Page 148 of Lethal Game

“No,” she cried. “Don’t leave me yet.”

“I hurt you.” He was going to beat himself up for doing it.

“Maybe a little, but then it was so beautiful.” She sniffed. “I don’t know why I’m crying.”

Her tears made him feel like beating the crap out of the guy who’d hurt her, but that guy was him. He stroked her face and gathered her close. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

She nodded and held him tighter.

He hugged her right back.

“Thank you,” she said with a lick at his ear. “That was even better than I expected.”

The ball of worry in his gut relaxed a little. “I’m glad.”

They held each other for a few minutes until she cleared her voice and asked, “So...when can we do it again?”

He laughed, happiness a bright light inside him. “Just as soon as you agree to marry me.”

She froze. “You want me to marry you?”

“Yup.”

She stared at him for a long moment before saying, “I’d have to be an idiot to turn that down.” She gave him a brilliant smile. “Yes.”

Con tucked her in safe next to him and kissed her long and slow. “That’s my girl.”

Epilogue

Colonel Maximillianfinished reading the final report on the rabies outbreak in the Northern Lebanese refugee camp and signed his name on the last page.

The strain of rabies identified as the pathogen was unique in its speed and virulence. Properties the terrorist Akbar had magnified until the resulting symptoms were barely recognizable as rabies.

A sample had been put in storage, along with Akbar’s anthrax strain, but the rest had been disposed of.

Akbar had been wounded, but not badly enough to stop him or even slow him down. Max was sure he was busy planning another biological attack, but there were too many possible targets, and too many places to hide for the Biological Rapid Response Team to know where to look next. He was watching a number of companies that produced lab supplies and the chemicals Akbar would need to continue his self-proclaimed jihad.

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