Rhapsody (The Bellator Saga Book 5) by Cecilia London Read Free Book Online Page B

the truth. You’re much better at being straight with me when no one else is around.” Natalie rolled a stool over to the examining table and sat down. “What’s the scoop?”
    Her eyes drifted toward the door again before focusing on the floor. “It’s hard,” Caroline whispered.
    “What’s hard?”
    “Being around him.”
    “That’s not unexpected. What else?”
    “He’s being too nice to me.”
    Natalie laughed. “That’s not possible.”
    “It is,” Caroline said. “It’s incredibly awkward.”
    “Would Jack agree with you?”
    “Without a doubt.” She could ask questions. Natalie would tell her the truth. “Was I really unconscious for three days?”
    “Yes,” Natalie said softly. “It was very trying.”
    “And Jack stayed with me the whole time.”
    “He did. I’m not sure he even ate. He never left that room. Not once.”
    Caroline looked over at the side wall. The paint was peeling. The décor was sparse at best, but at least it was clean. She closed her eyes.
    “You can’t keep hiding,” Natalie said.
    “Why not?”
    Natalie bit back a laugh. “Because I said so?”
    “You can do better than that.”
    “Because you both need to deal with this.” Natalie put her hand on Caroline’s shoulder. “What’s really going on?”
    “I don’t know how to talk to him,” she whispered. “How did that happen? I used to always know what to say, and now all I do is lash out at him.”
    “What’s it really been like? Be honest.”
    “Couldn’t you tell when we walked in here?”
    “I want your opinion before I comment on my impressions.”
    Her impressions couldn’t have been good. “There’s all this tension,” Caroline said softly. “It hangs in the air, especially when we’re alone. I don’t know how to cut through it. And I don’t know what I’m supposed to do or say to fix it.”
    “Do you think Jack is the cause of it?”
    Caroline clenched her fists. Natalie wasn’t going to let up. “He can barely look me in the eyes. There are times when I can swear he’s happy I’m there, but most of the time he seems so…ashamed.”
    “Of who?”
    Of himself. Of the fact that he’s stuck with me. “I don’t know.”
    “Do you think he’s mad at you?”
    “I don’t know. I don’t think so.”
    “Are you mad at him?”
    “I don’t…are you trying to trick me into having another therapy session?”
    Natalie chuckled. “No. I’m trying to figure out why you’re perceiving things the way you are.”
    “Couldn’t you feel it when we came in here?”
    “A little,” she admitted. “But you’re missing the bigger picture. Jack is trying to help you. Protect you. And he doesn’t quite know how to do it.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “You saw how he acted when you first got here today. Taking the lead, answering my questions before you had a chance to speak. He wasn’t doing that to be overbearing. He’s doing it because he’s worried about you. He was afraid you weren’t going to tell me the truth.”
    “I was,” Caroline insisted.
    “I know,” Natalie said. “But you might not have said it in front of him.”
    This entire situation sucked. “How did we get so awkward?”
    Natalie tried not to smile. “Hell if I know. You have plenty of time to figure it out. Just take it day by day. It’ll get easier. I promise.”
    That seemed like a rather generous assessment of the situation. “How did I even get back here?” Caroline asked. “I don’t want to ask Jack.”
    “Jones hauled you out after the field lit up. By the time they wheeled you in, you were in pretty dire straits.” Natalie cleared her throat. “I was on duty and when I first saw you I thought you were dead.”
    Well, that brought a fresh round of guilt. Especially after she’d promised Natalie she’d be careful. “I’m sorry. Did you, um, help treat me?”
    “It was a little beyond what I’m qualified to do. And I’m not sure I was in the proper emotional state to do it. I