Free Deadly Captive by Bianca Sommerland

which made me scowl at Joe. "She's a kid."
    Joe put one hand on the table and bent down, speaking low. "You're being ridiculous, Lydia." He reached out to take my hand. I jerked out of reach and hissed. He grabbed for my hand again. This time, I didn't move. "You're jealous; that's sweet. But that girl has done nothing to earn your wrath, so, if you have suspicions, lash out at me with them. Not her."
    I crossed one arm across my chest, knowing he wouldn't release my hand. "I'm not jealous." Joe's lip quivered. I realized suddenly I must look as sulky as Mary.
    Dropping my arm, I sighed. "Look, I don't know how I feel about it. Hell, I shouldn't hold it against you even if you . . . ." I looked at the bed, recalling now that I'd been immobile on it for a long time. I wondered absently if they'd done it on the dirty floor.
    Maybe up against the wall . . . .
    Joe gave my hand a little squeeze. "We didn't. I have no interest in bedding children. And . . . ." Joe closed his mouth and shook his head.
    "And?" I prompted.
    "Nothing." He continued before I could press. "Look, the point is I won't willingly sleep with her. But you have to know, Lydia—" His eyes met mine. "I won't let her die to avoid it either. I can't do that. Not again."
    A thick pool of guilt poured cold down my throat and into my gut. I reached over and took his other hand, then tried to stand. Freeing his hands, he put them under my elbows and helped me to my feet. "Joe, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have . . . ." I glanced at Mary who tugged at her lip with her teeth, her eyes pleading, as though afraid I would cast her out. "Damn it. I'm sorry."
    Joe pulled me into his arms, holding me carefully, laying a kiss on my hair. "It's okay." He guided me back to the bed. Easing me down, he sat beside me, then pressed a gentle kiss to my lips. "Like I said." His breath moved like a warm caress over my face.
    "It's sweet."
    I wrinkled my nose at him, sighed, and looked at Mary. When I waved her over, she approached slowly, hands clutched to her white skirt, head down.
    I sighed again. "Mary, look. I apologize for how I acted. Apparently, I can be a real bitch."
    With a dimpled grin, Mary lifted her head. I noticed that the light cast a lovely golden glow off her dark skin. Her tiny black braids bounced on her shoulders as she plopped onto the bed. I grimaced as my tender body bounced.
    Mary gasped and covered her mouth. "Oops." I waved off the forthcoming apology. Smiling, she took my hand. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Lydia." Her eyes went to Joe, then back to me. "Joe told me about the amnesia thing. Maybe it's not permanent.
    I had a friend once who got so drunk she didn't remember what day it was. She was fine the next day—"
    "Mary, it's not the same." Joe frowned at her, with an expression that clearly said
    "Shut up."
    Mary must have missed it. "I've read stuff about memory loss. Well, actually I saw something in a movie once." She paused as though trying to remember. "Anyway, it only took the right cue to start it all coming back. Maybe the right questions. Like, I don't know, did you have a kitten?"

    "A kitten?" Joe asked before I could.
    I opened my mouth to speak. Apparently, my input wasn't needed.
    "Yeah. I had a kitten. She was a pretty little calico named Mr. Spot. I didn't know he was a she. Anyway, she got hit by a car last year. I'm sure if I got amnesia, thinking about her would help." She took a breath, looked at me expectantly, and then barreled on when I gave Joe a helpless look.
    "Oh!" she exclaimed.
    Joe and I snapped our attention back to her.
    "What about music? I like R&B. Not the old stuff, though. Do you like R&B?"
    "Mary." Joe and I said in unison.
    Mary kept talking. I started to wonder whether her nerves were making her prattle on this way, and I hoped her chattiness was temporary. Then again, if it were a nervous habit, she would be doing it a lot here.
    "Mary!"
    At Joe's shout, Mary stopped. Bottom lip trembling, she stared at him,