Page 13

C harmaine

Pop! Pop!

“Fuck,” the lieutenant hissed, his body tumbling forward, but he caught himself before falling into the muck.

“We need to keep running.” I grabbed Maddox’s arm and he instantly hissed.

“You’ve been shot.”

“No shit.” He pulled my arm instead, yanking us behind a huge tree. The rain continued to fall, mud and slop everywhere.

We were both soaked, the pelting rain at least cooling the extreme humidity.

“Are you going to make it?” I asked.

He laughed. “I’ve been through worse than this, sweetheart. Just a flesh wound.”

The weight of what had just occurred when we’d managed to escape had already begun to take a toll. I was shaking, my feet numb. Soon, the rush of adrenaline would wear off. When it did, it was entirely possible panic would set in.

The SEAL had killed at least eight people, maybe more. We’d stepped over dead bodies as soon as he’d pulled me from the concrete compound.

“They’re still after us,” I managed, unable to see anything. But I could feel them, their vibrations and had caught several whispered words over the last few minutes.

“Wait right here,” he gritted out. “Right here. Take this.”

With the darkness, I couldn’t go anywhere.

At least he was wearing what had to be night vision goggles.

Until after he slipped away, I didn’t realize what he’d handed me was a handgun.

Yes, I knew how to use one. Years before after almost being killed on assignment, I’d gotten a permit, purchased a weapon, and had endured hours at the shooting range.

Did that mean I was an expert shooter? Hell, no, but at least I wouldn’t hesitate to fire a shot or two if necessary.

Yet right now, I had to face the fact I couldn’t see a thing in the dark.

How could I shoot anyone if I couldn’t see them?

I huddled against the tree, hating the fact my other senses were hypersensitive.

The sounds were excruciating. Creatures of the night.

The creepy-crawlies were nothing in comparison to the drifting sensations coursing through me at a rapid speed.

Where the hell had the lieutenant gone?

The fear was quickly becoming debilitating.

Pop!

The single shot brought a strangled whimper to my lips. As soon as the sound exploded from my mouth, I slapped one hand over my lips. The last thing I needed to do was to draw attention to my location.

What if Maddox never came back? What then? Just try to find a hiding place until morning? Oh, God. This was bad. So bad. The brave face I’d put on before was spiraling out of control.

Panting, I resisted screaming when something brushed against my leg.

This was a nightmare. Up to this point, anger had been my only emotion, but now, I felt everything.

Every fear I’d experienced since being a child.

Every desire for achievement. Every longing for a boy as a teenager, a man as a woman.

Every longing to have a family of my own.

A single tear slipped ever so slowly past my lashes and I cinched my eyes shut, willing away the sadness.

Falling into despair wasn’t going to do me any good.

Pop!

Shit.

Pop! Pop!

The gunfire came from opposing directions.

Suddenly, the fear erupted into panic, a fight or flight moment. I chose to run, tripping and almost falling several times. The crush of anxiety was the worst I’d experienced, uncontrollable and fueling my actions.

A sudden light from behind ripped a squeal from my gut. Flailing, my vision was foggy from rain, unwanted tears and sheer horror. With my chest heaving, I pressed on, fighting vines and limbs, stumbling over debris and sliding on mud.

“Stop,” the voice said from behind me.

Dark. Earthy. Terrifying.

I continued running, slapped in the face more than once by limbs, screeching when a huge snake dropped right in front of me.

No. No. No! This couldn’t happen.

“Charmaine. Stop.”

Nothing was going to stop me. I had to get away. I had to fight. Fight. Fight!

The rush of air behind me grabbed at every inkling of common sense, the light becoming brighter. I threw a look over my shoulder and immediately stumbled over something in my way. Strong arms grabbed me before I fell, lifting me off the ground.

“No! Get off me.” I pummeled my fists against the assailant, fighting him with everything I had.

“Stop it,” he commanded. “Just calm down.”

“Get off me. Let me go. Please. Just let me go.” The realization of who was holding me slowly started to settle in.

“Ah, fuck this.”

Fingers were wrapped around my throat, my body pressed against a tree. Explosive heat tore through me as I punched and slapped. Everything was a horrible blur.

His face was there, right there. He was…

The thought was shoved aside the moment the beast looming over me crushed his lips down over mine.

The action was shocking, horrible, and I continued to fight.

Until I couldn’t any longer. Jolts of current tickled every nerve ending, every muscle in my body tightening as the sensations became overwhelming.

His scent was dirt and grit, leather and gunpowder, the fragrance wildly intoxicating. As he pushed his tongue past my lips, a series of stars floated in front of my eyes. They weren’t dancing. They weren’t bright. They were just a dull reminder I was alive.

I pounded on his arms while he explored my mouth. The taste of him was sweeter than any I’d experienced in years while I knew I had to taste like sweat and tears. He didn’t seem to mind, lightly digging his fingers into the skin on my neck, drifting his thumb underneath my chin.

The kiss was passionate, the man taking his time as if prepared to go all the way in a heated moment of seduction. I clung to his shirt, fisting the material as I struggled to breathe.

Slowly, the terror began to fade, panic driven back into the ugliness I’d fought so hard to win. With my heartrate slowing, I allowed myself to enjoy the moment, as crazy as it seemed.

I arched my back, unable to fight the torrid sense of need that now left me completely out of sorts. As he pressed his body against mine, his rough actions became softer, sensual in a way I wouldn’t expect from such a brutal man.

The feel of the thick bulge between his legs shifted the remaining fear into raw desire. When he finally broke the kiss, I immediately took a deep breath.

He kept his head lowered, his breathing as irregular as mine.

A few seconds later, he leaned back. Somewhere during the tackle, Maddox had dropped the flashlight.

That allowed me to see his face clearly for the first time.

Even with dirt and blood covering a portion of his face, his strong features remained prevalent.

My God. No man should have such a strong jawline.

The kiss was wow. Just wow. I involuntarily slid the tip of my tongue across my bottom lip and his chest rose and fell as he watched me.

We both blinked as the rain continued to fall.

Being flustered wasn’t typical, but right now, I could barely think straight. Then it suddenly dawned on me what had transpired.

“You alright?” he asked in a deep, husky voice.

“I’m… fine. What the hell was that for?”

He reared back and chuckled. “Calming you down.”

“I said I’m just fine.” I pushed him away, but as soon as I took a step, I almost fell. My heart was still doing pitter-patters.

As he’d done before, he caught me, this time wrapping one arm around me. “Slow and steady.”

“What happened?”

“They’re dead. No one is following us, but they will. We need to find somewhere to hunker down until dawn. Come on.”

“Do you have a vehicle?”

“Yeah, but not tonight.”

“Why?”

He snorted. “Do you always ask this many questions of someone who rescues you?” he retorted, more annoyed than before.

“Oh, gee, this is my first time being rescued.”

“Then I guess you’ll need to trust me.”

“What about your arm?”

“It’s fine. Take the flashlight. Keep the beam on low and toward the ground. We don’t want to give any obvious signs to anyone where we are.”

As soon as I took it from his hand, our fingers touched. The electricity was the same as before, but we were both able to contain it. My arm was shaking as another wave of exhaustion settled in. My thoughts were all over the place, faces of my friends continuously drifting into my mind’s eye.

“Where are we going?”

“There are caves around here.”

“How do you know that?” Caves? Was he kidding me?

“Been here before. Just keep going. We need to get some distance away.”

I nodded although he wasn’t paying attention. With every other step, I kept glancing over my shoulder.

“I’ll know if they’re coming, Charmaine.”

“How?”

He huffed. “That’s what I’m trained to do.”

He refused to let me go, keeping me steady while holding onto two duffle bags. I felt weak, still struggling to catch my breath. While the panic had passed, I was still extremely anxious, still uncertain I could trust him.

“I’m sorry,” I told him after we’d been walking for at least fifteen minutes. My legs were almost stiff, hunger pangs returning and I was so thirsty, my throat was closing. “I don’t know you. I just…”

“What are you sorry for?”

“Panicking. I haven’t had an attack for years.”

He chuckled. “You purposely place yourself in dangerous situations and you panic now?”

“I don’t purposely place myself in dangerous situations. By the way. You have no clue who I am.”

“I know enough to know you’re pissed at the man you’re trying to crucify.”

“What man?”

“Don’t play coy with me. Fernando Alfaro.”

What the hell was this about? Why was he here? “Who sent you?”

“Commander Gray Jenkins of the United States Navy, SEAL Team Six.”

“They’re not called that any longer.” I pushed away from him. “I didn’t see your credentials. I won’t go another foot without seeing them.”

Obvious exasperation swept through him. He stopped in the middle of the torrential rain, turning toward me. “You’re asking to see my credentials now?”

“Yep. I won’t go any further until you do.”

“Fuck this. I don’t need this shit.” He shoved his hand into his back pocket, yanking out something. “Make it quick. Let’s get you some water. I can tell you need hydration.”

I lifted the flashlight, shining the beam down on his face. I’d seen hundreds of real and fake credentials during my career. The lieutenant’s identification was completely on the up and up. Only the dates had long since passed. “This was years ago.”

“Funny how time works. Do I pass?” His gruff voice held the tone of increased defiance. Not that I could honestly blame him.

I lifted my gaze, even shining the light on his face. I hadn’t been hallucinating about how handsome he was. If only I could see the color of his eyes. “Yeah, you do. You’re retired.”

“Nice work for a reporter. Have some water, but don’t drink it too fast.”

I knew the drill. As I cracked the plastic lid and took a sip, he snatched his credentials from my hand. The man was studying me so intently I was certain he didn’t believe what I’d told him. I took several sips while he waited patiently, even though he had a horrible scowl on his face.

“I’m not just a reporter. But if you knew so much about me, you’d realize that.”

He laughed and shoved the bottle into the bag. “I know everything I need to know, sweetheart. Don’t worry. The intimate aspects were left out.”

As soon as he reached out to keep me steady, I shook my head. “I’m okay. But you’re still bleeding.”

“Like I said. I’ve been through much worse.”

I did my best to keep up with his long legs as we continued walking ever deeper into the forest. Every few minutes, he stopped and scanned a full three hundred and sixty degrees of the forest. I could tell instantly when he was convinced that we weren’t being followed.

“Can we stop for a minute?” I asked, hating myself for doing so. I was having trouble focusing again, fearful another panic attack was coming on.

What energy I’d felt before was fading more quickly.

He turned ever so slightly, his chance to shine the beam on me. Almost as soon as he did, he lunged forward just as I crumpled into his arms.

“Maddox… I’m…”