Page 7 of Softer Than Stone
I had to bite back a retort as he opened the door for Jenna, helping her inside with a flourish that bordered on theatrical. She flinched at the sound of a distant gunshot, but he was quick to calm her.
“Don’t worry, love,” he said, his tone surprisingly gentle. “You’re safer with me than a nun in a church.”
Behind us, the screech of tyres pulled my attention. An SUV swerved around the corner, and my stomach tightened when I saw the muzzle flash.
Gunfire cracked through the air.
“Move!” I barked, reaching for my weapon.
Jimmy was already shoving Jenna fully into the vehicle, snapping the door shut before diving behind the engine block for cover. The next bullet slammed into the side of the SUV, inches from where he’d been standing.
“We’ve gotta go!” Jimmy shouted, his voice tinged with urgency.
I turned, grabbing Waru by the wrist, intent on dragging him to safety. But he didn’t budge. Instead, he pulled me, nodding towards a side lot.
“My car’s closer!” he shouted over the chaos.
I hesitated. Leaving the convoy went against every instinct, but the logic was sound. Waru’s vehicle was parked out of sight, and I trusted him to know the layout better than anyone.
“Fine,” I snapped, already moving with him.
The lot was tucked away under cover, the dim light casting deep shadows that only made my nerves prickle further. Waru’s grip was firm, and he moved with a purpose that belied the danger we were in.
“There.” He pointed to a sleek black sedan tucked into the corner.
As soon as we reached the car, he released my hand and unlocked it with a press of his fob. The doors clicked open, and I didn’t waste time jumping in.
“You drive,” I ordered Waru, my voice leaving no room for argument.
He raised a brow, looking like he wanted to argue anyway, but slid into the driver’s seat.
Jimmy’s voice crackled over the comms in my ear. “Second SUV just pulled up. Eclipse has them pinned, but Kole’s got more coming your way.”
“Copy,” I replied, climbing into the passenger seat and slamming the door shut. “Jimmy, get moving. We’ll meet you at Stilton.”
“Don’t have to tell me twice,” he shot back through comms.
Waru’s hands gripped the wheel tightly as he pulled out of the lot, his movements smooth and practiced.
“You good to drive under fire?” I asked, watching his profile as we sped away.
He gave me a side-eye glance, equal parts exasperation and pride. “I didn’t grow up with eighteen cousins, all older and twice as feral, without learning to handle myself. Running for cover? That’s child’s play compared to family reunions.”
A grin tugged at my lips despite the tension. Damn, this man was something else.
Behind us, the sound of gunfire faded as we turned onto the main road. But I wasn’t naïve enough to think we were in the clear.
“Keep your foot down,” I said, my gaze scanning the rearview mirror.
“Already on it,” Waru replied, his focus razor-sharp as he navigated the streets.
As we sped further from the restaurant, my mind raced. Lucas was going to go apeshit that it had all got so out of control. Thank fuck for Eclipse stepping in. It would likely mean reaching out to Callen, too, the division head. And that was all that we needed: another joker in the mix who would probably say that this was my plan all along—to steal Waru away and get him alone.
I wasn’t even exaggerating.
Waru might have eighteen cousins he had to wrangle. Me? I had a unit, a security team, and a division head who were absolutely my family. And as one of the few single guys left, I regularly had their full attention as they took every opportunity they could to interfere and meddle with my life.
I’d hate the fuckers if I didn’t love them so damn much.
