Hugh tried to keep up, but wasn’t moving too swiftly. That last injection of Banoth poison circulated inside him. His head pounded, his body felt like someone had used a drill on each major organ and they were slowly draining of functioning cells.

She held the door open for him. The cool outside air wiped away the Banoth’s stench, and the only sound was the faint whisper of wind. The quiet helped clear his muddy brain. He took immediate stock of the alleyway, sniffed and knew the second Banoth had split.

“This way,” he commanded. “Back to the bar.” His tongue grew thick, his throat tight.

Tess turned, looking ready to argue, but quickly changed her mind. Her frown vanished and in its place bloomed kind, wide eyes with worry lines etched into her forehead. “Are you sure you’re going to make it to the bar?”

“No. Not really.”

Tess couldn’t take her eyes off Hugh. She’d helped save his life, but the fact was, he’d saved hers first. Without hesitation and without a second thought. Now he looked like there wasn’t much life left in him. Her heart dipped below her lungs. She didn’t want him to die.

Not yet.

Not like this.

She had a job to do.

Just do it. Get it over with. So what that you didn’t do any investigating? This is your last chance, Tess. Your. Last. Chance.

“I’m going to kill Kensie and Francesca,” she muttered under her breath. Because really, it was their fault. If they hadn’t sent her on a blind date, none of this would have happened. She would have met Hugh on her terms, as her mark, and nothing else. Right?

They walked side-by-side, a strange feeling of giddiness and gratitude flooding her because he’d cared more about her safety than his own. She heard every breath he took, felt them too. She barely had a scratch on her body, but the front of his shirt was torn and blood trickled out. Slashes covered his leather jacket, a bruise colored his jaw.

Something heavy and tight and uninvited filled her chest.

“Why are you going to kill them?” he asked, putting one foot in front of the other with careful deliberation.

Tess couldn’t stand it. She fastened her arm under his and gently pulled so that he’d lean on her before she answered. “You heard that?” She’d barely whispered it. Granted, the sidewalk and street were deserted, but still.

He didn’t flinch at her touch, didn’t reject her help. His cooperation both frightened and thrilled her. Then he nodded and asked, “You okay?”

“Sure. Why?” Criminy. Asking why was like asking him what he thought about the two of them.

“Because your heart’s beating a little fast.” A coy smile spread across his very kissable lips.

She squeezed her eyes shut for a second. “You cannot hear my—”

“Can.”

“Cannot.”

“I can also—”

“I don’t want to know,” she snapped, trying to keep any palpitations in check. “Let’s just get to my damn car.”

“Something we finally agree on.”

They turned a corner and the abandoned sidewalk gave way to life. A few parked cars lined the larger street. Farther down, a traffic signal blinked green. Best of all, the bar stood within view.

The safest thing for her to do at the moment was get away from him. She had to ignore the attraction that threatened to weaken her, forget about his concern, and pay complete attention to The Job.

When she was seven years old, her mom and dad had told her she was adopted as an infant, but she hadn’t cared. Her mother and father had shown her so much love she couldn’t imagine anyone else loving her more. They were the fearless threesome, every weekend going on exciting adventures. She learned how to snorkel, surf, rock climb, ski, snowboard, even hang-glide in tandem with her dad. Her parents instilled in her a no fear mentality. They laid the foundation for her desire to experience life to the fullest. A week after her eighth birthday, they died in a boating accident.

For the next six years, she bounced around foster homes, growing more and more disobedient and difficult with each family. Until she moved across the street from Jason. He’d been through the same difficulties and understood. For two years, they were inseparable, and once again she became a weekend warrior, doing all the things she loved to do as a child. When she was recruited by P.I.E. and told she had to give up contact with him, she was devastated. But slowly she realized she’d been given a second family.

Finding Jason on the beach a couple years later had been a dream come true. She’d never felt happier. And this time they fell madly in love. Then, just like her parents, he died and left her alone. If not for Kensie and Francesca, the pain and grief would have destroyed her. She rebuilt the wall around her heart and swore nothing would penetrate it again. Not to protect herself. To protect them.

Deep down, she was terrified if she ever loved someone like that again, they would die too.

“If I knew I only needed to agree with you to get you to be quiet for longer than a minute, I would have done so a lot sooner,” Hugh said, breaking the silence between them and pulling her from her thoughts.

Their pace, she noticed, had slowed considerably while they’d quietly walked, and when she refocused on him she almost gasped. His cheeks had lost all their color, and his posture had slackened considerably.

“You really don’t look that great. Maybe I should take you to the hospital.”

“I’m fine. Just a little beat up.”

“I saw the Banoth put its fangs in you. A few times. That can’t be good.” God, she didn’t want to care. She didn’t want to feel her heart ache for him. Want for him. Beat and pound and flutter for him.

He leaned on her less. “I said I’m fine.”

“What about Dane? Maybe the other Banoth got to him. He didn’t have a kick-ass sidekick like you did.” She nudged him with her shoulder, hoping some playful banter might piss him off. Make him eager to argue. Surely he’d stay strong in order to put her in her place.

“He’ll show up.”

“How do you know? Maybe he walked into an ambush too. That was an ambush you know. The Banoth was waiting for you.”

“I agree.”

“You agree?” Tess wasn’t sure to what. And she really hated that he didn’t look at her when he spoke.

“Yeah, so will you shut up now?” He didn’t even give a slight peek in her direction to see her reaction.

“You’re not going to go back and look for Trey after you drop me off at my car, are you? Because I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She couldn’t begin to figure out all the emotions swirling inside her like a tornado. The way she was acting, the words she was saying, sounded so utterly unlike her she wondered if the Banoth had put some sort of hex on her when he’d stared so lovingly into her eyes.

Since when had she become a mother hen? Jesus. She needed to say goodbye to Hugh and fast, before she did something stupid. Offering to take him to the hospital was bad enough. What was she going to suggest next? Personal nurse? Because really, her mouth seemed to have a mind of its own at the moment.

“I don’t think so either,” he muttered, growing heavier on her arm again.

“In your weakened state, you really should just drive home and get into bed.”

“That an offer?” Finally he gave a feeble glance in her direction.

Even if it were, she’d never admit it. “You wish, big guy. Now which one’s your car?” They’d reached the corner across from the bar. Both the parking lot and street were full of parked cars and she breathed a sigh of relief. As happy as she’d been to avoid the bar scene the past five years, she was glad for the comfort it brought now.

Hugh snickered disapprovingly. “I’m walking you to your car.”

“That didn’t work so well last time.” She shifted her weight to accommodate his lethargy and let him know she planned to take him to his car. Not the other way around.