Page 55 of Defender

He stood up, too.“I don’t think you understand—”

“No, Ashton, I don’t thinkyouunderstand.I get it.You could’ve taken James Hudson out.You hesitated and the moment was gone.”

Ashton looked at her like he expected her to rage across the room and kangaroo kick him.That he almost wished she would.

She walked over to him.Reached up and cupped his face.“If you could go back and change it, I know you would.You would take the shot.A thousand times over you would take the shot.”

“Yes.”He looked a little surprised that she understood.

“I know that.”

“You don’t hate me?Not even a little bit deep inside?”

“You thought I would?”

He shrugged.“I thought youshould.”

“No, I don’t hate you.I could never hate you, Ashton.Especially not for this.You did your best.On most days, that’s enough to save everyone involved.And when it’s not, it’s usually because of something you can’t control.”

His arms folded around her.“I just wish that day I could’ve done it.Could’ve controlled the entire situation.”

She shrugged one shoulder, smiling softly.“You two would’ve liked each other, you know.Tyler was easygoing like you.Funny.Smart.”

“I know this sounds really weird because I’m about to kiss you, but I would’ve like to have met your husband, too.”

Summer smiled more fully, leaning back so she could look up into Ashton’s eyes.“I will always love Tyler.He was a good man.And because he’s Chloe’s father, he’ll always be a part of me.But I know he wouldn’t want me to be alone.To pine for him.”

She raised up onto her toes so they were just inches apart.“So yes, Agent Fitzgerald, please kiss me.”

He obliged, lifting her off her feet with his arms wrapped around her hips.Neither of them let the kiss get too far, aware of the baby sleeping just feet away.After a few minutes, he reached down and swept her completely up in his arms and carried her over to the bed.He laid her down on one side of Chloe, then she felt him reach down and pull off her shoes.

“Scoot over,” he whispered.

She did, laying Chloe between them on the bed.Ashton got in on the other side.

“This wasn’t exactly how I thought the night would go when I first texted you earlier,” she said, smiling at him.She watched him lay a hand on her sleeping daughter’s belly.

“Me, either.But there’s no other place I’d rather be.”

* * *

THATBASTARDASHTONFitzgeraldshothim.

Damien hadn’t thought there was any way someone from Omega would make it to the safe house in time to stop him from killing Summer, especially since he’d sent them on a wild-goose chase looking for Harper on the opposite side of town.

Fitzgerald must have already been on his way to the safe house when Damien entered.Damn it, Damien should’ve taken that into consideration.That Fitzgerald would rush to Summer when they didn’t find Harper at the bar.

Damien was getting a little tired of failing to kill Summer Worrall.He wasn’t used to failing at anything.

He winced as the gauze wrapped around the wound on his shoulder pinched him slightly.The wound wasn’t bad, just a burn, really just Fitzgerald returning the favor for what Damien had done to him earlier this week.Damien knew Fitzgerald was Omega’s best sniper; he should be glad Ashton hadn’t been any closer or Damien would’ve needed more than gauze.

Fawkes would throw another temper tantrum when he found out a second attempt had been made on Summer Worrall’s life.Damien would blame Harper, of course, and agree that it was time to eliminate him.

Because itwastime to eliminate Harper.

Damien looked down at the woman lying on the floor bound and gagged—a stranger, picked out days ago solely because of the fact that she lived alone and the location of her apartment.Her eyes begged for mercy.Damien reached down and smoothed a bit of hair out of her eyes.

“There, there.This will all be over soon, okay?”

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