Page 118 of Silent Comrade
The man barked out information, obviously incommand, “Rodeo’s missing. Roommate, too.”
Pele cursed. “Roger.”
“Find them. I’ll deal with these deadweightsuntil Curly finishes his cleanup.” The leader turned towardBritt.
Pele dashed out of the building.
Speaking of deadweight, as much as she likedthe security of Red holding her, she couldn’t breathe within theclamp of his arms, crushed beneath his two-hundred-plus poundsframe.
“Red,” she whispered as her vision wentblack.
Chapter Fifty-One
Red lifted his head and peered around him,unwilling to move until he knew Britt would be safe. Then he bracedhis elbows on the floor, holding some of his weight off her. Shedidn’t move.
God help him. No! He searched for wounds,bleeding. Nothing. His vision was coated crimson. Sound and fearswarmed like wasps in his mind. The virus lashed at him, takingover thoughts and centering them on Britt.
He sat on his knees over her, chafing herarms. “Sweets, wake up. Please.”
Suddenly, she gasped, drawing in hugedraughts of air, then clutched her chest and moaned.
Britt. Alive. He ran his hands over her ribsfeeling the telltale give along the crunching bones. A few brokenribs. She was alive.
Lequire was gone, thanks to her goodshooting. His heart thudded as he looked at her sweaty face, hermussed hair, her blue eyes wide and terrified.
He cupped her face. “Britt?” he asked,waving off Hunt, who promptly snorted and began muttering into histhroat mic while he paced nearby.
“You’ve been shot. I saw him shoot youthere.” She lifted an arm weakly, then let it fall.
The crimson tint to his vision faded.“You’re getting looked at first.”
“Oh God, the ribs are sore, but I thinkotherwise I’m okay. You need help.”
He untucked his shirt, revealing a thinpiece of plastic that molded to his chest. “Best lightweightproducts the US military can provide. It was a bitch to get thesetailor-made in time for our outfits. The designer was runningbehind schedule.”
She lifted a shaking hand to touch the twodents from the bullets. He’d have awful bruises, but at least hehadn’t exploded a lung or whatever lived under those twolocations.
“You could have...” she murmured.
Pushing hair back from her forehead, hesmiled down at her as he eased her to a sitting position. “But Ididn’t. Thanks to you standing up to Lequire. Oh, and that stupidmove jumping on top of me to save my life?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t ever do that again. My heart can’ttake it.”
“Wait. You’ve got to be kidd—”
“But it did distract him so I could reach mygun. Way to go, Britt.”
The shimmer of tears in her eyes caught himcompletely off-guard. He was unprepared for the effect it had onhim. A virtual fist formed in his chest. He helped her to stand upwith him, not willing or able to let go of her. Not yet.
“God.” She put her arms around hischest.
He encircled her like he never wanted to lether go. Damn it, he was in deep.
The way she shuddered in his embrace madehim want to hang onto her for that much longer. He tightened hishold, but at her yelp of pain, he let go. “What?”
“Ribs. Oh my God. Lequire.”
