Page 128 of No Regrets

“Deep breaths, baby. You got this.”

Those strong hands felt familiar, the voice... Was she dreaming? Slowly she raised her eyelids. Dex was staring at her, his bruised, bloodied face full of concern.

“Hey,” he said with a small smile. She glanced to her right and saw Saleem’s dead body. Then she looked back at Dex, taking in every inch of him as tears still rolling down her face.

“I’m going to take the tape off, but you have to stay still. OK?”

She nodded, then winced as he ripped off the tape, not able to control the tortured cry that came out. Dex cupped her face again, holding her still.

“Ssh, it’s OK. I’m right here. Please, baby, calm down. Just a little longer.” His thumbs gently wiped away her tears.

She became aware of more people around them. Ryan speaking on coms, Steve laying down under her chair. Her breathing normalized as she stared at the man she loved. But it wasn’t over yet. She was still sitting on a bomb. “How long?” she whispered.

“It doesn’t matter. We’re getting you out of here.”

“Tell me.”

Dex glanced down. “Ten minutes.”

She bit her lip. Ten minutes to diffuse a bomb.

"Steve, can I untie her hands?”

“Yeah, they’re not wired. No sudden movements. Where the fuck is bomb squad?”

Dex was untying her hands, but she could barely feel it, her body was numb with fear.

She looked up to see Sam walking towards them with another guy in a protective suit. Bomb squad had arrived.

DEX TOOK HER HANDS in his, doing his best to reassure her and keep her calm, not wanting her to see how scared he was. Nothing he could do now except rely on bomb squad to save this beautiful woman. His woman.

Sam knelt beside him, looking between the two of them. “You guys hanging in there?”

“Yeah.” Dex squeezed her hands, determined to keep strong for her.

The rest of Raven team were behind him, Liam and his guys too. Concern etched their faces. There was nothing any of them could do now but wait.

Sam placed a hand on Kelly’s shoulder. “Not long now.”

“You all need to get outside the building,” bomb squad guy commanded.

“I can help,” Steve said, but bomb squad guy shook his head. “I do this alone. Out.”

Sam stood up. “You heard him. Everyone out now.” The guys reluctantly moved out. Dex felt a hand squeeze his shoulder and looked up to see Ryan. Fuck, if Ryan hadn’t shot Saleem between the eyes, he wouldn’t be breathing right now.

“Thanks, man.”

“Anytime, brother.”

Ryan leaned over and kissed Kelly on the top of her head. “See you soon, gorgeous.”

“You need to leave too, Dex,” Sam ordered. Dex didn’t look at him.

“I’m not leaving.”

“Dex, you have to go,” Kelly whispered.

He shook his head. No fucking way was he leaving her. It was his fault she was here. Not a chance he was leaving her to face this alone.