Read Online Her Own Best Enemy (The Remnants, Book 1) by Cynthia Justlin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cynthia Justlin
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T-shirt, she could feel the steady beats of his heart and her own slowed in relief.
He gripped her arms. The warm strength of his rough hands prevented her from moving. “You okay?”
“I...yeah.”
She lifted her head and met his shadowed hazel eyes. Was there more to Keith than what was found on the surface? Once upon a time she’d thought so. He may have been a jerk in high school, but even then there had been something about him—a deeper, hidden something that made her want him to take notice of her. And on that long ago prom night when they’d sat outside on the bleachers sharing bits and pieces of themselves, she’d thought she’d found it.
It had all been a ruse. The whispered conversation, the heady kiss, all of it. Yet even as she’d let her resentment fester over the years she’d always wondered what it would be like to look into his soul and find the very thing that always drew her to him.
What would it be like to understand him, the way he was now? To understand the bitter cynicism that chiseled his jaw.
It would be like staring in the mirror.
The thought jolted her. Ridiculous. She was nothing like Keith. No way in hell.
She stiffened and pulled back, but Keith tightened his fingers that still circled her biceps.
“I’m fine,” she insisted.
Silent, he narrowed his eyes on her. His jaw clenched in obvious annoyance and his lips tightened briefly before he dropped her arm. “Good.”
He adjusted his pack and started walking again.
She followed close behind him, her stomach quivering with the need to prove just how different she and Keith were.
“How old were you? When you joined the Army?”
He shot her an irritated glower over his shoulder. “I’d just turned nineteen.”
And kept right on walking.
Good. That was good, right? He was rude and insufferable. See? Nothing like her.
The canyon walls rose higher on each side, blocking out all other sounds but theirs as they descended deeper to the canyon floor. A jagged boulder jutted from the rough terrain and forced the path before them to thin and twist.
Keith navigated the uneven ground in one fluid motion then turned to guide her through the rough spot. Their eyes locked. He frowned at her.
Add moody to the list.
She frowned right back. But even their mutual frowns couldn’t dispel the sudden charge that crackled the air.
“Why did you stay?” she heard herself whisper. “In the Army, I mean. Why did you stay if you didn’t like it?”
“I didn’t say I didn’t like it.” His hand came up between them and she sucked in a breath, so sure he was going to touch her. But then he shook his head and dropped his hand back to his side. “I’m good at it. The Army looks for people like me.” His voice lowered, taking on a hollow tone. “Someone without family ties who doesn’t care if they die for their country.”
Her throat ached. Did he truly have no one who worried about his safety? She tipped her head, feeling as though she’d barely scratched the surface of Keith’s persona. “So. Tell me how you really feel.”
His brows furrowed, he shrugged. “It’s a job, okay?”
He jerked his gaze from her face and trudged down the trail, leaving her speechless for a moment.
She regained her wits, threw up her hands and followed. “It’s a job. Unbelievable. You know, you could open up a bit more here. Have an actual conversation.”
Help me remember what kind of person you are. The Keith she knew was the life of the party. Mocking and cruel with a strong compulsion to remain at the center of everyone’s attention. The very core of him couldn’t have changed.
Yet, she still couldn’t deny he seemed different now. Quiet. Wary. Intent on deflecting attention away from himself. Oh, yeah, and dangerous. That one topped the list.
Maybe conversing wasn’t such a hot idea.
“I thought we were talking,” he said, his voice filled with genuine puzzlement.
This was his idea of talking?
“It’s a job. I almost
He gripped her arms. The warm strength of his rough hands prevented her from moving. “You okay?”
“I...yeah.”
She lifted her head and met his shadowed hazel eyes. Was there more to Keith than what was found on the surface? Once upon a time she’d thought so. He may have been a jerk in high school, but even then there had been something about him—a deeper, hidden something that made her want him to take notice of her. And on that long ago prom night when they’d sat outside on the bleachers sharing bits and pieces of themselves, she’d thought she’d found it.
It had all been a ruse. The whispered conversation, the heady kiss, all of it. Yet even as she’d let her resentment fester over the years she’d always wondered what it would be like to look into his soul and find the very thing that always drew her to him.
What would it be like to understand him, the way he was now? To understand the bitter cynicism that chiseled his jaw.
It would be like staring in the mirror.
The thought jolted her. Ridiculous. She was nothing like Keith. No way in hell.
She stiffened and pulled back, but Keith tightened his fingers that still circled her biceps.
“I’m fine,” she insisted.
Silent, he narrowed his eyes on her. His jaw clenched in obvious annoyance and his lips tightened briefly before he dropped her arm. “Good.”
He adjusted his pack and started walking again.
She followed close behind him, her stomach quivering with the need to prove just how different she and Keith were.
“How old were you? When you joined the Army?”
He shot her an irritated glower over his shoulder. “I’d just turned nineteen.”
And kept right on walking.
Good. That was good, right? He was rude and insufferable. See? Nothing like her.
The canyon walls rose higher on each side, blocking out all other sounds but theirs as they descended deeper to the canyon floor. A jagged boulder jutted from the rough terrain and forced the path before them to thin and twist.
Keith navigated the uneven ground in one fluid motion then turned to guide her through the rough spot. Their eyes locked. He frowned at her.
Add moody to the list.
She frowned right back. But even their mutual frowns couldn’t dispel the sudden charge that crackled the air.
“Why did you stay?” she heard herself whisper. “In the Army, I mean. Why did you stay if you didn’t like it?”
“I didn’t say I didn’t like it.” His hand came up between them and she sucked in a breath, so sure he was going to touch her. But then he shook his head and dropped his hand back to his side. “I’m good at it. The Army looks for people like me.” His voice lowered, taking on a hollow tone. “Someone without family ties who doesn’t care if they die for their country.”
Her throat ached. Did he truly have no one who worried about his safety? She tipped her head, feeling as though she’d barely scratched the surface of Keith’s persona. “So. Tell me how you really feel.”
His brows furrowed, he shrugged. “It’s a job, okay?”
He jerked his gaze from her face and trudged down the trail, leaving her speechless for a moment.
She regained her wits, threw up her hands and followed. “It’s a job. Unbelievable. You know, you could open up a bit more here. Have an actual conversation.”
Help me remember what kind of person you are. The Keith she knew was the life of the party. Mocking and cruel with a strong compulsion to remain at the center of everyone’s attention. The very core of him couldn’t have changed.
Yet, she still couldn’t deny he seemed different now. Quiet. Wary. Intent on deflecting attention away from himself. Oh, yeah, and dangerous. That one topped the list.
Maybe conversing wasn’t such a hot idea.
“I thought we were talking,” he said, his voice filled with genuine puzzlement.
This was his idea of talking?
“It’s a job. I almost
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