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Impressed by her, Armie asked, "What do you have there?"

"Post robbery packets," she answered, and then to her eain and follow procedure"

It ae, so in control despite what had just happened She got a lollipop for the little boy, cans of Coke for the other customers

With that handled, she turned back to Ar him over Neither he nor Valerie hadhi hiand just standing there" She stripped his flannel off hi water in the sink

Expression far too grave, she gingerly dabbed at the blood froht side of his face, over his eye and up to his temple "It looks terrible"

Valerie silently set a first-aid kit on the sink for her

When she reached for it, he caught her wrists "Honey, I’aze going just past his shoulder

"Rissy, talk to ether and her lashes lowered "You almost dared him--"

"Shh" That small, broken voice squeezed like a vise around his heart He stepped closer, letting her feel his strength, proving he was unharmed Because he needed to know, and she maybe needed to talk, he said, "The bastard hit you?"

She nodded

Glancing at the popped button on her sweater, he strangled on fury but kept his tone soft "He attacked you?"

Her face tightened and she sed convulsively "He He said he wanted to--"

"Cops are here!"

"College boy," Arhten her mood "I like him"

Her tensed shoulders loosened with the interruption, and she turned brisk again "Yes He was helpful" She rinsed her hands in the sink "I have to go"

"I know We’ll talk later?"

At that she half laughed

"What?"

"You alant to talk" Shaking her head, she left the small room and hurried to the front to unlock the door Two uniforuns drawn, but after a few questions and a quick look around, they holstered their weapons and began separating everyone One of the an ambulance, but Armie shut them down on that Merissa refused, and nooo way in hell was he leaving her Besides, he knew his own body well enough to know the thuht need stitches, but he’d try taping it first

Shortly after that an FBI agent caan Riske and Reese Bareden Luckily, Arh Cannon

Cannon Shit He had to call hiot his phone out, only to find the screen busted Shit again Like all the guys from his inner circle, he carried two phones, the second one for ehborhood watch, the separate phones were set for a distinctive ring so they’d knohen one of the others had so on But the second phone wasn’t in his pocket any longer He could only assu around for it when Logan approached "Da tired of telling that to people

Logan frowned "I’ll take your word for it" He nodded at the cell phone "That got broke in the fight?"

"Yeah" His muscles remained too tense and his temples throbbed "I need to let Cannon know If he hears about this, he’ll die three times before he knows she’s okay"

"I’ll take care of it Do me a favor and sit, will you?"