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“What if I want to call you ‘baby’?” she asked.

“No.”

“No? Well, what about something else? I could call you sweetheart or sexy butt.”

“No.”

“You know, you’re really good at compromise,” she said sarcastically. “It’s a good quality to have, learning to compromise in a relationship, bit of give and take, back and forth.”

He just gave her a look and then got out of the truck. “Wait there for me to come round and get you out.”

As if she’d do anything else. Aimee let out a small sigh. He was impossible sometimes.

You’re the one who fell in love with him.

Yes, well, for all that he was impossible, he was also the most protective, amazing man she’d ever met.

And she intended to never let him go.

As soon as he helped her out of the truck, Kirsten engulfed her in a hug. She looked tired and pale.

“Are you all right?” Aimee asked.

“Am I all right?” Kirsten said, “You were the one that was in a house fire. You just spent two nights in the hospital. How are you feeling?”

“Much better,” she replied.

Kirsten gave her a skeptical look.

“Really. I am,” she insisted. “I’m feeling much better. But I’m really sorry that you’re caught up in all of my shit.”

“No. Not your shit. And I won’t have you saying that. This is all on Charlie. The fucking asshole.”

Yeah. He was certainly that.

Kirsten turned to Ammo. “Are you doing something to find these assholes?”

“I’d like to know that too,” Hank said.

“I’ve got people looking into it,” Ammo said. “We’ll find them. In the meantime, this is Eli. He’s going to stay with you.”

“I don’t need anyone to stay with me,” Kirsten told them.

“Tough. I’m here. I’m staying,” Eli told her.

Hank stood up taller and moved over to Kirsten’s side. “I can take care of Kirsten.”

“Really? You have a background in personal protection?” Eli asked. “Are you ex-military? Ex-police force? Ex-bodyguard?”

Hank narrowed his gaze. “No.”

“Then you won’t be as good as me. Look, I get it. If you care about her, you want to take care of her. But these guys aren’t messing around and I’m good at what I do. I’ll make sure nothing happens to her.”

Hank glanced over at Kirsten, whose shoulders slumped, and she nodded. “Sorry, I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. It’s just a bit weird having a stranger watching over me.”

“I’m so sorry,” Aimee said.

Everyone turned to her.