Page 24 of Threatened

She’d never see Gage again. Never see the twins again. Never get to spend time with them as they grew up. Never get to spend more time with Gage either. Never get to see if the chemistry between them could grow into something more, something lasting, something strong and true and real.

Tears stung her eyes, and she didn’t even try to hold them back. They ran down her cheeks and dripped onto the laptop as her fingers hovered over the keyboard.

“Type in that goddamned password, or I swear I’ll?—”

“Police! Step away from her. Put your weapon down and your hands up. Slowly.” The air filled with the sound of guns being cocked and Kylie had never heard a more blessed sound in her life. At least until another voice joined the fray.

“Kylie?”

She looked up to see Gage and Detective Carlisle move in near the uniformed officers. Carlisle had his gun trained on the thug holding her hostage, but her attention was entirely focused onGage. Everything she wanted to say to him rushed through her head, but she was utterly speechless.

“Drop the knife and no one gets hurts,” Carlisle warned, edging closer. “Make the smart choice, man. We both know you won’t get out of this.”

Everyone froze. She held Gage’s eyes, seeing the fear there, seeing his body tense as if to spring into action. He didn’t appear to have a weapon on him, but he had strength and skills. And she knew, just knew, that he’d sacrifice himself if that was what it took to save her.Please don’t let it come to that, she silently pleaded. Gage locked his gaze on the man who held the knife just as she felt him shift above her. The thug’s hand sank into her hair and jerked her head upward, exposing her neck to the blade again.

For one terrifying second, she was sure he would slit her throat, but then she was knocked to the side and went flat onto the pavement. The crash of two bodies hitting sounded above her, and the knife clattered to the ground three feet away. The next thing she knew the thug was flat on his back with Gage on top of him, pummeling him. Gage got in several solid hits to her assailant’s face before Detective Carlisle hauled him off.

“We’ve got him. Stand down, Winters,” the detective ordered.

Gage shook free and reached for Kylie. His arms went around her, holding her to him. Nothing else mattered aside from being in his arms. She was safe. At last. A wave of emotions crashed into her, and she sobbed against his chest as the fear left her. She was only vaguely aware of Carlisle slapping cuffs on the thug and a squad car arrived shortly thereafter, lights and sirens blazing. Officers were talking, but none of that mattered.

“You’re okay,” Gage whispered over and over to her. “I’ve got you.”

“The kids?” she asked when her terror finally edged away and her senses returned.

“Safe with a police officer in the hotel room. We’ll be with them soon,” he assured her.

That was all she wanted—him and the twins. Her family. Together, they would be the family she chose like Gage had suggested when they were up at the nature preserve. She wanted to say that to him, to tell him how much he’d come to mean to her, how much she was looking forward to knowing him even better. How maybe they could have a future together. This wasn’t the time or the place, but that talk would happen today, just as soon as this nightmare was truly over. She promised herself that as she clung to him.

Gage waited impatiently in the hotel room for Kylie to come back. They’d both been taken to the station to be interviewed, but he’d been released quickly, so he could return and care for the twins. He’d played with them to wear them out and to keep himself distracted while he awaited her return.

Because if he stopped moving, even for a few seconds, the image of Kylie on the ground with a knife to her throat came back into his head. He’d been in tough situations plenty of times as a SEAL, had been scared before, even terrified. But those experiences were nothing compared to what had gone through him in those seconds. Nothing. He’d almost lost her, just when he was coming to understand how much she meant to him.

“Aunt Kylie’ll be back soon,” he told Brennan and Maya when he put them into the portable crib that evening. After dinner, he bathed them and gave them some cuddle time. That was coming to be his favorite part of the day. Now, they were so sleepy that their eyes were already closed. “She’ll give you kisses then.” Maya opened her eyes for a second, almost as if she understood, before drifting off to sleep.

He made sure they were out before going back into the living room of their suite. Carlisle had texted while the kids were in the tub that he’d be dropping Kylie off soon. Gage took a moment to straighten up the space and call for room service, trying to guess what she might like best from the menu. There wasn’t a ton to choose from. The hotel was a decent one, but it wasn’t five star. He’d like to have given her that, to spoil her after the day she’d had.

Five minutes after their dinner arrived, he heard a knock on the door and rushed to it. Kylie was there, along with Carlisle.

“Thought I’d walk her up,” the detective said. “Everything good?”

“It is,” Gage said. “Thanks for everything.”

“You’re welcome. Let’s get together soon.” Carlisle turned to Kylie. “I want to tell you again how brave you are.”

“You already said that at the station.”

“It’s worth repeating. Take care.” Carlisle headed back toward the elevator as Gage pulled Kylie into the room and his embrace.

“Hi,” she said a moment later when she pulled back from him. “Are the kids good?”

“They’re fine. Already asleep. I did promise them that you’d give them goodnight kisses.” He knew they wouldn’t know or remember, but still, it was important to keep the promise.

“I’ll do that right now. But also, do I smell food?” She sniffed the air. “I’m starved. Getting kidnapped is hungry work.” Her tone was light, but he could see the fatigue in her face. At least that was better than the fear that had been there earlier. “I’ll be right back.”

While she was saying goodnight to the twins, he uncovered their meals and carried them to the coffee table so they could sit on the couch. He figured that she could use somewhere comfortable to unwind.

“Thanks,” she said when she returned. “This is nice. Just what I need.”

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