Page 73 of Breathe

• • •

Kane didn’t wait to get a debriefing from Leo. For the first time he hadn’t followed any of the rules, and he didn’t feel like getting a ticking off. He was even impatient in the elevator. What had Ellen been thinking and doing in his absence?

Penny had gone, which was a blessing. She’d made it pretty clear she still wasn’t on his side. If he’d had more time, he could have convinced her too...

Ellen was showering again. He was going to have to go out for more bandages if she kept this up, but he understood.

“Hey,” said Carl from where he sat at the window, reading. “How did it go?”

Kane went to the refrigerator for a beer. Leaning back against the closed door, he took a grateful swig. “I don’t know,” he said, and honestly, he didn’t care right now. “How’s Ellen?”

“Okay,” said Carl. “Kind of quiet.”

Kane stayed where he was. Thinking: she was thinking her way out of his life, he knew it. She hadn’t told him what her parents had said, but if he’d been them, he would have told her to go back home. And in any case, as far as he knew her visa was still up in three months. He didn’t think he had that long.

“You were right,” he said to Carl. “I shouldn’t have left.”

“Do me a favor,” said Carl, coming over for a beer of his own.

“What?” said Kane. He was exhausted; the only person he wanted to help right now was Ellen.

“Fight for her.”

Kane’s eyes flew to his friend’s. “What do you think I’ve been doing?” he said. “Any more fighting and someone’s going to get a camera up his ass.”

“Not them,” said Carl, nodding at the windows, at the outside world. “Fight her for her.”

Kane scrubbed a hand through his hair. “I was hoping I was imagining it.”

“She’s just scared. Don’t let her give in to it. Don’t you give in to it. Remember it was you she came to last night. That counts for a lot more than she realizes.”

Kane looked bleakly at him. “Did she say anything to you?”

“No. But she made me take her to the police station. They’d picked up two guys.”

Kane came away from the refrigerator. “Was it them?”

“Yes.”

“Shit.” And she hadn’t wanted Kane with her. “Goddammit!” He heard the shower turn off. “I don’t have any time,” he said desperately to Carl.

“Fight anyway. Don’t let her run away.”

“God, it sucks when I’m the one you’re giving relationship advice to.”

Carl grinned. “This’ll be the last time, I hope.”

It might be, Kane thought despondently, but not for the reason Carl hoped.

He went to his bedroom.

“Hi,” Ellen said, a little breathlessly, seeing him. She was mostly dressed in one of the outfits she’d left at his apartment. He’d loved that sign of permanence a week ago. Everything she’d brought to his house was laid out on the bed, and his heart dived into his stomach. He stayed near the door.

“Where are you going?” he said.

She swallowed. “Home.”

His hands clenched into fists. “Home, your apartment? Or home, England?”