Page 84 of Rescued Hearts

“I didn’t have time to get into my stance, but I took the shot. I-I…didn’t have a choice. He was coming at me, shaking me, slamming me into the side of the van.”

Cold fury infused every sinew in his muscles. He started to lower Honor to the ground, already turning for the man with the intent to put him in an early grave for laying hands on his woman.

“Gray! Gray, stop!” The bark came from his brother, but it was Honor’s arms wrapping around him from behind that halted him in his tracks.

Carson met Gray’s stare. “Get her to safety. We’ll handle this bastard.”

He managed a jerky nod, aware of Honor’s cool hand slipping into his. He drew her into his arms, holding her close so he could absorb her tremors. He just needed to feel her breathing.

“I’m sorry, Gray.”

“It’s over now. You’re safe. But why didn’t you stay in the van?”

“I…wasn’t thinking. I opened the door but I shut it right away. I guess I didn’t consider the door was unlocked.” Then she went dead still, rigid in his arms. She whipped her head up to meet his gaze. “Felicity!”

“We got her.”

“You got her? Oh my god! Where is she?”

He looked down at her clogs that weren’t only a terrible choice of footwear for shooting but for running across a dark, pitted parking lot.

He swept her into his arms and jogged over to the SUV. A muffled cry sounded from within as her sister obviously set eyes on Honor. The driver’s door opened and Oaks stepped out to open the back door for them.

Honor took one look at her sister and hurled herself out of Gray’s arms. The sisters embraced and tears fell furiously. They talked over each other in rushed syllables, the story coming out in broken chunks.

When she told Felicity about shooting Sully and losing her balance, she looked down at her clog shoes. “Gray, next time I want boots like yours.”

He squeezed into the back with the ladies. Hooking his arm around Honor’s middle, he drew her against him. “There will be no next time.”

The flashing lights of police cars sliced through the darkness. Both sisters twisted to look out the window, but they weren’t able to make out much more than dark forms moving around.

Into his ear came Carson’s voice. “The cops need the van to search it for the diamonds and anything else this guy might have hidden in there.”

“Take it. We’re all clear and headed home.”

“We’ll wrap things up here. Meet you at the Black Heart.”

Gray’s chest swelled with emotion. When he came home to the ranch, he was so broken. He still had so far to go, but he was mending…with the help of his family, from the vets surrounding them…and being close to Honor.

“I’d like to schedule a meeting with you, bro.” His statement was met with surprised silence.

“A meeting about what?” Carson asked him.

“About my pay rate and a hefty benefits package for joining the team.”

His brothers all laughed. Since Honor didn’t seem to be wearing her comms device, she was left out of the loop, but he was more than happy to fill her in later. Alone.

She lifted her fingers to his jaw, the touch tender and her eyes burning with love. “Let’s go home. I think we could all use a cup of hot tea.”

He had other ways to heat things up, but he kept his comment to himself and wrapped her in his arms. He was the luckiest damn man alive.

* * * * *

If Honor was going to be kidnapped, at least her kidnapper smelled like leather and pine and possibility.

She turned her head toward the masculine scent wafting from the driver’s seat but couldn’t see Gray through the blindfold he’d knotted around her eyes. It was also as black as night under the fabric—she couldn’t make out even a sliver of light.

She flailed a hand around in the air until he caught hold of it and trapped it in his rough grasp. “You know, this is a little unnerving for me after my sister was just kidnapped,” she said.

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