Page 81 of Her Delta Force Protector

“I’ll shoot her if you don’t show yourself. Come out with your hands above your head,” Theo yelled.

Harper almost laughed. He was a fool if he thought Kade would walk out of the woods with his hands in the air. Theo Watson, if he was smart, would drop to his knees and beg for mercy.

He poked her with the gun barrel. “Tell him to come out.”

“You think it’s just him in the woods? His entire Delta Force team is here. You’re surrounded by men who eat cowards like you for breakfast.” Of course, she didn’t know if Cupcake and Viper were out there, too, but it was likely.

“Shut the fuck up. One of them tries to—”

“You shoot her, I shoot you. Let her go and you get to live,” Kade said, stepping into view. He raised his gun and pointed it at them.

A low growl sounded behind them, and without thinking, she turned to see what was happening. Theo had turned, too, and they both froze at seeing Duke, his teeth bared, flying through the air at them.

At the same moment Duke’s teeth latched on to Theo’s arm, a shot rang out. Not knowing where it came from, Harper dropped to the ground, but when she saw Theo’s gun land a few feet from her, she scrambled over to it. She grabbed it, then rolled over and aimed it at him. Duke had his teeth in Theo’s arm and was shaking it for all he was worth. Theo was punching the dog in his throat and on his face, despite all the blood spewing from where half of Theo’s ear was missing.

“You hit my dog one more time, and I’m going to—”

“I got this,” Kade said from behind her as he reached over and took the gun away from her.

She looked up into the eyes of the man she hadn’t been sure she’d ever see again, and she’d never been so happy in her life. She waved her fingers at him. “Hi.”

He grinned. “Hi.”

Don’t ever leave me, she wanted to say, but she didn’t. He wasn’t hers to keep. She sat up and watched in amazement as Kade ordered Duke to stand down, and the dog instantly obeyed. “Is Duke okay?”

Kade kicked away her rifle, then grabbed Theo’s arm and pulled him to his feet with the ease of a puppet master. “I’m pissed,” he said. He tapped his finger between Theo’s eyes. “I was aiming for right there, but you moved, so you only lost half your ear. My vote, you bleed out before medical help gets here.” Kade glanced at her and winked.

What was up with these operators that they could be winky when her heart was jackhammering because this was just too much of a near-death experience for a normal person?

Kade walked Theo a few feet away. “Sit.”

“I’m a detective. This woman is wanted for questioning in a murder.”

“Shut it.” Kade snapped his fingers at Duke, and the dog trotted to him. After running his hands over Duke’s face and neck, he glanced at her. “He’s fine.” Then he patted Duke’s back. “Watch him.”

Duke sat in front of Theo, slitted his eyes, and growled.

“Who is that dog, and what did you do with Duke?” she said when Kade came and squatted in front of her.

He glanced at Duke and chuckled. “I’m wondering that myself.” He gently touched a finger next to her cut. “What’d he do?”

“Cut me with his ring when he hit me.” The bleeding had stopped, and her eye had cleared up, but it still hurt.

“We need to get it looked at. You might need stitches. I should kill him, but I promised my brother that I wouldn’t kill any of these dirtbags.”

“I’m glad you didn’t. I wouldn’t want you to have to live with that. And I’m fine. Really.” Mostly. She glanced at Theo Watson, who had his hand pressed against his ear, then back at Kade. “So, you meant to shoot his ear off?”

“That’s what I meant to do, and I only nicked it.” He grinned. “Pierced it for him free of charge.”

She snorted.

“You’re making a mistake,” Theo called. “She’s a suspect in a murder, and I’m a police officer. You’re interfering in an investigation.”

Kade stood and pointed at Theo. “One more word out of you, and I’ll let the dog do what he’s dying to do...chew you to pieces.”

As if agreeing, Duke growled again.

Two men walked out of the woods, and Harper grinned, happy to see Tristan and Viper. “You start the party without me, Ace?” Viper said when he and Tristan reached them.

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