Not now.
She continued her headcount. The young men were close. She saw Brian Lane staring at her and finally found Wendy; she was a small girl and she was cuddled closely to his side. She knew that Michael and Liz were dead, so that left Haley.
“What are you doing?” a woman growled in accented English.
Camilla looked up and saw Maria advancing on her.
“I’m doing a headcount of my students.”
“Headcount?”
“I’m checking to see if all of my students are here,” Camilla clarified softly as Maria walked into her personal space.
“If they’re not here, they’re dead on the bus.”
“There’s only three people dead on the bus, and I’m missing one girl,” Camilla said.
“You’re wrong. There are two dead men and two dead women on the bus.”
Camilla’s legs turned to water. “Two women?” She grabbed Maria’s arm. “Show me!”
Maria shook off her hand and shoved her face into Camilla’s. “Don’t ever touch me again, bitch, or I’ll hurt you so bad, nobody will recognize you when you go home. Do you understand me?”
Camilla stumbled backward.
“Please, can you show me the two girls? I know Liz was killed, but I thought she, Michael, and Larry were the only ones who died. I’m begging you,” Camilla said as she pressed her palms together. She knew that there were tears in her eyes, but she didn’t care. Let the woman see that she was vulnerable. Who cared? She was. Two young girls were dead!
“Make it quick, we’re leaving as soon as the sun is up.” Maria grabbed Camilla’s arm and practically dragged her forward. Camilla was in pain from the crash but she thrust it aside and concentrated on getting to the bus. Then she tripped. Maria laughed. Camilla knew that the woman was taking pleasure in her stumble. The woman had sadistic tendencies.
When they got to the turned-over bus a man was leaning against it with his gun slung against his chest as he smoked a cigarette.
“Did you bring me a present?” he leered at Camilla as he addressed Maria in Spanish.
“Until we video them, nobody is going to rough them up, you know the drill,” Maria said drily.
“I can make sure not to mark up her face.”
“Shut up, you know the rules. Now open the door. She needs to identify the dead so we can make sure we know who to ransom.”
The man hoisted himself up on the bus wheel so that he could get up to the door that was now up top. He leaned over and held out his hand. “Who first?”
“Her,” Maria said in Spanish.
“Take his hand,” Maria said to Camilla in English. “I’ll hoist you up.” Between the two of them, Camilla made it to the top of the rolled-over bus and sat next to the bus door. The man reached for Maria, but she pushed his hand away and climbed up using the tire as leverage. The sun was coming up but it was dark when Camilla looked down into the bus. Maria shone a flashlight.
“Come on,” Maria said. Camilla watched as she dropped down into the mouth of the bus. “Drop her down to me, Raymundo.”
Raymundo grabbed Camilla around her armpits and lowered her into the dark and Maria grabbed her feet. She helped Camilla the rest of the way down and arranged it so that she was standing on the side of a cargo bin.
“Follow me, but be careful.”
The eerie glow of the flashlight pinged around the tomblike interior. Camilla carefully picked her way along the luggage racks and sides of chairs, trying to avoid the broken windows.
“Shit!”
“I told you to be careful!” Maria shouted as her flashlight swung around and found Camilla hanging onto a luggage rack as she tried to wrest her sneaker from in between two seats. Maria muttered in Spanish about uncoordinated cows as she grabbed Camilla’s hand and started to guide her.
“Follow exactly in my footsteps.”
Camilla did, and soon they got to the back of the bus, she moaned.
There was Haley.
Her body was crumpled at the bottom of the bus, her neck obviously broken.
“You know her?”
She crouched down to touch the young girl’s hair. Two days ago Haley was telling her how excited she was to visit the Mayan ruin. She was one of the few students who was more into studying than partying. Haley’s form swam in front of Camilla. She panicked as she couldn’t make out the girl’s features. It took her a moment to realize she was crying.
Maria gripped her shoulder and shook. “Answer the question. Do you know her?”
Camilla covered her mouth to smother a sob and nodded.
“Who is she?”
“Haley Anderson.”
“Is she worth money?”
Camilla couldn’t compute the question.
“Answer me. How much are her parents worth? Is she worth money?”
She rounded on Maria. “What does it matter? She’s dead!”
Maria callously shoved at Haley’s body, rolling her onto her stomach. “Help me look.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Find her purse or something. Anything with contact information for her parents.”
“She’s dead,” Camilla cried again. “Leave her alone.”
Maria’s hands dug under Haley’s body and came up with a small satchel. “I found it,” she said with glee. She dug into the tiny bag and pulled out a wallet, phone, and notebook. “Let’s get out of here.”
“What are you talking about? We need to bury her and the others,” Camilla protested.
“We don’t have time. We need to move today. Don’t worry, they’ll be taken care of. The cats need to eat.”
The breath whooshed out of Camilla as she looked at Maria.
“You can’t mean that.”
Maria shrugged and started back toward the front of the bus.
Camilla grabbed her arm and swung her back. “We are not leaving them.”
Maria’s hand shot out and she backhanded Camilla hard across the face, sending her flying. She had to push against Haley’s hip to get back up.
“I told you not to touch me, you stupid bitch,” Maria bit out. “Do as I say and you might make it out of this alive.”
Camilla followed Maria out of the bus.
Nic’s sleep was fraught with dreams. Everything that Alice had said stirred up old memories. All he could think about was the girl he had once loved with his whole heart. Who was he kidding, she was the woman he still loved. He hit his pillow and rolled over, willing himself to go back to sleep.
“Shhhh, it’s going to be okay, Baby.” Nic stroked his hand down her delicate back. This was the furthest they had ever taken things.
She looked up at him, her eyes sheened with tears. “I don’t want to wait anymore,” she whispered. Her trembling hand reached up to cup his cheek. “I’m not scared, Nic. I love you more than anything or anyone on this earth.”
Nic’s heart pumped up at least three sizes.
The lush feel of her naked breasts against his chest felt sublime. Ever so slowly she undulated against him, and he felt her turgid nipples scrape against his skin. He groaned.
“Are you all right?” she whispered. He looked at her to see if she was teasing and found that she was sincerely worried about him.
He gave her the best smile that he was able to. “Move again a couple of times and let’s find out.”
Dawning comprehension lit up her face and she grinned as she shimmied against him once again. Nic had a strong sense of fairness, so he took one lush breast in his hand and thumbed her nipple, glorying in her moan of pleasure.
“Are you all right?” he asked with a devilish grin.
“Do it a few more times and I’ll let you know.” Her voice was a siren’s song.
He did, again and again. His thumb swirled around her tightening bud until he couldn’t stand it a minute longer. He swooped down and took the tip into his mouth and sucked.
She covered her mouth with the back of her wrist. There was no need. They wer
e in his bed and no one was home. “I want to hear you.”
Her chestnut hair drifted across his pillow as she shook her head. He went back and sucked harder. This time she let out a soft shriek. He smiled against her soft flesh. Camilla was everything to him.
“More, Nic. More.” She moved so that her denim-covered legs rested on either side of his hips, nestling his erection against her core. If it hadn’t been for their jeans, they’d be making love. She was driving him crazy.
He’d known Cami Ross for almost two years, but it had seemed like a lifetime. Everything about her enticed him, enthralled him, but there wasn’t a chance in hell he was going to take this any further tonight or any other night until he put a ring on her finger. He wanted their future settled.
“You know the rules, our pants stay on,” he whispered with a grimace.
“I don’t like those rules anymore. They’re stupid rules. I turned eighteen last month. We’re graduating in three weeks. Those rules don’t apply anymore.”
Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, he looked deep into her sky blue eyes. “Those rules do matter. It’s a matter of honor. My honor matters to me. Your honor matters to me.”
She bit her bottom lip. Cami did that when she was worried or thinking about something. If her fingers weren’t tangled in his hair, she’d be twirling her own.
“I would never do anything that would have you do something that would break your code of honor,” she said at last. “But what are we waiting for? Graduation?”
“You’ll see, be patient.” But even with their jeans on, he knew what he could do, Cami was so sensual and close to coming, that he could help her fly over the edge. It wouldn’t take much. He kissed away the frown lines on her brow and she relaxed. His lips feathered down along her jaw, and her lips sought his. How could he resist the taste of her plump sweet lips? He lingered for an open-mouthed kiss that communicated so much. It was clear that their hearts belonged to one another.
One hand cupped her cheek while the other slid along the outside of her leg, coaxing it to wrap around his waist. He groaned into her mouth as he felt her heat through the layers of denim. He prayed that the steel of his zipper would hold, otherwise, he would burst through his jeans. He gripped her butt, the one that drove him insane when she walked in front of him. Once again Nic took the tip of her breast in his mouth but this time he gently raked it with her teeth and she pushed up against him.
“Holy hell.”
He grinned. She rarely swore so he knew he was getting to her. Wait until she felt what was coming next.
Nic started a slow slide against her core, up and down, exactly matching the licks that he was now bestowing on her nipple. Sweat broke out on his forehead as he worked to maintain control.
“What are y-y-you doing?” she stuttered.
He didn’t answer, he just continued. Up and down.
Stroke.
Lick.
Stroke.
Until she was moaning. Nic took a moment away from her breast so he could look into her eyes. Her irises had turned a dark navy, her gaze hazy with passion.
“Don’t stop.”
“I’m not.”
Her hands shot up and gripped his hair, pulling his head back down toward her breast, mashing it close for a harder touch than before. Was there any man on earth who could have resisted? He took the rose-tipped nub into his mouth and sucked, twirling his tongue around her nipple. Her taste was exquisite.
Cami’s grip changed; now she was petting his head, running her fingers through his hair, her nails driving him insane. The more she did it, the more his lower body lost its rhythm, and he found himself pushing against her uncontrollably.
Now she had both legs clutched around him as she worked in tandem with each movement.
I’m going to lose it. I haven’t lost control since I was thirteen!
Her sighs and moans intermingled with her pleas.
“Nic…please,” she begged in a husky tone that didn’t sound like her at all. She clutched him harder, and he fell under her spell—all he could think about was giving her pleasure. Anything that would physically convey what mere words couldn’t. After all, how could he tell her that his heart had started beating when he’d met her? That she was the other half of his soul and in her eyes, he saw his future, the man he wanted to be. For her.
He pressed harder and bit gently at her nipple as his hand tugged at her other turgid tip until she cried out his name as she shattered beneath him. Peace overwhelmed him. It was as if her pleasure boomeranged back to him, in an all-encompassing circle. He moved up and cradled her in his arms. Kissing her tears away.
“I’ve got you.”
“Always?” Her voice was faint.
“Always,” he promised.
The ringing of his phone jarred him awake. He grabbed it off his nightstand.
“Hale,” he answered.
“It’s a go,” Max Hogan said without preamble. “Get here now.”
“Consider me on the road.”
5
Camilla and Lisa hadn’t even needed to talk, they just looked at one another. When the kidnappers had demanded that everyone start walking, Lisa had taken the lead and Camilla stayed at the back of the pack. It didn’t matter that they were surrounded by armed men; it gave Camilla a small sense of control, and she would take whatever she could get.
“Hurry up!” Raymundo demanded in Spanish as he shoved his rifle into her ribs.
Camilla would have loved to, but Roxanne was on her last legs and Camilla was having a tough time going any faster with the girl leaning on her.
“What did he say?” Roxanne wanted to know.
“I don’t speak Spanish,” Camilla answered.
“He said to move your ass,” El Jefe answered in English from the Jeep he was driving. He laughed. “Do you want a ride?”
“Yes,” Roxanne nodded eagerly.
“What are you willing to trade for one?”
“Ignore him,” Camilla told the girl.
“But—”
“You need to ignore him,” Camilla said again.
“Don’t be a spoilsport. If I give her a ride, maybe she’ll give me a ride. What do you think, pretty girl, is it a trade?”
Roxanne whimpered and started to walk faster. Camilla shot the man a dark look. He laughed again.
“She’ll change her tune in a couple more hours.” He gunned the engine and drove up to the front of the rag-tag line of prisoners. Camilla narrowed her eyes as she watched him. She needed the bug spray in her backpack. She slapped at another mosquito and wanted to scream or cry.
Keep it together, Ross! Crying is for babies.
Camilla bit her lip and saw tear tracks on Roxanne’s cheeks. She wanted to comfort the girl, but she was walking at a good clip at the moment, and Camilla didn’t want to interrupt her flow.
A horn honking reverberated through the jungle and everybody stopped walking. Camilla could see El Jefe standing on top of the hood of his Jeep, then he raised his rifle and let off some shots. Roxanne whimpered and Camilla winced.
“We’re going to camp here for the night,” he said in English.
Camilla couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t even sundown and the man was going to let them rest. She hoped that this time they would be allowed to get their belongings. She really wanted to clean up, maybe change her clothes.
“Come here,” El Jefe roared as he pointed at Jan Hines. Camilla couldn’t see her expression, but both Lisa Garcia and her boyfriend Paul Jeffries moved in on either side of her.
“What do you want with her?” Lisa demanded to know.
“Stay out of this if you want to stay alive,” the boss said in Spanish. “It’s time to start the ransom demands.”
When Jan clung to Paul, El Jefe tilted his chin at one of his men and he meandered over and elbowed Paul in his neck. The young man dropped to the ground. Jan and a couple of the other girls shrieked. Lisa made a lunge toward the kidnapper as he grabbed Jan’s elbo
ws and jerked them behind her back. She cried out in pain.
“Stop it! Don’t hurt her,” Lisa yelled.
“Bitch, I told you not to interfere,” El Jefe hollered in Spanish. “Don’t force me to make an example of you to all of these Americans. I’ll do it, but it’ll be a waste.”
“You don’t have to hurt her,” Lisa tried to argue reasonably.
“Don’t cross me.” The big man glared at her. His minion brought Jan to El Jefe, who hauled her up onto the hood of the Jeep. He made her kneel down in front of him.
“Which rich bitch are you?” he demanded to know. He was holding a handful of passports.
“Jan. I’m Jan,” she stuttered.
He rolled his eyes. “What is your last name?”
Jan didn’t say anything as tears started rolling down her face. Camilla wanted to rush up to the Jeep and grab her into her arms. Lisa walked to the Jeep and El Jefe gave her a fierce look.
“You’re pushing your luck,” he spit out in Spanish.
“You’re scaring her so badly, she can’t even remember her own name. You need my help.”
“Fine. Make her talk.”
“Let her down from there,” Lisa said. Camilla wanted to cheer for the woman. At the same time, she wanted to yell at her for putting herself in danger like that.
Two men rushed Lisa and threw her up on the hood. Camilla saw the makeshift bandage on her arm that was soaked through with blood and she winced, but Lisa didn’t even flinch. El Jefe grabbed her by her hair. “What did you want to say to me?” he demanded in English. He wanted to terrify everyone and he was doing a damned good job.
“You’re scaring Jan so badly that she can’t think. Let me question her and I can get you the information you need.”
El Jefe considered her. “Fine.” He continued to keep his fist in Lisa’s hair. Even with that, Lisa put one of her arms around Jan.
“Tell him your last name, Honey.” Lisa coaxed.
“Hines, my last name is Hines.”
El Jefe thumbed through the passports until he found hers. Then he put the rest in one of his cargo pants pockets. He pulled out a phone. Camilla had seen one of those before—a satellite phone. He shoved it at Jan.
Her Faithful Protector: A Navy SEAL Romance (Night Storm Book 6) Page 4