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“Ever heard of Ghost Ops?” Boone asked quietly.
Radu blanched.
“I guess you have. And you know what that means. It means my friend down the hill will have already dealt with your men down there.” Boone’s face hardened. “And I’ll deal with you. There is not any option where I let you hurt her.”
Radu bared his teeth. “I’m the one holding the weapon.”
“I don’t need a weapon.”
The merc’s dark eyes flared. “I think I’ll tie you up, and make you watch while I hurt her.”
Gemma felt Boone tense.
“I know so many interesting ways to cause pain,” Radu continued.
“Try it,” Boone growled.
Radu lunged forward and Boone charged to meet him, knocking Gemma out of the way. She watched him tackle Radu to the ground. The men wrestled.
The mercenary hit Boone in the chest, and she gasped. The asshole was trying to hit Boone where he was hurt. She saw Boone flinch, but he didn’t loosen his hold on the man. He reared his head back and headbutted Radu. The mercenary made an angry sound.
Gemma looked around for a weapon. There was nothing, dammit. Then she spied a good-sized rock. She snatched it up and hurried over to where the men rolled in the dirt. She slammed the rock down into Radu’s back.
The mercenary cursed. She hit him again.
The men rolled a few more times, the fight vicious. It was all elbows, grappling, and grunts. Radu broke free and rose, blood smeared on his teeth, and his dark hair mussed.
Boone leaped up.
Then Radu held up an object, and she saw Boone freeze.
Oh, hell.It was a grenade.
Radu smiled. “It seems I do have an option where I get to hurt her.”
God. What did they do now? Her heart hammered against her ribs, and she met Boone’s gaze.
“Boone, I need to tell you something.” She swallowed. She had to tell him. She might not get another chance. “I’m falling in love with you.”
His head jerked. “Gemma—”
“Shut up,” Radu said. “In a few seconds, you’ll be dead, and I’ll be dragging her by the hair to my employer.”
“That won’t be happening today,” a cool, lethal voice said.
Gemma’s head whipped up. A man stepped out of the trees dressed in black tactical gear, a rifle up and aimed at Radu. His face was handsome, but that wasn’t the first thing she noticed. The first thing was the dangerous intensity emanating off him.
She gasped. Vander Norcross.
Shep stepped out on Vander’s left. Another man appeared on his right—Declan Ward.
Several other people, all carrying rifles, emerged from the trees. She recognized Cal Ward, who was accompanied by a big man with hair almost to his shoulders, and a tall, dangerous-looking woman with black hair. Gemma guessed they were all members of Treasure Hunter Security.
Radu’s face twisted and his arm moved to pull the pin on the grenade.
“Don’t,” Vander clipped.
Shep fired. The bullet caught Radu in his right arm. He dropped the grenade, and it fell harmlessly to the ground.
