Page 79 of The Commander

“They were shooting.”

“Quinn. Go.”

“No.” She glares, and, fuck, it’s so good to see her beautiful face and hear her voice.

My mouth slams down on hers, and she groans.

Baby, not now.

I rip my lips from hers, and she whacks me in the side of the arm. “People are trying to kill us.”

“Good point. I should kiss you again.”

Tat, tat, tat.

Actually, she has a point. I duck my head, peering behind me as one of the shooters reaches us. I kick my leg out and he stumbles, yelling in Spanish.

I push off Quinn, disarm him and whack the butt of the rifle on his forehead.

He goes out like a light.

“Feels good, doesn’t it, asshole?” I go back into the bushes and nudge Quinn behind me while I assess our surroundings.

More soldiers are racing out, trying to figure out the commotion and, for all I know, yelling that I’ve escaped.

“The team is on the way,” Quinn tells me, her hand on my back possessively. I like it. A lot. “We need to move, Noah.”

I take her hand, and we run along the fence line until we find a place to climb over. “Here.”

She steps on my leg, and I hoist her over. Then I toss the gun and follow her into the far corner of the neighbor’s yard. When I think we are safe, I tug Quinn down and hold the rifle in front of me and keep her behind me.

“Noah.” Her hand touches my shoulder in a way that has me turning my head away from the enemy.

Never a good thing.

“Are you shot?”

“No. I...”

I can see it. In her eyes.

Fear.

Love.

But I don’t want her to say it here. Not at this moment, only to take it back.

I shift my weapon and take her face. “Wait. When you say it, I want you to mean it.”

Tears glisten in her eyes. “I do mean it.”

“Forever. I need you to mean it forever.” I rest my forehead against hers. “Do you have your phone?”

She nods as I lift my face.

“Call Josh while I stay on guard.”

I hear the ringtone a moment later.