Page 5 (1/2)

"If you weren’t here" she whispered, then stopped, sed, stared at hi over "If you weren’t here, I would be dead"

"No" He wouldn’t even consider that possibility He kissed her head, tucked her face against his throat

"I can handle almost any situation"

"I know" Even now, her stubborn pride showed through

"But I won’t lie to myself I’m still a little disoriented My head feels like it’s splitting in two and even though it’s not ht enough to hit anyone"

"So? My shots were off, too, but they still didn’t like their odds" He was incredibly proud of her, and he needed her to know it "They wanted you completely disabled after the wreck"

"I was"

"No" He tipped up her face Her eye elling, her forehead bruised, and blood ran down her cheek And still he wanted to kiss her Why not? He brushed his ainst her lips, "Instead, your first instinct was to grab for your gun"

"It’s ingrained," she said just as quietly

"Because you’re a cop through and through According to Logan, one of the best he’s ever known"

"He said that?"

"You don’t realize how he and Reese admire you? Why do you think they don’t see you as a woood thing"

For Logan and Reese, sure But Dash wasn’t one of her subordinates Eventually--if she’d give in just a little--he’d get her under the sheets and law enforce on her mind "If those miserable fks had walked up to you, you would have shot theo I know that"

She continued to look at hi her eyes and snuggling close again "It’s not easy for lad I’ it

She sed, let a few seconds of silence pass "What I hate is that now you’re stuck in this mess"

"I know" He understood the raoons could have easily read his plates If they wanted to uncover his identity, they would

But he was here with Margo, holding her, protecting her, and he wouldn’t have it any other way

Because he couldn’t stop kissing her, he put another soft peck to the top of her head He had a million questions, but they’d all have to wait Now that he’d thought of license plates, he said, "E-K-B 8-9-3-2"

"What is that?" she asked

"Plates for the van I’et"

She stirred "You noticed them?"

"They rammed you Hell, yeah, I noticed" The sound of the sirens swelled louder, closer, and finally dimmed as the squad cars arrived The reflection of red-and-blue lights bounced off ice everywhere

Logan bellowed his nao close to his side, aware of her li closed "We’re in the alley"

Logan was the first in, his gun drawn until he spotted theaze scanned the alley for any threats, then shifted to search over Dash’s body before locking on his face

Logan held himself perfectly still "You’re hit?"

"No, I’o’s blood from her head Her elbow is dislocated and she probably has a concussion, too"

Soid shoulders and he began giving orders Even now, in the thick of it, Dash had to smile at how easily his brother took control of any situation

Pride was there, but fear for Margo overshadowed it

Reese, dressed in jeans and a pullover sweatshirt, walked in ahead of the paramedics His messy hair and casual clothes were proof that he’d left his bed to join Logan Whistling when he saw theround, Reese hunkered down in front of Dash He nodded at the Glock "The lieutenant’s gun?"

"Yeah"

Reese retrieved it from him

"She said she has more weapons in her trunk"

"I’ll take care of it" Resolute and calm, he said, "You need to coo "She’s hurt"

Reese’s gaze shifted to his lieutenant Without an ounce of sy in there?"

"Yes"

At her faint voice, Reese cocked one brow but said nothing about it He eyed the blood everywhere, noted how Dash held the compress to her teetting a stretcher"

Rousing herself, Margo got her eyes open and tried to struggle up to her feet Dash could tell she did her best to hide her pain from Reese--a pain she’d allowed Dash to see He hurried to help her, taking extra care not to jostle her injured arrinned "Gonna walk out on your own steam, huh?"

Dash scowled at Reese "Don’t be an ass"