SEAL Protected Read Online Free Page B

nicely.”
     
    Cindy nodded; a wide grin on her face. “Yeah. I mean, I’m still a little bit sore and my vision keeps going out of focus. But I’m alive, so that’s good.” At my expression her own faltered. “I’m really okay with it, Michelle.”
     
    “It was shitty luck, plain and simple,” said Taryn, stopping either of us from continuing our current train of thought. “But we’re fine. I’ve got some nasty ribs and Cindy has a head wound. So she gets a cool haircut out of this.”
     
    “And you?”
     
    Taryn shrugged. “I went through worse overseas. This? This is nothing.” The silence that hung after her statement made Taryn wince. “Not what I meant,” she said. With a sigh, I scrubbed my hands through my hair and shook my head. This was too much. “So, how’s Tom?” asked Taryn, changing the subject. I smiled, grateful for the subject change.
     
    “He’s fine. No extensive injury, just shock.”
     
    “Yeah, I’ve passed out from shock,” said Taryn. “Embarrassing, but relieving when you wake up. You’re not hurt, anyway.”
     
    I nodded and looked over my shoulder to the hallway. “I was thinking of maybe going to go visit him,” I said. My hands twitched in an aborted shrug and I stuffed them into my pockets. My hoodie was soft on the inside and it soothed the half-healed cuts on my hands that came from everything that had happened in the last few days.
     
    “You should,” said Cindy. “For him, anyway. I mean, he’s your bodyguard Michelle. It’s his job to protect you. Let him know you’re all right, right?” Her fingers went to grab hair that was no longer there and I winced. Cindy’s hands fell back to her lap and she fiddled with her cards. “Ice wave.” She tossed another card onto the pile between them.
     
    Taryn stared. “Oh come on!” I laughed and stepped back out of the room. That was a cue to leave if I’d never seen one.
     
    It was two hallways and a short elevator ride to Tom’s room. I knew that from the receptionist who’d let me through to see everyone. Every step was a challenge. I didn’t know what to say to Tom when I say him. What did you say to someone who’d saved your life? Thanks? Good job? Neither seemed enough for what he’d done last night. Neither seemed worthy to be spoken in his presence. I grimaced, wondering if I should have been there at all. He probably wanted nothing to do with the woman who’d put him in the hospital.
     
    My footsteps seemed to echo in the hallways as I walked. The white walls stared almost accusingly at me. Should I have gone to the gift shop? And bought what – flowers or chocolate? Nothing seemed adequate. I sighed. The man who I had scorned and shouted at had saved my life without a thought. He could have died if not for the bullet proof vest. I’d been serious about the touching thing, but the rest might have been overboard. The snark, the anger, and the sneaking away. All of it seemed rash and immature now.
     
    His room was number 501 and I stood outside for a minute, leaning against the blue painted door frame. He was lying in his bed, eyes closed. I took a few hesitant steps into the room. Flowers from my father rested on the table next to the window, right next to the chair on which Tom’s bulletproof vest hung. I couldn’t help but stare at it. I’d never seen one up close. I was almost certain Taryn had put hers through a wood chipper when she’d gotten back from being deployed. It was heavier than I expected and the weight was solid in my hands.
     
    “I owe it my life.” I jumped and dropped the vest back onto the chair. It landed with a dull thud that shook the chair. Behind me, Tom was sitting up in his bed, his back against the stacked pillows. I bit my lip and shuffled awkwardly away from the bed. “Are you all right, Michelle?” I managed a nod and stared out the window. What was wrong with me? This man had saved my life – I should thank him. A small bubble of anger bubbled