Page 61 of Innocent Salvation

Henri’s head snapped back in surprise before he walked away shaking his head before looking back, a smile of pride on his face. “I taught you well, Sabine. I knew you’d figure it out.”

“How many?”

“Over the years probably fifteen or so, but I had to keep our secret.”

“Our secret. I had no idea. I thought they left me, that I wasn’t enough, even for my dog.”

“That mutt would’ve got us caught.”

A sound above them made them both look up before a crash sounded just outside the door. Henri wasted no time, rushing to put her between him and the door, a gun held tight to her head. Snow waited, her pulse hammering with adrenaline as the door came smashing in and it was the best sight in the world as her friends rushed inside guns pointed at Henri. She was shocked at the sight of Sebastian in black fatigues, a gun raised and steady on Henri. Snow stilled at seeing him, her heart breaking at the beauty of the man who’d offered her everything, all for it to be a lie. Yet her traitorous heart didn’t care, it galloped away with seeing him there looking like an avenging angel, ready to go to war for her.

Reaper stepped through first, and as he did a click made them all still as Henri laughed.

“You didn’t honestly think I’d leave myself without a way out, did you?”

Reaper raised his hand to stop everyone from moving. “It’s rigged.”

“Enough C4 to raze Paris to the ground.”

He must have set it up when she was still out, setting the trap like he always did. He’d known Dominique would betray him, so he’d planned ahead. He was nothing if not a planner.

“If you leave this room, it blows. If you cut her down, it blows. I suggest you evacuate the area as you have exactly five minutes before this building is dust.”

With a kiss to her head, Henri inched backwards and like before, slipped through a hidden exit and was gone.

Sebastian went to move inside but Reaper stopped him.

“No, if you come in, you’ll be trapped. Help Bás and Bein get everyone out.”

Seb moved past Reaper. “Like fuck I will. If she stays, I stay.”

“Seb, no. Fleur needs you.”

His eyes found hers and she longed to believe the emotion she saw in them. Longed to believe he loved her like she did him, but he’d proved he didn’t by lying to her.

“I watched you protect me when armed men shot at you, and I vowed there and then that I wouldn’t let that happen again. You’re mine, Snow. Mine to love and mine to protect, and if you’re here so am I.”

With that he stepped over the threshold and came to stand beside her, his strong arms easing around her aching body. Drawing in his scent she sagged against him, knowing she couldn’t let him take too much of her weight or it would detonate the bomb.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

“I couldn’t be anywhere else. I love you, Snow.”

Her eyes moved away from him as she fought to give into the words he was saying, knowing that they couldn’t be true and even if they were, how could she trust him again after everything.

“Excuse me for interrupting this little declaration of love, but I need to see if I can figure out this rigging so we don’t all go boom.”

Snow nodded at Reaper knowing he was the best at this in the entire team. “Best get to it then.”

As Reaper worked moving carefully and quickly, she tried to take her mind off the fact they were minutes away from possible death. “I can’t believe he got away.”

“He didn’t. Dominique knew about the tunnel and warned us before we left. Bishop had just flown in as backup and was waiting for him at the secret exit he thought nobody knew about.”

Sebastian’s grin warmed her cold body as much as his arms around her did. She knew he was shielding her from sight as much as he could too and was glad of it.

“Got it.”

Reaper moved the bed and behind it was the bomb and a mobile phone, a timer ticking down and already leaving them only two minutes to go.