Protecting the Enemy Read Online Free Page B

always go for something sweet. Especially now. “Okay.”
    ***
    Rosie’s House of Pancakes was as dead as Julianna’s last mark. Even the waitress had resembled a zombie. Julianna brought the ceramic mug to her lips and took in the invigorating aroma before taking a sip of her coffee—Reid ordered his black and healthy oatmeal. Blah. Julianna felt no remorse when she finished off three chocolate chip waffles with whipped cream and syrup. Sugar made most people hyper, but it calmed her.
    The tired waitress brought their check and walked away.
    Julianna finished her brew and looked up at him. “So, now what?”
    Reid nodded toward a man that had just walked into the restaurant. “Now it’s time to go.” He threw down a twenty and stood up.
    She followed him out the door. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her around the corner of the building with a finger to his lips. Seconds later, the man that had just come in the restaurant, walked outside and looked around as if searching for something or someone. By the illumination of the street light, they could see that his jacket pocket was pointed outward, concealing a weapon.
    As soon as he turned the corner, Reid shot him in the head. How much more blood was she going to have to witness? Ironic, but true she was an assassin that squirmed at the sight of the thick metallic liquid. One of the reasons they’d trained her to erase with poison. They ran as fast and far as they could without stopping.
    Out of breath, Julianna paused and doubled over. She didn’t like to run right after eating. The stitch in her side was hindering her. Reid shook his head. Without warning, he picked her up as if she were a rag doll.
    She fisted his shirt as the blood rushed to her head. “What are you doing?”
    “You’re slowing us down.”
    Julianna couldn’t argue, so he carried her the next few blocks upside down over his shoulder. How humiliating!
    They reached a small strip mall of resale shops where he put her down. Reid checked for an alarm. An older system, so it was easy for him to disarm. He picked the lock and they went into the shop.
    Reid motioned to the clothing. “Choose something to wear. We need to change our appearance.”
    Julianna went over to a circular rack and found her size. She grabbed a pair of faded jeans and a black sweatshirt. No one would recognize her in secondhand clothes. While Reid was finding something for himself, she went into a tiny dressing room and pulled the curtain closed to change. She wasn’t cut out for being on the run. Things were getting too messy. Her reflection in the cheap mirror was horrible. She combed her fingers through her tresses. Her hair was crazy from being tossed upside down over Reid’s shoulder. His strong, very sexy shoulder. Her head pounded, so she sat down on the bench for a few seconds.
    With a deep breath, she walked out of the room and stood by the counter. A small box cutter caught her eye. Without pause, she shoved the knife into her pocket. Reid walked out of a dressing room. He had changed into dark jeans paired with a gray flannel shirt and topped it off with a baseball cap. How did he look so hot in secondhand clothing?
    “Pull up your hair and put on a hat.” He handed her a rubber band that he’d found who knew where.
    Julianna huffed as she wrapped a dirty band around her hair, trying not to think about the damage it would do. She glanced at him after her hair was pulled into a tight bun and for a split second she could have sworn she saw admiration in his eyes. Was the man insane? She looked terrible. She grabbed a knit beret from a bin, hoping it was clean.
    After locking the door, he trashed their old clothes in the dumpster out back. “We need to get out of sight fast, but the area hotels and motels will be the first places they look. Any ideas on where we can lay low until tonight?”
    She nodded without hesitation. “We look for an apartment complex, check the mailboxes and find the one with