Read Wounded Courage (Lucky Thirteen) for Free Online Page B

oceanic-colored eyes watching for my reaction. “Well, he’s one of them. Regardless of how you feel about him, you had to know that, at least. He was a criminal. And anything you know about him or his family would be helpful to us.”
    “It doesn’t matter anymore. He’s dead.” I looked back at the door again. Claustrophobia was kicking in, the walls pressing in on my body. It felt like a vice on my chest.
    “You’re pretty much in the center of our complex, and there’s cameras everywhere. You’re not leaving right now.” I slid my line of sight from the door to him. He was so good at reading me. Was that training or familiarity?
    I smirked. “So, I’m getting shifts of babysitters instead?”
    Determination glistened from his eyes, but there was something else within them I couldn’t identify. A dark intent rested behind those icy marbles, which made my heart race even faster than it was already. What was that intent?
    “Maybe I just wanted to talk to you.”
    Heat rushed through my body. “That’s doubtful.”
    “Is it so hard to believe?”
    “I haven’t seen you or Chris in three years. I haven’t talked to either of you in all that time. Neither of you made any attempt to contact me, even to ask me how I was doing. So yeah, it’s hard to believe.” I tried to keep the hurt from my voice, but I heard some of it leak through. Would my life have been different if I’d talked them more than I had?
    I sat down on the bed, finally giving my leg relief that it was screaming for. I noticed my clothes first when I glanced down. I wore an identical brown tee to Murphy, albeit much looser than it was on him, and blue shorts that said “Navy” on the left leg. Obviously, the clothing was improvisational…They stretched down to my knees, and were incredibly loose. Which one of them had changed my clothes? And how much did they see?
    “Your brother changed your clothes, with our corpsman. We thought that would be more comfortable for you. Your other clothes—” Murphy grimaced.
    “They were bloody. And paper scrubs are uncomfortable.” My stomach rolled at the thought of my clothes. My blood. Rene’s blood. I’d been too far from Alex to get his blood on me too. Everyone in that room had gotten shot except Devyn.
    “Devyn. How is she?” I’d been so preoccupied with myself I hadn’t even thought of my friend.
    “She’s okay. They sent her home.” I nodded, relief washing through me. At least someone got to go home, but she hadn’t ever been involved. Marie had pulled her in. I felt bad for not visiting her more often. Maybe if I had, I could have seen Marie for who she was, and warned Devyn long before it had become too late.
    A minute of quiet passed between us. I avoided looking at him, and instead I played with the hem of the brown tee I wore. I wasn’t sure what to say to him.
    “I need your promise, Addison.”
    “For what?”
    “That you’re not going to run again.”
    I paused, my throat hard and stuck. There was a sharp pain in the center of my neck. “What if I can’t do that? What if I can’t make that promise?”
    “Come on, Addison. I can help you. I can get you on the way home, but you have to give us something.”
    “Just a pint or two, right?” I joked, but his lips pursed together in a tight line.
    “Addison—”
    “You can’t make that promise to me, Murphy. I know you can’t. And you never have lied to me. Not ever. So please…” I let out a shuddered breath. “Don’t start now.”
    He stopped, his expression thoughtful. He nodded. “Okay. But I will do what I can to get you home. That I can promise, but not if you’re not cooperative. And your brother… he won’t take you being imprisoned well. You know that. So maybe for his sake?”
    “That’s dirty, Murphy, bringing up Chris like that. You know I’d do anything for him.” I always had. I’d always wanted his approval. I’d always wanted him to be proud of me. I just never made the right