Trace told him that the car he’d followed was missing a few people, and when he questioned—aka forced answers from—the lone man left behind, he was told they were setting up a distraction at the smaller house so that they could grab the woman.

The type of distraction is what really shook Dare.

Furious, Chris looked back at his place, undecided, Dare knew, on whether to try to put out the fire or to do as Dare instructed. He still stood in the doorframe.

Dare cursed. “Move, damn it, it’s a—” His words were swallowed by a loud blast.

Flames shot out of the shattered windows, and Chris hurtled face-first out the door and onto the ground.

“No.” Running now, Dare reached Chris just as he rolled over onto his back with a groan.

Dare had to push Tai away from Chris; she was as worried as Dare was. Kneeling over Chris, Dare saw the rising lump on his forehead where he’d landed against a rock. He took Chris’s shoulder and demanded a response. “Say something, damn it.”

Chris coughed.

Thank God.

If Chris had been any farther in the house when the blast happened, he probably would have been killed. But they had little time for rejoicing right now.

Dare leaned over him. “Anything broken?”

“No.” Chris shook his head, but stilled that movement real fast, wincing as he raised a hand to his head. “Jesus, what was that?”

“Fucking bomb. If you’re sure you’re okay, I need to get you clear in case anything else goes off.”

“Yeah, I’m okay.” He started to struggle upright.

“Let me.” Dare hoisted him to his feet, but Chris’s legs wobbled. He was hurt, and it scared Dare so damn bad he had to clench his jaw to keep from howling. He locked an arm around Chris, turned—and found Molly standing there, her hands twisting together, her expression ashen.

Red-hot rage hammered inside Dare. She was supposed to be locked inside, safe.

Before he could speak, she did.

“They’re in the house, Dare.” Her pale lips trembled. “A window broke and the alarm went off, but someone shut it down….” She panted, gulped air, and whispered, “I heard them. I… I couldn’t stay in there with them.” She covered her mouth as she looked at Chris. “Oh, my God, is he okay?”

A hand pressed to his head, his nose bleeding, Chris nodded. “Yeah.” In a smoky rasp, he asked, “Did Sargie come out?”

Molly’s eyes widened, and just that easily, her own fear evaporated. She looked beyond Chris, gasped and took off running. “I’ll get her!”

Dare went blank with panic. “No!”

But Molly didn’t listen. Christ, if anything else blew…

Never in his life had he been so divided. Done with delays of any kind, Dare lifted Chris half over his shoulder, making him moan and curse, then moved him several yards away. He eased him down to the ground against the base of a large oak tree and told Tai in the sternest voice she’d probably ever heard from him, “Stay.”

Ears flattened, she plopped down beside Chris with a heartbroken whimper. Even as hurt as he might be, Chris locked a hand in Tai’s collar, and Dare knew that short of passing out, Chris wouldn’t let her go.

It had taken him mere seconds to settle Chris, but in that time, Molly could be caught in another explosion.

Blood rushing hot, Dare rose to go after her—and she came tripping out the front door of the house, leading Sargie.

Relief nearly disabled him.

Dare shoved the gun into his waistband and reached them in a few long strides.

Sargie was panting, eyes wide, as much in panic as from the smoke that now colored her beautiful fur. Molly had tears tracking her cheeks.

But neither of them appeared to be injured.

Dare grabbed them both and practically dragged them up to Chris.

“She was cowered down, scared, behind the door,” Molly babbled. “I think the door is what kept her safe. She came right to me, though. She’s going to be okay, isn’t she, Dare?”

“She’ll be fine.”

“And Chris?” On her knees, Molly jerked around to Chris and smoothed his hair away from the blood on his forehead. “Oh, God, Chris, you could have been killed.”

Dare’s eyes burned. After all his f**king assurances, all his confident promises, Molly could have been killed, too—but he couldn’t think about that right now.

She’d saved his dog.

He closed his eyes, overwhelmed and out of control. But that just made him relive the moment when she’d rushed into Chris’s house, when he’d realized what he’d lose if anything happened to her.

He had to get it together.

After a deep breath, Dare said softly, but with iron demand, “Be quiet now.”

Molly looked at him, but he didn’t meet her gaze. She would unravel him if he did. He couldn’t soothe her yet, couldn’t crush her close or tell her…

He sawed his teeth together and cleared his mind.

Under cover, he passed the gun to Chris and closed his hand around it to ensure he had a good hold. “Okay?”

Chris took a breath. “Yeah. Got it.”

But Chris didn’t look good. He probably had a damned concussion—or worse. Dare’s heart twisted…

“I’m up for it, Dare. Just go.”

Molly’s mouth opened twice before she gasped, “Go where? What are you talking about?”

Dare couldn’t seem to make himself move. If this all went wrong, if the intruders spotted Chris with that gun, they’d shoot him dead. Fuck. Fuck, f**k, f**k. He filled his lungs, and tasted smoke. “You know I love you, Chris.”