Page 94 of A Tempting Seduction

The knot in my chest loosened slightly. I knew Jase was a Navy SEAL and having that kind of training watching over us was like having a guardian angel with advanced weapons training.

“Thank you,” I said. “For all of this.”

“Family looks out for family. Renzo vouched for you, which makes you family.”

I walked back to the house feeling more confident than I had since Nash's phone call. Whatever was coming, we wouldn't face it alone.

Inside, I checked on Ruby. Still sleeping, curled on her side with one hand tucked under her cheek. I grabbed a book from the living room and settled into the chair by the bedroom window.

Stephen King's latest novel. Probably not the best choice for a night like this, but it was what I had. I opened to chapter one and tried to focus on the words.

Tried and failed.

My mind kept wandering to Ruby, to the investigation, to whoever had killed Lance. Simon and Roan would dig into the corruption network, follow the money trail, figure out who else might be involved. But until they had answers, Ruby was still in danger.

After an hour of reading the same paragraph over and over, I gave up. I wanted to hold her. Needed to feel her breathing, warm and alive against me.

I stripped down to my briefs and slipped under the covers. Ruby stirred when I pulled her against me, murmuring something unintelligible before settling back into sleep. Her hair smelled like vanilla and sunshine, and for a moment, I let myself imagine this was just a normal night. Just the two of us in my bed, safe and together.

I was almost asleep when the gunshot shattered the quiet.

Ruby jerked awake beside me, eyes wide with panic. “What was that?”

“Gunshot.” I was already moving, grabbing the Glock from the nightstand. “Get in the bathroom. Lock the door.”

“Ford—”

“Now, Ruby. Go.”

She scrambled toward the bathroom as I ran toward the bedroom door, gun in hand. I made it three steps into the hallway before something slammed into my jaw.

The impact sent stars exploding across my vision, but I stayed on my feet. It took a heck of a lot more than a shot to the jaw to put me down. I swung back blindly and connected with something solid, heard a grunt of pain. I continued taking swings, hitting my target again and again.

A knife sliced across my upper arm, the blade catching the edge of my tricep. Deep. Hot blood ran down to my elbow. But it wasn’t the arm that was holding my gun.

“Harass this trash!” I yelled.

I brought the Glock up and squeezed the trigger twice. The man in front of me dropped like a stone.

The front door exploded inward, and I saw Jase moving through the doorway low and fast, weapon drawn. But my attention was already focused on the master bedroom, where I could hear Ruby's voice raised in anger.

I ran toward the sound and found another man dressed in black holding Ruby by her braid, gun pressed to her temple. Her left cheek was already swelling where he'd hit her. Rage flooded through me, but I forced myself to stay calm.

This jerk was desperate. I could see it in his eyes, the way his hand shook slightly on the gun. He had a comm earpiece, which meant he knew his buddies were dead.

“Let her go,” I said, keeping my voice steady.

“Put your guns down!” The man's voice cracked slightly. “Both of you, put them down, or I kill her right here.”

“You're not walking out of here,” Jase said from behind me. “You know that, right?”

“I'm taking her with me. You're going to let me go, or she dies.”

I set my gun on the floor, blood from my arm dripping onto the hardwood. My blood and the other guy’s blood was already all over my body. “There. Gun's down,” I said as I groaned loudly. Let him think I was hurt and out of commission.

“You too,” the jerk said to Jase. “I know you're carrying.”

“I don't have one,” Jase said calmly.