Page 7 of Solanum

"I'm good." She looked from me to Wilkinson after taking a few deep breaths.

"Guess 'take them alive if we can' just got blown out of the water." Wilkinson holstered his weapon while standing over the bodies bleeding out beside us.

People began to gather around the scene, and we all returned our weapons to their homes. My hand fell to Nora's back when I noticed her continued heavy breathing. Wilkinson waved us away as he moved in to talk to the Portland lead.

I led Nora back toward the fleet of vehicles and out of the limelight of the situation. She tore at her vest again, heaving for breath.

"Easy, Brody. Easy."

"Can you?" She choked and gestured to the fastening across her side.

"Yeah. Quit bouncing around." I pulled the vest free and she ducked out of it, slamming her hand against the side of the car when she doubled over trying to catch her breath.

"I froze up," she said, now crouching with her elbows on her knees. "I just stood there."

"You were staring down two armed men." I knelt down opposite her, nudging her elbow. "Look at me."

She shook her head but did it anyway.

"You're okay," I told her, sincerity deepening my tone. "That's what matters."

"I would be dead if you hadn't—"

"We don't think about that. We think about right now." I pointed to the ground between us. "Right now. In this moment, you're fine. We're all fine. We don't look back. We learn and we move forward."

She nodded, sniffling finally as her breath seemed to return to her. "Okay."

"C'mon." I stood up, nodding toward the SUV. "Let's get some water."

"All right."

I pulled the passenger side door open for her and she climbed in. She watched me, a small smile playing on her lips painted with the faintest shade of pink.

"Thanks for saving my life, hero," she teased.

"You'll return the favor someday." I closed the door and met her around the other side of the car when I settled in the driver's seat.

"Maybe I'm not cut out for field work," she said thoughtfully when I handed her a bottle of water.

"You're more than cut out for it. Don't let this one crazy thing take away your confidence. Last week, you were the only one who took down the suspect in the middle of the street before he hurt that kid. Not me. Not Roderick or anyone else."

"That was different…"

"It's not…" I gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Trust me, okay?"

"After what you just did?" She smiled, leaning her head back against the seat. "How could I not?"

"Good." I let out a slow breath as I tried to draw my attention to something else rather than focusing on her sparkling eyes. The way she looked at me after she declared her trust radiated something brighter from her. I could get used to that.

Maybe I would save her life more often.

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