Page 50 of Deep Cover

Reid glanced over his shoulder, saw her standing closer than he wanted her, and jerked his jaw to indicate she needed to get back.

She took several steps away but her heart was slamming at the thought of Reid hovering over that bomb. If it detonated—

Rome’s voice projected through the phone. “Government shipments barely get screened unless something flags it. This box doesn’t look suspicious.”

“Lane.” Doyle’s voice brought her back to the present. “The shipping label. Is it paper or a blister pack with an invoice inside?”

“It’s a blister pack.”

“Have the team slit the sleeve. We need that packing slip if you can get it.”

Reid heard the instructions and cleared it with Rome before proceeding. With a swift, confident move, he slit the clear plastic sleeve on top of the box and extracted the packing slip.

He passed it back toward her—

And then shoved her hard behind him in the same motion, throwing the blanket over the box in one desperate final move.

The blast hit before Caryssa fully registered the danger.

Sound and pressure slammed into her. She threw up her hands as the force knocked her backward, her feet leaving the asphalt.

Dirt, rock and debris ripped across the parking lot.

She hit the ground hard, her elbow taking the worst of it before she pitched sideways. Pain shot up her arm. Her ears rang so violently the world seemed to disappear beneath the high-pitched whine.

For a few seconds, she didn’t know which way was up.

Shapes sharpened through the haze.

Reid.

He was between her and what remained of the package, his body a shield against the blast.

Then he was on his knees beside her.

His hands moved over her fast, checking her arms, her face, her torso. His mouth was moving, but she couldn’t hear him.

“Reid.” She couldn’t even hear her own voice.

“Ryss. Ryss. Look at me. You hit anywhere bad?”

“I’m fine.” Her voice came out thready. She scanned the area but barely saw what happened beyond the two of them.

Her gaze landed on his forearm. A gash opened along the muscle, blood already flooding out, dark and steady.

“You’re bleeding!”

He huffed out a breath. “Girls like scars.”

To her astonishment, his face split into a grin that had no business existing five seconds after a bomb had nearly taken both of them out.

Before she could argue, he kissed her—fully on the lips, hauling her to his chest hard enough that she felt his heart slamming against her own.

Both of them were alive and shaking and clinging to each other in the middle of a parking lot that had almost become the last place either of them ever stood.

Right this minute, she didn’t want to be anywhere else.

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