Page 71 of Zero Hour

He laughed. “Same.”

He moved toward her, and she tilted her face up to meet him, her lips warm, soft, as he kissed her slow and deep. He couldsoeasily forget what day it was. Where he needed to be. What was at stake.

But he forced himself to pull back, straightening. “I’ve got to head to the office. You should come with me. I don’t want to leave you alone.”

She nodded, her smile faltering as reality set in.

“I’ll make coffee while you shower and get ready. We’ll leave in thirty.”

“Copy that,” she said, with a sly smile as she slid out of bed. Naked.

JesusChrist.

A soft smile played on her lips as she walked across the room, her bare skin on display, every inch of her a reminder of last night.

He wasnotgoing to survive this woman.

His dick gave an enthusiastic twitch, hardening despite his best efforts.

He forced a breath out, low and rough.

“Something wrong?” she asked innocently, pausing in the bathroom doorway.

“Not a damn thing,” he bit out.

She laughed, and disappeared into the steam.

Pat pulledon a fresh shirt and checked his phone. Two messages—one from Blade, one from an international number.

He called Blade first. “I’m on my way.”

“Boss, we’ve got a situation.”

Pat’s jaw tightened. “What kind of situation?”

“Thorn just called in.” Blade’s voice was clipped. “She got the kid to the safe house, but two guys tailed them. She got jumped. They took Ryan.”

A sharp chill ran through Pat’s veins.

Fuck.

His grip tightened on the phone. “How long ago?”

“Less than an hour. Thorn’s only just came to.”

Pat closed his eyes, jaw locking. “She okay?”

“Yeah, fine. You know Thorn.”

He did. She was tough, it would take more than this to ground her. “I’ll be there in twenty.”

He hung up.

Jasmine walked in, her damp hair curling over her shoulders, her bare legs beneathhisboxer briefs making something low in his gut clench.

But then she caught his expression.

“What?” Her voice sharpened. “What is it?”

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