He held up his hands. “Don’t shoot. We’re the good guys. Anyone else here?”
She set down the gun. “In the back. With Gerald, I mean, Marcus. And Jace is hurt!”
Men and women climbed out of the shiny black SUVs, and the local sheriff’s office deputies were here as well. And clad in black leather, the woman who’d kissed Jace in the Tiki Bar what seemed like years ago. The woman had a gun in a leather holder on her bike.
“I’m a nurse. My name’s Allison.”
“Jace.” A lump clogged her throat and she began to shake uncontrollably. “Gerald shot him, he’s on the ground in the back.”
Grabbing a kit out of her saddlebag, Allison ran to the back. Kara followed, her knees weak at the sight of Jace on the ground, lying so still...
Rafe shrugged out of his leather jacket, placed it around her shoulders. “Easy. You’re suffering an adrenaline letdown. Allison will take care of Jace.”
Gerald moaned. “I’m dying here. Screw him, I need help.”
“Yeah, well, screw you, you ass. Priorities. You can bleed out.” Allison began attending to Jace.
Rafe’s face tightened. “Dammit, Jace, you have to live. Let Allison treat you.”
Jace pushed her hand away. “The dog...my dog...”
Kara ran over Darby, who was lying on the ground whimpering. Rafe squatted next to her.
“Easy, boy,” he soothed. He swept his gaze over the dog. “Looks like a bullet nicked him. He should be okay, but he needs a vet.”
He removed the bandana from his head and bandaged the dog’s wound. Rafe beckoned to a deputy, who lifted the dog with care and promised to take him to a vet who lived close by.
Allison wrapped Jace’s arm and staunched the bleeding. Kara kneeled next to him.
“You got stung,” he murmured, reaching up to feel her cheek.
Kara touched it. “Doesn’t matter, as long as you’re okay.”
“Everything’s gonna be fine, babe.”
“Don’t you dare die on me,” she warned, her eyes filling with tears.
He managed a wink. “Not a chance. Bad-boy bikers never die. We’re too tough.”
Chapter 23
Six weeks later
“Seven hundred going once, going twice! Sold!”
Jace lowered his hand. Next to him, Rafe shook his head. “Seven hundred dollars for a vase?”
“Kara likes it.” He smiled at Kara, standing next to the auctioneer. She returned the smile. Her auction. Her items from the store. Life was good.
“Wedding gift?” Rafe grinned.
Jace drew in a breath. “Not yet. We’ve decided to take it easy this time and not rush.”
Kara’s parents, sitting in front of him, turned around. “Congratulations, Jace. I’m sure it will make a lovely gift for Kara. Wedding or not.”
At her mother’s soft smile, Jace sighed and her father winked at him.
Rafe looked amused. “Did she give you anything yet?”
Jace reached into his pocket and withdrew the little crystal frog Kara had gifted him, the same frog he had given her years ago. “She wanted me to have this, said it reminded her she was done with kissing frogs because I’m her Prince Charming.”
He couldn’t believe how lucky he was, how lucky they all were. After pocketing the frog, he rubbed his shoulder, remembering the terrible moment Marcus shot him, the horrid fear that he was helpless to aid Kara, keep her safe.
But damn, his girlfriend had proved she could save him instead.
“You’re lucky Kara didn’t shoot you back at the cabin. Why were you and the other agents dressed as DP bikers?” Jace asked.
“We went undercover, wearing their colors, after we realized why Marcus wanted Kara. Figured if he was on his way, we could stop him, but we arrived too late.”
Jace nodded. “Thanks for the back up.”
“I’ll always have your six. It’s good to see you back in the office, Jace. You’re a terrific agent. By the way, how’s Darby working out at your place?” Rafe asked.
Jace smiled, thinking of the beagle who immediately had called his condo home. “Spoiled rotten. His leg’s all better, too. I could have killed Marcus, not for shooting me, but shooting Darby.”
“Marcus won’t be going to trial.” Rafe stretched out his long legs. “Someone sank a weapon into his kidney. He’s dead.”
Jace didn’t blink. “Amazing how that happens in prison.”
