shocking, the fact that I would one day carry the source,
or that I was actually here, with Maddox. Annoyed, I turned to face him. Still
way too sexy for his own good, even half-dead. Why? Why was I doing this? Why
was I bringing him to me when I couldn’t even hear his name without flinching?
“I want out!” My voice echoed
sharply against the hard walls.
“That helps,” he said dryly.
“Please,” I snarled. “Like you
want to be stuck here with me anymore than I do you.”
He settled on a bench along the
wall and grinned. “Actually, you’re much better than the wardens. Prettier,
too.”
His flattery got him nowhere.
Still, I could imagine what he was going through. I could, but I wouldn’t let
myself. “Poor you. Sucks when your own people, the very people you trusted,
betray you.”
He stretched out his legs and
crossed them at the ankles. There was no guilt on his face. “Don’t worry, I
don’t expect you to feel sorry for me.”
I narrowed my eyes. “And why
would I?”
“Well, even if we dismiss our
past, you’re a woman. And most people expect women to be kind, gentle, caring.
But you aren’t most women, are you?”
A laugh escaped my lips before I
could stop it. “Kind, gentle?” Disconcerted, I turned my back to him, and I followed
the walls, running my hands over the cement. There had to be a way out. “A
myth, brought on by men.”
He sighed. “Or maybe a wish.”
Damn it all, I didn’t want to
feel sorry for him, but falling into our easy banter was making my reserves
crumble. I peeked over my shoulder. He’d closed his eyes and rested his head
back against the wall. Hell, he looked defeated. “How many women have you known
that were sympathetic?”
“Certainly not you.”
His words stung even as I
realized that in our line of business, no one was warm and friendly. We were
all reserved, untrusting. We had to be. “And why should I have any sympathy for
the man who picked S.P.I. over me?”
He released a wry laugh. “You
were so innocent? Let’s not forget that you were out to use me.”
“Before I knew you!”
He opened his eyes. “And that
makes a difference?”
“It makes all the difference.”
We were silent for a long, long
moment, both of us stewing in our righteous anger. He knew our situations were
completely different. How dare he act as if we’d done the same thing. Yet,
there was a part of me that wondered if my aunt was right? What if Maddox
hadn’t turned me in? More importantly, did it matter?
“You have me defined?” he asked
softly.
It was as if he could read my mind. Did he know I was questioning every damn thing in my life
at the moment? Probably, he’d always seemed to know me better than I knew
myself. “It’s pretty easy to read you, Maddox. You lived for S.P.I., and you’ll
die for them. Even though they have betrayed you, you’ll give your life for
them. You chose the wrong side. You chose the enemy.”
“According to you.”
My anger flared, and unable to
stop myself, I stomped toward him. “According to what’s right and wrong.”
“And you’re so sure you’re
right?”
I threw my arms wide. “You’re
the proof, Maddox. You, in your cell.”
Top of his class, I knew he
wasn’t stupid. Which meant he was so damn stubborn, he wouldn’t admit I was
right. This was bullshit. I was finding a way out of here even if I had to kill
myself doing it. I spun around and started toward the door.
“My half-sister and brother are
the proof.”
“You know about them?” he asked.
“Yeah, I do.” I paused, the
sudden tightness in my chest unbearable. I hadn’t actually known them, so why
did I care? Because they were children, just children, and like so many others
they didn’t deserve to be used because of S.P.I.’s sick addiction to power. “Just
tell me they died peacefully.”
“They did.”
He hadn’t even paused, but I
knew him well, too well. “Liar.”
I stared hard at the door. It would
be so easy to
or that I was actually here, with Maddox. Annoyed, I turned to face him. Still
way too sexy for his own good, even half-dead. Why? Why was I doing this? Why
was I bringing him to me when I couldn’t even hear his name without flinching?
“I want out!” My voice echoed
sharply against the hard walls.
“That helps,” he said dryly.
“Please,” I snarled. “Like you
want to be stuck here with me anymore than I do you.”
He settled on a bench along the
wall and grinned. “Actually, you’re much better than the wardens. Prettier,
too.”
His flattery got him nowhere.
Still, I could imagine what he was going through. I could, but I wouldn’t let
myself. “Poor you. Sucks when your own people, the very people you trusted,
betray you.”
He stretched out his legs and
crossed them at the ankles. There was no guilt on his face. “Don’t worry, I
don’t expect you to feel sorry for me.”
I narrowed my eyes. “And why
would I?”
“Well, even if we dismiss our
past, you’re a woman. And most people expect women to be kind, gentle, caring.
But you aren’t most women, are you?”
A laugh escaped my lips before I
could stop it. “Kind, gentle?” Disconcerted, I turned my back to him, and I followed
the walls, running my hands over the cement. There had to be a way out. “A
myth, brought on by men.”
He sighed. “Or maybe a wish.”
Damn it all, I didn’t want to
feel sorry for him, but falling into our easy banter was making my reserves
crumble. I peeked over my shoulder. He’d closed his eyes and rested his head
back against the wall. Hell, he looked defeated. “How many women have you known
that were sympathetic?”
“Certainly not you.”
His words stung even as I
realized that in our line of business, no one was warm and friendly. We were
all reserved, untrusting. We had to be. “And why should I have any sympathy for
the man who picked S.P.I. over me?”
He released a wry laugh. “You
were so innocent? Let’s not forget that you were out to use me.”
“Before I knew you!”
He opened his eyes. “And that
makes a difference?”
“It makes all the difference.”
We were silent for a long, long
moment, both of us stewing in our righteous anger. He knew our situations were
completely different. How dare he act as if we’d done the same thing. Yet,
there was a part of me that wondered if my aunt was right? What if Maddox
hadn’t turned me in? More importantly, did it matter?
“You have me defined?” he asked
softly.
It was as if he could read my mind. Did he know I was questioning every damn thing in my life
at the moment? Probably, he’d always seemed to know me better than I knew
myself. “It’s pretty easy to read you, Maddox. You lived for S.P.I., and you’ll
die for them. Even though they have betrayed you, you’ll give your life for
them. You chose the wrong side. You chose the enemy.”
“According to you.”
My anger flared, and unable to
stop myself, I stomped toward him. “According to what’s right and wrong.”
“And you’re so sure you’re
right?”
I threw my arms wide. “You’re
the proof, Maddox. You, in your cell.”
Top of his class, I knew he
wasn’t stupid. Which meant he was so damn stubborn, he wouldn’t admit I was
right. This was bullshit. I was finding a way out of here even if I had to kill
myself doing it. I spun around and started toward the door.
“My half-sister and brother are
the proof.”
“You know about them?” he asked.
“Yeah, I do.” I paused, the
sudden tightness in my chest unbearable. I hadn’t actually known them, so why
did I care? Because they were children, just children, and like so many others
they didn’t deserve to be used because of S.P.I.’s sick addiction to power. “Just
tell me they died peacefully.”
“They did.”
He hadn’t even paused, but I
knew him well, too well. “Liar.”
I stared hard at the door. It would
be so easy to
Similar Books
