by Angela Rush
Laying quietly, I pretend that I am still unconscious. There are men talking, but I can’t make out what they are saying. Time passes slowly and I drift off again. Dreams of Hawk, our babies, Brian, Sara, and Justin fill the void of my mind. We are all together, happy and a family. Suddenly I am awakened by the careening of the vehicle as it leaves the roadway.
I am thrown around as the vehicle swerves and weaves violently. The men are yelling what I am pretty sure is curse words in Spanish. Sounds of gun fire and the smell of gun powder permeate my nose. What is happening? Where are we? I try to raise my head when the back glass of the SUV shatters. Diving for cover, I wrap my arms over my head, as glass rains down on me. Suddenly the world begins to spin over and over. I am thrown violently around the SUV like a super bouncy ball. I try to curl myself into a ball, but it’s almost impossible.
As quickly as it begun, the spinning stops. I am laying on the ceiling of the SUV in a pile of broken glass. Everything hurts. When I raise my head to look around, I hear voices in the distance. Someone is moaning just outside the window on the ground. A man lying in the grass. It’s one of my captors. Movement off in the distance catches my eye, the shapes of men are moving in quickly. Please let it be help and not more of these crazed drug dealers.
Hawk
We are so close. Tex has them pinpointed near San Antonio. They were last on I-10. We have created a closure of the interstate, so they are forced to take the route we want. We just have to intercept them before we get too close to the border. We are set up as the SUV approaches. The driver knows the gig is up. He turns the vehicle sharply to avoid the blockage on the road. We move to take chase. He is following into our trap just as we have planned. However, he is a shit driver and dips off the edge of the road a little too far. He can’t regain control.
My heart stops when I see the SUV flipping over and over. Charlotte is in there and I doubt they have her belted. It finally comes to a stop. We move in. I have to get to Charlotte. One of the bastards drag her to her feet and begins to back into the trees before we can reach them. I signal for the team to hold their fire. We can’t take a chance on her getting hit in the crossfire.
Charlotte
Suddenly, I am dragged backward out the driver’s side of the SUV through the shattered window. Grappling around, I manage to grab hold of a large piece of glass and hold it in my hand. I am pulled to my feet by my hair, not a good sign. A tall muscled man begins to drag me away from the SUV. He has his right arm wrapped around my neck from behind. He is choking me as he drags me off into the surrounding foliage.
“You are too, much trouble, bitch!” He growls into my ear. “I don’t know why the boss is so obsessed with getting you back. We should have just killed you. It would have been so much easier. Much less messy. Now I have to kill all those soldiers, which causes more trouble with the US government.”
When I stumble, he jerks up hard on my neck. It’s a struggle to regain my footing. I really wish I could kill this asshole. The need to find some way to get free burns in my mind. Luckily, I have been able to hold onto the piece of glass. I can use it as a weapon. There is no way I can let him hurt or kill more people. He takes up position behind a large tree. He slams me down at the base of the tree. “Stay put! Or I will gut you.” He growls. He continues to scan the horizon in front of us. He is looking for an opportunity to shoot whomever caused us to crash.
Hawk
We continue to move in closer, keeping his attention on us. Unknown to the madman that has Charlotte, I have men moving in from behind as well. We just have to wait for the right moment to make our move. Time moves by slowly. Ace signals that the second team is in position. Ok, time to make a push to draw his attention our way, while they overtake him from behind. I take aim but shoot wide. I must be sure the shots are nowhere close to Charlotte.
Charlotte
This is not going to be easy. I’ll need to be creative. It will be necessary to wait until he is distracted enough that I can stab him. I need to go for the throat. It will be the easiest way to take him out. I am not sure if I have enough strength or skill to hit his heart or lungs. He is barely paying any attention to me, so I watch him carefully waiting for the perfect moment to make my move. Taking a couple of deep breaths to get the courage to do what has to be done, I see him raise his pistol and take aim. This is my opportunity, while he is distracted.
I leap to my feet, but he sees me and swings at me. I duck out of the way just in time. He faulters when he misses making contact with my face. I pop back to my feet and make to fatal slash across his throat, while he is off balance. Blood spatters across my face. The man grabs his throat and begins to fall backwards as he drops his gun. The sound of the gun going off and a flash of fire registers in my brain as the bullet leaves the barrel. Searing pain rocks my body and I lose my footing. The ground comes up to smack me hard. I’ve been shot.
Hawk
The kidnapper fires in our direction. A shout rings out as the man swing his arm around to hit Charlotte. She is standing next to him with something in her hand. Is that blood dripping from her hand? I try to shout, to warn her to get back before he hits her. At the last second, she ducks. His swing is wide, and he stumbles. Charlotte is on her feet again. She slashes across the man’s throat. He falls back dropping his gun. The gun fires as it hits the ground. Charlotte drops like a rock. “NO!” tears from my lips as I break into a dead run.
Charlotte
Please God, let my babies survive this. I can’t lose them, not now. Hawk was so happy. It would destroy him. He is all about family. It was easy to see in the time I spent with him and his family. God the pain is all consuming. The metallic taste of blood floods my mouth as I cough. I never knew getting shot hurt so damn bad. Help is coming. I saw them before I was shot. Hawk is among them. I can feel he is close. I have to hang on just a little longer.
Warm arms wrap around me. Looking up I see Hawk’s beautiful green eyes boring into me with concern. I reach up to touch his gorgeously handsome face. Everything will be right with the world, now. Hawk is here. He found me. I knew he would. How he is here I have no idea. He was being sent on a mission. He should be far away from here by this time. God does answer prayers. I prayed he would find us and here he is holding me in his arms. He is carrying me somewhere.
“Charlotte, love. Hold on for me. Help is coming.” Hawk looks frantic. Fear floods me, now. I have never seen him afraid. The look on his face right now is terrifying. “Please don’t leave me, love. I need you. I love you so fucking much. I need you to be here with me.” I hear his voice crack. He is running, yelling for medics. I feel so light. The light is dimming. Is it night already? Why can’t I see him anymore?
Chapter 29
Hawk
Oh God! This is bad. She is so pale. There is too much blood. I am running on instinct. I have to get her to the medics. We have to stop the bleeding. An ambulance on the road waiting for us. Screaming for help, I have no idea what I am saying. They just need to help her. The twins won’t survive this. There is way too much blood. I will grieve them, but I cannot lose her. A medic rips her from my arms and lays her on a stretcher. She isn’t looking at me. Her eyes are vacant, and half closed. She can’t die. I won’t let her. I vow as they are working on her.
Ace and Mercury are pulling me back. They are telling me I have to give the medics room to work, but I need to touch her. I must keep in contact with her. Somehow, I know it will keep her here with me. She needs the contact to help her hold on to me. The sounds of a chopper approaching gives me some hope. It is coming to land on the road behind us. The medics move to take her to the chopper and I follow never letting my hold falter.
It only takes minutes to reach the trauma center. The doctor is waiting on the helipad. He tells us that the OR is ready. We head straight there. They intend to make me stop at the door, but I refuse. I will not let her go under any circumstances. Captain Olson has made arrangements to give us special access. Ace convinces them to don
me in surgical scrubs and let me sit at her head. It is totally not protocol, but I need to be here. Whatever happens today I need to be here with her. She needs my strength.
The surgery seems to take forever. They work franticly to stop the bleeding. She was hit in the right lower chest. It got her bad lung and nicked the liver. They are giving her transfusions during the surgery. After what seems an eternity, they are closing her up. The doctor says they have done all they can do.
Later we are moved to ICU. So far, the twins are doing fine. Strong heartbeats. Their mother is holding her own as well. There are so many damn tubes. IV’s, chest tube, ventilator, and more I don’t have names for at the moment. She is the strongest woman I know. She has been kidnapped, in a rollover MVA, and shot, yet she is still hanging on to life and to our babies. Captain Olson is working on getting our family here. I have talked to my parents and son and I reassured her children that she would be fine.
Hours later, the gang arrives. I am still parked at her bedside. Sara and Justin enter the room. The worry and fear in their eyes is easy to see. It is a mirror of my own emotions. This woman is what holds our family together. Without her it will all fall apart. Brian comes in, too. He looks unsure of himself as he nears the bed. So, I reach for his hand. He comes to my side.
“How is she, Dad?” Brian is whispering so quiet I can hardly hear him.
“She is hanging on, son. She just needs time to heal. She will be with us soon.” I tell him with conviction. Sara rounds the bed and comes up to us. I can tell she is nervous, and I want to reassure her that Charlotte will be fine soon. I have to believe it. There is no other option for me.
“Umm…Brian? I am Sara and this is Justin.” Sara says as she gestures behind her to her brother. “We are Charlotte’s children. It’s good to meet you. I just wish it wasn’t here like this. I know you don’t know us, but Mom wanted us to be a family. I hope you can come to think of us as your family. No matter what happens with Mom.” Sara finishes as her voices hitches as she tries to hold back the tears that are brimming in her eyes.
“Hello, Sara, Justin.” Brian says as he shakes their hands. “I would like that, but Charlotte is going to be fine. So, don’t talk about what she wants in the past tense.” Sara nods in agreement even though her eyes tell a different story.
I am so proud of the young man Brian is becoming. His faith is exceeding my own. I have been on edge since the moment I saw her hit the ground. My heart stopped beating. I have been in limbo, waiting for the smallest sign that the woman I love is coming back to me. Thought beyond this moment is impossible. Each second, she’s unconscious is an eternity of torture. We set up vigil and wait. The hours pass by slowly. The longer she is out the harder it is for me to hold onto hope.
Chapter 30
Hawk
Damn I sure hurt. What happened? Where am I? The memories come flooding back with a vengeance. I was kidnapped and we wrecked. Then I killed that man and as his dying act he shot me. Oh No! the babies! Are they ok? Did I lose them? Where is Hawk? He is close. I can feel it in my heart he is with me, so I open my eyes to look around. The room is quiet and dark. A slight glow from the heart monitor over my bed glows softly. A warm hand takes mine. Looking to my left, all my anxiety leaves me. Hawk is there, looking into my eyes. I try to smile at him, and he returns the gesture.
“Hi.” I try to whisper, but the tube down my throat makes it impossible. Coughs rack my body and an alarm begins to sound near the bed. A ventilator. I force myself to stop fighting the machine.
“Hi, love” Hawk’s face softens and relaxes. My last memory of him was a look of sheer terror on his face. Fear for me, our babies. Fear that we would never get our happily ever after. Worry for our babies again consumes me. Laying my hand on my stomach, I raise my eyes to his in question.
“They are doing fine, love. They are strong just like their mother.” Hawk comes sit on the bed next to me and places his hand over mine on my stomach. Relief floods me. They are alive. Medical personnel come in and out of the room checking equipment and reset the alarms. When I am fully awake, the doctors come in and remove the tube from my throat. Being able to breath on my own, I whisper hoarsely.
“You are the most amazing woman I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I love you, so much. Please don’t scare me like that again. I can’t live my life without you.” Hawk tells me when the doctor and nurses have left us alone.
“I am so sorry that I scared you. I can’t believe that it happened to me again. I love you so much. I was so afraid I would never see you again. Afraid I would lose our babies. I am sorry that I let myself be kidnapped again…” I rattle on as I try hard to convey everything running through my mind. Hawk places his index finger over my lips.
“Love you have nothing to be sorry for. You made it through, and you kept our babies safe. I am so damn proud of you, of your strength. I can’t wait to marry you. I need to make you mine.”
“I’m yours, Hawk. From the moment you took my hand in that café, I have been yours. There will never be anyone, but you for me.” Hawk takes my hand and kisses it gently.
Suddenly the room is astir. Our family and friends flood the room. Everyone is talking at the same time. I am so happy to have everyone around me, supporting us. We are so blessed.
Hopefully this nightmare is over. I need to tell them about JoAnn’s part in my abduction. Once all the chatter has settled down, I inquire about what happened while I was out. Captain Olson informs us they were able to link JoAnn to the drug runners. She has been arrested. A SEAL team along with a group of Marine Special Ops have apprehended Hugo Lopez and his Asshole brother. Their drug dealing, gun running, and forced prostitution days are over.
After several days in the hospital, I am released to go home. I just have to decide where home is located. I want to be wherever Hawk is. For now, we are headed back to California and the Naval base. It’s time for my follow up with Dr Martin. It is almost laughable since I was in ICU with a team of doctors and nurses checking me and the twins constantly. But I need this, to get back some semblance of normalcy.
A few days later, after getting a good report from Dr Martin, we head back to our house on base. My kids and Hawk’s family will be here this weekend to visit. I am so looking forward to us all being together. We will be a family again. I can’t wait. We are inviting Hawk’s friends and co-workers over as well. It will be one epic party. Hawk says everyone wants to celebrate my release from the hospital and the end of my nightmare at the hands of my former friend JoAnn and 2 psychopathic drug runners.
Saturday arrives and the house is abuzz with activity. Hawk’s brothers are in the backyard with Deadeye and Ace manning the grill. Hawk’s Mom, Diane has been hovering over me since she arrived. Currently she is fussing over my hair. For some reason she has decided I needed a special hairdo for the picnic. Sara is helping and they seem to be having a bonding moment. I let them pamper me. It’s the least I can do right? They seem so happy, no need to spoil the moment.
I am wearing the most beautiful new dress. Hawk picked it out himself. It is a lovely cream color. It is form fitting at the top and flares out from just under my breasts and falls to my knees, hiding the bump forming in my lower abdomen. A lavender sash hits just under my breasts and there is lavender lace around the hem. A pair of white flats rounds out the ensemble. Diane has pulled the sides of my hair back in little braids and has secured them behind my head. Sara has put small white and lavender flowers in my braids. There is a light layer of makeup on my face. My lips and cheeks a light shade of mauve. I am feeling better than I had for a while, but I am still nervous about getting sick when I smell the food.
I am feeling antsy. Hawk hasn’t been around all day. He left before I woke, and he’s been MIA all day. He has text me and assured me he is fine just catching up on work and setting up for the picnic. Once I am dressed, Hawk’s sister Danica knocks on our bedroom door. She informs us that everyone is waiting for us to come out. I frown, not understandin
g why people would be waiting on us. Diane and Sara plant a quick kiss on my cheek, and they hurry from the room.
I walk down the short hallway and realize not a soul is in the house. Everyone is already outside. Before I can step out the door, Hawk is there. He inhales sharply as his eyes rove over my body. I feel as if he has stripped me naked in front of everyone. He stalks to me with his sexy body of muscles that flex and ripple as he moves toward me. He has the most intense gaze as he looks at me with his beautiful green eyes that I get lost in. He takes my hand and places a soft kiss on my palm.
He is the most gorgeous man I have ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on. He has the body of Adonis and despite the layers of clothes he has on today, he can’t hide it. He is wearing a brown sport coat over a lavender dress shirt that is the same shade of my dress. His brown dress pants hug his muscled thighs and firm butt cheeks. His hair and beard look freshly trimmed. An image of him between my thighs with my juices sparkling in his beard flashes in my mind.
“Charlotte love, you are so lovely in that dress. You have stolen my breath along with my heart. I asked all our friends and family to be here today, because I want to marry you today.” Hawk declares as he leads me out into the back yard where they have set up chairs, a small stage, and an arch for us to be married under. Everything is decorated in lavender and white. “I hope you are ok with this small ceremony in front of our closest friends and family. I didn’t want to waste another day. I want you to be my wife and have my name.”
Overcome with emotion, tears flood my eyes. I can’t believe that he has pulled this whole thing off without me finding out. The crowd that has gathered is absolutely perfect. Our families is here and our friends. Even Lisa my oldest friend is here. I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect setting. Train’s Marry Me begins to play in the background. I turn to look at the man that has stolen my heart, too. With tears in my eyes, I ask.