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“This? Oh…”
“Don’t lie to me, Celina,” Amber said quietly, dismounting from her horse. “We’ve been through too much together for that.”
Which was true. Amber had been nothing short of incredible, since she’d offered to buy Celina and the other captives pizza when they were starving in Monte Carlo, and she’d gone on to be a staunch ally in the cellar, both before and after the Blood and Thunder raid. “I’m sorry. I’ve got to go,” she insisted, trying to move past Amber
“Go? Go where?” Amber pressed suspiciously, side-stepping in front of Celina to block her way.
“I’ve got an appointment in town—”
“Oh?” Amber frowned.
It was twilight already. If Celina didn’t leave now, she’d miss the last bus.
“Why are you going into town now?” A few seconds passed, and then understanding dawned in Amber’s eyes. “No, you don’t,” she said, and taking a firm hold of Celina’s arms, she turned her around to face the way she’d come.
“I’m going back,” Celina said quietly, not wanting to fight with her friend. “I’m needed. I can be more use to the team than I am here.”
“You won’t be any use to us dead.”
Celina started in alarm as Diego strode up to them. “Diego?”
Sensing a drama about to unfold, Amber backed off. Directing a silent greeting at Diego, who only had eyes for Celina, she mounted her horse and rode away.
“What’s this?” he demanded, flicking a glance at Celina’s heavy rucksack. “Are you running away again?”
“I’m not running away.”
“That’s what it looks like to me.”
“I’m running to something.”
“Oh, really?” he snarled contemptuously. “And why would that be?”
“Because I can’t stay here with you!”
“Is this because I suggested you become my wife? Is the thought so unappealing?”
“No—” She stared around in desperation, trying to order her jumbled thoughts. “I need to help the team, and I can do that better if I go back. And I don’t want to be a pampered wife—”
“A pampered wife?” Diego exclaimed. Raking the back of his neck with frustration, he shook his head. “I expect my wife to be an equal partner. I expect her to help me as I’ll help her, but I also expect her to have a life of her own.”
“All I’m asking for is a chance to help the team.”
“You’re helping the team right here in the tech department.”
“No,” she argued hotly. “I could do more if I went back. You want me to stay because you’re mistaking love for sex.”
“When did you become such an expert on love?”
“That’s just it!” she exploded. “Neither of us has got a clue about love.”
“Speak for yourself,” he fired back.
She rose to the bait with fury. “If you won’t let me help you, I might as well hand in my notice right now.”
“That’s the biggest load of crap I ever heard. You help us with your tech skills more than you can ever help us on the ground. Do you really think we need the distraction of worrying about you when there are so many others waiting for the chance to be rescued?”
The truth was brutal. Her certainty died. Diego was right. If she went back to the front line, the team would be distracted. They’d made it clear from the start that Blood and Thunder had a duty of care toward all their staff. She’d felt safe and protected for the first time in her life, and she was at the point of throwing that away—worse, she was at the point of putting others in danger. “You’re right,” she admitted grimly. “I’ve been selfish. I didn’t think—”
