numb, stuck on a loop of Preston's "good girl" and her mother's triumphant s
hospital, her phone buz
ICU is locked down
he day before. The guards at the end of the hall were different-bigger, meaner, carr
the door to Ro
ician, was standing by the bed, whi
e on edge. His hands were clasped behind his back, the knuckles whi
ooked up as
charged with an unspoken tension. Dr. Adler looked nervous, shi
aring his throat. "The Colonel was ju
es on the screens. She could feel Romero's gaze on her, heavy and assessing. It was the
ted," Romero said, his voice low. "He's to
sedation, his pain levels w
t him off, his tone leaving no room for argu
allowed hard
stopped. He was close enough that she could smell him again-cedar,
ere unreadable, but there was an inten
se," he said quietly.
icked shut behind him, and Ca
m, suddenly paranoid. The walls have ears? Wa
Petersen was watching her, his eyes cle
He's... decisive. You just do your job, and he'll handle the r
tersen had already closed his eyes, his
pped by her family, trapped by Preston. Now, standing in this room with a wounded soldier and a crypti
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