Brad’s mind scurried in several different directions. There must be a way to break free. Tyger had the right idea. They needed to get these bindings off their wrists first, and then they could plan their escape.

He breathed heavily for several seconds, trying to calm himself in order to think properly. Suddenly, and idea sprang to his mind and he sat up straight. “Tyger, you might be able to untie my hands.” He turned his back to her.

“Okay, I’ll try.”

When her fingers touched his, he held them for a few moments, enjoying the feeling of her skin against his. Slowly, she pulled her touch from his. Her fingers awkwardly fumbled with the ropes.

Holding his breath, he hoped she’d be able to do this, but her quiet sobs of failure were growing louder.

“I don’t think I can,” she said with irritation in her voice.

“Don’t give up. I know you can do this.”

“I’m not sure—”

“Tyger, my love, I want to put my arms around you.” He couldn’t let her give up. He must keep coaxing her. “I want to hold your body so close to mine that I can feel the rhythm of your heartbeat. I want to kiss you until we’re both dizzy with passion.”

Her frustrated sobs became louder.

“My darling, Tyger. Don’t you want me to hold you?”

“Yes.”

“Then try harder. I know you can.”

There was a difference in the way she tugged on the ropes this time. Her grip was harder and more precise. Finally, he felt them loosen. “You’re doing it, Tyger!”

Within minutes, the ropes dropped from his wrists. Along with it came Tyger’s cry of happiness. He turned and gathered her in his arms, seeking her mouth urgently. She shook her head and pulled back.

“Untie me first.” She held up her hands.

Once he had her hands free, he bent and untied her feet, before moving to untie his. As soon as the ropes fell to the ground, he straightened and opened his arms. Immediately, she slid against him as their mouths fused together in a long awaited kiss. The kiss wasn’t gentle as their kisses usually were, but because of the yearning that had built inside of his body, there was no way he could restrain his emotions.

Their mouths moved together in sweet unison. He caressed her back, her arms, even her neck. He just couldn’t get enough of her. By the way she touched him with urgent abandonment, he knew she shared his feelings.

“Oh, Brad,” she sighed repeatedly against his mouth.

His heart soared higher than it had ever done, and he held her tighter. “My sweet, Tyger.” He breathed her name as he trailed his kisses down her face to her neck. His heart exploded with love, and he knew he couldn’t hold it inside any longer. “Tyger, I love you.”

She stiffened and pulled back just enough to stare into his eyes. Tears swam in her eyes, but they were different than the ones she had a few moments ago.

“What did you say?” she asked with a quivering voice.

Smiling, he took her face in his hands. “Tyger, I love you fully and completely.”

“No...” Confusion touched her expression as she shook her head.

“Yes, I do.” He stroked the pad of his thumb across her bottom lip. “Why do you think I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind? Why do you think I can’t wait until the next time I see you, kiss you, or touch you? I can’t believe it either, Tyger, because it happened so quickly, but I’m not going to deny my feelings any longer. Not now. Not when we may only have a few hours left to live. My only regret is that I didn’t tell you sooner.” He pressed his lips against her wet cheeks and kissed away her tears. “Tyger, tell me what is in your heart. Don’t be afraid to admit it. You know you love me. Why else would you kiss me with so much passionately?” He trailed his kisses up her forehead and then down the side of her face, nipping lightly at her mouth. “Tell me, Tyger. Tell me you love me.”

He knew she was fighting her feelings, but this was not the time for that and he needed to make her aware of how their lives hung by a thread. Pulling away, he cupped her face again. Her watery gaze locked with his.

She took a deep breath before slowly releasing it. “Brad, I love you, too.”

Fireworks exploded in his head as sheer happiness filled him.

“Brad, I can’t deny my heart any longer, either. I’ve been falling in love with you since the night of the party. I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help—”

He covered her mouth before she could finish. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her passionately, deeply, and with all the emotion inside of him. He pulled her down to lie on the couch as he made love to her lips. Never had he felt so much exhilaration from just kissing some woman’s lips, but Tyger wasn’t just some woman. She was everything to him. He wanted her with him always.

“Brad, oh, Brad,” she breathed as she broke the kiss. “I’m so glad you are here to be with me at the end of my life. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” Her voice broke.

“Shh....” He stroked her cheek. “Thanks for making these last moments of my life the best I’ve ever had.” She arched an eyebrow in silent question, so he continued, “I mean it. Countess Loveland, my own lady, I’ll die here tonight knowing that I have never loved anyone as much as I love you.”

More tears streamed down her face. “And I, my lord – keeper of my heart, my knight in shining armor – will leave this world knowing I’ve never felt a greater love. And if there is a Heaven beyond this earth, I know I’ll find you and we’ll be together, forever.”

Reality crashed around him. This moment was the beginning of the end. In a few hours, they’d both die.

Suddenly a thought popped into his head. They didn’t have to die. Not tonight. They weren’t tied up any longer. And... wasn’t he her hero?

Brad sucked in a breath and grasped her hands in his. “We’re not going to die. Not here, and definitely not now.”

“What?” Her eyebrows crinkled.

“We’re getting out of here.”

He jumped off the couch and peeked through the window. The large diesel truck still sat at the loading dock and three men carried items from the warehouse into the truck. Brad wasn’t sure how many men were in on this heist, but he prayed it was just the three men he could see and that another one wasn’t going to jump out behind a crate and knock something against his head, again. His skull throbbed where the imbecile had whacked him, but he tried to ignore the pain and concentrate on their escape.

“Brad?” she whispered as she crept behind him, taking hold of his hand. “They have guns. We don’t have anything to protect ourselves.”

He moved away from the window, pulling her with him. “Then I guess we’d better not let them shoot us. Right?”

She released a tiny laugh. “Oh, Brad. I love how you can make me laugh even in a situation like this.”

He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “We can do this together. Do you trust me?”

She nodded. “Always.”

Crouching lower, he snuck to the office door, continuing to hold her hand. Slowly, he turned the knob and opened the door. The men’s voices were easy to detect now, and thankfully, they were still back by the loading dock.

Brad led them from one large printer to the next. They took soft steps so they weren’t heard. Tyger had left her heels in Howard’s office so thankfully, she could walk quietly.

When they reached the last printer, he frowned. Nothing would be able to block them from the bad guys now, and they still had to reach the front door. From this spot toward the exit they would be in plain sight of the three men by the docks.

“We have to get down on our bellies and crawl toward the door,” Brad whispered. She nodded. Her body continued to shake with fear, so he rubbed his palms up and down her arms. “We can do this.”

“I know.”

He glanced at the three men on the other side of the warehouse. Brad scanned the path back toward the spot where he and Tyger stood. They’d have to move slowly so they didn’t draw attention.

“You go first.” Her eyes widened and color disappeared from her face, so he quickly continued, “That way, if they spot you, I can hold them off while you run for help.”

“No, Brad. I won’t leave you behind.”

He took her by the shoulders and held her still. “You have to, Tyger. You have to be brave. Don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“But what if something happens to you?”

He gave her a tender smile. “Nothing will happen to me. I won’t let it. I have something in my life worth fighting for, and that’s you.” He bent and kissed her lips briefly. “Now go,” he commanded in a whisper.

“I love you.” She crouched down to the floor and then scooted on her belly. Slowly, she crawled across the floor.

He switched his attention between her and the door. His heart thumped hard against his ribs, and as each second passed without the three men noticing them, his relief grew. Maybe they’d make it out of here alive, after all.

She reached the door, slid up the wall, and grasped the doorknob. Using caution, she turned the knob and opened the door. Carefully, she slipped out, but stood by the door with her eyes on him.

Brad looked across the warehouse before he slid on the ground toward her. Although he wanted to hurry, he moved slowly, praying the men wouldn’t see him, either. Once he reached the door, she pulled it open wider, letting him out.

He quickly jumped to his feet and took her in his arms. Her body shook, but she was a little more relaxed this time.

“Brad? My cell is in my purse, in my car.”

“Mine is in my truck.”

“My car is closer.”

“Okay. Once we get the phone, we’ll hurry back to the main building and call for help.”

Her brows creased as if she seriously was thinking of something. Then she shook her head. “We can’t get our cells. When we open the door to our vehicles, the light from inside will shine, and it might alert the men to our escape.”

“Good thinking.” He glanced toward the building. “Then we’ll make the call from the main office.” He grasped her hand tightly and glanced at her bare feet. “We have to make a run for it, or do you need me to carry you?”

“I’m fine, Brad. Now let’s get out of here quickly.”

Brad led the way, once more. Although he tried not to run very fast because of her tender feet, her legs carried her swiftly toward the main building. He was so proud of her for not giving up and for having faith in him.

They reached the employee’s entrance, and he fumbled with the keys. He peeked over his shoulder to see if the thieves had realized they were gone. Thankfully, they hadn’t yet.

He opened the door and they rushed inside. Immediately, he moved to the nearest desk and used the phone. Tyger huddled next to him as he talked to the 911 operator. He gathered his trembling Tyger closer, trying to share his body heat. As soon as he hung up, he was able to wrap both arms around her. She sobbed softly against his chest.

“Shhh...” he soothed. “It’s almost over.”

“I know, that’s why I’m crying.” She lifted her head and looked at him. “I really thought we were going to die.”

“We would have if we hadn’t have gotten out of those bindings.”

Her smile was shaky. “I couldn’t have done it without your encouragement.”

He kissed her forehead. “I just wanted to hold you so badly.”

“I did, too.”

“Tyger, I want you to know I didn’t say I love you because we were about to die. I really do feel that way.”

Her smile softened. “I can’t believe how quickly I fell for you, but I meant what I said, too.”

He cupped the side of her face, keeping her head tilted back so she could look at him. “Are you going to tell Tom?”

She frowned. “Not tonight. My emotions can’t take any more stress. But yes, I will tell him tomorrow. I promise.”

He sighed. “Do you want me with you?”

“No. This is something I must do on my own.”

“You can do it. I know you can.”

“Brad, thanks for helping me realize what Tom had been doing to me. I’m a new person because of you.”

He brushed his lips against hers, but he stopped before it went any further. The police were coming, and Brad needed to make sure everything went smoothly. Tomorrow would start a new day for both of them, and he couldn’t wait to get started.