Bastien’s face lost color. “Ah, minsid hell, I forgot that part.…”
“Ha, ha,” Badger mocked. “You’re not funny, Cabarro.”
“He’s not joking this time.” Ember stepped forward. “What do we do?”
Bastien glanced around at all of them. “Run!”
“Not without you.”
He grimaced at her. “You don’t even like me.”
“I know. But it would traumatize my son if I let you die right now.”
“Great.” Bastien started to argue, but there wasn’t time. He met Badger’s gaze. “Don’t scramble fighters. Withdraw everyone into whatever bomb shelters you have.Tonde!”
Issuing orders, everyone evacuated in expectation of a League assault.
Ember took Bastien’s hand and ran toward the condos where her sisters lived with Rian. There would be shelters there.
They heard the fighter detonation over their links.
It was followed by sirens blaring to warn them of an impending strike.
“Cabarro!” The League MCO shouted. “You’ve damned them all by your actions!”
Bastien cursed under his breath.
An instant later, bombs fell against the station, jarring them off their feet.
Bastien grabbed Ember and threw her under a reinforced beam as another shock wave went through the building and brought down sections of the roof and walls around them. “You always rocked my world. Nice to know things haven’t changed.”
She moaned at his cheesy lines. “Not the time.”
Suddenly, there was a massive strike against the base. One that lit up the sky like a nuclear device had detonated. The wave from it was so fierce that it knocked all of them from their feet.
The whistling sound of engines and bombings deafened her.
Amidst the smoking debris, Bastien rose slowly and helped her up.
Terrified of what was going on, Ember grabbed him and held fast. She let the scent of his skin ground her. But most of all, it was his strong arms and the slow gentle beating of his heart that soothed her.
That was one of the things she’d missed most about him. His calmness when everything was falling apart. Nothing ever rattled him. Not even a bombing run. It was just like the day they met when he’d jumped headfirst in after Alura.
His gaze warm, he kissed her forehead and gave her a light squeeze to reassure her. “It’ll be fine, Ember. I’ll die before I allow them to harm you or Florian.”
She fisted her hand in his hair and let his whiskers scrape against her cheek. Tears filled her eyes as she realized that they might not make it out this time. And if they died, she didn’t want him to go not knowing the truth of how she felt for him.
How she’d always felt about him. He’d lived too long doubting her and that was her fault.
No more.
“I still love you, Bastien.”
“I know.” He pulled back with a playful grin. “How could you ever stop loving all this sexiness?”
Snorting, she wanted to beat him for his facetious humor, which she didn’t appreciate right now. But it did succeed in making her laugh. “You’re a beast!”
Bastien winked at her. “But I’myourbeast.”
