The Bones of Valhalla (Purge of Babylon, Book 9) Read Online Free PDF Page B

got good news and bad news.”
    “Tell me the good news first.”
    “We got a whole lot of new chumps to whip at the next game night.”
    “Sweet. So what’s the bad news?”
    “There are way too many chumps onboard, and they’re taking up a lot of space. And you know about…” He nodded toward the floor.
    She almost laughed, because she had done the same thing when Lara was here.
    “Are you afraid to say his name?” she asked.
    He grunted, but then glanced quickly over at the door. “Lara made it pretty clear we can’t go around blabbing about him. I think that’s a good idea. It’s hard to predict how the others will take the news.”
    “Lara’s always been the smartest person in the room. It pays to listen to what she says.”
    “You won’t get any disagreements from me,” Nate said as he leaned over her, looking her up and down.
    “Take a picture, why dontcha.”
    “Zoe really doped you up, huh?”
    “Is it that obvious?”
    “You’re still the hottest thing on this boat. Have I mentioned that?”
    “Yes, but you have my permission to keep saying it.”
    He grinned before glancing at the window across the room.
    “What is it?” she asked.
    “He’s still out there…”
    “Who?”
    “Our pal Mason.”
    She frowned. Mason brought out the worse in her, and she couldn’t picture his beady little eyes without getting angry. Not just at him, but at herself for not pulling the trigger when she’d had the chance.
    “We should have shot him,” she said.
    “As Danny would say, shoulda, coulda, woulda, but didnta.”
    “You’ve been hanging around Danny too much.”
    “I know,” Nate said, and flicked the remains of his Mohawk over to one side. “I’m even losing my sense of style.”
    “So what’s the negative side?”
    “Oh, below the belt, lady.”
    She smiled. This time it came out better. Or, at least, she thought it did. She was so groggy it could have looked awkward and freakish, for all she knew.
    “Strangely enough, I miss it,” she said.
    “What’s that?”
    “Your dumb Mohawk.”
    He flashed a triumphant smirk. “I knew you’d come around.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m making an appointment with Carly tomorrow, just for you.”
    “I said I missed it, I didn’t say I wanted it back.”
    “Hey, make up your mind.”
    “Come here,” she said.
    “Why?”
    “Just come here.”
    He leaned over her and she reached up, took his face in her hands, and pulled him down. There should have been stabbing pain from her left shoulder where she was shot, but she hardly felt anything and had no trouble directing Nate until their lips touched. He tasted both sweet and salty, like most things out here on the ocean.
    She didn’t know how long they kissed and wasn’t all that concerned about the passing time until someone cleared their throat.
    Nate pulled back and smiled across the room at Zoe. “Hey, doc.”
    When had Zoe come back? Or had she been here the entire time?
    Gaby couldn’t tamp down—and really, didn’t want to—the flair of annoyance with herself for her lack of focus on her surroundings.
    What would Will say?
    “Seriously, guys, I just came back from lunch,” Zoe said. “Go easy on the lovey dovey stuff when us single people are around.”
    “Give us a break,” Nate said. “We almost died out there. Twice.” He looked back at her. “Twice, right?”
    She thought about it. “Three times?”
    “You sure?”
    “Larkin, Starch, then Gallant.”
    “So we’re not counting when that Warthog strafed us on the road?”
    “You think we should?”
    “A hog tried to do what to you on the road?” Zoe said.
    “Warthog,” Nate said. “It was one of Mercer’s warplanes.”
    “Christ. What else does that psycho have flying around out there?” Zoe looked down at her watch. “Five more minutes; then you need to let her get some rest.”
    “I’ve had plenty of rest,” Gaby said.
    “Hey, who’s the one with the medical degree