by Robin Huber
“And I can assist,” Mia adds.
Adam smiles at her and then gestures for me to lie down on the bed.
“Good luck, Makayla. I’ll give you some privacy,” Jason says, backing out of the room.
“I expect you to make good on your promise.”
“Okay.” He smiles and closes the door.
I lie down on the bed, pull my shirt up a little, and concentrate hard as Adam prepares to remove the stitches from my stomach. In anticipation of him touching me, I try to control my breathing and keep my eyes on Kellan.
When Adam removes the gauze, Mia asks me gently, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay.”
She gives me a small smile and says to Adam, “You did a great job on the sutures. It healed beautifully. There’s hardly any redness at all.” She speaks quietly to him, the way doctors and nurses often talk during procedures. “You’ll have to teach me how to suture under pressure like that.”
“I’d be happy to,” he says to her.
I close my eyes and try to breathe evenly as Adam begins to snip and tug at the stitches, telling Mia about his time as an emergency combat medic while he works. I open my eyes and listen intently, until I see Kellan turn away and look out of the window. His arms are folded tight over his chest and his eyes are narrowed.
“Has Dr. H spoken to Derek yet?” I ask, interrupting their conversation.
“As a matter of fact, they just spoke this morning,” Adam says.
Kellan turns around and his features soften.
“What did he say?” I ask him.
“He said that Jessica’s parents have launched a missing persons investigation. The authorities have been all over Syntec because she was Marc’s assistant, but Marc doesn’t suspect Derek of anything.”
“Don’t move,” Mia says when I tense.
I close my eyes and sigh. “They deserve to know what happened to her.”
“And they will,” Kellan says. “Derek assured you of that. But he’s not going to find the proof he needs to incriminate Marc if he spends the next three months caught up in a missing persons case.”
“All done,” Adam says, wiping my stomach, revealing a pink line.
I sit up on the edge of the bed and look down at it. “It looks so much better without the little black stitches holding it together.” I touch the spot tentatively, surprised that it doesn’t hurt anymore. It’s a little numb, but that’s all. “So, it’s all healed? I can swim now and everything?” I’m so desperate to get out of this house.
“As long as you don’t go cliff diving or anything, you should be fine,” Adam says, laughing.
“Don’t worry.”
Kellan squats down in front of me and I show him the thin pink line that stretches across my stomach. He looks up at me as he brings his hand to it, making sure I know he’s going to touch me, and then he runs his thumb across it gently and asks, “Does it hurt at all?”
“No.” My skin flames under his fingers as he traces my new scar, and I work hard to keep the darkness from surfacing. “Not anymore.” I glance up and see Adam grinning at Mia.
Kellan stands up and they share a look that makes me blush, but I’m not entirely sure why. Kellan puts his hand on Adam’s shoulder and gives it a squeeze. “You did good.”
Mia smiles and tugs Adam’s shirt sleeve. “Come on, you can go with me to the clinic and teach me that technique of yours.”
“Gladly,” he says, giving her a wink.
“Thank you both,” I say to them, before they leave, and Kellan closes the door behind them. I look up at him and ask, “Does Adam flirt with everyone or is it only Mia?”
“You’ve noticed, huh?”
“It’s kind of hard to miss.”
“That’s just Adam. It’s harmless. He knows she’s with Jason.”
“Well, that’s good to know.”
“You like Jason?”
“Yeah, I think he’s great. Don’t you?”
“Yeah. He’s a nice kid.” The way he says ‘kid’ tells me exactly what he thinks.
“You should give him a little more credit. He may not have the brawn, but he wouldn’t be here with Dr. H if he didn’t work his ass off.”
He presses his lips together over an amused smile and nods. “You’re absolutely right.”
“Thank you,” I say, spinning around to open my dresser drawer. I rummage through the few articles of clothing I’ve acquired from Mia and find a black bikini. I hold it up and ask, “You ready?”
“Ready for what?”
“I have to get out of this house. I’ve been cooped up too long.”
“Are you sure you’re not pushing it?”
“Kellan, I’m better. But if I don’t get out of this house, I’m going to go crazy. And then you’ll have a whole new set of problems on your hands.” I laugh. “I need a change of scenery. I want to see the island.”
“Okay.” I see a glint of excitement in his eyes that reminds me he’s been cooped up too. “Let me go get changed.”
When he leaves, I strip down and put the bikini on, tying the top around my neck and behind my back. I pull on a pair of loose-fitting shorts and a tank top, and step into a pair of flip-flops that are a half size too big. But I’m grateful to have them. I walk into the bathroom to inspect my new scar in the mirror. I lift my shirt and wrinkle my nose at the little pink line that now mars my torso.
How will I ever be able to forget what happened when it’s branded across my stomach?
Kellan knocks on my bedroom door. “You ready?”
I lower my shirt and go open it. “Yep.”
He’s thrown on a very worn-in Texas A&M baseball cap and a black backpack is over one shoulder. I follow him around the house as he collects various items to put in it—water, sunscreen, and a couple of towels. Then we make our way outside to a Jeep that’s parked on the sandy, gravel road in front of the house and I climb up into the passenger seat with no assistance at all. A small feat, but one that gives me a renewed sense of normalcy. I’ve also finally acclimated to the heat and humidity, although it’s warmer in the bright sun. I feel small droplets of sweat bead on the back of my neck, but as soon as we begin driving, the wind cools me down.
“Where are we headed?”
“You’ll see.” He grins, but keeps his eyes on the winding road ahead of us. It curves along the base of a mountain that’s covered with lush green plants and leafy trees. It juts high and sinks low, then shoots high again and wraps around a curved beach. Elephant ears, banana trees, and blossoming hibiscus plants grow thick along the edge of the road, and I can see the blue-green ocean through patches of leafy, tropical-looking trees.
Kellan drives around the bend and picks up speed, and the wind swirling through the Jeep whips around me, tossing my hair all over my face. I pull it up into a ponytail, but it still whips in the wind. I wrap my hand around it and hold it over my shoulder, and Kellan watches me with an amused look on his face.
“You want to wear my hat?” he asks, pulling it off his head.
“Yes. Thank you.” I put it on and pull my ponytail through the hole in the back, which successfully keeps my hair from whipping my face. I tug the bill down for good measure and watch his dark hair being tousled by the wind.
The road begins to angle up the side of the mountain and as we climb higher, the beach disappears and the waves crash against large rocks at the bottom of a cliff. I lean forward and peer through Kellan’s open window to see no more road on his side, but rather, the tops of trees that grow along the side of the cliff below us.
“There’s more road than you think,” he assures me. “It’s just hard to see from where you’re sitting. Trust me.”
“I do,” I say, trying to focus on the view in front of us instead. The road snakes along the side of the lush green mountain and the horizon is endless against the deep blue ocean below. I close my eyes and rest my hands above my head on the headrest, and try to soak in every ray of sunshine that touches my fa
ce.
After a long minute, I open my eyes and catch Kellan’s gaze. “The sun feels amazing,” I say to him, smiling with gratitude for this unexpected sanctuary. It’s hard to feel anxious about anything with so much beauty surrounding me. It’s like being in another world, far from the reality I know exists but feels out of reach. The only thing that’s filling my thoughts is the way Kellan is looking at me.
“The sun will sneak up on you. You should put on sunscreen.”
I shake my head and smile. “Not yet. I want to soak it in for just a little bit.” I close my eyes and let the warm sun heal the fractured pieces of my soul. At least for now.
Kellan stops the Jeep abruptly, forcing my eyes open.
“What is it?” I scan our surroundings, but only see leafy trees that now shadow the Jeep.
He points to the branch hanging over us. “Mangoes.” He gets out and climbs onto the hood of the Jeep, and it makes a loud thud under his weight. He plucks two mangoes from the tree above us and hands them to me. He gets back in and pulls a knife out of his backpack, and cuts into one of the ripe mangoes.
I take a slice from him and bite into the smooth orange-colored flesh. It’s sweet and juicy. “It’s delicious.”
He pops a chunk into his mouth and continues down the tree-covered path.
I wipe the remnants of the sweet fruit from my mouth, but it leaves my hands sticky. “I’m all sticky,” I say, laughing.
“I might have a solution for that.”
My heart spikes foolishly, but then I hear the rushing water he’s referring to. He slows to a stop and turns off the engine.
“What is it, a stream or something?” I ask, getting out.
“You’ll see.”
“Is this your secret spot?” I ask curiously.
He laughs and shakes his head. “No. But I think you’ll like it. Come on.” He walks to the edge of the road and then disappears through the trees, leaving me standing alone by the Jeep.
“Kellan?” I follow the sound of the water, weaving through trees and stepping over thick roots. When I come to a clearing, I see Kellan standing barefoot and shirtless at the base of a thirty-foot waterfall that’s pouring into a pool of blue water surrounded by high rocky walls that are covered in thick green ferns and hanging vines. Small black pebbles blanket the ground and a few larger stones line the water’s edge.
Kellan holds his hand out for me. “Careful, it’s slippery.”
“Wow,” I breathe, unsure which is more breathtaking, the waterfall or him. The muscles in his chest and shoulders are broad and thick, and his stomach is carved from his ribcage down to the V between his hips. His skin is tan and he has the slightest dusting of hair that trails down the middle of his chest and stomach to his low hanging board shorts.
I step out of my flip-flops and walk over to him, discarding my clothes on the ground as I go. I feel inherently self-conscious under his watchful eyes, but as soon as I take his hand, my insecurities vanish. He guides me over the wet rocks into the pool and my legs and feet pale beneath the gentle ripples in contrast to the dark pebble floor. “Kellan, this is incredible.”
“I thought you’d like it.” He pulls me further into the pool and then we swim out into the middle of the water.
It’s cooler than I expected, but feels good against my heated skin and rinses away the stickiness of the mangoes. I dip my head under and come back up feeling refreshed. I close my eyes and float on my back, feeling the spray of the waterfall on my face, as well as the warm rays of sunshine that peek over the high walls. After a few seconds, I drop my feet and find Kellan treading water beside me.
“I think I died in that cave and this is really heaven.” I laugh softly over the grim thought. “It’s like a dream.”
The corners of his eyes crinkle and he shakes his head. “I assure you, Makayla, you didn’t die.”
“Then maybe it is a dream.” I shake my head and huff. “Maybe it all was. Maybe I wasn’t kidnapped, drugged, and handed over to a drug lord.”
“Captain,” he says, reminding me that it was real. “Santiago Quintero was a captain under Manuel Salgado. Salgado is the drug lord over the cartel. If you had been with him, we wouldn’t have found you,” he says quietly, and the thought fills me with an uneasiness that shadows my renewed spirit, even with the bright sun shining down on me.
“Why?” I ask, unable to push the troubling thought aside.
“Drug lords tend to do their business from behind the gated walls of their compounds. Bunkers in the desert are beneath them.”
I dip below the surface and come back up. “It can’t be good to kill a drug lord’s captain,” I say, struggling to keep treading the deep water. I’m definitely out of shape from lying around so much while healing.
Kellan reaches around my waist and holds me up, and I wrap my hands around his shoulder for support. “Salgado’s not likely happy about it,” he says, moving through the pool until the water is at his shoulders and he can stand.
I let go of him and put my feet down, but my head sinks beneath the surface again. He pulls me back up and I hold onto him. “How tall are you?” I ask, trying to keep my voice even, because my senses are preoccupied with the way his slippery skin is brushing against mine beneath the water.
“Six-three.”
“I can’t stand here,” I say, impressed that he can.
“Well, you can’t be more than five-five.”
“Five-six, thank you.” I look down and see his feet planted against the dark pebbles at the bottom of the pool and I tighten my grip on his shoulders. When I look up at him, I’m greeted by matching pools of blue, and dark, wet lashes that are blinking at me, making me intensely aware of the way my stomach and breasts are brushing against him beneath the water. I wait for signs of the encroaching darkness, but it doesn’t come. The only thing I feel is the safety and comfort I’ve come to know around him.
“If Salgado’s not happy about it, does that mean he’s...after you?”
He shakes his head. “If he’s after anyone, he won’t get very far. It would be like chasing a ghost. We’re very good at what we do,” he assures me.
“Why did you take that kind of risk? For someone you didn’t even know?”
“Soldiers take risks for people they don’t know all the time. It’s what we’re trained to do. Sometimes the risk is worth it, sometimes it’s not.”
I nod and consider that.
“You were worth it, Makayla.”
My heart stammers inside my chest as he gazes at me and I feel myself being swept away into a sea of blue...until a single butterfly flutters through the space between us, breaking our stare. Its large wings are the brightest iridescent blue, outlined with black edges.
So pretty.
I let go of Kellan and swim over to a large black rock at the edge of the water where the butterfly rests on its delicate legs, opening and closing its wings slowly. I lift my fingers tentatively and touch the wet rock next to it, and it gently climbs onto my hand.
“It’s a blue morpho butterfly,” Kellan says. “They’re all over the island.”
I raise my hand to examine the beautiful creature, but its wings move faster and it flutters into the air. I climb over the wet rocks and follow it behind the waterfall. “Kellan, come look,” I call when I see what must be a hundred blue butterflies clinging to the ledge above me.
He steps around the rushing water and stands behind me.
“They’re beautiful,” I say, gazing up at the blanket of electric blue.
I feel his eyes on me, but before I can turn around, a few of the butterflies flutter their wings and begin to fly out from behind the waterfall. I follow them along the rocky ledge and suddenly the whole cluster flies out and swirls around me like a kaleidoscope. I lift my hands and reach for them as they scatter into the air above me, but they disappear too quickly into the bright light of the sun.
“I’ve never seen anything so beautiful,” I say, smiling at Kellan a few feet away.
“Neither have I,” he says softly.
Chapter 8
Makayla
Jason unfurls an intricately detailed map against the kitchen wall, which I assume is a map of the island. He pins it to the wall and runs his finger over it, stopping on a green-shaded area between two mountain peaks. “See this dark area here?”
I walk over to the map to get a closer look. “Yes.”
He picks up his cup of coffee and takes a sip. “It’s the rainforest I was telling you about.”
“Are you going?” I ask hopefully.
“We’re headed there this morning to collect samples. It will take most of the day, but what do you say? Do you want to come?”
I nod eagerly. “Yes.”
“Okay. I’ll go see if Mia has an extra pair of boots you can wear. You can’t wear flip-flops.”
Kellan joins me in the kitchen as Jason leaves, wearing his black military pants and boots, and an impressive-looking leg holster that’s strapped to his thigh, displaying his gun and a rather large knife.
“Should I be concerned?” I ask, eyeing his weapons.
“You don’t think I’m letting you go traipse around a rainforest without protection, do you?”
“You’re going?”
“If you’re going, I’m going.”
I smile and say, “I’m definitely going.”
He exhales a soft laugh through his nose and nods. “I figured you’d want to.”
“I thought you said there are no dangerous animals,” I say, glancing at his weapons again.
“I said there are none that I’ve seen. It’s just a precaution.”
I nod apprehensively.
He crosses his muscular arms, pulling his black shirt tight against his chest, and asks, “Have you ever fired a gun before?”
“No. Nor do I have any intention to.”
He assesses me and says, “I’ll teach you how. Tomorrow.”
“No”—I shake my head—“you won’t.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want you to.”
“Okay. But why don’t you want me to?” he challenges.
“I don’t know,” I say stubbornly. “I’ve never even held a gun before. They just freak me out.”