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I passed her two pistols and watched as she checked with slick precision if they were loaded. That was a surprise. One I very much approved of.

I flashed her a smile. “Let’s see what you’ve got. I’ll cover you.”

I set off a spray of bullets, giving Sage the opportunity to take aimed shots. She rapidly fired off all nine rounds before taking cover again.

“How many?” I asked.

With her back to the cabinet, she blew a wayward lock of hair from her face. “Three down.”

Impressive.

One side of my mouth curved up. “Is this a bad time to mention that you being a total badass is turning me on almost as much as the lap dance?”

“That’s messed up.” Sage reached for the other fully loaded pistol. “And I told you I was no mouse. Your turn.”

This time, she shot the place to shit while I put holes in Franky’s men. We regrouped behind our cover.

“How many?” she asked, panting.

“Only two, but I think you scared them off. That’s hardly fair.”

Sage’s brown eyes held a spark, and I understood what she felt. There was nothing like being close to death to make you feel alive.

With our cover still being pelted with bullets, I figured it was time to step up our game.

“Wanna show them we mean business?” I asked as I pulled a grenade from my pocket.

Sage’s jaw dropped open. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Yep.” I handed it to her, and without missing a beat, Sage pulled the pin and tossed the grenade onto the club floor. Down below, there were shouts to take cover, and the shooting ceased.

I put my fingers in my ears, and Sage did the same.

Boom!

That shook them up. Those needing a change of underwear headed for the exit. Where the grenade had exploded was a mess of splintered furniture, foam, and feathers. The enemy had escaped injury, although they had retreated to a safer distance. Didn’t stop the assholes from shooting at us.

We reloaded our weapons and resumed our more targeted approach.

A familiar double-tap firing pattern sounded from below.

Shep was on the scene.

“We’ve got backup downstairs. Don’t shoot Shep. He’s the huge guy that looks like he’s gone a few rounds in the ring.”

“Got it.”

With Shep working from below and us from above, we had Dante’s guys flanked with no cover. We made quick work of dispatching the remaining few. A guy launched over the bar with a shotgun. Sage took him down, nailing him right in the chest.

The room below went quiet. All I could hear was the ringing in my ears.

Crouched low behind the cabinet, Sage and I stared at each other unblinking, our chests heaving and adrenaline coursing through our veins. The urge to lean across and kiss her was overwhelming.

“Floor clear!” Shep called out from below.

“You’re incredible.” I tucked a loose lock of hair behind Sage’s ear. “Where have you been all my life?” She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

A shot rang out, and fire seared through my bicep.