Beyond the Breaking Point - Lori Sjoberg Page 0,20

own family. Perhaps it was because Hope stood out of his direct line of sight and he couldn’t gauge her reaction.

“I’m not going to tell you every gory detail. That shit’s going with me to the grave. I suppose the only reason I’m telling you this much is because you need to understand what kind of monster we’re dealing with.”

She didn’t say anything for a few long moments as she taped a large piece of gauze over his wounds. “No wonder you want to kill him.”

He laughed, but there was no humor in the sound. “So much for the Hippocratic Oath.”

“That only applies to the patients I’m treating.” Finished, she put her supplies back in the bag and pulled the zipper shut. Then she moved to face him, and he was relieved to find no pity in her soft hazel eyes, just the cool detachment that he suspected was part of her doctor’s mask.

“That oath prohibits me from causing harm, but I understand why you want to kill him.” The barest hint of a smile touched her mouth, and he felt it in his soul. “Thank you for sharing that with me. It had to have been tough.”

“You have no idea.”

Chapter 6

At the end of the day, all Wade wanted was a strong, bitter IPA and a plate of hot, spicy chicken wings. But considering neither of those options was on the table, he’d settle for taking a load off his feet.

“This looks like a good place.” Wade slipped his pack off, dumped it on the ground, and rolled his aching shoulders. The pack wasn’t that heavy, between forty and fifty pounds, but having it strapped to his back for nearly twelve hours had taken a toll on his muscles. The wounds to his lower back weren’t helping matters, though they weren’t bothering him at the moment. For an instant, he thought of Hope’s gentle touch, and then forced the memory aside.

The small clearing was flat and mostly free of debris, out of sight and far enough away from the river to avoid being eaten alive by mosquitos. A light breeze stirred the warm tropical air, which would also help to keep the biting bugs at bay.

Hector let out a sigh as he shrugged off his pack and set it on the ground beside Wade’s. He looked stressed and exhausted, which wasn’t surprising, considering the day they had. “Why don’t y’all set up the tent while I check the perimeter and fill the canteens?”

Fine by Wade. He’d done the perimeter check the night before while Hector and Hope built the tent. He unclipped the nearly empty canteen from his pack and handed it to Hector. “Be careful.”

“When have I never?” Hector flashed the grin that had gotten him out of a lot of tight scrapes over the years. He turned and disappeared into the woods, leaving Wade and Hope alone.

They gave each other a wary glance, and Wade felt the need to fill the silence.

“Thanks again for your help,” Wade said as he retrieved the tent from Hector’s pack. The tent was fairly easy to assemble and was large enough to accommodate three people, though most of the time, there were only two inside, because he and Hector took turns standing guard. “You know, with the buckshot.”

“You’re welcome.” Her voice didn’t carry its typical fire, most likely because they’d been hiking all day with only a few short breaks, like the one where she’d picked shotgun pellets from his skin. Fatigue lined the corners of her eyes and bracketed her mouth. She sat on the ground and placed the medical bag beside her, and then rubbed her shoulder where the strap had been. “In the morning, I’ll need to change your dressing and reapply ointment so you don’t get an infection. Don’t argue with me,” she added when he opened his mouth to do just that.

He had to admit, she’d handled herself well today. Perhaps that was due to her military training. Most people freaked out when fired upon. Some froze, some pissed their pants, while others screamed like little girls and curled up in a ball. But she’d kept her wits and followed instructions. And once they were safe, she’d tended to his wounds without making a fuss about the scars on his back. He’d appreciated that.

“How did you end up in the Army?” he asked as he unrolled the tent, while she began to assemble the poles. The question had been lingering in his mind ever since she’d