“You saved Suzanne.”
“Raiden did,” she protested.
“This argument is stupid,” he muttered. He swung her chair around, so her bare knees were touching his chest. A mass of chocolate-colored hair tumbled around her face and shoulders. Asher plucked away the strands that were stuck to her tear-stained cheek and slid them behind her dainty ear.
Why was he surprised by the depths to this woman? All of the clues had been there. She couldn’t have been that willing to put her life on the line without a deep well of compassion. Of course, she felt things deeply. Why in the hell would he once, fucking, again, think that someone who showed strength wouldn’t need his support? How big of a dumbass was he?
Especially since he so dearly wanted to provide her comfort. He looked into the liquid depths of her eyes, trying to form a connection. Wanting to ensure that she was seeing into him as well.
“Truth. Can you see it? Hear it? Tell it?”
“I don’t know.” Her whispered words sounded so defeated. “I’ll try.”
“You’ve been amazing. You’re the best thing that’s happened on this operation. Your brother Pete couldn’t have done better.”
Her lip trembled.
“Yes, he would have. He would have caught on sooner about Carlson and Becker.”
“Eden, will you look at me?”
Green eyes glittered up at him. “Seven hours ago, when me and my team started talking to you on the phone, you blew us away. You steamrolled right over Carlson who was supposed to be the all-knowing security on this caper. Then to find out he’s the bad guy, but you still overrode him, is fucking amazing. You’re all about protecting people, even at the cost of your own life. Who in the hell are you?”
Eden turned her hands in his and gripped them. She shoved her face into his so that they were damn near nose to nose. “I’ll tell you who I am, one messed-up woman who is actually scared and sad. And I hate sad. And scared is the stupidest emotion on God’s green Earth. It sucks!”
God, doesn’t she know that this is the attitude that breaks you?
He released one of her hands and slowly reached up to cup her cheek. “You’re absolutely right, mad is much better.”
Her smile was all gritted teeth. “I knew you’d understand.”
“But when scared and sad is what we’re dealt, then we have to address it.”
She took a deep breath. Her eyes searched his. Asher really felt like he’d gotten through.
She sat up straight. “I think my minute is done. What’s the next step?”
Eden knew she’d taken him by surprise. What else could she do? The idea of falling into his arms and getting a hug from him overwhelmed her, and that was something she did not do.
Nope, not me.
But in her twenty-eight years, he was the first man who she ever considered leaning on outside of her family. How in the hell could her gut be telling her this damn fast that he could be trusted?
Listen up, girly. This is your heart talking, not your gut.
Eden grimaced. She really didn’t need a freaking internal dialogue at this moment in time.
She snapped her fingers in front of Ash’s face. “Come on little buddy, what’s next?”
She heard him sigh as he stood up. She got that reaction a lot from her dad and brothers. She ignored him and pushed up from the table, so they were side by side.
“What’s next is, I see if my sat phone is working through all this concrete and steel.”
“Chop, chop.” She smiled up at him.
“You’re incorrigible.”
“I know. It’s one of my most endearing traits.”
When he pulled his satellite phone out of his tactical vest, he grinned. She caught sight of a dimple. “We have reception.”
Eden gave a fist pump.
“Leo?”
“Jesus God, you’re alive. Why didn’t you call in sooner?”
She shoved her head next to Asher’s so she could hear the conversation, then he hit a button so that it was on speaker.
“What’s the status?” Asher demanded to know.
“I don’t have names. But four of the five bank guards are out. Patel didn’t make it, but Carlson did. We’re missing one bank employee named Graciela Ramirez and three of the coalition.”
“Eden’s with me.”
“Then two of the coalition.”
“Maurice Schlessinger is dead, who else is missing?” Asher asked.
“Sharon Foster,” Leo answered.
“Are any of your team injured or dead? Is Ezio hurt?” Eden immediately wanted to know. She thought about the hissy fit that Sharon had been throwing. Hell, she could have gotten other civilians and some of the SEALs killed with her crazy-assed behavior!
There was a pause before Leo answered. “No, ma’am.”
She blew out a sigh of relief. And then she replayed her thoughts.
Oh God, I didn’t just say that.
She started trembling.
Eden felt it coming again. It was welling up, like an unending tsunami.
“Ash,” she started, then clamped her mouth shut.
“What is it?”
“She’s the one I called screamy-meemy. Everybody I was mean and awful to, died.”
I’m a hateful, judgmental bitch.
In less than a second, he had her hauled up against him, his lips in her hair. “Don’t ever say that. Don’t even think that.”
“But they did, they died.” If it weren’t for Asher’s arms, she would have crumpled to the floor.
“Not you. Never you, Eden. You saved lives.” He held her tighter. It was as if he were trying to will the words into her soul.
“Asher,” Leo called out.
Ash flipped a switch on the phone. “I’m here, what else is there?”
“It’s a madhouse at the bank.” Leo choked out a weary laugh. “Hasn’t stopped Carnival, though. Nope, they’re just taking their parade down another street.”
“And
