Page 46 of Cold Silence
“Sit,” she commanded in her best supervisory voice. “I want to look at that cut.”
He arched a brow, and she could see he was thinking about disagreeing, so she cast him a stern look.
He laughed, a short burst of surprise that bounced around the small room as he settled on a small bench. “I’m always amazed that a little bit of a thing like you can get so bossy.”
“Hey, you grow up in a military household and you learn from the best.” She tilted his head and shone her phone’s light on his head. Her hand shook from the near attack but she ignored it.
Travis needed her, and she needed to help him. The blood had slowed to a trickle, but she still wanted to apply pressure. She would need a clean cloth for that. She opened her dryer.
“Doing laundry at a time like this?” Travis asked, humor in his tone.
She appreciated his attempt to lighten things up and pulled out a washcloth to display for him. “To stop the bleeding.” She moved behind him. “It’s gonna hurt.”
“In that case.” He looked up at her with the little boy grin so in contrast with the big, brawny man that it melted her heart. “Will you hold my hand?”
She laughed and the terror of the night disappeared with it, which she felt certain was his intention. She pressed the cloth against his head, making him wince.
“Sorry,” she said. “I hate hurting you when you were injured trying to keep me safe.”
“No biggie.”
She lifted his chin until she got a good look at his face, and their eyes connected. “It’s a big deal to me. You’re a wonderful, honorable man who deserves the very best in life, and I know I hurt you. For that I’m so sorry.”
He shrugged. “Again, no biggie.”
Really? No biggie?She dropped her fingers.
Had he actually moved on so easily when she was still stuck wondering what might’ve happened if she hadn’t broken things off? Maybe he hadn’t really cared as deeply for her as she’d believed.
Sadness crept in. Deep aching sadness that she needed to explore. But not now.
Now her full focus needed to stay in the present. On Travis and the man who’d held him at gunpoint and nearly abducted her. If she let her thoughts focus on her feelings and become divided, her attacker might not only succeed in his mission, but he could kill Travis in the process.
A knock sounded on the door.
“We’re all clear,” Gage said from the other side. “Police are on the way.”
Travis opened the door. “We’ll stay here until they arrive. Just to be safe.”
Gage arched an eyebrow. “It’s time we bring in reinforcements.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“I’ll fly a couple of my guys out here as soon as possible.”
“Make it happen,” Travis said without consulting her. “Make sure Jackson is one of those guys.”
“Already planning on bringing in my spec ops guys, which includes former ranger Cooper Ashcroft. Coop’s as solid as Jackson.”
“Thanks, and let me know when the police arrive.”
She appreciated their decisiveness. She didn’t need to be consulted on her security plan. Not when she didn’t know a thing about protecting herself against such a foe other than to listen to Travis and Gage.
Visions of waking to find the man standing over her played in her head. She forced her thoughts away. She wouldn’t argue with additional support. Not after that.
Travis closed the door and turned to her. “Not that I’m going to change my mind, but are you good with the extra guys?”
She nodded. “But what about your CO?”
