Page 55 of Callen's Captive
“It’s about an hour’s hike from there, but it probably took me three hours. I had a few panic attacks along the way.” She shrugged as if it was nothing, but from what he’d seen in the past twenty minutes alone, she must have struggled.
“When I didn’t find Anna, I returned to the highway and hitchhiked back home.”
“We must have just missed you. And the second time? Were you hoping to hide from the mercenaries in the bunker?”
“That bunker was made to withstand ordinary people. Not a bunch of sadistic mercenaries like Briggs who probably plays with C4 and ricin for fun. When the mercenaries cut me off, and I ended up in a ditch, I realized I wasn’t far from the cabin. I was hoping I could lose them in the woods, since I knew that area. By the time I reached the cabin, I knew I hadn’t lost them. As if I wasn’t already scared shitless, I saw the clothing, backpacks, and food in the cabin. I was afraid Anna had finally decided to show up. The WSSO wouldn’t bother anyone else, but they’d grab Anna if they came across her. That’s why I left the note, warning her to run.”
“Unfortunately, we didn’t find your note until after the mercenaries captured Anna. Blade killed two of them, the third escaped. Once we read your note, we realized the mercenaries had been hunting you.”
When she didn’t say anything more, and he noticed she was staring up at the trees rather than the path in front of her, Callen said, “It was nice to finally have a name to put with your scent.”
“You cared about some random scent?” she asked, her attention moving back to him. “Lucky me that you didn’t know who you were tracking, or you wouldn’t have rescued me behind that bar.”
His wolf whined, as if he’d been insulted. Callen was more worried about her than his wolf. These self-deprecating comments weren’t like her.
“Your scent called to me, to my wolf. We were both intrigued.”
“That’s a first, someone interested in me because I smell good. Which couldn’t have been the case given how dirty and sweat-soaked I was by then. Do you know that little ride down the river was the closest I’ve come to a real bath or shower in nearly two weeks? No, don’t answer. It’s not like I’ve had the chance. I tried to clean up when we have more than enough drinking water, like at the print shop, but bathing with a rag at a sink isn’t the same as a shower.”
She thrust her fingers through her hair. “My hair was long until a week ago. I had too many tangles and branches caught in it that I ended up cutting it. My hair looks haphazard because it is.”
He hadn’t thought anything about her hair length, or the pixie cut, other than how cute her hair was, how the different length locks and asymmetrical cut suited her. “I like it,” Callen said.
She harrumphed. It seemed nothing he’d say would go over well today.
“Where were you headed when you left Riverview?”
“I don’t know. Boulder maybe. With all the bullets flying, I didn’t have time to think. I took the car and fled.”
“You own a car?” That would have been good to know when they were trying to get out of town.
“I stole one, to get away.”
“Ah.”
She stopped, swung around, her hands on her hips, as she fought to catch her breath from the increased elevation. “Just add it to my list of crimes you’ve been keeping.”
“What list? What are you talking about?”
“I’m not like you, Callen. I’ve stolen from the WSSO, stolen a car, broken into places to get what I need, and I don’t pay them back like you do. Paying people back, the innocent one, never even occurred to me to do so since I focus on surviving.”
“That’s not what you’re focused on. You’re out for revenge and you won’t let anything stop you, let alone your feelings for me.”
“What feelings?”
“The ones you’re trying to hide.”
She stomped ahead of him, silent and clearly not in the mood to talk with him. Callen followed her by a few paces. He was lost in thought when she stopped short, nearly causing him to run into her.
“I like you, Callen. A lot,” she admitted, though her voice appeared guarded. “Which makes it hard knowing you think so little of me.”
He swung her around. “Where the hell did you get that idea?”
“You’ve said it enough how untrustworthy humans are, how we’re the real monsters. Well, I guess you’re right. I’m proof positive.”
He growled. He’d been too free with his comments about others around her.
“And stop growling at me!” She wrapped her arms around herself.
