Page 53 of Auctioned to the Devil

“Caleb?”

“IED.”

One word changes everything.

My stomach sinks.

“We were moving through a village. Road had already been cleared.” His jaw flexes. “Wasn’t clear.”

“How many of you?”

“Six.”

I barely breathe. “And?”

“Me.”

Oh God.

“Just you?”

He nods.

I slide off the stool before I can think better of it.

He notices immediately. “Emily.”

I walk around the island.

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you feel sorry for me.”

“I don’t.”

“Bullshit.”

“I don’t feel sorry for you.”

I stop in front of him. “I hate that you went through it.”

“Same thing.”

“No, it isn’t.”

His eyes narrow.

“I’m not looking at some broken man I need to fix.”

“Good.”

“I’m looking at an asshole who survived something terrible and apparently decided that means he’s responsible for keeping every person around him alive forever.”