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Her tongue traced across her lips. “It’s true. And we know what the Siblet have been doing, we’ve seen their testing sites, and we know what they want. We have to take them down while we can.”

Cleo was silent for a few seconds. “I agree with Georgia. And we’re the nearest ship to the location they’re moving the animals to. If we hustle, we can be there by the early hours of tomorrow morning. We can beat them to the location and spring a surprise attack.”

“You see,” Georgia said. “It has to be us.”

“No, it doesn’t.” Ash looked at Cleo for support, but she shook her head, a glimmer of sympathy in her eyes. “Fine, if we’ve been tasked with this mission, another team from the Apocalypse can go. It’s not your job to defeat the Siblet.”

Georgia tilted her head. “Why should we take a step back now?”

Ash grabbed her by the shoulders. “Because I can’t see you get hurt again. I care about you too much to lose you.”

Georgia looked away and shoved against his chest. “That’s your problem, not mine.”

Her words speared into him like a blade. “Georgia, don’t do this. Not after everything we’ve been through.”

Her cheeks flushed pink, and she shot a look around the room. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t own me. If I want to go on this mission, that’s what’s happening.”

They continued to glare at each other, neither giving an inch.

She was so damn stubborn, he wanted to roar in despair. This was what happened when you opened your heart to someone. They got to stamp on it and walk away. There had to be a way to get her to see sense.

“What if seeing the Siblet again is too much to handle?” he said.

“I can handle myself in any situation. And Angel will sign me on as fit for duty, so that’s not an excuse.”

Ash tapped the side of her head. “I’m not talking about your physical fitness.”

She glowered at him. “Don’t you dare try to stop me. I’ll never forgive you if you don’t let me do this.”

Cleo tapped the top of the table. “Both of you take five minutes. Emotions are running too high here to make any progress. I understand why you’re fighting about this, but you need clear heads if you’re to be involved.”

“My head is clear,” Georgia said. “And I’m going on this mission.”

“You aren’t,” Ash said.

Georgia stood and shoved her chair back, her hands clenched and fury blazing in her eyes. She opened her mouth as if she was going to yell at him then simply turned and stormed out of the room.

Ash groaned and slid down in his seat.

“You could have been a little gentler with her,” Daisy said.

Ash looked at her. “You know Georgia. She doesn’t do gentle. She thinks it’s a sign of weakness.”

“Man, you did the one thing you should never do with your woman,” Hunter said.

Ash arched a brow, his gaze cutting to Cleo. “Since when were you the expert?”

Hunter frowned at him. “I’m not. But even I know you don’t tell your lady she can’t do something.”

Sloane hummed an agreement under her breath.

“And?”

“And you don’t tell a warrior like Georgia that she can’t throw herself into this battle. This is her fight. And, yeah, she’s got demons she needs to slay, but don’t we all?” Hunter said.

“You don’t know her like I do,” Ash said. “This is too much for her. Georgia likes to make out she’s invincible, but she’s not.”

“You still don’t tell your woman what to do,” Dallin said.