9
She wasn’tsure he would actually let her go. Reaper looked like he was at death’s doorstep—his tanned face pale and dripping with sweat, his pupils dilated. Whether he knew it or not, he’d been wavering on his feet, about to pass out. Even so, he’d been prepared to stumble out into the street and die rather than put her in harm’s way.
Suddenly, the metal gun in her hand seemed to weigh less. If he was willing to lay down his life for hers, then she should be willing to lay down hers for his. He’d taken a bullet and taken on an army just for her. How could he be so selfless?
And yet he was such a hardass. She got the feeling he was one of those men who had grown up without a family and bounced through the system, a lonely, desperate life that had given him a hard shell that had never been penetrated before now. And yet he still had dedicated his life to his country and rescued a senator’s daughter from an evil man intent on using her until she died.
Reaper might not ever want to admit it to himself but somewhere deep inside that granite chest of his was a strong beating heart and she had every intention of tapping into it before they parted ways.
So long as he didn’t die, and that meant getting them clothing so they could find a safe place to hide out. And then she would definitely have to go on the prowl for medical supplies, whether he wanted her to or not.
Caroline pressed her shoulders into the wall at the corner, lifted the gun to her chest and cradled it in her hands. The hot humid air curled her dirt-streaked hair around her face. Everything about this place was cloying and dangerous.
Straining to listen around the corner, Caroline’s instincts kicked into high gear. She closed her eyes and tried to close out the sound of her own loud, swishing heartbeat. Something inside her pushed outward. She became aware of the sound of men’s heavy footsteps pacing down the street on the other side of the building. She could even hear them speaking in a low, guttural language she couldn’t understand, but the underlying threat was clear all the same. As was the fact that the alleyway was still empty.
She caught a waft of cigarette smoke. The soldiers in the street had stopped for a smoke break. This was her chance. Gathering up the tiny shards of courage she possessed, Caroline peered around the corner, and then, seeing no one, stepped out from behind the protection of the wall, her gun gripped in her hand and shaking just as much as the rest of her.
She sensed Reaper watching her from the window.Please God, don’t let him see how terrified I am.She hadn’t fired a gun since well before her interrupted wedding to the general, and she honestly didn’t have a clue how much time had passed since then. The likelihood of her hitting a moving target couldn’t have been much smaller, but the sound of the gunshot would alert Reaper and she knew without a doubt he would be able to sink a bullet between her attacker’s eyes. The gravel mix crunched under her bare feet, but her heart was pumping too hard for her to notice the sharp edges digging into her soles. She could practically hear the men breathing around the other corner of the building.
Feet away from discovery, Caroline rushed across the distance to the hanging clothesline and ripped down a brown dress and head scarf and a loose-looking caftan for Reaper. And then she bolted back around the corner and practically dove through the window, her entire body thrumming with a mixture of fear and triumph at having completed her task without detection.
Reaper was waiting for her, and from the savage cut to his jaw she knew he was pissed before he even opened his mouth.
“Don’t ever do that again.”
She handed the pistol back to him, fighting off the aggravation his words had dredged up inside her. She had just risked her life for them both; you’d think the man would be a bit more grateful. “Do what?”
“Turn your back on the enemy. If one of those soldiers came around the corner, he’d have shot you in the back before you knew he was there.”
This time, Caroline didn’t bother hiding her thoughts. She snorted and shook out the clothes, snapping them more forcefully than was necessary to get her point across. “Sorry, I must have missed the escape and evade class at my all-girls prep school.”
He frowned, as if the thought that she might not know these things hadn’t crossed his mind. “It’s common sense. Never turn your back on your enemy.”
“I never thought I’d have to fight off someone who wanted to kill me, much less drain my blood for some psychotic experiment. Excuse me if I was more concerned with developing my brain than my reaction speed and strength.”
Of course, it wasn’t as if Reaper had neglected his brain in favor of making himself a killing machine. The intelligence in his dark eyes was just as apparent as the stark outline of the thick muscles lining his body. Not that she’d tell him that right now.
He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face, staring up at the ceiling in a way that was eerily similar to what her dad used to do when he was frustrated with her antics.
“Just don’t do it again, for future reference, okay?”
Caroline gave him a jerky nod, amusement edging out her anger. Her nanny always told her that she had a way of getting under her father’s skin and apparently she did the same for Reaper. “Aye, aye, Captain.” She topped off her little remark with a salute, drawing yet another frown from her savior.
“Get dressed. We need to evacuate this place as soon as darkness falls.”
“But I thought we were leaving now.”
Reaper shook his head. “We can use the darkness to camouflage our movements. It will be safer.”
Caroline extended the black caftan robe to him. His fingers grazed the back of her hand as he took the material and a tingle tracked up her arm. This attraction she had to him was going to be a problem. She knew it. Every time he touched her, or even got close to her, she was overly aware of his presence. She had never noticed a man so much in her entire life.
But the vibes he was putting off screamedstay away. Women must fawn over him all the time. And Caroline was no different. If he took her in his arms right now and kissed her, she wouldn’t resist. Even here, even in the midst of so much danger and death and sadness.
Reaper shrugged into the robe, stumbled and caught himself before he hit the dirt floor. Alarm shot through Caroline and she was immediately back at his side, her hands pressed against his good side trying to prop him up. Nothing could possibly happen between them if he died before they got out of here. “You have to sit down and preserve your strength.”
But he didn’t seem to hear her talking. He just stared at the wall across the way.
“Reaper, you have to get off your feet.” She spoke louder, praying she could snap him out of his daze before he collapsed. He gave her a nod and limped over to the nearest wall, which happened to be right next to the stack of bodies, and sunk down to the floor. Caroline hastily slipped the brown dress over her hospital gown and then carried the long scarf over to the spot right next to Reaper. She sat down next to him and did her best to wrap the hijab over her head. At least she’d covered up her hair. The dress was about ten sizes too big, so oversized it kept slipping off her shoulder, but it was better than nothing.
