Page 90 of Bulletproof Love

Leon shakes his head. “We need to be smart about this. Ivan’s reach is global. One wrong move and…”

He doesn’t finish the thought. He doesn’t need to.

“We can figure this out later, okay,” Blake says. She turns to me. “You did amazing, and you’re here, in one piece, and Alexander’s dead.” Her eyes drift to a spot on the wall as she lets her words sink in. I’d almost forgotten what Alexander’s death would mean to Blake. The man who killed her brother. Who kidnapped her. Who ruined her family.

Damon pulls her back against his chest, wrapping his arms around her. “That fucker will burn for what he’s done, Angel. And Ivan, we’ll find him too.”

“One monster dead, but so many more still out there.” Her solemn voice hits me deep. We know the truth. We’ll never find them all, never drag every monster from the shadows and into the light. Some creatures just won’t die, no matter how many heads we slice, or how much blood we spill. But I intend to fuck up as many as I can—aswecan—starting with Ivan Orlov.

“We will,” I say, already feeling my body buzz at the thought.

Leon meets my gaze, his hazel eyes filled with intensity. “And end them.”

Jasper’s low groan pulls our attention and I rush to his side. His eyes open slowly, those blue irises just as bright as always. “Jas? I’m here, we’re all here.”

“I’ll go tell the nurse,” Blake says.

“Hey, Trouble.” His voice is like sandpaper, but holds the same flirty tone as always, and my chest swells. “What happened?”

My fingers push strands of hair behind his ears, rubbing his forehead gently. The guys lean in, patting his shoulder, saying their own versions of hello. Jasper tries to move but hisses. “Don’t move. You had to have surgery.”

Realization hits and his lips part. “Fuck… I remember. Orlov. The roof.” His eyes meet mine, relief swimming in them. “You’re okay?”

I squeeze his hand. “I’m okay.” He releases a breath, and turns his head toward the guys.

“Ray’s team…” Jasper starts.

“Gone,” Leon says, his voice hollow. “They beat us to the warehouse. It was… wired to blow.”

Jasper closes his eyes, taking it in. “Fuck.”

The nurse comes into the room, cutting off our conversation. She looks between Damon and Leon and swallows hard, taking a moment to compose herself.

I get it, sis. They have that effect.

“I’ll need everyone to clear out for the night. Visiting hours are long over, but we bent the rules until he woke up.” She checks his machines, pressing buttons, and pulling supplies from a drawer.

The guys say their goodbyes, followed by Blake. “We’ll meet you in the lobby,” she whispers to me on her way out the door.

“Do you think I could get a minute alone with him?” I ask the nurse. She darts her gaze between us, her expression softening. “Just one?”

“I’ll go let the doctors know he’s awake.” Her tired face lights up for a moment before she leaves, closing the door behind her.

Jasper tries to shift in the bed but winces again. “Come here,” he says, patting the tiny space beside him. “If we only have a minute, I need to spend it holding you.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.” But I carefully perch on the edge of his bed anyway, unable to deny him. My heart thunders against my ribs as his hand finds mine.

“You scared the hell out of me tonight,” he says softly. “When I got back to the apartment and you were gone…” His voice cracks. Oh God, I hate that I caused him pain.

“I’m sorry. He threatened to kill you all if I didn’t meet him. I couldn’t—” My words get stuck in my throat as tears spring to my eyes. Just thinking about Alexander hurting him again is too much to bear. I stare down at a loose thread on the blanket. “I couldn’t let anything happen to you.”

“Hey.” He squeezes my hand. “Look at me, Trouble.”

Swiping my hand across my eyes, I meet his gaze. The pain meds have him groggy, his eyes slightly unfocused, but otherwise full of warmth. There’s no anger in them. No plan to scold me for needing control.

“I love you,” he says. “And I’ll always come for you. No matter what.”

Simple and assured. Those three words spill from his lips like they took no thought at all. Like saying them was as natural as breathing.

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