Read Online The Cross (Alliance Book 2) by Inna Hardison - Free Book Online Page A

He thought of Riley looking like he wanted to go to the water earlier, and knew now why he didn’t. She told him how after the waterfall, the next morning, she knew for sure for the first time that Ams really loved Riley, and that something changed for the two of them, because Riley was smiling all morning after that, couldn’t help smiling, and Riley never really smiled. And finally, she told him how she saw Drake running to them, a worried look on his face, and Riley telling them to move back, but they were all making too much noise, so they stopped, and Riley was on the ground watching the smoke from the fire that spooked Drake like that, an awful lot of smoke, and then he was running out there, running through the trees and screaming his name.

    He put his head down at that. He knew the rest of it. She didn’t move, didn’t take her hand away from him. He could barely hear her breathing. He looked at her, made himself do it, to make sure she was all right after telling him all of this, but she just sat unmoving, calm, staring at some spot in front of her.
    “I know you don’t want to let me help you, Brody. And I think I know why, and it’s not just because you gave Riley your word. You don’t want me or anyone to help you because you don’t think you deserve it. In the same way you won’t eat, or let anyone be kind to you. That’s the real reason.” She looked at him when she said it, and he lowered his eyes. She was right, of course, but he wished she didn’t quite figure him out like that.

    She turned to him, making him look at her, “I am sorry for making you uncomfortable. Sometimes I just don’t know to keep my mouth shut. But this, what I want to do, this isn’t about you, Brody. One way or another, I am going to go back, by myself if I have to. At least this way it’ll mean something to somebody, and you can keep me safe until I get there. But I am going, no matter what you or Riley or Ams say. Unless you are willing to put one of those bands on me, I am going.”

    She got up, and walked to the door of the cave, and then turned around, looking at him with sadness in her eyes, “I need to know something, Brody.”
    He nodded, looking up at her.
    “Would you have gotten Ella and me back if Riley didn’t trick you?”
    He slid up the wall fast, too fast, scraping his back against the rocks, anger making his face burn, “You think…. What kind of a monster do you think I am?” But of course it made sense for her to think that. It’s the only damn thing that made any sense. He shook his head at her apologetically, “I am sorry, Laurel. I am not angry at you for asking this. It makes sense. I am okay with it, I promise, but you can’t come here trying to talk to me again.” He hoped he didn’t sound angry when he said it. He tried his best not to. He just needed her gone. Needed to be left the hell alone. By all of them.

    She walked back to him, and without asking, wrapped her small hands around the fists he was making. He wanted to shove her away from him, and if it were Riley or anyone but this girl, he would have, but he couldn’t do that to her, so he stood still, letting her keep her hands on his, making himself look into her serious, blue eyes. He deserved this, this girl thinking the worst of him, but it still hurt.

    “I don’t think you are a monster, Brody, but I think that you do. That’s why I asked. To see if it would hurt you. I am glad it did.”
    He felt himself flinch and wished she wasn’t standing close enough to see it.
    She let go of his hands, and kept going, much softer now, “You said earlier you weren’t like Riley, but you are exactly like him in this. He, too, punishes himself in the stupidest ways for all the things that aren’t really his fault; all but the one, maybe. He didn’t care if Ams shot him when she found him on the lawn at the compound. He had her hold the gun against his chest asking her to pull the trigger, and then didn’t care if she