“Ah.” Vinnie pressed her lips together.
He stiffened. “‘Ah,’ what? What does ‘ah’ mean?”
“You’ve never let anybody down, Tace.”
He nearly exploded. “Of course I have.”
“How?”
“By, I mean, by failing everyone. My sisters, my family. I didn’t live up to their expectations.” Hell, he came from Texas Rangers, for God’s sake. And now, here he was, a day after killing a man he’d never met.
“I hate to tell you this, but the survival guilt is in us all.” Vinnie’s eyes sobered. “Living when others didn’t isn’t your fault. You couldn’t have saved them, and you’re doing the best you can do under unimaginable circumstances. Keep writing in your journal. I insist upon it.”
He was so tired of that damn journal. His ankle tingled, and he stilled.
“What’s wrong?” Vinnie asked.
Man, the woman was observant. “Every muscle I have is exhausted,” he said. Not now. He didn’t need an attack right now. She would definitely have to tell Jax. The tingling went away, and he relaxed. “So, I’m here to talk about Greyson and not myself. He’s a good fighter, is methodical, and seems fair.”
“Would he kill?” Vinnie asked, smoothly letting Tace off the hook.
“Without hesitation,” Tace said, losing the frown as he warmed to a subject that didn’t involve him. “Just like the rest of us.”
Vinnie cocked her head to the side. “You liked him?”
Tace leaned back. “He’s a potential target and a possible ally. That’s how I saw him the entire time.”
“Yes, with your brain. But feeling-wise, you liked the guy.” Her eyes focused on him.
Was there a difference? “Okay.”
“Give me specific examples of his behavior, please.” She poised her pen over the paper.
Tace nodded and ran through the entire two days in Merc territory, minus those last few hours. He wasn’t going to kiss and tell—and he wanted to kiss again. Interesting. His blood started to thrum.
Vinnie finished writing. “Perfect.”
A shadow crossed the doorway, and then Shadow poked his head in, his odd blue eyes nearly glowing in the dark. “Doc? It’s gotta be close to midnight, and you need sleep.” Raze nodded at Tace. “You crazy?”
“Probably,” Tace said.
“We all are,” Vinnie said cheerfully, setting her notepad down. “Thanks for coming in, Tace.”
Tace knew a dismissal when he heard one. He stood and then paused. “Shadow? I thought you were scouting inner territory tonight?”
Raze shrugged. “Sami took my place with Jax. Said she needed to get some air.”
“She was shot less than sixteen hours ago and needs to rest.” Fury roared through Tace, and he stalked by Raze. “Damn it.”
He heard Raze behind him but barely comprehended the words.
“Should we stop him?” Raze asked Vinnie.
“Nah, let it happen,” she responded.
Yeah, like they could stop him. He stormed out of the clinic to the back of the building and a wide street. Where was Shadow supposed to have scouted? Oh yeah. The western corner, where there was some weird church for people who hadn’t been infected by Scorpius. A place that had seen gunfire and where Lynne Harmony had been taken hostage just a few days ago.
That wasn’t exactly where Sami needed to recuperate from a bullet to the chest.
