Page 10 of Broken Rules
He lifted his shoulders. “I feel fine.”
She came to his bedside and felt his forehead. Before the girl had hugged him, one of the sister’s hands checking for a fever was the closest thing to affection he’d ever known.
“You do feel cooler. If you want to join the others, you can. The public-school children are still here. You may take part in the ice cream social.”
His eyes brightened. Normally, he would have faked a stomach ache to keep from having to join the other kids, but now, he couldn’t wait. He would be able to see her again.
The nun pulled back his covers, but he’d been so distracted by the idea of getting to join the others, that he didn’t move his hand out of sight fast enough.
“What do you have in your hand?”
He clenched his fingers, refusing to reveal his prize.
“Damien, you will show me.”
“It’s nothing.”
“You will open your hand, or I will bring you down to Mother Helen’s office so that you can show her.”
He tightened his fist around his treasure, but there was no denying that he was caught. Heart pounding, he slowly uncurled his fingers, revealing a delicate silver bracelet.
“Where did you get that?”
He pressed his lips tightly together and kept his gaze locked on the ground.
“Does this belong to that girl?”
Still, he said nothing.
“Stand up,” she said sternly. “To the cafeteria.”
He had stolen it, but only because he wanted something to remember her by.
Now, she would hate him.
He stood there, wishing—just as he had done so many times before— that he would just fade away into nothing.
“Come along, Damien,” Sister Maria commanded.
He followed her from the dormitory, down the hallway to the cafeteria, which was packed with more kids than he had ever seen, all greedily eating ice cream sundaes, piled high with whipped cream and sprinkles.
He held his breath, hoping the girl was in the bathroom, but moments later, she was standing in front of him.
“I’m sorry, miss,” Sister Maria said to her. “But I’m afraid, Damien took something that belongs to you.”
He glanced up at her and met her gaze before shame stole his courage, forcing his gaze back to the ground.
“I’m sorry, Sister, but you’re mistaken,” he heard the little girl say.
He froze. His breath stopped. Slowly, he looked up, and once again, met her warm, turquoise gaze. She reached out her hand, dangling the bangle from her fingertips. “I gave it to him,” she said softly.
He extended his hand and uncurled his clenched fingers. The cool silver filled his palm. Her fingertips grazed his skin, and, once more, the contact felt so warm and deep, it was as if she touched his very heart.
Damien forced his thoughts back to the present as he parked his van on the side of the narrow road that ran along an old wharf and got out. A warm breeze rushed off the river. He closed his eyes, letting the air caress his face as he pictured the beautiful woman with chin-length blonde curls who had just stared down the barrel of a gun at him.
What a sight she’d been, her tousled hair, firm thighs. A smile played about his lips as he continued to picture her.
She could threaten his life anytime.
