Page 130 of Lion’s Den

“Any time I can wake Ethan Blackhawk to cover my night shift is a good one.”

Josh. Ethan Blackhawk. Cam’s eyes widened. This was Durango, the Delta team that worked for Fortress Security and owned Personal Security International, the bodyguard training school. He caught Josh Cahill’s eye and gave a slight nod of thanks.

He turned and pulled Sedona into his arms. When he felt her shaking, Cam bent until his mouth was beside her ear. “I’ve got you,” he murmured.

“I thought I was going to lose you,” she whispered.

“I’m okay, Tiger. We’re okay.”

His SAR team continued to do its job. “Suspect secured,” Dario confirmed.

“Weapon recovered,” Spencer said.

“We’re clear, sir,” Dario added.

“Copy that. Prepare to leave.”

“Did I hear that correctly, Officer Sims?” David asked. “You’re leaving a crime scene before you’ve been dismissed?”

“That’s right, sir. Sedona needs to go to the hospital to have her wrist x-rayed.”

“We have these things called ambulances. You might have seen them. I’m sure an ambulance can transport your girlfriend while we clean up this crime scene.”

“Respectfully, sir, I’m not leaving Sedona’s side. We don’t know if all of the people involved in this mess have been rounded up. I’m not taking chances with her life.”

David scowled.

Owen shook his head. “You’re fighting a losing battle, bro. You know how you were with Emma when she left WITSEC.”

The sheriff looked as though he would argue, then sighed. “All right. I know when I’ve been outvoted. Go with Sedona, Sims. Just remember that you now owe me at least three months of favors, and part of that includes working every night shift assigned to me.”

He flinched. Although that was a heavy price to pay for skipping out on paperwork until later in the day, he’d gladly take the night shifts for the hours spent protecting the woman he loved. “Yes, sir.”

“David, are you sure Mr. Lyons is all right?” Sedona asked.

“He’s fine,” Cam said.

Sedona’s attention stayed on the sheriff.

David snorted. “He ought to know. Your boyfriend sent in a team from the Tennessee Highway Patrol to back us up.” David was clearly offended by the implication that he couldn’t handle himself or an operation.

“I didn’t send them to back you up.” Not exactly. “I sent Finn Stevens to help Sedona if he arrived before we did. He thought Simpson would have Sedona with him when he infiltrated the suite. Turned out not to be the case.” Finn was the best at getting into tight places with top-notch security, and that described Martin Lyons’ place.

More silence.

Finally, Cam said, “Would you have handled this differently?”

A long, weighted silence later, David sighed. “No, I can’t say that I would. It was a good plan. The THP team was waiting for Simpson and his party guests. In all the chaos, Simpson slipped away and regrouped with more of his men.”

“So Lyons is safe?”

“Oh, yeah, he is.” David’s disgust was clear.

Uh oh. “What happened?”

“Our eccentric billionaire is good friends with Harlan Pike.”

Cam stared. “Are you serious?”