Beyond the Call of Duty Read Online Free

could break you with my bare hands,” he said, raising his dark brows.
    “You’d have to be able to get your hands on me first, Mr. Elliott. I’m also an expert in hand-to-hand combat.”
    “Gabe, please. It kind of sounds like we’re going to be together a lot.”
    “Call me Lexi, Gabe. You’re right; I’ll probably end up being your biggest nightmare.” She waited a second, and then continued. “How are you feeling?”
    “Like I was beaten up and shot as I watched my friend and his family killed in front of my face, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.”
    Lexi saw the look of powerlessness cross his face. She understood that. She’d seen it a lot in the cases she’d worked since starting with the DOJ. “I’m very sorry for your loss. I know how it feels to lose family, but we’ll get through this. I promise.” She motioned to the bag she’d put on the floor. “I’ve brought you some clothes. We’re going to get you dressed and outside to my car. You’re dying today, Mr. Elliott.”
    She laughed at the confusion on his face. “I know you’ve just been shot. You’re hurting, and the last thing in this world you want is for me to push and prod you, but your injuries are no longer life threatening, and the doctor says you can be moved. Faking your death here in the hospital will be a lot easier than blowing you up in a car or something equally horrific.” She reached out, taking the tube taped to his arm and quickly pulling it away. She eased the needle out and pushed a cotton ball on the hole in his arm.
    She reached around him, helping him carefully to a sitting position. He flinched and moaned as he moved, making Lexi feel even worse about how much more he would hurt before they reached the safe house and the other agents that would be helping her protect him. “Just let me do the work, Gabe. I’ll be as careful as I can.”
    He nodded, though his face was slowly turning white and his lips a pasty gray color. He remained sitting up, helping her take his arms out of the gown and exposing his chest and the white bandages around his abdomen and arm. She left the gown on his lap as she reached into her bag and pulled out a buttoned-down shirt and a zippered, hooded sweatshirt.
    “One arm at a time, Gabe, let’s do this nice and slow.” She got the shirt on him and buttoned it, feeling the heat of his skin and a brush of his chest hair before reaching for the washcloth that had been left on the bedside table. She dabbed at his face, carefully getting the sweat away from his busted lip and blackened eye. His face was swollen, giving him a lopsided look. He took the washcloth from her and wiped his face just a bit harder.
    She helped him with the hoodie, zipping it up. “Okay, now that was the easy part. She pulled out a pair of boxers. “I wasn’t sure which you preferred.”
    “Those are fine,” he said with a moan.
    “Okay, then just like the shirts, one leg at a time, and you let me do most of the work.” She knelt at his feet as he stared down at her.
    “You don’t seem old enough to be a fed.”
    “That’s what my boss is constantly telling me. I keep threatening to go find some gray hair dye so he’ll get off my case.”
    “Oh, no,” Gabe said softly. “That would be a shame.” He reached out and touched her silky black hair, wrapping his fingers around one of her curls. “Your hair is beautiful, Lexi.”
    “Thanks,” she said. She stood and put an arm around his waist. “Ready for this?”
    He closed his eyes, taking as deep a breath as he could with his ribs all taped up. Blowing it out, he moved to stand, leaning against her until he caught his balance. He grabbed hold of the IV stand, using it as a brace while she pulled his shorts up and finished untying his hospital gown. She helped him sit again as she handed him the washcloth.
    “I know this is a lot, Gabe, but you’re doing great. We’ll get these sweats on you, and then I’ll get you a wheelchair out