Nobody's Hero Read Free Page A

claws had torn up his back. “I did
what anyone would do. Besides, my hide’s tougher than yours. Damned
cat didn’t stand a chance.” He grinned. When she reciprocated, he
stared at her lips for the longest time, wondering what it would be
like to kiss them.
    Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
    “Get out of this bed, Karla. Now.”
     
    * * *
     
    Eleven days later, Karla waited in the
hallway outside Adam’s bedroom, pacing. When she heard the door,
she turned and watched Marc D’Alessio come out, carrying his
first-aid bag. Adam had been home nine days and seemed to be
healing, but he was still recovering, first from the infection and
then the deep injuries to his muscles. She hated watching him
suffer in pain every day. He’d always been such a vital force.
    Adam would take the antibiotics from her, but
sometimes refused his pain pills and absolutely refused to let her
see his back. Marc stopped by twice a day since Adam had come home
to change the dressings and apply analgesics to try to keep Adam
comfortable. Karla was secretly glad Marc didn’t mind re-dressing
his wounds, because—having served as a corpsman with one of the
Adam’s Marine units in Iraq—he certainly had more expertise in the
area than she did.
    “Whatever you’re doing, Karla, keep it up. I
can see a huge improvement from one day to the next. Now he’s
getting cantankerous, too. Should be back to his old self again in
no time.”
    She felt some of the tension leave her body.
“Thank you.” The words were barely spoken above a whisper.
Exhausted, she wondered how she managed to remain upright anymore.
Word that Adam was doing better overloaded her with emotion and her
upper lip began to quiver. Marc held his arms out and she walked
into his embrace. Really needing a hug right now, she let him bear
her weight for a moment. If only it were Adam holding her.
    “Where the stitches were removed, there’s no
sign of re-injury. Just keep him from overdoing it. He’s chomping
at the bit to get out of that bed. I gave him one of the pain
pills, though, after I treated the wounds and bandaged him up
again. He’ll sleep for awhile, so why don’t you come down and have
lunch? Angelina’s cooking up something good, I’m sure.”
    “No, I…”
    He placed his hands on her upper arms and
pushed her away from him, waiting until she looked up into his
eyes. “Apparently, you misunderstood me, Karla. You are coming downstairs to have lunch with us. Now.” Without waiting for
her to respond, he took her elbow in his firm grip and steered her
toward the stairs. “You know you aren’t going to do him any good if
you don’t take care of yourself. You need to remember to eat and
sleep, too.”
    She knew he was right, but the guilt that
plagued her every waking moment wouldn’t release its hold. He’d
been injured trying to save her and now suffered in her place.
    They reached the bottom of the stairs and he
motioned for her to precede him down the narrow hallway and into
the kitchen. Angie left the stove and came toward her. “Oh,
sweetie, you look exhausted. Didn’t you get any sleep last night
either?”
    “Not much. It’s hard to sleep in a chair.” And I don’t want to miss it if Adam needs me during the
night.
    Angie wrapped her arms around her and Karla’s
already shaky rein on her emotions evaporated. She held on for dear
life, too exhausted to fight the tears off anymore. God, she
despised being so powerless. She imagined Adam must feel
frustrated, too.
    “I hate seeing him lying there. He’s always
been so strong. Invincible. I know he’s getting stronger, but he
still has so far to go…”
    Angie stroked her hair. “Let me know if
there’s anything I can do to help. You were there for me when I was
beaten down. I want to be there for you, too.”
    Karla was so glad she’d met this woman,
albeit under unusual circumstances. When the man who had brought
her to the Masters at Arms Club in late August had become abusive
toward her in one of