“Don’t think so, Petrov.” Colt’s voice rang through the building.

She clicked the button, and just like that, all the drones dropped from the air.

And for a second, a breath of relief filled her lungs.

They did it!

A shot sounded, and she looked up to see Colt and Sergei land on the floor.

They lay still, neither of them moving.

She stared at the huddle of their bodies in the darkness, everything inside her frozen.

“Colt?”

He didn’t move.

What— No!

She pushed the computer away. Not like this— “Colt!” She scrambled to her feet, scooped up the screwdriver, and ran toward Colt. But with the drones dying, the room was turning pitch-dark, so dark now she could barely see shadows.

“Colt!”

A hand caught her arm, and she whirled around.

A high beam hit her eyes and she blinked, then struck.

Her attacker dodged, then yanked the weapon right out of her hand. Grabbed the light from his mouth. “What are you doing?”

Ranger. She’d nearly taken out his eye. “Ranger?”

She didn’t have time to unwrap it. Wrenching free, she turned to Colt, now illuminated in Ranger’s light.

And advancing toward them, holding a handgun, was Dodge.

A pool of blood leeched out from under Sergei’s and Colt’s bodies.

“He’s bleeding!”

Ranger caught her around the waist. “Hold up— Just stay back.”

“What?” But she froze as Dodge pulled Colt off Sergei.

Blood soaked his shirt, and he moaned, then sat up.

In the glow of Ranger’s light, Sergei lay dead, a shot through his head.

She looked away from the gore.

“Colt!” She ran over to him.

He was trying not to make any noise, but his hand pressed his chest, and deep rumbles emerged from inside his body.

“Um . . . so . . . you still alive, bro?” Dodge asked.

“Yep,” Colt said, his voice tight. “But I think I’m headed back to the hospital.”

“Are you having a heart attack?” She reached for his shirt, and he caught her wrist.

“No— Just—”

“Lay back.” She practically pushed him to the floor, kicking away a dead drone, then lifted his shirt.

A wound on his side oozed blood. “You’ve been stabbed!”

“I’m fine,” he said.

“You are not fine.” She glanced at Sergei. Back at Colt.

He smiled, one half of his mouth tweaking up. “Had you worried.”

What a jerk.

But oh, she loved this stupid, aggravating, stubborn—

She kissed him. Hard, because if he was going to pretend not to be hurt, she would too. Besides, what was she going to do? Not kiss him with everything inside her? Not pour out her hope and relief and love and reach for the end of their story?

After all, they did just save the world.