Page 109 of Security Breach
“We’ll set up the camera for next time.”
David captured Emma’s hand and brought it to his mouth. He kissed her palm, placed her hand over his heart, and slowly eased his hand to his pocket where the second gun was hidden beneath his shirt. “I love you, Emma. Do you trust me?”
“Yes.” No hesitation in her response.
He bent his head until his mouth brushed hers in a gentle kiss, then trailed his lips across her cheek until they were against her ear. David wrapped his hand around the weapon’s grip. “Be ready to drop.”
A slight nod.
“You had your chance to say good-bye,” Marty snapped. “On your knees, Montgomery. The game’s over, and you lost.”
Jerome chuckled. “Should have left your woman behind, man. You could be home by now.”
David ignored the two men. Anchoring Emma against him with one arm, he murmured, “Kneel with me, then kiss me.”
A faint smile. “Kissing you is one of my favorite things to do.”
“Tell me that again when we’re alone.”
“Deal.”
He freed his weapon as they sank to their knees. David turned his head slightly to pinpoint Marty’s location. A second later, Emma pressed her mouth to David’s.
“Oh, come on, Marty,” Jerome complained. “Let’s kill them and leave. I’m getting cold.”
A sharp, familiar whistle broke the silence of the woods.
David took Emma to the ground, firing at Jerome as they fell. Other gunshots rang out in the clearing. With his body covering Emma’s, he twisted to fire at Marty. The game master was already down, writhing on the ground and shouting curses.
Seconds later, Elliot and Levi emerged from the woods, weapons aimed at the two hunters. David didn’t relax until Marty and Jerome had been stripped of their weapons and restrained.
“Clear,” Elliot said. “Wolf Pack’s ETA is five minutes.” He inclined his head toward Marty. “Jackson can patch him up before we haul him to the hospital.”
“Jerome?” A slight head shake was his answer. David didn’t regret taking the shot to protect Emma. He helped Emma sit up, scanning her for injuries. “You okay, Em?”
“I think so.” She started to look toward Jerome.
David caught her chin and gently turned her face back to him. “Right here, baby.” He’d hit his target in the heart. Emma had seen enough violence to fuel her nightmares for years to come without adding more visual images.
“Is Jerome dead?”
If she saw his handiwork, would she view him as a killer rather than the man who loved her enough to die for her? “I was a SEAL sniper. What do you think?”
“You don’t miss. I need to see for myself that Jerome isn’t a threat, or he’ll continue to haunt my dreams. I want to be free of him, David.”
Although he understood her reasoning, David dreaded her reaction. If he lost her now, his life would be empty. As much as he longed to prevent her from looking at Jerome’s body, David refused to cage Emma or he could lose even a small chance of convincing her to remain with him despite his deadly skills.
He stood and tugged Emma to her feet. Praying this wasn’t a mistake, David escorted her across the twenty-foot gap between them and the dead hunter. She stared down at Jerome’s face for a moment before turning back into David’s arms.
Holding her close, he led her away from the body. When her knees buckled, David scooped her into his arms and carried her to a fallen tree at the edge of the clearing. After setting her on the trunk, he crouched in front of her. “You still with me?”
“Always.” She brushed his mouth with hers. “You’re amazing, David Montgomery, and I’m blessed that you’re mine. Thank you for saving me.”
Just like that, the tension wracking his muscles disappeared. He captured her mouth in a hot, deep kiss that chased the chill from his bones and sent his heart rate into the stratosphere. He was so in love with this woman.
“You didn’t need us for anything but mop up,” Eli said as he emerged from the trees with Jon and Jackson close on his heels.
David breathed easier at the sight of the operatives. Thank God Marty and Jerome had been in too much of a hurry to shoot Eli and Jon.