“Work together?” Gunner made a show of looking around the bare room, the outdated design, and the metal piping along the ceiling and sides. “I’m doing better on my own.”
“Are you?”
“I’m not the one who can’t crack the codes.” Gunner braced as a fist struck straight down on his shoulder again, harder than before, but he continued through the pain, “I’m doing much better on my own.” He heard the rod slice the air.
“Even being hit by a man like you, I’m doing better,” Gunner taunted.
“You really don’t know when to shut up?” And again and again.
No. I really don’t.
All he knew was that he had more men on his list to kill, and some men had their names double listed. And that his tattoos didn’t look nearly as good with bruises.
Chapter Five
***
ELODIE WOKE UP TO THElights of a new ship cycle glowing overhead. She looked toward Gunner’s cell.
She wanted to excuse her slow reflexes as hunger and exhaustion, but it wasn’t that hunger and exhaustion that stopped her from jerking away and scurrying to the opposite corner of her cell.
It was the prisoner in the cell next to her—Gunner—who was staring intensely at her and pressed up to the bars they shared. He pinned her to the spot.
He’s back.
He’d been brought back while she’d been asleep. Worry careened through her that his return hadn’t woken her.I’ve always been awake when the guards came.
His hand slowly reached up between them to place a single finger over his lips.
Every fiber in her body solidified into a monument erected by silent fear.
He wanted her to remain quiet.Why?
Elodie parted her lips and brought the hand resting under her cheek up to slip over her mouth, hiding the sound of her breath and to partially hide her face from him. If they both reached out, their fingers could interlock through the bars.
“Good morning,” he whispered, his voice low and harsh. She broke out into a sweat. “I see you didn’t wait up,” he said.
