Page 32 of Silent Comrade
“Yes.”
“Okay, then. Stick close and protect.”
“But. That’s not the plan.”
“It’s my plan.”
His head spun. What just happened? Did shesomehow subvert the Morpheus Squad mission? “Wait—”
“Also, I want to know what the heck the dealis with those jerks back in the mall.”
He blew out a breath, wincing against thesting of the wound on his side. Red was too tired to fight herrelentless determination right now. “I can try to explain. Let’sclean up and get secure first.”
“Sounds good.” The smug satisfaction in hervoice reassured him not one bit.
Chapter Fifteen
His scowl said he wasn’t happy about it, butAl did safely return Britt to her apartment. Before they exited thevehicle, he checked his phone, images flashing on the screen.
An uneasy sensation in her gut warned herthat this whole situation was ridiculous.
Once inside, he held an arm back andmotioned for her to stand next to the front door. He dropped thelarge black duffel bag he’d retrieved from the trunk of theSUV—no, cream-colored minivan—with a heavy thud on the floor, freeing up his handsto hold the phone in front of him again. He flipped through theimages, then methodically checked all the rooms. Like he knew whatwas where.
Her apartment. Her bedroom. She peered atevery corner of the living room. Nausea roiled her stomach. He’dbeen here before. He silently prowled through the rooms.
When he returned to the front door, shepointed a finger at the images on the screen showing very smallblack-and-white Britt from several angles. “You bugged myapartment?” The Britts in the pictures all waved their hands at thesame time.
“Give me a minute, and I’ll explain.” He puthis nose back in the phone.
She stomped the three feet over to him andtapped the case. “No. I’m done with this weirdness. You need toexplain what’s going on. Now.”
He held up a hand, sparking bubbles in hervision. Those bubbles were half panic, half fuzzy head, halfirritation. The math didn’t add up. She didn’t care.
“Britt. Please. I know it seems creepy.”
“Itiscreepy.”
Tense lines formed at the corners of hismouth. “Let me make sure systems are functioning and this locationis as secure as I can make it.”
Crossing her arms, she tapped her foot as helooked at more pictures. Then he texted something to someone andclosed the app.
“Mind if I clean up first?” he said, eyeingher from head to toe. “We both probably should.”
“Are you stalling?”
He lifted the hem of his shirt which wasdamp on one side, revealing an amazingly ripped set of abs. Anangry red wound oozed blood.
“Oh my God, Al. That looks bad.”
A shrug. “It’s through and through.” Likesomehow that made it okay.
She’d entered an alternate universe. Herknees started to shake. “Yes, bedroom’s that way, bathroom is …well, you know the layout, I guess.” She paused. “Unless you needhelp with that.”
“Might need to get a bandage on the exitwound.” He shrugged and that boyish look came and went. “I don’twant to bleed on your furniture when we sit down to chat.”
Oh, no, he didnotthrow his injuryout there as a guilt trip. After what she’d been through? With himstalking her. What about his lies? What about his protection? Damnit. She’d be dead if Al hadn’t been in the store tonight. If hehadn’t put his body in harm’s way.
“Oh, for Heaven’s sake.” She preceded himinto the bathroom and pulled out a small plastic box. “Sit.” Shepointed at the toilet seat.
