Long Road Home(13)

“Shoot.”

Manuel sucked in his breath as he contemplated what he was about to do. “Don’t let Sanderson know I’ve found her.”

The phone went silent. “Any reason why?” Tony finally asked.

“He wants me to bring her in. I’m not ready to do that yet. There’s too much I need to know. Just give me a few days. Run interference for me.”

Tony paused again. “Sure man, you got it.”

Manuel let his breath out in relief. “Thanks, Tony. I’ll keep in touch.”

He shoved the phone back into his pocket and turned his attention to the road. What would Tony tell him about Jules? Dread curled in his stomach, spreading up into his chest. Was he prepared to learn what had happened three years ago? Would it change things between him and Jules?

When he glanced over at Jules, he saw that she was staring holes through him.

“Who are you talking about turning me in to? Or not turning me in to? Who the hell are you, Manny?”

“Funny, I was going to ask you the same question.” He pinned her with his gaze. “I think we both have a lot of talking to do. When we get to the safe house, I want answers. Until then, you need to get some rest.”

He said it in a way that didn’t offer her any alternatives. And either she was too tired to argue or she didn’t have a response, because she leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes.

Unable to help it, he reached over and curled his fingers around her hand. Warmth spread up his arm when her hand tightened around his.

For the first time, he allowed himself to think everything might be okay. Now if only he could convince her of that.

Jules stared out her window, the miles passing in a blur. She and Manny hadn’t exchanged words since they’d left Denver, but she knew he watched her. She could feel his gaze on her, but she refused to meet his stare.

They were heading south toward New Mexico, and with each mile her fear grew. Fear that she wouldn’t be able to protect Manny from Northstar. From what she’d become.

She sank lower in the seat, gingerly drawing her knees up to her chest. Her fingers stroked the duffle bag at her side, drawing assurance from the outline of the gun there. At least she’d have some way of defending them when—not if—they were tracked.

A sharp pain twisted through her chest and robbed her of breath. She sucked in air, determined not to panic as the scenery blurred before her. Damn, her ribs were on fire. She reclined the seat in an attempt to alleviate the growing pressure in her midsection.

The pain eased as she stretched out, and her breathing evened. She pressed her hands to her temples and squeezed her eyes shut. Her pulsed thudded incessantly against her fingertips.

“Speak to me, Jules. What’s wrong? Do I need to get you back to the hospital?” Manny’s concerned voice seared through her haze of pain.

“No,” she said faintly. “I’m all right. Really.”

“Where are you, baby? Because you’re miles away from here right now.”

She cringed, not wanting to voice what she had been thinking. It sounded pathetic and defeatist. But she blurted it out anyway. “I was thinking it should have been me who died. Not Mom and Pop.”

To her surprise, he slammed on the brakes and pulled over to the shoulder. He turned on her, his eyes blazing in the faint light offered by the headlights. “Don’t say that. Don’t ever say that. I thought I lost you, Jules. For three long years I lived with the awful reality you might not be coming home. And then I found you. Don’t you dare wish you had died, because I’ve spent the last three years praying you were alive.”

Before she could respond, he put his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her to meet his kiss. Her mouth opened in surprise, and his tongue darted forward, gently probing her lips.

It was everything she had ever dreamed it would be. For a moment, she was in high school again, dressing for the prom, depressed because the one guy she wanted to take was eight years older and already out of college. She had closed her eyes and imagined it was Manny kissing her when her date had delivered her to the door with the prerequisite peck on the lips.

He was exquisitely gentle, his lips moving reverently over hers. His fingers worked slowly into her hair, kneading and stroking as he deepened his kiss.

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, it ended. He pulled away from her and ran a hand through his hair in agitation. “Christ, I’m sorry, Jules. You don’t need that right now.”

She stared at him in shock. With a trembling hand, she raised her fingers and touched her swollen mouth.

“Don’t look at me like that.” He captured her hand and brought it to his lips. “I’m sorry, baby.”

He allowed her hand to slide from his, and she pulled hers away, cradling it with her other hand. What was she supposed to say? She was so damn confused she doubted she could recall her own name at the moment. For that matter, she really had no idea what her real name was. A hysterical bubble of laughter rose quickly in her throat, and she fought to choke it back.

Manny swore softly then pulled back onto the highway. “Get some sleep, Jules. If you don’t, I swear, I’ll call Tony and have you transferred to the hospital like we’d planned. It’s what I should’ve done in the first place.”

“Who the hell is Tony anyway?” she grumbled as she lay back against the leather seat. She shivered, and Manny reached over to turn up the heat.