Page 60 of Caught in the Crossfire

We’d have to deal with the crew and the survivors. She might be physically healing, but she wasn’t ready to see what lay on those ships again. She needed more time.

“I’m going,” she said, lips pressed into a thin line. She squeezed my hand. “I need to go, Ciel.”

My thumb brushed over her skin. I opened my mouth to ask her again if she wanted to talk, but my phone’s alarm sliced through the tense air.

It was time for Wynn’s meds.

At that exact time, a knock sounded at my door and then opened right after. The man himself walked in, head down, while looking at his phone.

“I’m here to report I already took the meds,” he said with asigh. He’d been annoyed with me, but I wouldn’t let him slip. He needed toheal. “So you can turn off your…”

He trailed off when he looked up and saw us. His eyes flicked to our joined hands, held there for a second, and then looked away.

“Am I interrupting something?” he asked.

Leona dropped my hand, and I frowned. “Of course not.”

He took a deep breath and looked me squarely in the eye. “I’m going to the gym. I’m healthy enough to work out again.”

My eyes narrowed. “No. It’s too soon.”

“I’m not asking for permission, Ciel.” His jaw clenched. “The Albanian ship is arriving in a few days, and I am going to be on that mission, too. I’m just giving you a heads-up.”

“You’re not supposed to work out until I clear you,” I said. It had barely been two weeks since he was shot. He got winded just walking around the penthouse. “That’s what you agreed to with Willow before she left.”

He avoided my gaze while his hand clamped around his phone. Beside me, Leona exhaled heavily.

“You are both being overcautious. I’m healing just fine. I need to get my strength back.” He gestured to Leona. “Leona’s been back at the gym.”

My eyes widened when I looked at her. She shrugged. “All of you have been way too overprotective. There’s literally nothing else to do.”

“You’re both supposed to beresting.”

She snorted. “You’re one to talk about resting. When was the last time you left this room?”

My gaping mouth snapped shut.

“Exactly. I don’t want to hear it.”

My nostrils flared. “I’m fine?—”

“I’m fine, too.”

“So am I,” added Wynn.

“Great. We’re all fine,” she said.

I took a deep breath. These two were so goddamn stubborn. Leona was burying everything to pretend it never happened, and Wynn was determined to outrun his guilt by throwing himself into work. How the hell was I supposed to keep us all together when they were intent on running themselves into the ground?

“I just want you both to get better,” I said quietly as I stood from my computer chair. At my side, I stretched my bad hand, willing the pain to go away. “You will not heal if you’re not taking care of yourselves.”

“The Albanians are more important,” Wynn insisted. He exchanged a glance with Leona, like the two of them were in cahoots about this and had ganged up on me to get my permission. “We have four days to prepare. You won’t keep us home, so you might as well let us train.”

“It’s light work, Ciel,” Leona assured. “You could barely even call it working out.”

I almost rolled my eyes. “Fine. But I’m sticking to you both like glue on this mission. I’m serious. You’re both there for moral support at best. You stay behind us and watch our backs.”

Wynn’s teeth ground together. The look on his face had my heart twisting in my chest. I just wanted to stomp over to him and kiss the frustration off his face. Didn’t he understand I couldn’t lose him? Either of them?