April tilted the back of her head against Jerome’s front, trying to avoid the knife.

“Do you want to die?” he hissed, dragging her beyond the cement blocks and into the main dining area.

“No.” With certain clarity, she knew that for a fact. For the first time in too long, she wanted to live. She needed to.

Damon was coming for her. All she had to do was stay alive. That trust meant everything.

She stopped fighting.

Jerome relaxed. “Okay. Good. We’re going down the stairs and through the tunnel. If you fight me, I’ll knock you out again.”

She sucked in air. All she had to do was stay alive. “Okay.”

The door flew open and splintered into three pieces. Damon came barreling in, reaching them in a second and grabbing Jerome by the neck.

In all April’s life, with whatever time she had left, she’d never forget the look on Damon’s face. Determined and fierce. For her.

He lifted Jerome up and slammed him against the wall so hard something in Jerome fissured with a loud crack. His head flew back and forth, and his body jerked in a spasm. He tried to strike out, but Damon punched him square in the jaw. He slumped, unconscious.

“Damon.” April leaped for him, and he caught her, holding her tight.

Movement came from the other room. “What the hell?” Pastor King ran into sight, his gun lifting quickly.

Damon pivoted and dropped to the floor, covering April with his body. She struggled to see beyond his arm.

Greyson slid past the cement blocks on his knees, already firing. He hit King beneath the chin, and the bullet exploded brain matter and blood up to the ceiling. King fell forward in death, his legs flying up and then flopping to the ground.

Damon half lifted up. He looked around. Then he stood, taking April with him.

She gulped and shuddered into his side. “I stayed at my apartment. Kept my promise and didn’t come here on my own.” She gasped out the words, wanting him to know she’d stayed safe. Or had tried to. “Not stupid.” She didn’t willingly walk into a trap.

He kissed her cheek, his gaze searching the area. “I know, baby. You’re fine.”

Greyson stood, looking down at the dead man. “I killed a pastor. That probably ain’t good.”

The room whirled around April, and she tried to focus. “He’s not really a pastor, and he’s been working with the president. There are tunnels beneath Los Angeles. We’re on one.”

Grey cut her a look. “Seriously?”

Damon frowned. “That’s crazy. But look on the bright side, Grey. You didn’t kill a pastor. You and God are still good.”

Grey snorted.

April looked at them both. Had they completely lost their minds? This wasn’t funny.

Only a wisp of sound warned her. Damon turned and shoved her toward Greyson as Jerome Blankenship jumped to his feet and rushed forward with his knife.

April screamed.

Damon smoothly pivoted, grabbed Jerome’s wrist, and twisted it back with a hard shove. The knife shoved up into Jerome’s breastbone, and his eyes widened. Blood bubbled on his lips. Damon shoved him to the ground again, and this time, he stayed down.

Her ears started ringing. She shook her head. Now was not the time to freak out. Later. Definitely later.

Damon moved for her, a big, solid form with determination on his face.

She met him halfway and rushed into his arms. “He was the vice president.”

Greyson craned his neck. “Ha. You killed this one. Vice presidents aren’t safe around us, buddy.”

Damon chuckled, the sound still a little angry.

He was there, and he was safe. She needed to touch him. “I should’ve said it before you left, and I’m sorry I didn’t.” She gasped for air. “I love you. Am a little scared about it, but it’s the truth, so I wanted to say it.” Enough with the babbling, but she couldn’t stop. “I knew you’d come and get me and—”

“I love you, too.” His voice remained strong and steady. No babbling.

She paused. He loved her, too. That meant everything, especially in the world they now lived in. Tears gathered in her eyes.

Jax Mercury strode through the broken doorway before she could completely dissolve into tears. “This place cleared?”

“Not yet,” Greyson answered for them all.

Sharon poked her head out from the smaller dining area. She had a black eye and a split lip. “Jerome and I had a fight. The kids are safely barricaded upstairs. I came down to see if I could get word to the Vanguard soldiers about what was happening and then had to hide.”

April leaned into Damon’s side. “The house is now clear.”

He kissed the top of her head. “Everything is.”

* * *

April finished settling the kids down after the crazy day and returned to her apartment where Damon stood by her table with a bottle of wine. They both looked absolutely delicious.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, pouring them both a glass.

“Okay. My head is better, but I could use a week of sleep.” She reached him, suddenly nervous. “How are you? Sami said you guys got caught in a bombing.”

“Darn gossips. I’m just fine.” He had new stitches above his eyebrow and a fresh bruise along his collarbone. Both just made him look even more dangerously sexy. “You did a great job fighting Jerome. I’m proud of you.”

Actually, she’d sucked. “I think it’s time for those self-defense lessons you were talking about.”

He nodded. “Agreed.”

She accepted the glass and got right to it. “I know tensions and emotions were high earlier today, but I meant what I said. I do love you.”

His flash of teeth showed amusement. “Yeah. I meant it, too. Wasn’t going to let you go back on it. Trust me.”

Well, that was a little arrogant and a lot sweet. “I’m not sure where to go from here.” She didn’t know how to play coy, so she didn’t bother.

“I do. After a nice chat, we’re going to bed. I’m going to kiss, lick, or bite every inch of you, and then we’re sleeping until we have to get up and eat something.” He took a drink of the wine, his gaze intense. “Sound good to you?”

She nodded. Sounded beyond good. Her body flushed hot and then got all tingly. Like it always did with him. “Is the territory secured?” She hadn’t seen him for hours after he’d rescued her in the church.

“Yes. We have several dead and wounded, as do the Elite Force. Some of them escaped out the front.” Damon took another drink. “Sami is going through all the information that we managed to take from the Reno Bunker. Hopefully, we’ll find the location of another one soon.”

She took a sip of the wine and let it wash down her throat. It was fairly cool, somehow. “What about the tunnel?”

Damon winced. “We’re going to blow it up so it can’t be used. Was a hard decision, but too many people probably know about it, so it has to go. nd it looks like Sharon is in charge of the Pure group from now on. She has no trouble giving us access to the members.”

Sounded like a plan. April tightened her hold on the glass, and the ring clinked. Oh yeah. She took it off and handed it over to him. “I said I’d keep this until you got back safely.” Maybe sometime in the future she’d get to wear it again.

“I’ll always come back safely to you.” He set his glass down, and in a surprisingly graceful movement for such a large man, he dropped to one knee. “I’ve never been in love before, and it took the apocalypse to find you, but you’re it for me, April.”

Her heart fluttered, and her knees weakened. “Damon.”

He looked up, his eyes a fathomless hue. “I don’t know how much time we have, but I want to spend it all with you. I love you. Marry me?”

He was the biggest risk she’d ever take. But he was worth it, and she wanted every second she might have. “Yes.”