Kirk stood in the green room at the end of the day’s activities, only a few feet away from Kate as she discussed matters with her roommates.

The short distance between his body and hers pulled at him like the Earth’s gravity. It was almost too cruel to have been so close to her and now be banished from her side.

“You don’t have to do this,” Cecily said to Kate.

“Spencer wants to apologize,” Kate said evenly. “If he’s ready for closure, so am I. And if he’s after something else, Kirk will be with me.”

“I thought I was your bodyguard,” Solo said.

“I want Kirk for this,” Kate said.

Kirk’s heart expanded in his chest and he managed to catch her eye.

She smiled at him and there was sadness in her eyes, though he had done everything she asked.

“It would be my privilege,” he told her.

“So we’ll head out there and if anything goes wrong I’ll text you guys right away,” Kate said.

“No way,” Beatrix said. “We’re all coming with you.”

“You want to watch him apologize?” Kate asked.

“Seriously?” Beatrix asked, shaking her head.

Cecily elbowed Bea in the ribs.

“You don’t really think he’s going to apologize do you?” Bea asked Cecily.

“He owes her an apology. But what does he have that’s yours?” Cecily asked Kate.

Kate got an uncomfortable look on her face.

It suddenly occurred to Kirk that they had been so hypnotized by each other and then so shocked by the photographs that Kate had never told everyone about last night.

He could tell by Kate’s expression that she was worried about telling them.

“He was in the apartment last night,” she said slowly. “He could have taken something then.”

“You let him come over?” Cecily asked.

“I told you we should have made them go to the party with us,” Bea said.

“I didn’t let him come over,” Kate said. “He came in on his own and he was gone by the time Kirk and I got there. He left flowers in my bed.”

“He broke in?” Cecily asked.

Kate nodded.

“Did you call the police?” Cecily asked.

Kate shook her head.

“I didn’t want to get the guys in hot water. And I planned to talk to building security today. I would have told you guys if our morning hadn’t been so… unusual.”

“It isn’t safe for you to meet with him, Kate,” Cecily said. “He’s already demonstrated that he doesn’t respect boundaries.”

“What do you think he took?” Bea asked.

“I’m not sure,” Kate admitted. “And you’re right, I wouldn’t meet him if not for the fact that this is in public. And if there’s any chance that I can get him off my back, I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t try. You said he’s leaving town, right?”

Cecily nodded slowly.

“We will all come with you, Kate,” Solo said. “Not just Kirk and your friends. Buck and I will be there too.”

“It’s 7:13,” Bea said.

Cecily shook her head.

“I’m doing this,” Kate said.

Kirk headed out by her side, placing one protective hand between her shoulder blades.

He glanced behind him and was glad to see that the entire group was following, even Cecily, though she did not look pleased.

They headed down the hallway, out past the incoming security checkpoint and down the elevators.

Though he was very concerned for Kate’s safety, Kirk trusted her judgment. He felt a cool calm settle around him as they walked.

He was prepared to do whatever it took to protect her. If the man tried to touch her, Kirk would put a quick stop to it.

They reached the metal exit door to the west entrance.

Kirk stepped in front of Kate to push it open.

The sun was setting, its flames reflecting madly against the glass of the surrounding buildings. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust.

People were gathered on the sidewalk below the stairs, dozens of them. They were all standing and facing the building as if Kirk and his friends were putting on a play.

He scanned the crowd for Spencer as he descended the stairs from the Convention Center, but didn’t see him.

By the time he realized that Spencer really wasn’t there, the whole group was on the steps.

He turned back to Kate to tell her, and then he saw it.

Glass was exploding out of the window over her head.

Something massive tilted and began to fall with the twinkling shards.

Kirk saw its trajectory and his blood went cold.

He had less than a second to decide - his mate’s safety or his own.

But there was no decision to be made, not really.

He was already closing his eyes, reaching his consciousness out to envelope the big thing and the glass, releasing it from the reach of the law that pulled it downward…