Page 62 of Savage Escape

His attention refocused on her, and his eyes narrowed. Caden took a hungry bite out of her bread and glared right back. It slid down her throat like a slug and settled in her gut like a brick.

“No, him and Dax are going back to HQ.” He paused to annihilate his piece in two bites. “They’ll be back for supper tomorrow.”

“Will you go find your father for me? And tell Kade that if that dog keeps chasing my ducks, I’m taking it to Penelope’s.”

“Penelope can’t take another animal. You should see the barn. It’s ridiculous how many animals she’s got in there.”

“I’m not keeping a duck killer. Tell Kade that. And let your dad know that the bread is done.”

Holden frowned at his mother and then sent a pointed glare towards Caden. It took him a long minute to obey, but heeventually gave a curt nod and disappeared down the hallway. Caden went back to eating her bread and ignored the queasy feeling building in her gut. Ellen turned to the fridge that was suffocated in magnets and pictures and fished a pitcher of tea out.

“He doesn’t want me alone with you.” Lacking any kind of subtlety, Caden just laid it all out there. The woman had to be aware of the suspicion practically rolling in waves off her son. Caden watched for a reaction, but all the thief got in response was a flippant nod that did not look at all as alarmed as it should have been.

“Holden’s always been... overprotective of the people he allows himself to love. Don’t worry, Caden, he’ll warm up to you eventually.” Ellen reached over and patted her hand like it was the most natural thing in the world to reach out and touch someone.

“No, that’s not—he doesn’t want me around you because I’m a mercenary.” Why did the people in this family treat her like she was part of the family?

“Oh, I know. Nate’s told me all about you.”

Shame and guilt knifed at her gut again. It was becoming more difficult to stay upright. Caden adjusted her sweaty hold on the IV pole and watched the woman’s face for the disapproval and disgust she knew was there. Had to be there. Ellen was a good, respectable woman.

“A thief.” Maybe she had to spell it out. “I shot Nathan twice back when he was... chasing me.”

“I remember.” Ellen glanced up from the pitcher and grinned like she’d heard a good joke. “His brothers still give him hell about getting shot in the ass.”

“I stole stuff—stealstuff. Art mostly.” But that wasn’t the worst of her sins. Stealing stuff from dead guys wasn’t a sin. Not the way Caden saw it. If museums had no qualms about pilferingancient items, then it just stood to reason that she wasn’t committing any huge no-no’s either. “I’ve killed people.”

Ellen’s head jerked up, but instead of the fear and disgust, Caden expected to see in the older woman’s eyes all she saw was warm concern. Which only served to agitate and confuse her further.

After a moment of pensive silence, Ellen reached for her hand again, careful not to jostle all the little tubes sticking out of it. Her hands were damp from the condensation on the pitcher and calloused.

“Caden, you’re talking like you owe me an explanation—like you’re guilty of something. You did what you had to do. You don’t owe me or anyone else an explanation.”

No. No, that was wrong. This whole conversation was wrong. Never had she been met with such utter acceptance and empathy. Caden didn’t know what to do with it. How to respond. She deserved absolutely zero empathy or acceptance. She’d killed people, for Christ’s sake.

Okay.

She wasn’t brain dead. She could formulate a response.

So. Retreat? It only took a moment to come to terms with her own cowardice.

Retreat.

“I’ve got—Reid... he’s waiting. For me. To stitch. Gotta set my breaks.” Words had never really been her forte. “Yeah, for— because... and thanks for the bread.”

She clutched what was left of her piece and hightailed it as fast as her battered body could move back to the relative safety of the other room. Ellen didn’t say anything. Only nodded and watched her retreat.

So, she was a coward. That wasn’t the worst thing in the world, right? Caden carefully pushed the odd conversation tothe back of her mind and focused on dragging her body back to Nathan.

“What took you so long?” Reid met her in the hallway with an impatient frown. “Did you faint? How are you feeling?”

“I didn’t faint. I’m fine.” She was all but gasping for breath by the time she got back into the room and seated on the bed. Nate was nowhere in sight, and Reid was already rummaging around on his table.

“Where’d Nathan go?”

“To use the other shower.” He turned back around with a tray that held an assortment of hypodermic needles and wipes.

“Whoa, what the hell’s that?” She already knew what it was. There was no way in hell that she was going to voluntarily be put out again. “No, no sleeping. I do not want to be out again.

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