Read Online Against The Wall by Dee J. Adams - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Dee J. Adams
Ads: Link
wild. Look where that got him.
A shot of pain took Tanner out of his thoughts as he took the first step onto the uneven sidewalk.
The small house had a weak yellow porch light that threw gloomy shadows across the front walkway. Dark shutters surrounded two front windows and set off light stucco walls. Spring flowers bloomed in the planter boxes surrounding the yard.
The front door opened and a man stood in the doorway. He was a smaller version of Chino with the same wide shoulders and pit-bull stance. But unlike Tanner’s bald cellmate, Victor had jarhead stubble and a dark mustache.
“Bryant?” At Tanner’s nod, he held out a hand and Tanner took it. “I’m Victor,” he said. “C’mon in. I’ve got a room in the back. Let’s see what you’ve got going on.” He led the way through a small, homey house, past a den and kitchen until they reached another room full of medical supplies. A gurney occupied the far cor master list of passwords. mt him ner and shelves stacked with equipment covered the walls. He turned on bright overhead lights that made the space resemble a treatment room.
“Have a seat.” He gestured to the gurney and Tanner eased onto it. “Take off your T-shirt,” he said, glancing over his shoulder.
Tanner hadn’t wanted to with Jess standing there, but he couldn’t really argue if he wanted medical attention, so he stripped off his T-sp>
Her eyes widened in her pale face and she quickly turned away. It could’ve been the wound that had her squeamish or the handful of scars that marked his chest…all courtesy of a prison stay. The day he lost count of the times he’d been forced to fight was the day he decided Juneau had to suffer. Tanner took his first look at the wound. Not as bad as he’d first thought. The pain had ebbed to a dull throb. The bullet had whizzed past, taking a small chunk of his side with it.
Victor snapped on some latex gloves. “Lie down,” he said. “Let’s take a look.” Tanner complied and Victor splashed brown disinfectant over the wound then probed and prodded until his side burned with fresh pain.
“Chino’s worried about you,” Victor muttered as he cleaned out the wound.
“That’s his problem,” Tanner hissed through gritted teeth. Hot pain lanced his side. “Fuck. Take it easy, man.”
“Why? You can take it. You’re a tough guy. Don’t need anybody or anything as long as you get your revenge. You finally get out of that pit just to do something that’s going to put you back? Stupid pendejo, ” he muttered.
Another arc of pain pierced Tanner’s side and he hissed out a breath. “Chino’s got a big mouth. I didn’t need his lecture and I don’t want one from you.”
Victor smiled grimly and lifted thick dark eyebrows. “He knew you’d get yourself into fast trouble and he was right.” He pulled out a hooked needle and some suture line. “Do yourself a favor and stop now. Go back to your family and fix your life.”
As if that was even possible. He wouldn’t be able to face his family even if he wanted to. He’d hurt his mother and his sisters and the damage was irreparable. He’d shut them out to the point of no return. He might have had a shot with them before his father died, but now… “It’s too late for that. I don’t have a family.”
“Bullshit,” Victor said. “You’re just too fucking stubborn to open your eyes and see the truth.”
____________
Jess made herself as still and small as possible while she listened to the hushed conversation between Tanner and the medic. Though she didn’t pride herself on eavesdropping, it seemed to be the only time she got any useful information about the man who’d suddenly fallen into her life.
The conversation came to a halt when Victor started stitching the wound. At least she thought that’s what he was doing>
Tanner wasn’t what he wanted her to believe. He intimidated through his bulk, his attitude, but underneath lurked someone very different. One
A shot of pain took Tanner out of his thoughts as he took the first step onto the uneven sidewalk.
The small house had a weak yellow porch light that threw gloomy shadows across the front walkway. Dark shutters surrounded two front windows and set off light stucco walls. Spring flowers bloomed in the planter boxes surrounding the yard.
The front door opened and a man stood in the doorway. He was a smaller version of Chino with the same wide shoulders and pit-bull stance. But unlike Tanner’s bald cellmate, Victor had jarhead stubble and a dark mustache.
“Bryant?” At Tanner’s nod, he held out a hand and Tanner took it. “I’m Victor,” he said. “C’mon in. I’ve got a room in the back. Let’s see what you’ve got going on.” He led the way through a small, homey house, past a den and kitchen until they reached another room full of medical supplies. A gurney occupied the far cor master list of passwords. mt him ner and shelves stacked with equipment covered the walls. He turned on bright overhead lights that made the space resemble a treatment room.
“Have a seat.” He gestured to the gurney and Tanner eased onto it. “Take off your T-shirt,” he said, glancing over his shoulder.
Tanner hadn’t wanted to with Jess standing there, but he couldn’t really argue if he wanted medical attention, so he stripped off his T-sp>
Her eyes widened in her pale face and she quickly turned away. It could’ve been the wound that had her squeamish or the handful of scars that marked his chest…all courtesy of a prison stay. The day he lost count of the times he’d been forced to fight was the day he decided Juneau had to suffer. Tanner took his first look at the wound. Not as bad as he’d first thought. The pain had ebbed to a dull throb. The bullet had whizzed past, taking a small chunk of his side with it.
Victor snapped on some latex gloves. “Lie down,” he said. “Let’s take a look.” Tanner complied and Victor splashed brown disinfectant over the wound then probed and prodded until his side burned with fresh pain.
“Chino’s worried about you,” Victor muttered as he cleaned out the wound.
“That’s his problem,” Tanner hissed through gritted teeth. Hot pain lanced his side. “Fuck. Take it easy, man.”
“Why? You can take it. You’re a tough guy. Don’t need anybody or anything as long as you get your revenge. You finally get out of that pit just to do something that’s going to put you back? Stupid pendejo, ” he muttered.
Another arc of pain pierced Tanner’s side and he hissed out a breath. “Chino’s got a big mouth. I didn’t need his lecture and I don’t want one from you.”
Victor smiled grimly and lifted thick dark eyebrows. “He knew you’d get yourself into fast trouble and he was right.” He pulled out a hooked needle and some suture line. “Do yourself a favor and stop now. Go back to your family and fix your life.”
As if that was even possible. He wouldn’t be able to face his family even if he wanted to. He’d hurt his mother and his sisters and the damage was irreparable. He’d shut them out to the point of no return. He might have had a shot with them before his father died, but now… “It’s too late for that. I don’t have a family.”
“Bullshit,” Victor said. “You’re just too fucking stubborn to open your eyes and see the truth.”
____________
Jess made herself as still and small as possible while she listened to the hushed conversation between Tanner and the medic. Though she didn’t pride herself on eavesdropping, it seemed to be the only time she got any useful information about the man who’d suddenly fallen into her life.
The conversation came to a halt when Victor started stitching the wound. At least she thought that’s what he was doing>
Tanner wasn’t what he wanted her to believe. He intimidated through his bulk, his attitude, but underneath lurked someone very different. One
Similar Books
