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She ignored him. Somehow the idea of staying here and having it out with JT scared her more than standing in front of a spy who would be far better at killing than Patrick.

JT would ask her to stay, to give them a real chance. She would explain that her life was in London and she couldn’t give up her whole career because she’d fallen madly in love with some man.

Except she didn’t have to give it up. She could transfer to Dallas. Ian would let her do that. She knew there were a couple of people on the Dallas team who wanted to live in London for a while.

It could work.

It would be so stupid to change her whole life for a relationship that likely wouldn’t last a year.

There was a knock on the door. “Hey, it’s Drake. Let me in.”

Hutch moved to open the door and the CIA agent walked in. “That was fast.”

“Sandra’s going to take over in the camera room. She’s not as good with tech as you are,” Drake said. “What happened here?”

“Patrick was our guy on the inside,” Hutch explained.

“Patrick was a massive ass,” Deanna added.

“We’ve still got a shot at picking up the North Korean spy.” She was going to finish this job if it killed her. “According to Patrick, they’re meeting on the beach like we thought. He’s supposed to make the drop in about twenty minutes.”

Drake nodded. “Excellent. Let’s get moving. I’ll call in a cleanup crew after we’re done there. Civilians, try not to get too messy. It might be best if you went to another room until we’re done.”

Deanna looked up at JT. “We can use mine. I have a lot of changes I want to make. We can start talking about them whilewe wait for someone to clean up all the blood that got spilled because you picked him over me.”

JT ignored her, moving to Nina’s side. “I know you have to work and I’m not going to cause trouble, but promise me you’ll come back to the room. I need to talk to you.”

Yes, there it was. He was going to ask her to stay, to choose. She wasn’t ready. Not even close.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said under her breath.

He moved in closer. “Nina, I love you. Please give me a chance.”

“Is that the prize?” Drake asked.

She slid her gun into the holster and placed the prototype on the table. “Someone should stay and guard it. I don’t want the chance that our spy gets what he was after.”

She started for the door.

“Holy shit.” Hutch’s jaw dropped. “When did JT get hit? Where is all that blood coming from?”

JT shook his head. “I’m fine.”

Nina’s breath caught because now she could see a dark stain starting to creep around the back of his shirt. Blood.

He’d been hit in that first wild volley of Patrick’s and she hadn’t even noticed. She’d shoved him down and then turned away from him.

JT’s face went blank. “Why is my back wet?”

All thoughts of the job fled as JT hit his knees and the light began to fade from his eyes.

JT blinkedat the bright light that greeted him as he woke from the nicest dream. Nina had been at his side and there had been no questions in her eyes. Only love. Only joy.

She’d forgiven him. She’d loved him.

For a moment he clung to the dream, wanting to stay there, but then the pain hit and he remembered.

“Hey, brother,” a soft voice said. “You doing all right?”