What Remains_Reckoning by Kris Norris Page A

shoulder, ignoring how right it felt to be encased in his arms, Wolfe still holding one of her hands, Gunner completing the circle from the front. This was temporary. A few days at most. Then she’d be back on the road, and this time, she knew better than to trust anyone. Even people she’d known in her previous life. Avoidance would be her best friend. All she had to do was stay strong.

 
    Chapter Seven
     
     
     
    Hamilton held back a snarl as Gunner taped the bandage to Morgan’s side, securing the raw flesh behind a layer of white gauze. He could tell by the way the man’s hands trembled ever so slightly, Gunner was fuming beneath the stoic smile. The man rarely lost control, and seeing the effect Morgan had on him sent a rush of heat through Hamilton. Gunner hadn’t allowed anything to break through his facade since Ham had gotten shot on their last mission in Afghanistan. He’d lost way too much blood by the time his buddies had carried his ass to safety, and he acutely remembered the pain on both their faces as he’d drifted into unconsciousness. Ham had woken a few days later, Gunner’s smiling face hovering over him. The man had punched him in the shoulder then told him not to fucking scare him like that again. Now his friend sat in front of Morgan, doing his best to pretend her wounds didn’t make his blood boil and his vision tinge red.
    Hamilton glanced at Wolfe, not surprised to see the same, barely controlled rage on his face. He’d never been as good as Gunner at hiding his feelings, and Ham knew Morgan’s condition made Wolfe want to hunt the bastards down. Give them a taste of their own medicine. Hell, so did Ham.
    He sighed, clenching his teeth when Morgan leaned against him, her tense muscles easing as Gunner finished the procedure, slowly inching back.
    The man gave her a tight smile. “That’s the best I can do. Fuck, I wish we were closer to the base. Abby would have you fixed up in no time.”
    The tension returned, far greater than before as she stiffened in his arms, glancing at each man in turn. “Base? Abby?”
    Wolfe thumbed her cheek, his touch barely brushing her skin. “Guess there’s a few things we should tell you about ourselves before we start traipsing across Colorado.”
    Her eyes widened and Ham cursed under his breath. Shit. They were scaring her. Just looking at her doe-eyed expression revealed the obvious. She hadn’t considered anything beyond this one day. Hadn’t planned on being more than a face that disappeared into a misty memory. Well, fuck that. No way were they leaving her behind. She belonged with them. End of story.
    The thought caught him off-guard, making him groan. That kind of Neanderthal thinking wasn’t going to impress Morgan. She needed men who understood her independence. Who weren’t put off by her skills or her ability to survive. She hadn’t managed this long without knowing how to take care of herself. And if they wanted to gain her trust, they’d need to allow her to take risks without having it blow up into an argument.
    Morgan waited until Gunner rose and walked over to the table, placing the medical supplies on the surface before pushing to her feet and taking a few shaky steps away. She managed to stumble to the far wall beside the door, turning to rest her back against the wood. Panic-filled eyes stared at him, her chest heaving with her increased breath.
    Wolfe nudged him, motioning to Morgan. Ham pursed his lips. Why did the man seem to think he knew how to handle the girl? What to say to get her to believe in them? Hell, he was running blind, just like them.
    Ham raked his fingers through his hair, slowly rising. He kept his movements easy as he grabbed her shirt and moved closer to her. Those overly large eyes glanced at the fabric then back to him, her unspoken question coming through loud and clear.
    He gave her what he hoped was a sweet smile as he held out the garment. “Let’s get you more comfortable then we’ll talk. I