Like fuck they could have.
“For a little while, anyway. Someone really wants you dead, hon. Lot of money on your pretty little head.”
Louise picked up a stone and pegged it as far as she could to the side. Her fingers felt frozen and her insides like ice. What parts of her were not numb from the ice screamed in pain. Tears froze on her face.
Pop. Pop.
At least the idiot seemed willing to waste ammunition. Perhaps he’d run out. There was a plan.
“You can’t hide from me forever.”
No. True. But she could give it a damn good go.
“Louise!”
Her heart seized up in alarm. Adam. Oh no. No, no, no.
Louise scurried to her feet, or tried to. Her leg seized up, paralyzed with pain, useless. She had to push through. No way was the prick getting her husband. “Hey! Josh!”
The prick turned toward her with gun in hand and she limped for it. Away from Adam and the hatch, drawing the fire and giving him a chance.
The bullet hit her in the back mid-flight and it seemed the whole world exploded. Drew in tight, then…boom. The hard, cold ground hit her and she stayed there. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t even move.
There was another pop. No, a bang. It sounded different. Something fell heavily at her side—another body.
Adam?
No. The hair was damp but still visibly blond, lighter than Adam’s. It was the prick, and he was bleeding from a hole in the forehead. Which meant Adam must be safe—had to be. The relief of it swamped her. She tried to smile but couldn’t muster the strength.
Someone said something but she could barely hear them. Everything turned gray.
Chapter Nine
Day One Hundred and Sixty-Eight
Louise’s back ached. So did her feet. So did her silvery bullet wounds. Everything hurt. Rose had warned her, but she hadn’t listened. She’d pushed it too far. But it was easier if she kept busy. Time went faster.
She slid a hand over the scanner and the domicile door opened. Home. How nice—or it should be. Instead it seemed nice but lonely. Horribly quiet, and every speck of space reminded her of him—he who shouldn’t be named, for reasons regarding her sanity. The scent of him had left his pillow months back but she still kept a stranglehold on it at night, pretending. Still wore one of his T-shirts to bed.
He wasn’t coming back. She had to accept it.
Apparently his father’s second funeral had gone well. But the chief had been given no further information. Not that she entirely believed him.
Adam had boarded a ship the day after the shooting and had been gone ever since. Apparently he’d waited to ensure she was out of surgery and stabilized, then poof! Gone.
She missed him. She’d still been unconscious when he left. They hadn’t even gotten to talk. No chance to explain.
She sniffled and a tear slid off her chin. It happened at the drop of a hat these days. Damn embarrassing. And everyone was so nice about it, which only made it worse. All her friends…because she had friends now, and they were lovely and understanding. She had a life of sorts.
Poor her, abandoned by her husband. Such a thing had never happened before. They didn’t really know what to do with her. Rose and Taka put in quality time babysitting, but she wasn’t the best company. Best if they let her keep busy in the garden by day and stare into space at night.
She was safe enough. Only Thoms had been involved on Esther, and he’d died, taken out by a bullet from Bon’s pistol, care of Adam. The district attorney had eventually agreed that staying put would be best. Who knew how much pressure Nathan Hillier had applied to the situation to garner that result?
Louise stood in the middle of the sitting room, still dressed in her garden gear and baggy-ass coat. She did have some nice clothes. Rose had insisted. If she wanted, she could go and put them on and join Rose and Taka for dinner at Hali’s. But she wouldn’t. What would she say?
Not really hungry, but she should eat.
She sighed loudly. “Woe is me.”
“Hey, princess.”
She spun on her toes, eyes popping out of her head. Adam. Holy shit, it was really him.
He sat on the edge of the sofa, hands dangling between his knees. “How are you?”
“Y-you’re back,” she stuttered, stating the obvious.
“Yeah. Just a few hours ago.”
“Oh.”
He was back. How about that? Her brain wouldn’t believe what her eyes were seeing. There’d been so many times she’d imagined his return.
“How are you?” he asked again.
“Fine. You?”
Adam nodded and gave her a forced smile. Still as beautiful as sin. He had a bit of a beard going on and he looked older. She’d aged him, her and her bullshit situation. Guilt put an arm around her like an old friend. Its weight bowed her back.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
Adam held up a hand.
“No, Adam—really.”
“Lou— I don’t know what to call you. What do you want me to call you?”