Page 46 of Holiday Hostage
Reed needed to catch his breath, and I needed to make sure we were still going in the right direction.
He wiped a hand over his face and smiled. “Went off without a hitch, though. Caught them with their pants down on that second blast.”
“Yeah.” I chuckled at his rush of euphoria over blasting the mercenaries to hell and back. “I’d have liked it better if you stuck to the plan.”
Reed tried to shrug, but the wound in his shoulder prevented him, the rush of pain drawing out a long hiss.
“Can’t be perfect all the time, Mav. That’s part of the fun after leaving the rangers.”
“Wouldn’t have anything to do with getting to set off booby traps and blow shit up?” I scanned our surroundings, checked the angle of the sun, and set off again.
We were making decent time, but we needed to get the hell out of range before the men we’d fought off recovered.
Reed slapped my back and pushed away from me, making his way around the tree trunk without looking back.
“Oh yeah, that’s the best part. My skills were never put to good enough use back then.”
Blood ran down Reed’s back from his shoulder wound.
He’d let me help longer than I thought, and I had no choice but to let him move ahead under his own steam. “What made you go back?” I launched the question at his retreating form. We’d been in the clear. “What in the hell went through that hot head of yours? Why be so damned reckless?”
I’d tried to get used to Reed’s ability to launch himself into danger a long time ago.
I hadn’t expected it to be an issue today.
Fucking bloodlust. Reed had too much of it, so much that it ripped his control away and left him without a shred of common sense.
Reed tensed and drew his injured arm across his stomach, holding it in place with his other hand. “It was him.” He whirledto face me, a snarl of anger and pain twisting his face. “Jack fucking Wilson.”
The name hit me with a one-two punch that stopped me in my tracks. “What?”
Reed snorted and trudged ahead.
The snow hindered his progress, and he punched a fist into the nearest tree, sending snow crashing down on his head.
I halfway expected it to sizzle as it made contact with his raging anger.
“You’re sure?” The commander who left me to die was part of the team who kidnapped Payton?
Reed punched the tree again. “I’m sure. Not like I’d forget his face. I’d heard he went mercenary after leaving the Rangers. Didn’t think we’d ever have the misfortune of running into him again.”
“His misfortune.” I punched my fisted hand into my open palm. “You should have told me.”
“No time.” Reed fumbled his next step and stopped to lean against the tree.
The blood leaking from his shoulder took the color from his face and left him wavering on his feet. “Stupid bastard. Only he would sink low enough to command a group of men willing to kidnap an innocent woman and hold her hostage.”
I caught up to Reed when he stumbled again and yanked his good arm over my shoulder. “Stop being such a macho prick and let me help you before you fall down.”
“Stupid idiot.” Reed continued muttering. “I called his name. Needed to make sure it was him and not my imagination.” He shook his head, giving a hateful laugh that roared to the sky. “I called his name and he turned around. That’s how I got shot.”
“Now who’s the idiot?” I pushed a limb out of our way and hauled us around another snowdrift.
“Sorry, man. Been wanting to kill him for years after what he did to you. Kind of lost my head. Heat of the moment and all that.” Reed thumped me on the back. “He deserves to die for what he did. Someday. Someday.”
I tightened my hold on the back of his coat to keep him from stumbling and falling. “You’re a hothead, but a loyal one.”
I’d been frustrated with him for throwing himself into danger when we were safe and free.
