Page 25 of Lethal Illusion (Six Points Security #8)

A brief flicker of amusement crossed his face.

“If one of us gets shot or falls off a cliff, we’ll be beyond the help of anything in this bag.

” He tore open the package of antibacterial wipes.

“If we don’t treat them, they could get infected, which is a lot more painful and will hinder your ability to move freely.

That wouldn’t be helpful in our present situation. ”

Deep down, she knew he was right, even if she didn’t want to admit it. “Fine, but I’ll do it.”

“No, I got it. Just hold still for a minute.”

He made quick work of sterilizing the wounds, which was good, because it stung like crazy, but then he applied some ointment and the sting quickly faded. Then he fashioned a bandage out of gauze and medical tape that shielded the blisters from further abrasion.

“How does that feel?” he asked.

She rotated her ankle and smiled when she didn’t feel any pain. “Better. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He smiled, the first time she’d seen him smile all day, and it warmed her from the inside out. “Now let’s see if you can get your boots back on.”

It was a tight fit, but she managed to squeeze into them without disrupting the bandages. “All good; thanks again.”

He packed the supplies back into his bag and stood. “It’s going to be dark soon. Might as well settle in for the night.”

Sloane accepted the hand he offered, and a hum of awareness buzzed through her body.

She ignored it, turning her gaze to the west, where the sun was barely a sliver over the tree line.

He was right; it wouldn’t be long before twilight turned to night.

Already, shadows blanketed the valley below.

A breeze blew from the north, and the chill penetrated her jacket and sent a shiver through her.

Navarre made a sweeping motion for her to enter the makeshift shelter. “There isn’t much room, so make sure to go in feet-first. Take the spot by the tree trunk. It’s better insulated; you’ll be warmer.”

The entrance wasn’t more than a foot or so wide. She peered inside at the carpet of leaf litter, moss, and pine boughs. She understood the importance of having a thick layer of insulation against the cold, hard earth. But the city girl in her shuddered. “We’re going to get ticks, aren’t we?”

“It’s a possibility,” he said, not seeming bothered in the least. “But it beats the alternative.”

“Which is?”

“Hypothermia. Capture. Or worse.”

Well, he had a point there. Being uncomfortable was better than being dead, but she didn’t have to be happy about it. Still, she wasn’t about to complain. Like he said, it beat the alternative, and she appreciated his efforts to keep her safe and warm.

It’s only for one night , she reminded herself as she crawled into the shelter. When this was all over, and they were back in civilization, she was going to take the longest, hottest shower in recorded history.

“Aren’t you coming in?” she asked when he didn’t move to follow her.

“In a minute,” he said. “I need to cover our tracks.”

“Can I help?”

He shook his head. “No, I got it.”

Without much else to do, Sloane settled into the shelter. There wasn’t a whole lot of room inside, though at least it was long enough for her to stretch out her legs. But the lack of light and the constant reminder of their precarious position made her feel like a bunny hiding in a burrow.

Good thing she wasn’t claustrophobic.

Still, it was a welcome refuge from the ever-looming threat of discovery. And it sure as hell beat sleeping out in the open, where they’d have no relief from the cold.

Navarre slid into the shelter ten or so minutes later and filled the remaining space beside her.

He arranged a tapestry of branches and moss across the opening to conceal their presence.

It also plunged them into near-total darkness, something she wasn’t thrilled about, but she supposed the added warmth and security made the trade-off worthwhile.

“How are you holding up?” he asked, his voice low.

“Cold. Hungry. Every muscle in my body hurts.” Exhaustion crept into her words, though she doubted the adrenaline lingering in her system would allow her to fall asleep anytime soon. “Other than that, I’m doing great.”

He laughed softly. She heard the sound of rustling, followed by a sharp crack, and then a soft glow illuminated the shelter.

“You brought glow sticks?”

“Only a few. You never know when you’ll be caught in a place where visibility is an issue.” He handed it to her. “It’ll only last a few hours, so enjoy it while you can.”

“Isn’t this going to make us easier to find?”

“Nah, we’re good. It’s not bright enough to be seen outside.”

“Are you sure?”

Navarre looked at her as if the answer was obvious. “Tell you what…if we hear any movement out there, we’ll cover it up to be safe.”

He rummaged around in his rucksack, and a minute or so later, he handed her a meal bar. “Here, eat this. It’s not much, but it’ll take the edge off your hunger.”

Her stomach grumbled just looking at it, and how pitiful was that? “How many of those do you have?”

“Not a lot. You can have another one in the morning. Just make sure to give me the wrappers. I don’t want to leave a trail.”

“Thank you.” She tore the wrapper and bit into the bar, surprised by the rich flavors of cinnamon and blueberries.

She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, probably something that tasted as if it were packed with enough preservatives to survive the apocalypse.

A little on the chewy side, but she could deal with that.

She swallowed a bite and tore off another, and as she chewed, she noticed Navarre wasn’t eating. “Aren’t you going to have one?”

He shook his head. “I’ll be fine until morning.”

She knew for a fact he hadn’t eaten since breakfast. Considering what they’d gone through, how far they’d hiked, the man had to be starving. “Are you saying that because you’re not hungry, or because there isn’t enough for both of us?”

“I’ve gone days without eating.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.” She shifted a little to see him better in the soft light. “You’re not going to do either of us any good if you’re running on fumes.”

His heavy exhale filled the small space, a sure sign she’d made a point he didn’t like but couldn’t refute. “Just eat the damn bar. You’ll need your strength. We’ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow.”

She finished her food and handed Navarre the wrapper.

He tucked it into his bag, and then took out a package no bigger than his hand.

He removed the wrapper, unfolded the material, again and again and again, revealing a blanket with a camouflage pattern that he used to cover them both.

The material was paper thin but surprisingly warm, and she couldn’t have been more thankful that he’d planned ahead for unexpected emergencies.

And just when she thought he couldn’t surprise her anymore, he extended his arm and tucked her against his side.

“I’m not making a move,” he said, his voice rough. “Shared heat will help us stay warm.”

That worked for her. The man radiated heat like a furnace. Tense muscles relaxed as she nestled into the crook of his arm, her hand resting on the front of his black leather jacket. Already, her eyelids were growing heavy; maybe she wouldn’t have such a hard time falling asleep after all.

“I’m sorry about the size of the shelter,” Navarre said.

“But making it larger might attract unwanted attention. Odds are those mercs didn’t bring night vision goggles, so they shouldn’t be looking for us now that the sun’s gone down.

But if they did, and they come across this clearing, they won’t notice us. ”

“How can you be so certain?”

“Because they’ll be searching for tracks or a more obvious shelter.

” His confidence was unwavering, and it gave her a sense of assurance.

“They’ll assume a celebrity like Sierra Page wouldn’t agree to crawl into a shelter dug against the side of a tree.

” He adjusted their position, drawing her closer, his breath warm against her hair.

“This isn’t my first time being hunted.”

Thoughts of sleep gave way to curiosity. She tilted her head to look up at him. “When were you hunted? Was that during your time in the Army?”

“Some of it.” He didn’t elaborate, and it only made her more curious.

She waited a full minute before giving in to the urge. “Care to share the details?”

“No.”

“Oh, come on, you can’t say stuff like that and not expect me to want to know more. Besides, how else are we going to pass the time?” Okay, that probably wasn’t the best question to ask. A few suggestions immediately sprang to mind that she had no business entertaining.

But she did.

And her body heated a little more.

Navarre’s eyes focused on hers with an intensity that held her in place.

His heart thudded, strong and steady, under the weight of her palm.

This close, she could make out every line on his face, could see the tiny scar near the corner of his right eye that she’d never noticed before, and a part of her wished he’d make a move because she didn’t have the guts to do it.

Instead, he blinked, and it broke the spell. “I can’t give you details. Those missions were classified. But I can tell you that I was trained to stalk, to hunt, and to evade detection. I was very good at my job, and I’ll use every one of those skills to keep you safe from danger.”

There was such conviction in his voice; he wasn’t just saying it to make her feel better. He was saying it because he truly believed it. He considered it a foregone conclusion. And that confidence gave her hope that they’d make it out of this mess in one piece.

She swallowed hard. “Good to know.”

He took the glow stick from her hand and placed it beneath the blanket, plunging the shelter into darkness. But this time she didn’t feel like a bunny in a burrow. She felt safe, because he was there.

“Try to get some sleep,” he said. “It’s been a long day; you must be exhausted. I’ll wake you before first light.”

That sounded an awful lot like he intended to stay up all night, which was ridiculous. He needed rest too. “You’re going to get some sleep, right?”

There was a pause before he answered. “One of us needs to stay awake in case there’s trouble. I’ll be fine. I’ve gone days without sleep.”

It was all she could do not to roll her eyes. Not that it mattered in the darkness.

“You keep saying these things like they’re a badge of honor. Why do that to yourself when it’s not necessary?” She continued before he could argue. “How about you let me sleep a few hours, and then you sleep for a few?”

“Sure, whatever.”

He’d agreed to that way too quickly. It made her suspicious. “If I go to sleep, will you really wake me up in a few hours, or are you just saying that to shut me up?”

He let out a sigh. “You don’t trust easily, do you?”

“Give me a reason to trust, and I will.”

“And what will that take?”

“Your word is enough. Break it, and I’ll never trust you again.”

Another sigh. “Done. You have my word that I’ll wake you in a few hours so you can take the next shift. Happy?”

“Delighted.”