Hell Bound (Seventh Level Book 2) by Charity Parkerson, Regina Puckett Page B

decide if it was due to her injuries or his asinine question. “In my experience?” she asked, knowing she didn’t need to expound her list of experience for him. He’d been everywhere but where she needed him.
    “Fair enough.”
    Those two words sent her blood pressure through the roof. She was in pain and fairly certain she looked like shit. The word “fair” rolling off his tongue, left her feeling downright murderous. “No judge would convict me,” she muttered under her breath. She made a feeble attempt to sit up, but a sharp pain shot up her arm and she gasped against it. Jumping to his feet, Wade shoved pillows under various parts of her body in attempt to ease her. The look of concern on his face gave her something to concentrate on besides the rebellion of her body. “Seriously, why are you here?” she asked through clenched teeth as she tried to breathe past the pain.
    A shadow passed over his eyes. “You don’t remember?” She shook her head since she didn’t think she’d be able to speak again. “Do you at least remember why you are here?”
    The pain subsided into a dull ache and she let her breath out slowly. “Yes. Some guy tried to steal my purse.” As she said the words, hazy memories beat at the edge of her mind. “You saved me,” she said absently, picturing the crazed look on his face when he’d appeared out of nowhere during the attack. Everything had gone black, but there were other moments as well. She’d been in and out, but he’d been there each time she’d opened her eyes.
    Raised voices outside the door pulled Morgan out her own thoughts and Wade straightened away from her. They both stared at the wooden surface in confusion, and when it flew open, Morgan’s heart dropped. Kathy stormed inside with a squirming Cole in her arms followed closely by a tall man with wide shoulders and mocha skin. They both looked pissed.
    “Wade,” Kathy huffed as she looked pointedly at him. “You need to tell your pit bull to back the eff off.” Kathy’s attempt to curb her potty mouth while holding Cole made Morgan smile. A move she immediately regretted when it pulled at the cuts on her face.
    “Nice to see you too, Kathy, and Mark is doing his job. I told him not to allow anyone in here.”
    Her brows drew together in a thunderous scowl. “How is keeping this baby away from his momma part of his job?” Morgan could see it happening like a wreck. She was powerless to stop it. Wade’s eyes moved to Cole’s face and she could practically feel the calculation going on his head. In the end, it didn’t matter how the math worked out, Kathy cleared everything up. “Just because you suck as a parent, doesn’t give you the right to keep Cole from the one person who didn’t skip out on him.”
    It was hard to say who was the most shocked in the room. Wade’s guard was eyeing every corner of the room as if seeking a way out while Kathy appeared satisfied. That part didn’t surprise Morgan. Her friend had always been vocal on her belief Wade should have kept Cole in grand style, but never did Morgan dream she would betray her like this. Wade slowly turned his gaze from Cole to Morgan. She felt sick. She’d never, ever wanted him to know. The burning need to look away from the hurt in his eyes ate at her gut, but she held her ground. It all came down to what she could live with, and what she couldn’t.
    “Is my duck!” Cole called out and threw himself forward in Kathy’s arms. Holding a bright yellow rubber duck in one sticky hand, Cole tried reaching for Morgan with the other. With one arm in a cast, she couldn’t take him into her arms the way she wanted to. Mark intervened by plucking Cole from Kathy’s arms. The guard almost seemed relieved to have something to do other than standing in the center of their awkwardness. Pulling the bar up on her bed with one hand, he planted the toddler on her good side so he couldn’t get away. Morgan’s eyes filled with tears as she met