Page 12 of Beautiful Defiance

“That’s nice of you, Seven. You’re her hero.”

“I did what any decent human being would do.”

“Where I grew up, the kids would have pilfered her purse down to the zipper and the lining.”

“That’s pathetic.”

“It is.”

“Are you glad you left?”

“Very. I don’t miss any part of my old life.”

“Nothing at all?”

“There is this one guy. He kept me out of trouble. Lately, he’s too busy to pay me attention. A good thing. He can be a major pain in my ass.”

“That so?”

She smiles. “So.”

“He must be one cool dude.” Otherwise, she wouldn’t have that huge smile on her face.

“He is.”

She’s silent after that, and that’s how I know she’s worn out from the infection. I hold her closer to me.

I shouldn’t like how easy it is to want to like Leigh. For her to want to keep touching me. For me to want to tell her all of my goddamn secrets along with my heartaches.

Shoving aside these wants of mine, I make sure I have a firm grip on her before I grab her housekeys off the coffee table and exchange them with the truck keys in my pocket. Leigh pulls the front door shut after us, and I let us inside my truck.

“Seven, can I ask a favor?”

“Yeah.” I buckle her in, and soon, we’re barreling down the interstate toward the community hospital in the neighboring town of Delridge.

“If I pass out, don’t let them undress me completely. Tell them I’d like to keep my underwear and tank top on.”

“They’ll want to do a thorough head-to-toe check, Leigh. Make sure you don’t have other scratches on your body.”

“I’m eighteen, an adult. I have a say in what I show and don’t show.”

Her defiance is dangerous.

“Leigh.”

“Please. Be my advocate.”

Leigh begging? I should take advantage and demand she give me something in return for saving her ass, again, but I’m not feeling it.

“Okay, you have my word.”

“Thank you.”

She reaches over, grasps my hand in hers, and that’s when I know I’m in deep shit. The blood is pumping through my heart so fast and hard, I hear the damn beats in my ears.

“One more thing.”

“Yeah?”

I glance sidelong at her, not liking how weak she sounds.

“You doing this for me doesn’t make us friends. Not now. Not ever.”

I can live with that. I don’t want to be Leigh’s friend either.

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