Page 9 of Ethan
She’s really tired. “It’s fine, Audra. You can tell me after you’ve had some rest.”
“It’s my friend. He moved to Mexico a few years ago, but I can’t remember where he lives. Why can’t I remember?” she says with a groan.
“Just rest, okay,” I say soothingly.
She doesn’t reply, and I realize she has drifted off to sleep. I lean down and kiss her forehead before walking out.
I only consider the implications of kissing her forehead when I'm outside. I realize I’ve come to care more about Audra than I probably should.
It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does worry me.
Chapter 4
(Audra)
______
I’ve been out of it for a few hours. The pain medication knocked me out. When I come to, Ethan’s sitting beside me on the bed with a worried expression on his face.
I feel bad for being so useless. He literally, singlehandedly saved my life.
“Hello, husband,” I greet him with a small smile.
He exhales in relief, like what he’s been waiting to hear is my voice.
“Seeing as that’s the first thing out of your mouth, I’m guessing you feel better?” he questions, his brown eyes giving off a concerned look.
I groan while sitting up. Ethan helps me get comfortable against the headboard. After that, I stare at the neatly cleaned injury on my arm. It’s freshly bandaged, and it barely hurts anymore.
“Does it still hurt?” Ethan asks worriedly.
Tears well up in my eyes as I shake my head. I blink them away.
Christ, I’m a mess.
“No. You did a really good job. It doesn’t really hurt anymore,” I tell him.
He smiles softly.
“I’m glad.”
He gets up from the bed to head into the bathroom while I consider how the hell I’m supposed to thank him. I don’t even know where to start. Then I remember Capa, and my developing good mood dissipates rapidly.
He was just a kid.
When Ethan walks back in, he immediately frowns when he notices my expression.
“Audra...” he sighs. “You need to stop. He wouldn’t want you feeling guilty like this.”
“He also wouldn’t have wanted to bleed out and die from a bullet in his back,” I retort, suddenly angry.
If I hadn’t suggested to him that we wanted to break out. If only I hadn’t pleaded with him to help us. Capa hadn’t even asked me to take him in or give him a home if we escaped. All he had asked for was a meal. He wanted me to buy him a meal if we got out of there alive.
Ethan looks at a loss for words. I’m guessing comforting people isn’t his forte. But then he surprises me when he climbs into bed and pulls me into his arms.
“I wasn’t going to tell you this…. but I used to be a cop.”
That surprises me.
