There are bars on the windows or I'd bust through this one right now.
I need a distraction. I grab a grenade from the duffel Otis packed for me, light it, and throw it into the front yard, then race to the back of the house. The grenade explodes, and the men inside the house shout and run out the front door. It takes me thirty-five seconds to pick the lock on the back door.
My wolf hearing detects someone on the other side of the door, so I throw it hard and smack him with it. The guy stumbles back. I kick his gun out of his hand and punch him in the face. He lunges for the gun on the floor, and I slam my boot into his back, flattening him with inhuman strength. He's out cold. Picking up the gun, I tuck it in the back waistband of my pants and race forward on stealthy feet. Three shots and the other guys are down. Their shots go wild. Senator Flack fires on me from behind the couch, but I dart behind the door frame.
Annabel stirs on the floor, and her eyelids flutter open. Thank fuck. I heard her heartbeat but seeing her lifeless made my wolf insane.
I need to eliminate Flack's threat to her.
I dive into the living room, rolling in front of her body and crouching, gun pointed. I take a bullet to the chest and return fire. Call me old school-I always aim straight between the eyes.
Flack drops to the ground.
I use shifter strength to tear off the duct tape around Annabel's wrists and ankles and wince with her when I pull it off her mouth. She throws herself at me, and I gather her in my arms, crushing her body against mine.
Sirens sound outside.
"Annabel. Christ. I almost lost you," I choke. "I never should have left you unprotected."
"You saved me," she breathes. "I knew you would. I mean, it wasn't rational-I didn't think you could possibly come to my rescue, but I knew. When I heard the explosion outside, something in me said, See? He's here."
"Get on the floor, face down!" The police charge in, guns drawn.
Annabel
I DON'T WALK out of FBI custody until noon the next day. It took some red tape to cut through, but with the recording on my phone of Senator Flack ordering his lackeys to kill me, and my boss, Agent Tentrite presenting the report I filed yesterday, they released me without charge.
Tentrite escorts me out, a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry about wiping that file on your dad and telling you to back off. I should've questioned my orders a little closer."
"No, I understand. You were just doing your job." I look around the busy lobby. "Where's Agent Dune?" I ask. "Has he been released?"
"Yes, he walked an hour ago. He turned in his resignation."
My heart plummets. He'll be leaving again. He has to. Just because he came back to save me doesn't mean he can stay.
And yet the idea of letting him go again is like my face scraping concrete.
I walk outside and blink in the sunlight, fumbling with my phone to call a Lyft. My ride is accepted immediately, and it tells me the driver, Tom is one minute away. I watch for the white Honda Accord, a heavy pit in my stomach.
Charlie didn't even wait for me. Did he leave a message? I fumble with my phone, trying to get onto our private server. The white car pulls up. I step toward it without looking up from my screen.
A deep, familiar voice says, "Where to, ma'am?"
My head flies up. "Charlie!" I throw myself at him with a strangling hold.
His teasing grin dissolves into something more serious. "Annabel." He cups the back of my head, and I wince when he touches the bruise left by Senator Flack.
"You're hurt." Fury blazes in his eyes.
"Flack knocked me out." I rub the place. "I don't know what he hit me with."
"You should've been taken to the hospital for a once-over, not kept here overnight."
I smile at his vehemence. "Thanks, but I'll be okay." I look at the running car. "So, what? You already have a new job?"
His lips twitch. "I may have borrowed a Lyft driver's car for a few hours. I wanted to be the one to pick you up."
"How'd you know I ordered a Lyft?"
He shrugs. "I have my ways."
"I was afraid you left," I admit, dropping my eyes when my voice wobbles.
He lifts my chin. "Did you... want me to stick around?"
It's the first time I've seen Charlie Dune look vulnerable, and it attacks my heart in a way I didn't know was possible. It lends me strength-courage. I grab his shirt in both my fists and twist.
"I'm not letting you go figure your wolf thing out on your own. I'm going with you. Wherever you go. I know you like to work alone, but that's tough. You might need me. Even if it's to… put you down." It's a lie. I could never shoot Charlie, but I'm feeding him what I think he might accept from me.
To my surprise, he grins. "Is that so?"
I haven't seen him this jaunty since he showed up and ate my ice cream cone. It's a look I happen to adore on him.
I stand on my tiptoes and lean my face up to his. "Yes."
"What about your job?"
"I'll turn in my resignation, too."
He claims my lips in that passionate way of his-a firm, demanding kiss. "That's good, baby. Because I found out something about that bite I gave you."
I stiffen. Oh God, I'm going to be a wolf, too. Well, as long as I'm with Charlie, I'm up for anything.
"What did you find out?"
His gaze is tender. He strokes my cheek with his thumb.
"It means you're mine. Forever. I marked you with my scent so no other wolves will touch you."
Laughter bubbles up from my lips. "What? That's ridiculous."