Page 129 of Royally Tempted

The gun exploded in my hands, and for one quarter second, everything was frozen.

And then just as suddenly, itroaredback to full speed.

I was dimly aware of the gun in Mark’s hand dropping to the ground as he seemed to fly backwards, his arms up in the air. I was aware of Damien, Hunter, and Sean lunging forward, the gun dropping from my own hands, and then my own voice screaming.

Arms caught me, familiar, protective arms.

Sasha.

I fell into her, wrapping my arms around her as all the emotions poured out of me.

It was over, and she was okay.

We were all okay.

Chapter 16

“That wassome damn good shooting, you know.”

I turned to Hunter and smiled. “Thanks, I know.”

The guys laughed warmly as I grinned at my own joke.

We were back in New York City, cleaned up, exhausted, and just being together in closeness after what had happened. The glassed-in roof deck at the very top of the building that housed Camelot Holdings was dimmed, with only the lights of the city illuminating us all.

Luke and Jordanhadin fact broken out of their “house arrest” hotel and flown back home. Sasha was safe and sound back with them, and an immediate doctor’s visit had confirmed that the baby was just fine. All pending interest in her two men being involved in her kidnapping was obviously dropped.

Mark was in critical condition, but alive. I’d apparently hit a one in a thousand shot of hitting him in the chest but missing his heart. We’d been told he was currently in the ICU coming out of surgery.

There were plans to arrest him the second he came to, and this time, they were going to throw the book at him.

“You seriously pulled out a shot like that on your first try?” Sean raised a brow at me.

“Beginner’s luck?” I shook my head, looking into my glass of champagne. “I knew I couldn’t miss.”

Hunter grinned, leaning over to kiss the top of my head.

“So, that was interesting as first dates go.”

I laughed along with the other two. “Well, why don’t we call it a second and third as well.”

“And what does that mean?” he grinned.

“It means I think I like you guys,” I said quietly.

“Yeah?”

“It also means I quit.”

“What? No way!” Damien’s jaw dropped.

“I amnotgoing to be your secretary,” I said sharply.

“Bodyguard, then?”

The guys cracked up as I turned and punched Sean in the arm.

“Hey! I’m just saying, with a dead-eye like that, we could probably use you,” he grinned.

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