CHAPTER EIGHT
Joel sat in the car as Vivi drove them to the clinic. He didn’t enjoy being a passenger, but Vivi had insisted, and he didn’t want to fight with her anymore. In fact, he wanted to do the opposite.
There was a need boiling in him to have her beneath him…or on top of him. Either would be great. The point was…that he needed to sate himself on the scent, feel, and taste of her.
She was like Pandora’s Box. The moment he admitted his attraction, it was all-consuming. Glancing over, he realized there was going to be no way to close the lid. His desire was out there, and it would probably devour him whole before all was said and done.
“Do you have a lot of patients scheduled today?” That was it…talk about something safe.
“I’m not sure what we have today. I don’t know if people are afraid to come in because of what’s been going on.”
“Have you thought about what we discussed on Saturday?”
“I have, and I don’t like any of the options you’ve given me. The prescription drug shipment is due this afternoon, and I guess it will be our last.”
“That might’ve been helpful to know.” Pulling his phone out, he texted Dane and Ben and gave them a heads-up. If something happened this afternoon, the truck was fully loaded, so they could operate if they had to. “I’m going to give Gideon a heads-up.”
“Is it that bad?”
Putting his hand on her leg, he nodded. “Honey, this is a no-win situation. Too many people are interested in what you have. I don’t know how to provide you and your patients a safe place.”
“It’s almost like being in Somalia again. I thought having a small neighborhood clinic would be so easy and almost relaxing.”
Joel noticed her hands gripping the wheel tightly. “We just have to come up with another way to accomplish your goal.”
Glancing over, she gave him a small smile. “I’m embarrassed to admit that this has really discouraged me. I’m tired, Joel.”
“No shame in admitting that.” Glancing out the window as they crossed the bridge, he studied the water. “Sometimes taking a break and reassessing your options is the best choice available. It takes a strong person to step back and reevaluate.”
“It doesn’t feel strong, it feels crappy.”
“I know, honey.” His phone buzzed with an incoming text, and he read the message from Gideon. It seemed like they were going to be on their own for a while. The famous NOPD officer shortage was going to make getting officers out there almost impossible. They had to wait for something to happen before they could request backup. The situation reminded him of his first days in the Anbar Province. Who knew what was in store for them today.
“Maybe you can come down to Florida and stay with me for a while. Take a little break and rest.”
Sliding her eyes over, she smirked. “Are you offering me a vacation so that you can get at me?”
“Absolutely, Vivi. I want to get at you ten ways from Sunday, and I’m praying that you might think that’s a good idea.”
Laughing, she held the wheel tighter. “I was only thinking about seven ways from Sunday. But I might be interested in what the extra three entail.”
“I would love nothing more than to give you a full demonstration. I want you, Vivi.” He watched her face become red and noticed her hands trembling slightly. “Does that scare you?”
“Of course it does.”
“Why?”
Moving her hair off her neck, she sighed. “Five days ago, we didn’t even like one another. So this is a big change.”
“It is. No way around it.” Straightening his glasses, he flipped his phone over again and again. “My mom used to say that it was hard not to like someone when you knew their story. When you told me about what happened to you when you were in Somalia, it made me realize that all my reasons for resisting you were ridiculous. You are a smart, generous, kind woman, and I was an idiot for thinking anything else.”
“What did you think I was?”
“I thought you were a rich, stuck-up woman who would never like me. When I met you at the engagement party, you barely said a word.”
Running his hand over his phone, he wondered what she was going to do with the information. Probably tell him to get lost.
“I had been home for about a month when I went to that party. I was having a hard time transitioning. It was hard for me to be back in the States after three years abroad. I didn’t know how to talk to anyone. Also, I had met with Matt’s parents the day before, and I had to relive the experience of how he was killed. It was a horrible time for me, and I probably shouldn’t have tried to be at a party. But I missed my family, and I wanted to be there to help Ronnie and Chase celebrate.”
“Now I feel like a bigger ass. I’m sorry, Vivi.”
Moving her hand, she covered his. And with that small gesture, he fell for Dr. Vivi DuMond. He had been a jerk, and she was trying to comfort him.
“You had no way of knowing. I was probably being a pill. So I could see how you could get that impression.” Shrugging, she turned off the bridge toward the clinic. “It took me a long time to feel relaxed again. I redecorated my house from top to bottom in an attempt to make myself comfortable.”
“You did an amazing job. Your house is beautiful.”
“Thanks, Joel.” Tapping her fingers against her leg, she breathed heavily.
Glancing over, he grinned. “Remember when I told you that you stirred up things inside me and I didn’t like it?”
“Yes. Has something changed?”
“Everything has changed.” Glancing out the window, he saw the clinic and noticed a small crowd gathered two blocks away. “I tried to run from the feelings you churned up in me, and it worked for a while.”
“But…?” Vivi asked.
“The longer you run from something, the harder it will hurt when it catches you. And it always catches you,” Joel replied.
“Attraction isn’t supposed to hurt. Hopefully, it’s the opposite.”
“I’m not hurting, Vivi. Now that I’ve given in to it, it feels pretty good.” He studied the crowd again and noticed it growing. “What the hell is going on?”
Vivi glanced over and shrugged. “Maybe they’re just getting ready for Fat Tuesday. There are a ton of block parties planned all over the city.”
Shaking his head, he studied the crowd. Something wasn’t right, and had no idea what it was. “I’ll check it out when Dane and Ben arrive.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing.” Pulling into the back of the clinic, she parked her car and stepped out. “It’s going to be a good day, Joel.”
“I hope so,” he replied. “I hope so.”
***
Joel checked his phone again and confirmed Ben and Dane’s ETA. Staring out the front window, he noticed the cluster of people growing, along with the hum of anticipation. He’d seen it a hundred times when he was deployed, and it never turned out well. Something was happening out there, and he had a bad feeling about it. Fifteen years had proven his intuition was usually spot-on.
Striding through the clinic, he checked the cameras to make sure they were operational, as well as the locks and sensors that had been placed on the doors. The old building was concrete, which was good news for them because it meant a bullet would have a hard time coming through. They were going to end up in a confrontation before this was all over, and there was no way around it. Turning, he stared at Vivi and wished he’d already taken her back to Florida, out of danger. Then he could focus on what was happening between them and not on the bullshit happening on the streets.
“You sure are a knockout, Vivi.” Taking long strides, he was at her side in a second. “Sometimes you take my breath away.”
He watched her smooth her scrubs down and then smile. “I’m going to remember that pink scrubs with balloons… makes you like me.” She stood and leaned over the counter. “Kiss me quickly, before everyone shows up.”
“My pleasure.” Slowly, he lowered his head and tried to control his urge to consume her. She was so damn soft all over. Soft hair, soft skin, and soft lips. His chest felt suddenly tight again, and his muscles tensed as he fought against the effect she had on him. The need to kiss her, to eat her alive, was growing stronger each day. He wanted her to become a part of him so that he could relax.
It was crazy, but he couldn’t make any of it stop. Pressing their lips together, he devoured her mouth. He hadn’t meant to let the kiss get out of control. But all it took was her responding, and he was off the freaking leash before he knew it.
Their time was coming, and the sooner it happened, the better. Releasing her mouth, he tipped his head against hers. “Good thing you said quickly.”
Breathing heavily, she let out a small laugh. “What would’ve happened if I said slowly?” The back door opened, and they both straightened up. Joel watched Vivi run her finger over her mouth, and he almost groaned. Time to get his head together. He had to deal with what was happening outside, not with his growing desire for the woman in front of him.
Dane and Trinity entered along with Ben and Ruby. “Gang’s all here.” he said.
Trinity stood in front of the desk and let her gaze bounce between the two of them. Joel attempted to look innocent as Vivi studied the arrangement of pens on the desk. “You two were smooching and seconds away from going into an exam room.” Shaking her head, she smiled. “Too bad we didn’t stop for breakfast. You all might’ve had enough time.”
“Maybe next time,” Vivi remarked before she spun around and marched down the hall.
Joel could tell she was trying to hold on to her dignity, and she did a fine job. Maybe next time they could get rid of that dignity and replace it with some old-fashioned sexual satisfaction. It seemed that they could both use it. “Leave her be,” Joel said to the group.
Ben slapped him on the shoulder. “It’s about damn time.”
Dane stepped closer and shook his hand. “Thank God, you’re finally joining the living. It took too damn long.”
“Let me know when you two are done with your Dr. Phil moment, and then maybe we can discuss the crowd out on the street.”
“It’s not a crowd…it’s two crowds. Facing one another,” Ruby commented.
Joel glanced between the men and lifted his shoulders. “What the hell?”
“Exactly. It doesn’t look good out there. Let’s suit up and see what the hell is going on,” Dane replied.
It was going to be a long day, and it just went from bad to shitty. “Everyone wears vests,” Joel stated flatly. There were going to be bullets flying before the end of the day. There was no way around it.
His phone buzzed, and he answered quickly. “Yeah, it looks like it’s heating up. I have no idea what it is. But Dane and Ben just reported that we have two crowds on the street.”
Lifting his eyes, he glanced at Ben and received acknowledgment. “I’ll lock it down and then gear up,” Ben replied.
“Yeah…sorry. I was talking to Ben. He’s going to lock us down here and then climb on the roof and get us some intel. Do you have any air support available?” Trinity and Ruby stood in front of him, and he put up his finger. “Let me know what you have.” Sliding his phone off, he glanced up. “We are locking down for the day until we resolve the issue of the crowds outside.”
Ruby put her hands on her hips and tried to look stern. “We don’t know what that is all about. It could have nothing to do with us.”
“You’re right. But we’re not taking the chance. Can you get in touch with the company that’s transporting your shipment and see where they are? We are not accepting any deliveries today.”
“That’s it?” Trinity asked.
“That’s it,” Joel stated. “There is no way that we’re putting anyone at risk. That includes you girls and any patients that show up. Something is happening, and I’m not taking a chance.”
Dane came down the hallway with their gear bags and dropped them down in front of the women. “Fun and games are over. It’s time for us to do our job and clean this mess up and keep the body count as low as we can.”
Ben returned from the front and stood next to Joel and Dane. “Sorry, ladies. Shit just got real.” He lifted a bag and swung it over his shoulder and walked into an exam room to gear up. “Showtime.”
Ruby walked in after him. “You better not let something happen. I just found you, and I’m not letting you go. Do you understand?”
Smiling as he strapped his vest on, he bobbed his head. “I know, sweetheart.” He pulled his kit on and started checking his equipment. “We’re going to do that thing we did this morning…again tonight.” Winking, he added another round to his front pocket. “I’m a highly motivated individual. I have a whole lot to live for, and I don’t plan on ending this day with a bullet hole.”
Ruby nodded tightly. “I’m going to be awfully disappointed if you let that happen.”
The last thing Ben wanted was for Ruby to be disappointed or unhappy in any way. Everyone thought that Ruby was the one who found something, but the truth was…Ben was the one. He needed Ruby a lot more than she needed him. And there wasn’t going to be a day that passed that he was ever going to forget that. Ruby was the person who was going to save him, not the other way around.
Dane dropped his bag next to Ben’s and started the process of getting kitted up. “So, I expect to be the best man at the wedding.”
Ben glanced up and smirked. “Start working on your toast, because it’s going to happen before you know it.”
Dane put out his fist, and they bumped. “I knew when I saved your ass last year that it was for a reason. It’s good to finally see what the reason was.”
Joel entered the room and started downloading intel. “Local uniforms will not be available for a couple of hours. The city is short-staffed, and they can’t spare officers for something that might happen.
“Ben, climb on the roof and be ready. Dane and I will head out and see what we’re dealing with. Let’s contain it until we get enough presence down here for backup. Gideon is working with the FBI to send some choppers, but we have no confirmation.”
“How is Vivi taking all this?” Ben asked, as he checked his MK-11. He adjusted the tension on the scope and glanced up.
Joel strapped his vest on and tightened it. “She is especially quiet and preparing for trauma surgery. If there is a GSW victim, then she can operate on them.”
“Scary quiet?” Dane asked.
“Probably. This isn’t how she saw this thing ending. All she wanted to do was have a neighborhood clinic,” Joel replied. “I wish like hell that I could make this happen for her. I just can’t see a way out of this.”
“Unfortunately, the tide has turned, and there is nothing that is going to make it change,” Ben added.
Joel nodded in acknowledgment. Sliding his kit over his shoulder, he let out a deep breath. He would give Vivi anything she wanted, but he didn’t see a way clear to make the clinic work and keep her out of danger. The best he could do was keep the body count low and do his best to make sure that there were no innocent casualties. What a shit show.
“Why is the FBI willing to add air support?” Dane asked. “This seems out of their jurisdiction.”
“They want to question the gangs about the connection to the larger crews. They don’t care about the turf war down here; they care about the intel. What’s happening right now gives them probable cause to question the participants. Without a lot of paperwork.”
“Makes sense,” Ben replied.
***
Joel and Dane stood at the back door, and Joel checked their coms. “Check in, Ben. How does it look up there?”
“The groups have remained the same size for the last fifteen minutes. The gangs here don’t wear color. So I can’t tell the difference between the Fischer Fools and Hot Block. Not that it much matters.”
“How many do we have in each group?” Dane asked.
Ben peered through his binoculars and did a rough count. “Between twelve and fifteen on each side. Maybe they’re going after one another and we just happen to be in a bad location.”
“I don’t think we’re going to be that lucky,” Joel replied.
Vivi strode up to the men with the phone in her hand. “Gideon called and told me that they have some Feds on the way over. He asked you all to hold your fire for as long as you could.”
“Thanks, honey.”
“Maybe they have nothing planned and they’re just having a meeting.” Vivi held up her hands. “It’s possible.”
“But not probable,” Joel replied. “There are good guys and there are bad guys. It’s not that complicated.”
“Maybe your presence out there is going to rile them up. It could make it worse,” Vivi stammered.
“Showing people what the consequences are for their bad choices is never going to make it worse. Those people want something, and it’s probably the drug shipment that was due this afternoon.” Shifting his kit, he took her hand. “Who knows, and quite frankly, who cares? If they’re putting you girls at risk as well as my team members, then I don’t second-guess,” Joel responded.
Dane adjusted his gun on his shoulder and watched Trinity walk up to the group. “When we first went over to Anbar, we were stationed at a combat outpost in Habbaniyah. The Sunni fighters had been running around the area with three-prong mortar tubes mounted on the beds of Toyota trucks. Those trucks were scooting around western Iraq like homicidal go-karts. We were getting hit with mortar rounds inside the compound.
“Until we did something about it. Within twenty-four hours, Joel had a Team together, and sixteen of us strolled down the streets in the pockmarked outskirts of Habbaniyah. I won’t relive the battle we had, but suffice to say, we changed the conversation that day. We redefined the battlespace and let everyone know that there was a new group of predators in town. That day, we began to shift the momentum.”
“We are shifting the conversation today and letting those folks out there know that your clinic is off limits. That’s all,” Joel stated. “A little shock and awe is all we’re doing. If we have to do more, then we will.”
Trinity waved her hand in front of them. “So all the gear you’re loaded up with is just for show?”
“Oh, no. We’re going to use it,” Dane replied happily.
“Natives are getting restless,” Ben said into his mic. “A couple of the men are carrying automatic weapons, so this should be interesting.”
Joel switched his cap around and grinned at Dane. “Let’s go see what this is all about.” Leaning over, he kissed Vivi on the cheek and winked. “Can you call Gideon and tell him to let the Feds know that the folks out there have automatic weapons?”
“You all look like you’re about to have the time of your life. Not face two gangs,” Trinity commented.
“We’ve trained for this. Nothing better than solving a problem before lunchtime,” Dane said over his shoulder, as he and Joel strolled out into the bright morning light.
“Shit on a shingle,” Vivi murmured as she watched them both move down the street.
***
“I’ll take the group on the left, and you can have those nice folks on the right,” Joel commanded. “Coms open. Let’s see if we can get these people a little less interested in the clinic today.”
“I think these assholes are out here for a show of power. They’re telling the other group that they’re staking a claim in no uncertain terms,” Dane replied. “How can Vivi stock enough prescription drugs to have this many people interested?”
“When we were in the meeting the other day with the Feds, they said that it’s about power for the local gangs. Claiming territory is what it’s all about.”
“If you all are done with your little chat, then I suggest you hustle your asses down the street. It looks like the groups are disagreeing about how to approach this thing. I see men facing off with each other in both groups.”
“Thanks, Ben.” Joel slid his gaze over to Dane and grinned. “Let’s go have some fun.” They both broke out into a slow jog in opposite directions.
Joel had a flash bang grenade in his hand and was planning on using it to get the crowd under control if he needed to. After that, he could throw a frag over their heads and have it explode behind them. It was the best way to have them move on without pulling out his gun. There was no way to win a gunfight, and he didn’t plan on dragging any bodies into the clinic to be stitched up. That would put Vivi in a bad mood, and he wasn’t interested in that. Approaching from the side, he held the grenade in his hand and used his commander’s voice. “So, what are the plans today, gentlemen?”
A man who was standing at the front stared at him and then flipped him off. “Who the hell are you? Fucking Rambo?”
“No…better. A fucking SEAL.” Standing at his full height, he held his gun loosely in one hand and a flash bang in the other. He was in all black and fully kitted out. His demeanor was relaxed, and he spoke to the group as if he was at a ballgame. Calm and cool. Because that’s what he felt, this was his wheelhouse, and there wasn’t a thing that could rattle him. “Are you gentlemen planning a party?”
“Yeah, man. That’s what we’re doin’.” Laughing, the man slid a glance over the group assembled behind him. “What the hell do you care?”
“My girlfriend’s clinic is over there, and I want to make sure that she doesn’t have any trouble. When she has a bad day, it turns into my bad day. I don’t feel like having one today, so I decided to stop whatever shit you have planned before it gets started. If Viv has to stich some of you assholes up, then she isn’t going to be happy. I like it when she’s happy.” There was a small round of laughter from the group. “I don’t care what war you guys have going on. In fact, it’s none of my damn business. What I do care about is what happens to the clinic.”
“Her clinic is under dispute, and we are here to settle the argument once and for all,” the man answered. “Fischer Fools own this block.”
“There is nothing left to own. The shipment of prescription drugs isn’t coming today. Or any other day.” Sliding his Beretta out of the holster, he lifted it slowly and pointed it over his right shoulder. There was a man in the middle of the crowd who had a gun pointed at his chest. “Put it down now,” he commanded slowly. His gaze continued to hold that of the man he had been speaking with earlier. “I say it once, and that’s it.” He heard the clear signal in his ear and slid his eyes over to the man who was lowering the gun. “Next time, you don’t get a warning.”
“You have fucking eyes on the side of your head?” the man asked, as he slid his gun into the back of his pants.
“No, I have a guy on over watch. He has his gun pointed at your head, and he never misses. I’m sure you’ve heard about the snipers from the Teams. Well, there is one on a roof, and he has you in his sights.”
“What the hell, man? This is Algiers, not fucking Iraq. You can’t come in here and play war games in our hood.”
The crowd started to move around and become agitated, and Joel had about a minute before they talked themselves into some stupidity. “I don’t care what happens here. I care what happens to the clinic. It’s probably going to shut down. So when your family needs to see a doctor and they can’t afford it, you can thank yourselves.” Shaking his head, he studied the men. “The clinic will never have prescription drugs again, so when your grandmother needs something and she can’t get it, comfort yourselves with knowing that you made it possible.”
“Fuck you,” someone from the back shouted.
“I didn’t make this, you did. Somehow the Feds and DEA are involved because someone from your hood invited in outsiders. They are going to be crawling up your asses in about fifteen minutes, so if you don’t feel like being part of the party, then I suggest you go home.”
The sound of a shot filled the air, and Joel knew that Ben had been forced to immobilize someone who was threatening Dane. “Who’s next?” he asked the crowd.
The sound of choppers filled the air, and a man pointed to the sky. “Fucking Feds are coming in.”
“Make a choice,” Joel shouted. The thump of the rotors and the whine of the engine was like a lullaby to him. Whenever he heard that sound, he knew that he was going to make it to another day. It didn’t matter if it was in Yemen, Iraq, or Louisiana. The sound always meant the same thing. “Sitrep,” he barked into his mic.
“Man down in Hot Block crew. I hit his leg and probably missed the femoral artery. But I can’t be sure,” Ben replied.
“Thanks, man,” Dane said into his mic. “The conversation over here wasn’t going well, and I think they were about to start shooting. At what…I don’t know.”
“Are they starting to move away?” Joel asked.
“Slowly,” Dane responded. “Let Vivi know that we have a GSW victim on the way in.”
“Copy,” Joel said. The men in front of him started to move away. It seemed that no one wanted to be around when the Feds showed up. Standing with his gun ready, he waited until the corner was clear. “I guess the party is over.”
“Vivi is waiting at the back door for the GSW victim, and Ruby called Gideon with an update,” Ben said into his mic. “I’m going to stay up here for a while. I want to make sure that no one returns.”
Joel glanced up and saw the FBI chopper land in the intersection. Now that was shock and awe. It certainly sent the message that someone was serious about what was going on in Algiers. Another chopper landed about a mile away, and Joel figured they were going to start combing the neighborhood asking questions.
Walking backward, he moved toward the clinic. “I’m going to stand watch for a while and see what develops. I want to make sure that no one decides to make a name for themselves and return,” Joel stated.
“Copy,” Ben replied.
Dane walked down the street with a man over his shoulder. “On my way in. Let the girls know.”
A black car came screaming around the corner, and Gideon jumped out. “Tell me the body count is low.”
Joel tipped his head. “So far, so good.”
“I hate the paperwork, so that’s good news.”
“Dane is bringing in one GSW victim.”
“Nice work, man.” They both watched the Feds fan out, and Gideon shook his head. “All they care about is the names of the men from the crews out of state. They are going for the big fish, and they don’t much care what happens around here.”
“Live to fight another day,” Joel replied. He admired the hell out of Gideon because he kept trying to make a difference for the city he loved. He got that, but it had always been his country that he’d protected. “I’m going to stay out here for a while and make sure that no one returns.” Moving his cap around, he rested his hands on his gun and quartered the area. Vivi wasn’t going to be happy, and he wished that he could give her a different outcome. Watching the Feds fan out and move down the street told him that wasn’t going to be possible.
***
Joel stood in Vivi’s backyard and watched her slam dishes around in the kitchen. That had been the mood since they’d left the clinic. Every time he tried to talk to her, she held up her hand. She had made it clear in no uncertain terms that she wasn’t ready to discuss it. So he did what he hated to do. Waited.
The alarm on his watch buzzed, and he ambled over to check the steaks that he had on the grill. When he heard the door open, he lifted his gaze and smiled at the woman coming toward him. The fact that she wasn’t snarling was a step in the right direction. “Ten minutes and it will be ready.”
Vivi handed him a beer and tried to smile. “Sounds good.”
“Are you ready to tell me what you’re upset about?”
Grabbing his hand, she led him over to the love seat that faced the pool. Taking a sip of her wine, she ran her finger over his hands. “Seeing you go out and face the gangs today scared me to death.”
“Oh.” Moving his hand around her shoulder, he kissed her head and smiled. The fact that she was worried about him was an excellent development. “Viv, today wasn’t a big deal.”
“It was to me.” Leaning her head against his shoulder, she breathed deeply. “It felt like Somalia.”
Leaning forward, he stared into her eyes. “I’m sorry that you were frightened. I’ll try not to do that again. But, Viv, this is what I do.”
“Why did you look like you were having the time of your life? Did you feel scared?”
“I wasn’t scared, because I’ve trained for this and practiced it and experienced it a few thousand times. I have built my bravery muscles over fifteen years on the Teams. I was trained in activities that required copious amounts of bravery. I practiced in situations where the danger was real, long before I ever hit the battlefield.”
“Don’t you ever feel fear?”
“Of course I do. Any rational human being experiences it when in danger, including an experienced warrior. When I was in training, I learned to manage my fear, sharpen my performance, and build my confidence. You probably experienced the same thing when you were learning to become a surgeon.”
“I suppose. But being a surgeon is a lot different than being a warrior.”
“I don’t agree. You’re trying to save someone’s life, and so am I. In those situations, your heart races, the adrenaline is pumping hard, and the mind bounces like a pinball. Until you learn through practice and repetition how to manage it. After a few hundred times, it becomes easier.”
“I agree with that. I learned how to perform under intense pressure, and maybe the same is true for you.” She took another sip of wine and sighed. “Doesn’t mean that I welcome it.”
“I’ve always operated best under extreme circumstances. So what happened today wasn’t a big deal to me. I enjoy the confrontation. Setting things right. Making the hard choice. That’s who I am at my core, and that will never change.”
“I understand, but it doesn’t mean that I like it.”
The alarm on his watch went off, and he stood up. Holding out his hand, he helped her up. “Viv, I’ll always protect you.”
Leaning forward, she placed a small kiss on his lips. “Thank you, and I appreciate it. More than you will ever know. But…I’m still going to be frightened.”
“I’m pretty indestructible. So you don’t have to worry about me.”
“Doesn’t make a difference, Joel. A bullet is a bullet. And I know what it does to the human body.” Turning around, she returned to the kitchen.
Pulling the steaks off the grill, he placed them on the plate and covered them with foil. Scraping the grill slowly, he thought about what she’d said. Her tolerance for seeing him in danger was fairly small. Which was both encouraging and devastating. It demonstrated that she was starting to care for him, but it also meant that he had to do everything he could not to give her cause to worry. Unfortunately, the threats around them might make that difficult.