He lowered his head. When he spoke, there was a faint tremor in his voice—so slight it was almost imperceptible.
But Albert quickly adjusted his expression.
He forced his chest to still, took two deep breaths, and when he spoke again, the only difference in his tone was a deeper register. Any other irregularity had vanished.
"Really?" Hayes naturally didn't believe him so easily.
The beautiful commanding officer before him fluttered his lashes, his eyelids trembling faintly as he spoke with unconcealed suspicion. "Then why are you covering that spot? Let me see."
Albert's palm remained pressed over the wound. He didn't move.
Though he never turned around, he could feel it—whatever that baby-faced fish had done back there, it hadn't been light.
The instant the pain surged up from behind, it hit hard enough to make his facial muscles twitch violently. For all he knew, the thing might have taken a bite out of his Achilles tendon as well.
