Out of the corner of her eye, Cat saw the barrel of the gun swing toward Logan. She didn’t remember anything; she didn’t remember twisting her head out from under Rollie’s arm, only the gun centering on Logan. She didn’t remember dropping to the ground to be out of Logan’s line of fire, only the explosions coming one on top of the other.
She didn’t remember screaming, only the sight of Logan falling in that sharp limp way that told her he’d been hit.
Sobbing, Cat ran to him.
The pain, he couldn’t breathe. Eyes closed, Logan felt himself rise, then fall back again. A whisper of perfume came to him. The fragrance of it made him open his eyes and make sure it was real.
But Cat was with him. She sat on the hard, dusty ground and she had taken his head onto her lap and her hands now tugged at his shirt. She looked down, her eyes a shimmering green. This close to her, Logan noticed the length of her lashes, the curve of her cheek, and the grimly determined set to her mouth, something willful and steel-proud about her expression. Her breasts were against his head so that he felt the quick and frantic beat of her heart.
“Logan, please don’t die,” she said with a sob in her voice. “I love you too much. Please.”
“No.” He had to fight for the breath to speak, his mouth curving in a weak smile as he tried to get out the words. “I’m…okay. The vest…” He slid a hand up his stomach and fingered the hole in his shirt. “No…blood, Cat.”
He heard her gasp, then her lips came down, hot and firm on him. A tear fell onto his cheek. His hand came up, fingers touching her face, feeling the other tears that were there. She caught it and pressed it to her face, eyes closing in happiness.
“When you fell, I thought—” She couldn’t finish it.
“Close range like that…the bullet packs…a wallop.” Logan tried to sit up, but every muscle in his chest protested the attempt. He looked at the man lying on the ground. “Rollie?”
“I think he’s dead.” She glanced briefly at the body.
“Help me up,” he said with a grimace. “Quint will be worried.”
“He found you?” Propping and lifting, Cat got him to his feet.
“More or less.” He leaned on her, his mouth crooking in a small smile that sent her heart tripping over itself.
Emotions trembled through her—relief, fear, love—most of all, love. He was safe, and Quint was safe. At the moment, nothing else mattered. Cat wrapped both arms around him, content to simply hold him and feel his solidness and strength.
Below them, Logan saw Garcia and the long-awaited backup moving in, approaching the house trailer and the sobbing woman with caution. The ordeal was over. There would be time enough later to count up the toll—and to tell Cat about her uncle.
But right now, Logan wanted only one thing—to hold both his wife and his son in his arms.
The future is before you,
The ones you love at your side.
You’ll walk this land together
And you’ll do it with Calder pride.