There went any hope of getting information from the SEAL about what was happening in the forest. Not that the man was capable of answering questions, but it had been worth a try on Smith’s part.

Smith prepared a shot under the watchful gaze of the minion holding a gun on him. “It’s so he can sleep.” He administered the shot, and the minion took the needle and vial.

Collins’s moans stopped as he slipped into a painless sleep, and Smith cleaned the wound, probing for bullet fragments.

Paul wondered if Smith had managed to pocket a syringe and drugs when the merc’s attention had been on his volatile boss.

Xavier’s words, combined with his body pressed to hers as he held Audrey tight, triggered a flood of emotions. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she sank into his warmth. This was the warmest she’d been since he’d handcuffed her outside the lodge a lifetime ago.

Joy, fear, heartache, and even love swamped her as she breathed in his scent and absorbed his body heat.

She told herself the love she felt was for the baby. And the tears were from relief that they got to have this moment after the long, awful night. She cried because he hadn’t hesitated to claim their baby.

Her child would have a father.

That’s all this feeling was.

She slipped her hand between their bodies and stroked her abdomen.

Your daddy wants you, baby. He’s going to love you just as much as I do.

She leaned back to meet his gaze again and saw matching tears on his cheeks.

It helped to realize he was as overwhelmed as she was.

He pressed his lips to hers, a soft, warm kiss that asked nothing. “I will be there for you and the baby every step of the way, if you’ll let me.”

She cleared her throat. “I want you there for the baby, absolutely. For me…I don’t know. We’ll have to take that one step at a time.”

He nodded. “That’s fair. I fucked up. You don’t trust me, with good reason.” He cupped her face between his warm palms. “When we said goodbye in November, I didn’t want to leave like I did. My plan was to keep my distance until after the training was approved. Once that was behind us, I’d planned to ask you on a proper date. I wanted to wine and dine you and see if what I thought was between us was real.”

“You were awfully cold with your abrupt dismissal when we said goodbye.”