The Woman In His War

e she's even stepped inside. The car slowed to a stop. Neither of them spoke. As the door opened, Serena stepped out first. She adjusted her dress simply as if nothing happened. It had to be another

affected him mor

lls in white columns that turned the courtyard into something overexposed. The compound was spacious

e turne

eet away. He'd come around the car a

ike a command barked loudly but

the compound entrance. The place felt ancient in the wrong way. Stone

wasn't scheming. She was only observing. The entire compound carried the feeling of something transfor

way down the corrid

room first, then at him. The door shut

ime the thirty seconds ended, her expression was calm again and began studying the room immediately. Reinforced lock. No visible cameras, which probably meant there are hidden ones. One door. No secondary exit. She

aven't

folded her arms. "Was I supposed to squeeze in a nap somewhe

ike her as a man who wasted time on guilt. Rather, he moved

s clothes," he s

aw t

ed anythin

acked

hrough his sentence. Matte

clarified. "Who wen

nto his pockets and res

ne dis

d for a

I sai

oodlights outside cast pale bars of light acro

e. "What exactly do

her's coo

smile touche

n't gi

wi

e you know him. Y

then. Darkness moved through

m better t

immediately. The slight tightening in his jaw afterward and t

a noted it away ca

sed her arms tighter. "Places I can go. Places I can't. So tell

. Like he wasn't just listening to her words.

oke. "Ground

odded

d between nin

out afte

N

e in the East corridor d

tantly like they wer

il calmly, mentally sketch

she asked

narrowed sligh

lk into rooms wit

before he coul

pectedly:

opening the door

d you I wa

ot the sa

he shouldn't have noticed. The faint shadow of exhaustion beneath his eyes. The tension hid

alization unsettled her

ce next time,"

ze for a beat long

nk y

below. Beyond the gates, somewhere far in the dis

ren

first time he'd said her name. Not Ms. Savino.

beneath all the cold restraint in his face, there was something else no

still exist tom

m across the dim ro

r voice soft

what I'm wor

d in his composure. Then it vanished. M

d her with the beginning of a dangerous smile. She turned back toward t

the courtyard floodlights clicked off one by one, plunging the compoun

Instead she stared into the darkness listening to the silence of the compound and thinking about locked corrid

beneath the fear, anger and adre