Page 27 of Red Zone Awakened

Those deep blue eyes of his warmed at whatever he saw in her expression.“See?You’re inside the building.You’re safe.”

Keiko blinked and tore her gaze from his.The white walls of the stairwell surrounded her.She was inside.Safe.

Because of him.

“Time for me to get out of here,” Mace said.“You need to let go now.”

A spear of panic shot through her.“I’m not sure I can.My fingers might be welded in place.”

“Princess.”That was all he said.In that gentle, understanding tone.How did a man his size manage to sound like that?As though he could see inside her.As though he was being careful with what he found there.

Reluctantly, she pried her fingers from his shirt and placed them on his arms.Using him to steady herself, she lowered the rest of her weight to the floor.She was safe inside.The knowledge made her light-headed, at the same time as being very aware that Mace was still outside on the ledge.

She let go of him and pressed her palms to the wall beside the window.“Go.Get back inside the building and be careful of the cameras when you’re sneaking to the door.I’ll be waiting to open it for you.”

It was behind her.Only a few steps away.Her legs were weak, but even if she had to crawl over to open it, she would.Mace released his hold on her, and as he leaned back out into the night, a dark patch on his shoulder caught her attention.Blood.Her gaze flew to the jagged edges of the window frame.He’d cut himself squeezing through the broken window to put her inside and hadn’t once made a sound of complaint.

Keiko swallowed hard.“You’re hurt.Bleeding.”She pointed a shaky finger at the blood on the glass.

“I’m fine, but you’ll have some serious bruising around your ankle.I’m sorry about that.As soon as we get into the apartment, I’ll find you some cream to ease it.”

Mace was injured, bleeding, standing out on a ledge while the lights from a chopper lit him up for Freedom to find, and he was worried about her bruises?She blinked furiously to clear her gaze.She wasn’t crying.Tears of fear were allowed.No other kind were permitted.

“Don’t open that door unless you’re sure it’s me,” he ordered before turning to leave.

Keiko’s hand shot out to grab his wrist.Blue eyes filled with something she didn’t dare try to identify stared back at her.“Be safe.I mean it.Don’t fall.Don’t get shot.Don’t die.Or I will hurt you.”

His smile stole her breath.“We need to talk about your violent tendencies.”

“Come back to me,” she whispered as he stepped away from the window, leaving her to stare out into the night.

The sight made her stomach heave.Never, ever did she want to be more than a floor or two above the ground again.Unable to look out any longer, she turned into the stairwell and slid down to sit on the steps.She hadn’t thanked him for saving her life.Or for getting her away from the terrorists.

Her head thunked against the wall as she fought residual trembling.

Mace confused her.He was the bad guy, right?

But he’d been furious that his team had her parents.He’d even punched his team leader because of it.A person couldn’t fake rage like that.And Striker certainly couldn’t fake the black eye he received.Mace had promised they’d leave her unharmed at the end of their mission, whatever that was.That they wouldn’t bother her again.And that her parents would also be safe from them.

Could she trust him?

Or was gratitude clouding her reason?

As her eyes came to rest on the door, she hoped she’d get the chance to find out.Which meant Mace had to make it back to her in one piece.