Too late. The guy bit down hard and glared up at him. “Govnyuk,” the Russian snarled as foam began to emerge from his mouth.

“Same to you,” Griffin snapped.

“What did he call you?” Sherri panted from behind him.

“Let’s just say I’m not his favorite person.”

“What the hell?” she squawked, stepping back and bumping into Griffin.

The other Russians also commenced foaming at the mouth and went still on the ground.

“Cyanide capsules. Standard Spetsnaz Ops. No capture.”

“Do SEALs do that?”

“No. We don’t get caught. Or if we do, we don’t talk.”

“Are you okay?” she asked urgently.

“Are you?”

She stepped toward him, and he turned toward her, sweeping her off the ground in a mighty hug. She clung to him just as hard, burying her face in his neck.

“I thought you were going to die,” she gasped.

“I thought you had died. God, I’ve never been so glad to see anyone charge into battle like that.”

“I love you,” she whispered.

Fireworks exploded inside his head, and his heart felt like it was going to bust right out of his chest. He opened his mouth to tell her he loved her too, but just then the SEALs swarmed around them, and he set her down quickly, stepping back to a respectable distance.

* * *

As the crowd of big bodies surrounded them protectively, Sherri stared at Griffin, trying to make out his expression in the dark. Even though it was only a few feet, the space between them felt huge. She felt the loss of his arms around her like a physical blow. She needed him right now. Needed the reassurance that she was safe. That he would always come for her like this.

She’d just told him she loved him, and he hadn’t said a single thing in response. He’d set her away from him, for crying out loud. Even worse, he shook his head at her a little when she started to reach for him again. Her hands fell back to her sides.

Griffin looked away and then stepped away as Ray Peevy approached.

“Are you injured, Tate?” Peevy asked briskly.

“I’m dehydrated. Hungry. Frankly, I hurt all over.”

Especially in her heart. She’d just gone through the scare of her life, believing that Griffin was going to die. She’d charged into battle armed with a piece of bed frame against men who’d stated their intent to kill her. And he was looking at her with no more interest than if she’d been a bug crawling across his boot.

Peevy nodded. “It’s not often someone gets to do Hell Week twice in a row. Let’s get you to the medics, Tate. They’ll fix you right up.”

She heard Cal order the SEALs to fan out and search for any more hostiles.