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Caleb’s face was pale. “Danny!”
“She’s here,” Jacques said.
Caleb started toward them, then stopped when he spotted the officers leading Mercer and Jeffries out of the building. His hands balled into fists.
Danny touched his arm. “Don’t.”
“He hurt you,” Caleb said through gritted teeth.
“And I face-planted him on hard tile.” She squeezed his arm. “It’s handled.”
Caleb pulled her into his arms. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
Danny leaned into Jacques as the officers loaded Mercer and Jeffries into the backs of squad cars.
“It’s over,” she said. “It’s finally over.”
Jacques pulled her close. “What about us?”
She frowned. “I kind of hoped we’re just beginning.”
“I feel the same. And you owe me a raincheck.”
She leaned up on her toes and brushed her lips against his. “I always pay my debts, but you’ll have to wait until after you see a medic.”
“It goes both ways,” he said.
“I can take care of my own boo-boos.”
“No, ma’am,” Jacques shook his head. “That’s my specialty. But this time, we’ll let the paramedics get some practice.”
EPILOGUE
“I’m done with hotel lobbies and men who think they can tell me what to do,” Danny muttered.
“I get you, girl,” the female paramedic said. “But can you hold still for just another minute?”
Danny sat on the rear step of the ambulance with Jacques beside her, holding an ice pack to his bruised shoulder, a bandage covering the cut over his eye.
“You reopened your wounds from yesterday,” the paramedic said, “and the bruises beneath are going to hurt for a while.” She straightened and glanced from Danny to Jacques. “You’ll both be sore for a while. If anything gets to hurting worse, see a doctor. You don’t have to tough it out.”
Danny poked her elbow into Jacques’s side. “She can read you like a book.”
“She was talking to you,” Jacques said.
Remy appeared, carrying their bags, with Anton, Beau and Caleb in tow.
Caleb held out his hand to Danny. “You gave me a whole head of gray hairs back there.”
She took his hand and squeezed it. “I’d say that was a helluva retirement send-off.”
He squeezed her hand back. “Yeah, and I’d rather my hair turn gray than lose you, sis.”
Her chest tightened, and her eyes welled with tears. “You didn’t lose me, and I didn’t lose you.”
She looked around at the men gathered around. They’d believed her when she hadn’t believed in herself. They’d had her back, and fought to protect her at the risk of their own lives. “Thank you all.”
Remy smiled. “You’re family now. We’ve bonded.”
