Page 84 of Leave Me Behind
I don’t move a muscle. I just continue to stare at him, waiting patiently for the bullet in my head.
He lets a sharp breath push between his teeth as he lowers to my level and studies my face, letting his eyes linger on my scars and neck tattoo. I lower my chin, but he grips my jaw tightly and forces me to look at him. He holds my face like this for a moment, his gun to the side of my head.
He clicks on his headset and mutters, “It’s her.”
He doesn’t get to say anything else before a bullet flies straight between his eyes. His head is thrown back and I stare down at his lifeless body.
Who was he reporting to?
thirty-three
. . .
Nell
Bradshaw stumblesto my side and bends at his knee, looking over at the dead soldiers. He looks confused, but clearer now. His eyes aren’t distant anymore.
“Bunny, are you okay?” When I don’t respond, he manually searches my body for wounds and pauses each time he finds my flesh bleeding profusely. He swallows as he curls my sliced hand into itself with a cloth between my fingers to staunch the bleeding. He immediately moves to my forearm next.
“He said ‘It’s her’to someone.” I look Bradshaw in the eyes and search for secrets he might be harboring. “Who was he talking to?”
Bradshaw’s eyes harden and his lack of response makes me twist in his hold as he tourniquets my arm at the elbow and wraps the stab wound tightly. My eyes narrow in agony and I try to stay focused.
“Who?” I demand.
“Bun, I don’t think?—”
Why is he keeping this from me? If he knows who the leader of the Ghosts is, why didn’t he just fucking tell me? My heart hammers with the emotions.
“Tell me now or I’ll blow your brains out,” I say in a low, threatening tone and press the head of my handgun to the bottom of his throat.
He doesn’t even blink.
“No,” he says calmly and presses his forehead to mine, stealing a kiss and staring into my eyes, pleading silently for me to stop. “If you’re going to kill me, then do it. It’s not as easy as you’d think?—”
Click.
His eyes widen and I whisper softly against his lips, “Boom.”
He smacks the empty gun out of my hand and glares at me. Horror spreads over his features. “Did you know it was empty?Fuck, Bunny, you make me so goddamn crazy.” He grips my jaw hard, hand trembling. He shakes his head before resuming damage control on my body. He works on my shoulder next—I’m lucky it was just a clean flesh shot.
“Why won’t you tell me?” My thoughts trail back to Eren. He’s still protecting his brother… Is it Eren? My stomach sinks.
Bradshaw keeps his brows pinched as he works on me. I guess he really won’t tell me.
“Of course I knew it was empty… I can keep my head even when I’m at my limit. Areyouokay? You completely unplugged earlier.You’re welcome,by the way, for saving your ass.” I shove his chest. He ignores me as he finishes with my shoulder.
“I’m okay.” His voice is gravelly and not at all convincing. He taps his head. “I’m fucked up, remember?” He tries to act like it’s no big deal, but the weight of his words between us is heavy. He helps me up and I falter once I’m on my feet.
“Bones…” I start, but he puts his finger to my lips.
“No more talking. We need to get to the ridgeline before dawn. I’m guessing reinforcements will be on their way here.” Bradshaw leads the way back up the riverbank, stopping briefly to make sure the coast is clear before we silently trek back into the forest.
My wounds slow us down and we have to stop to tend to them again before continuing. Bradshaw gives me one shot of morphine and the relief is so sweet I could cry. We only have a couple of them and I was hoping we could save them for when shit really hits the fan.
I sit and stare into the treetops, exhausted and fading as he picks me up. Next thing I know the trees are moving and it feels like I’m floating. Bradshaw’s hands grip mine tightly and he keeps whispering something repeatedly. “Hold on to me. It’s okay. It’s okay.I won’t let you go.” I smile, aloof and drugged, but at least the pain from the wounds is gone. All I smell is his brisk scent and the pine trees.
By the time we reach the ridgeline, most of the drugs have worn off and the sun is coming up.
