Page 45 of Walking Red Flag

The shaking. The fear.

She was having a panic attack.

Had to be.

And she’d only started exhibiting these symptoms when she’d turned around and looked at who was behind her.

Who was now standing at the side of our table.

“Go sit down, Pennington, or you’ll be escorted back to your cell,” Rome’s deep, authoritative voice called out.

“Sorry, sorry.” Lyle held up his hands.

When they dropped back to his side, he purposefully reached out and brushed that finger down the back of Milena’s head, fingers running through her hair.

I got out of my seat so fast that Lyle took two very large steps back with his hands up.

“Whoa, accident!” He laughed. “I’m sitting…”

“You’re done, Pennington,” Rome said. “Back. Now.”

Lyle’s face went slack. “I haven’t had a chance to talk to my friend.”

“Not my concern,” Rome said.

“Is there a problem here?”

Warden Beauregard.

“No problem at all,” Lyle replied sweetly.

“Go. Now,” the warden snapped.

Lyle left with Rome to escort him.

Warden Beauregard, also known as Bayou to the outside world, took one look at me and said, “Your girl needs some help.”

I could see that.

Especially since she was all but collapsing on my body.

If I moved at all she’d fall over.

I had one hand on her head, holding her to my belly, and the other fisted at my side.

The need to murder that piece of shit was still boiling in my soul.

“I know,” I said.

“Go.” Copper looked on. “It’s okay.”

I bent down and gathered her into my arms.

Bridal style, I carried her out of the meeting room door—with everyone watching on curiously, even the fellow who’d been meeting with Lyle—and carried her to the row of chairs at the exit.

I sat down and pulled her deep into my embrace, surrounding her small body with as much of me as I could.

“Hey,” I said to her. “We’re gone. He’s gone. You’re okay.”

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