eyes immediately found Hannah tied to the chair–and Phoebe standing before her with a
knife.
“Phoebe! What the hell are you doing?” Shock and rage collided in Kaden’s voice. “Have you completely lost your mind?”
Phoebe turned toward him, tears instantly streaming down her face.
“You never used to speak to me like that,” she said, her voice breaking. “Everything changed because of her! The brother who loved me is gone! If this is how it’s going to be, we might as well die
together!”
She ripped open her coat to reveal a suicide vest strapped to her body.
Everyone froze. The homeless men Phoebe had recruited screamed and scrambled out the door, falling over each other in their panic.
Kaden felt the blood drain from his face. His hands trembled as he fought to keep his voice steady. “Phoebe, please. Put the detonator down. Let’s just talk.”
She laughed wildly, her eyes unfocused. “Talk? What’s left to say? You’d throw away your dignity for her! How could you do this to me? If you don’t love me anymore, we’ll all go together!”
Kaden’s heart hammered in his chest. He could see she was beyond reason, teetering on a dangerous
edge.
He stepped forward cautiously, softening his voice. “Phoebe, I was wrong. I was confused. I still care about you. Just put down the detonator, and we’ll go home. Everything can be like it was before, okay?”
Uncertainty flickered in Phoebe’s eyes. “Really? You still love me?”
Kaden nodded, his voice gentle. “Yes. Please, just put it down so we can leave this place.”
Hope bloomed on Phoebe’s face like she’d found salvation.
Too Late
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She moved toward Kaden slowly, desperation giving way to fragile joy. “You won’t leave me again?
Promise?”
“I won’t leave you,” Kaden said, watching her carefully. “I’ll always be there for you.”
Relief washed over Phoebe’s face. Her grip on the detonator loosened as she approached Kaden.
But as she drew near, she caught Kaden signaling Ryder with his eyes–a silent instruction to get
Hannah out.
Phoebe’s expression twisted into something feral. “You’re lying! You don’t love me! You’re just trying
to save her!”
Her thumb slammed down on the detonator. A countdown timer activated with an ominous beeping.
Ryder reacted instantly, cutting Hannah’s restraints and shoving her toward Kaden at the door. “Get her out of here!” he shouted.
Then he lunged at Phoebe, trying to wrestle the detonator from her hand.
Hannah fought against Kaden’s grip. “Ryder, no! Don’t!”
But Ryder was already locked in a desperate struggle with Phoebe, the two of them tumbling to the ground.
“RYDER!” Hannah screamed, tears streaming down her face as Kaden dragged her outside.
They’d barely made it twenty yards when the explosion hit, the force throwing them to the ground.
Hannah’s ears rang with a high–pitched whine, her mind momentarily blank from shock.
She struggled to her feet, trying to run back toward the burning building, but Kaden held her firmly.
“Let me go! RYDER!” Her voice broke with desperation, sobs racking her body.
Kaden felt something twist painfully in his chest. In this moment, he knew without a doubt that Hannah’s heart belonged to Ryder now. He could only watch helplessly as she cried for another man.
Within minutes, firefighters and paramedics swarmed the scene. The blaze was contained, and two bodies were carried out on stretchers.
Chapter 21
Both were covered in blood, their features barely recognizable.
Hannah rushed forward, clutching Ryder’s hand. “Ryder! Can you hear me? Please wake up!”
Despite the blood covering his face, Ryder struggled to open his eyes. His voice was barely a
whisper: “Don’t cry… I’m okay…”
Kaden stood apart from them, watching Hannah’s raw grief. Something heavy settled in his chest–the realization that he would never measure up to what Ryder had just done.
A wave of defeat washed over him, draining his strength.
Both victims were rushed to the nearest hospital and straight into surgery.
Twenty minutes later, a surgeon emerged, his expression grave as he shook his head. “I’m sorry. Miss Humphrey didn’t make it. She was DOA.”
“What?” Kaden’s face went ashen, his body swaying slightly.
Though his feelings for Phoebe had changed, she was still the sister he’d raised and protected since
childhood.
A complex wave of grief hit him–regret, guilt, and a strange hollow emptiness.
Hannah barely registered the news. She grabbed the doctor’s arm. “What about Ryder? Is he going to
be okay?”
The doctor sighed. “Mr. Stain is still alive, but he’s lost a dangerous amount of blood. He needs an immediate transfusion.”
Hannah stepped forward frantically. “Take mine. I’ll donate whatever he needs.”
After checking her blood type, the doctor shook his head. “I’m sorry, you’re not compatible. We need type A.”
“I’m type A,” Kaden said quietly, rolling up his sleeve as he approached. “Use mine.”
He sat in the donation chair as his blood flowed into collection bags, his face growing increasingly pale.
After donating as much as was safe, Kaden rejoined Hannah in the waiting area.
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Chapter 21
She looked at him, genuine gratitude in her eyes. “Thank you for doing that.”
Kaden gave her a sad smile. “I don’t want your thanks, Hannah. I want another chance. I love you.
Can we try again?”
Hannah was quiet for a long moment before slowly shaking her head. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”
Her eyes never left the operating room doors, her thoughts entirely consumed by Ryder.
Kaden felt something final and irreversible settle over him.
He had lost her completely.
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