Long Road Home(33)

“Jules, you’re going to have to get in the car. We can’t do it out here. I can leave the door open.”

She didn’t look thrilled by the announcement, but she nodded her understanding. He opened the back door then looked at her. “If you can just kneel down and face the door, I can shield the other side of you with my body.”

She complied, her fingers gripping the inside armrest of the door as she knelt on the pavement. He pulled up her shirt and quickly looked around to make sure no one was close. She trembled as he thumbed the small tattoo. Damn. There was no way to make this painless.

“Just do it,” she gritted out.

He flipped open the knife and set the point at the top of the tattoo. Not wanting to prolong her agony, he sliced down in a quick motion, flaying open the skin about an inch. She flinched, and he could hear her sucking in her breath.

Using the back of her shirt, he soaked up the blood that ran down her back. Then he gently pressed the point of the blade into the wound, feeling for any obstruction. To his surprise he came across a small, round disk no larger than a hearing-aid battery. He flicked it out into his palm and pressed her shirt firmly over the wound. “I’ve got it.”

Frowning, he stared down at the metal object. He was familiar with the technology, and as far as he knew, it wasn’t something the NFR would have access to. Shelving his questions for the moment, he turned his attention back to Jules.

He helped her up, keeping a steadying hand to her back. “Are you okay?” His heart lurched when he saw the pain in her eyes.

She nodded. “Is it still bleeding?”

“Yeah. It really needs stitches, but we’ll have to settle for stopping and getting some bandages somewhere. I’ll need to wash it out with an antiseptic too.”

She stared pointedly at his hand. “What are you going to do with that?”

“No sense tipping our hand by destroying it. Better to lead them away from us.” He glanced around, his eyes lighting on a nearby bus stop.

“Get in the car and wait for me,” he directed. “I’m going to go plant the device on the bus.”

She got into the car, and he could see the red stain at her back growing larger. He needed to get to a drugstore fast. He sprinted across the grass as he saw the bus approaching from down the street. When the bus pulled up, he boarded and looked at the driver. Pretending to dig into his pockets for change, he grimaced. “Sorry, must have forgotten my cash.” He quickly dropped the tracking device on the floor and stepped off the bus.

As it drove away, he hurried to the car. He climbed in and looked over at Jules in concern. “You okay?” She was pale and shaking. Her eyes reflected an inner turmoil that he imagined had nothing to do with the wound he’d inflicted on her.

“I’m fine. Let’s get out of here.”

He nudged her forward and frowned when he took in the amount of blood covering her shirt. “After I bandage you up, you need to get another shirt on.”

“Manny, can we just go?”

He fired the engine and pulled away. As they drove from the park, he kept his eyes peeled for a place he could buy medical supplies. After several blocks, he spied a small drugstore and pulled over. “Wait here.”

Jules watched him walk into the drugstore and marveled at how easily he trusted her. Had he forgotten how hard she’d tried to ditch him? She leaned back against the seat, not caring if she got blood all over the leather.

So much had happened in the last few days. Her life had changed irrevocably. Manny’s life had changed. She wondered how much he resented her. He’d been nothing but caring, but when he found out the truth about her and what she planned… She shivered at the thought. Of all the things she’d suffered, his hatred was something she couldn’t bear.

Her shoulder throbbed, slick with blood. The smell nauseated her, bringing back the memory of when they had implanted it.

Bastards.

She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block out the hatred, the desire for revenge. It would only make her vulnerable. And careless. But after so many years of coldness, she was awash with raw feeling. She was bombarded at every angle by differing emotions. Sorrow. Regret. Loss.

Goddamn it, she would not cry again.

Manny returned with a small bag, and she ignored his scrutinizing look. As he closed the door behind him, he motioned for her to twist in the seat.

“Take your shirt off,” he directed. “I bought you a T-shirt you can wear.”

After a moment’s hesitation, she tore off the bloodied shirt, keeping her chest to the door. Not that the sight of her boobs would send his hormones raging, but she would not feel any more vulnerable than she already did.

She flinched when his hand gently closed on her shoulder. A cool rag wiped over her wound as he worked methodically to clean it.

“Okay, this is going to hurt.”

She barely had time to suck in her breath before her back lit on fire. She let out her air in a long hiss of pain as the antiseptic danced daggers on her shoulder.

His thumbs pressed into her skin as he taped a bandage over the wound. Then he thrust the shirt at her.

She hastily pulled it over her head.

“It’s not the best, but it’ll do.”

She nodded. “Where to now?”

He sighed and started the engine then threw the BMW into reverse. He looked over his shoulder as they backed out of the parking lot and headed onto the street.