“It doesn’t matter where you go, Pip. I’ll always be right behind you, and I’ll be sure to bring snacks.”
“So when we get home, you’ll take it out?” I asked, secretly hoping he would replace it with something else.
“Of course. But I see that look in your eyes. Don’t be getting ideas. You need to see the doc before we do anything else.”
“I can’t help it. It’s so hot when you rescue me.”
A laugh rumbled through his chest. “I always will. But I’d prefer if you stay out of trouble,” He said, pulling open the door of the large SUV to gently place me in the back seat.
“Just give me another minute, okay?”
I nodded.
“I’ll keep him company,” Haz piped up from the floor behind the driver’s seat.
“We doing this or what?” Kieran grumped from the open trunk.
Leaning down, Hiro pressed a kiss to my nose and then shut me inside to jog around and meet Kieran.
“What are they doing?” I whispered to Haz.
“Probably something illegal,” he whispered back.
“I killed a man tonight,” I confessed, still trying to process it all. It would probably take a while.
Haz leaned forward. “Were you protecting yourself?”
“Hiro,” I whispered.
“I would have done the same,” Haz concluded.
Maybe it shouldn’t have, but it made me feel better.
A few moments later, the guys were sliding into the front and Kieran was speeding away. Just as we crossed the lot, the building exploded, and bright-orange flames burst from the windows.
“You blew the place up?” I exclaimed, staring out the back window.
“Just a few grenades,” Hiro replied as if he were talking about grocery shopping. Then, “Put your seatbelt on.”
“Can I get in the seat now?” Haz complained.
“Seat belt,” Kieran ordered.
“I’m calling Doc,” Hiro announced.
As Haz and I buckled ourselves in, we looked at each other.
“This is our life now,” Hazard told me.
“No, it’s not!” both Hiro and Kieran roared.
“Life rule number two: You will stay out of trouble,” Hiro declared. “Both of you.”
I slid some side eye to my bestie. “He’s a rule-giver-outer.”
“Not even Kieran gives out rules,” Haz whispered.
“Because, according to Kieran, the answer is always no,” Hiro put in.
