Page 53 of Auctioned to the Devil
“Caleb?”
“IED.”
One word changes everything.
My stomach sinks.
“We were moving through a village. Road had already been cleared.” His jaw flexes. “Wasn’t clear.”
“How many of you?”
“Six.”
I barely breathe. “And?”
“Me.”
Oh God.
“Just you?”
He nods.
I slide off the stool before I can think better of it.
He notices immediately. “Emily.”
I walk around the island.
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you feel sorry for me.”
“I don’t.”
“Bullshit.”
“I don’t feel sorry for you.”
I stop in front of him. “I hate that you went through it.”
“Same thing.”
“No, it isn’t.”
His eyes narrow.
“I’m not looking at some broken man I need to fix.”
“Good.”
“I’m looking at an asshole who survived something terrible and apparently decided that means he’s responsible for keeping every person around him alive forever.”
