Page 149 of One Last Stand

She threw open the door, let out a roar, and dove at Benton.

Behind her, a shot erupted, but she’d already taken Benton down to the floor, pinning him.

“Tillie!”

The shout from Moose nearly shook her hold free, but she closed her eyes and hung on.Focus, London.

Moose was on the man, wrestling with his gun, and she boxed Benton’s ears.

Another shot, and Moose fell back, shouting.

Benton rolled then, and a pain seared through her leg. She jerked, and Benton wrenched free. Heat pooled, and as she rolled, she realized he’d stabbed her. Maybe with a piece of broken television.

Benton hit his feet and headed for the sliding door.

Moose had the gun, rolled, and took a shot.

The door window shattered.

Benton ran straight through it.

Oh no—he wasn’t going to get away to show up and terrorize them another day. London rolled to her feet and took off after him through the shattered door, into the night.

* * *

Shep hadn’t meant to be a jerk. Jasmine was a sweet girl, but when she’d brought pork dumplings over along with Caspian and offered to stay and heat them up for him, he’d had to tell her the truth.

Now he turned to Caspian, who sat shotgun in the front seat, staring at him with those big brown eyes. “I know she’s nice to you, pal, and frankly, knows you better than I do, but . . . the thing is, I don’t belong to her. I belong to London, right?”

Caspian definitely looked better-fed, his dark coat shiny, and he seemed to understand. He lay on the seat now and put a paw on Shep’s leg.

Shep rubbed the dog behind his ears. “But I am going to have to figure out what to do with you. I’m not sure that spy life agrees with having a dog.”

Caspian whined.

“I know. I am hoping that Hazel and Tillie fall in love with you.”

He’d showered fast, and even though he’d found Jasmine in his kitchen with dinner when he came downstairs—note to self, change the door code before he sold the condo to Axel—he’d only be a little late for dinner at Moose’s. Maybe an hour behind everyone, but with Boo and Tillie going to Boo’s house, the party wouldn’t start for a while anyway.

Although, how he was going to tell Moose he was leaving . . . Yeah, here he was, right back to where he’d been a month ago when he’d thought London might be dead.

But she’s not dead,and he was going to make sure she stayednot dead.And home could be wherever she wanted it to be.

As long as it was with him.

His stomach growled. He’d missed Moose’s steaks, for sure. And maybe he should call London just to . . .

What? Apologize? Yes, probably. But also, just to tell her . . .

Shoot. He should have had the courage to stand in faith that God could give him the right happy ending.

Even if it looked different from the one he’d expected.

He looked at Caspian. “Hard to belong to someone who doesn’t seem to want you.” But maybe that was a lie. Wow, he hoped it was a lie.

She’d never said she loved him, though.

Aw.This might be another colossal mistake. But it didn’t feel like a mistake, and maybe that’s what faith was . . . moving forward, trusting God, even when it didn’t make sense.

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