Page 28 of Silent Comrade
Air caught in her throat. “Oh God.” Shecoughed. “That doesn’t make me feel better.”
“It’s true. Does that help?” He kept thosearms around her, his heat bleeding into her chest.
“No. You better give me something elsethat’ll make me believe you.”
He paused. Grimaced. “Right.” Al nodded.“Your dad is a supervisor at a post office. Loves playing pool.Only drinks Guinness. Your older sister Kiera is an accounting whizwho has a thing for dark chocolate. Oldest sister Reagan has abirthmark on her face and is happiest in the outdoors. You allcalled her ‘Granola Girl’ growing up.”
The air whooshed out of her. Britt’s headspun. Her knees went weak. She would have hit the asphalt if hedidn’t tighten his embrace. “How do you know all of that?”
“You’re in way more danger than yourealize.”
Chapter Fourteen
A calculated risk, revealing family dossierinformation to Britt to prove his bona fides. Red didn’t have tocompletely blow his cover to give enough data for her to understandthe situation.
He was only partially dishonest to hertonight. He also was only partially honest with her before tonight.All this selective truthfulness, to manipulate her intocooperation. A nasty churn settled in his gut.
Red maneuvered the SUV onto a side streetand fought to maintain focus as a lance of pain bolted through him.He sucked in a quick breath and splinted his forearm against thewound. At some point he’d need to assess injuries and take mandatedrest.
Mission first. Protect Britt from Lequire’smen who would stop at nothing to capture, hurt, or kill her. Strikethat. Justkill. That shift spoke volumes about her value inthis deadly game. An icy wave of hate washed over him.
“Hey, cool it on the steering wheel oryou’ll break it.” She pointed at the leather creaking beneath hiswhite fingers.
Easier said than done. Lequire’s men hadhunted down Britt in a public place. A compromised and alteredpublic place, but still. What prevented another attempt?
Red.
“Hold on a minute,” he bit out, wrestlingback control of his virus. His muscles still twitched.
The abnormal instincts for vigilance andprotection had fogged rational thought. His vision tinted red everyfew minutes until he blinked it back to normal. Circularbreathing—in, out, in, out. Another fewbreaths and he could almost think again. Damn it, he was cyclingtoo rapidly. He reached into the door well for the slim boxcontaining the antidote doses. No. Britt would see. His fingersbrushed the hard plastic container then rolled into a fist as hesat up straight.
Al glanced at her. “We have to get you tothe hospital.”
She touched her bruised neck and winced.“You’re one to talk.”
“I’m fine.” He checked in the rearview onceagain.
“Clearly.” Her jaw jutted out. “Then I’mfine, too,” she said, her voice still raspy from what that asshatdid to her.
“Please. Britt.” The word was ripped fromhim. “Let me get you medical care.” Going to a public place withdocumentation, questions, and identification could expose the team,but he’d take the risk for her welfare. Red’s own mission goals hadchanged back in that department store.
For a few seconds, she stared out thewindshield, removing the last few clips and finger-combing hertangled hair into something more tame. “Sorry, no.”
“No?”
“Cost is too high. No way can I pay mybill.”
He made a choking noise. “What?”
“You know how insurance works, right?”
”Of course.” At one point, Red and his teammembers had the best insurance Uncle Sam provided—all medical procedures and tests fully paid for, inreturn for being a glorified lab rat. He checked the map on hisphone, signaled again, and maneuvered the vehicle onto another citystreet. Like a normal driver would. In and out with his breathingonce more. Normal. Calm. He turned his head briefly. “You haveinsurance, then you get sick, then you go to the hospital.”
“Yeah, but first I pay out the nose becauseI hedged my bets, and enrolled in the high-deductible plan withhuge copays.” She rolled her head from side to side.
“I can pay for your care.”
“You’re a college stu—” She pinned him witha wide-eyed stare. “You’re not exactly a college student, areyou?”
