“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. You’re the one we’ve been worried about. Look what they did to you. I was worried you were never going to wake up.”
It was too much, too fast. The words echoed around in her head but weren’t making any sense. Meghan closed her eyes to try to focus on his words, but everything was all jumbled.
A cool hand patted hers. “You have a concussion. Don’t worry if things don’t seem right. They will as you heal. And you need to take it slowly.”
Meghan’s eyes opened at the new voice.
“Give her a chance okay. She probably has a colossal headache.”
“Yes, doctor. I was just so happy to see her wake up.”
“Doctor…”
“Yes, Ms. Henley?”
“I know they beat me up pretty badly, but how bad is it? Will I be stuck here for long?”
“Besides the concussion and a fractured cheekbone, you have two broken ribs and more bruises than we could count. The swelling of your face and around your eye should go down in a day or two. It’s going to be painful and hard to see until then. The good news is you will make a full recovery. Just remember it’s going to take some time.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. The more rest you get the faster you’ll heal. You were unconscious for about three hours once you arrived and we’re not sure how long before then. Your concussion is pretty severe.”
“I understand.”
“If you need anything, just push the call button. The nurse will be in to check on you shortly.”
“How are you feeling?” Charlie asked as he pulled a chair to the side of her hospital bed.
“Like a human punching bag. I don’t think there is a part of me that doesn’t hurt but considering the alternative. I’m good.”
“I’m just so glad you’re alive. You were foolish to come after me.”
“I needed to know you were alive. The state department wasn’t telling us anything. There was no news anywhere. If it weren’t for Rafe, I wouldn’t have known for sure that you were taken.”
“He’s the big, serious looking guy?”
“Yup, that would be me.”
Meghan’s heart skipped a beat as she looked beyond Charlie and met Rafe’s eyes. He looked tired, but she probably looked like a one-eyed purple punching bag.
“Rafe. Oh my God, I never thought I’d see you again.” Before she finished the words, he’d made it to her side and laid a gentle kiss on her forehead. It hurt but she didn’t care as long as he was there with her.
“Just how well do you know him, Meggy?” Charlie asked sounding like a concerned brother.
“Ahh…”
“Yes, we do. It’s a story I’ll let your sister tell you when she’s ready.”
“Okay.”
“Do you think you could give us a few minutes alone, Charlie?” Meghan asked. She loved her brother but sometimes he could be pretty dense.
“Huh? Oh… sure. I’ll go check on the others. Thanks again for rescuing us, Rafe.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad we got everyone out alive.”
Rafe waited until the door closed behind her Charlie, then he sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand. “How’s my little Spitfire? You gave me quite a scare. I thought I’d lost you.”
“I thought you lost me too.”
“I couldn’t believe it when Tex contacted us to tell us you’d been taken. I wanted to kick his ass.”
“He didn’t have a choice. I was coming with or without his help. Don’t be mad at him. I’d probably be dead right now if not for him.”
“Maybe. But you should have been safe in either Atlanta or DC.”
“But then I wouldn’t be looking into your beautiful eyes right now.”
“Don’t try to sweet talk me, woman.”
“It won’t work?” She tried to push out her lip in a seductive pout but from the look on his face she didn’t pull it off.
“No, it won’t. I’d take you over my knee and spank you if you weren’t injured. Promise me you won’t take chances like that again.”
Could she make that promise? This was the job she’d worked for all of her adult life. No, she hadn’t expected her family to be involved, but traveling to dangerous places to cover stories, yes. That had been the plan. But maybe it was time to make a new plan, a plan that involved one hell of a sexy SEAL. “I promise. Rafe. I was so worried I’d never see you again.”
“Not going to happen, sweetheart. I told you. You’re mine.” He leaned down and gently kissed her lips. She tried to lift her arms, but the pain made her gasp. “I’m sorry,” he said as he pulled back.
“It wasn’t you. I want to hold you. Rafe, I love you. I don’t know why I couldn’t say it before. It didn’t seem real. It was too fast, but when I thought I was going to die, all I could think about was you.” She didn’t realize she was crying until a tear dripped onto her lips.
“Shhh, it’s okay. You’re safe now.” He grabbed a tissue from the bed tray and wiped away her tears. For such a huge man he was so gentle with her. It was like a fairytale come true.
Sniffing back the rest of her tears, she tried to smile.
“You’re adorable even if you are doing a great grape impersonation.”
“A grape?”
“Yup. Your face is all purple and swollen.”
“I’m surprised you recognized me.”
“Are you kidding? I’d know you anywhere, Spitfire. I can’t believe you survived all they did to you. I saw the video.”
The video. She’d forgotten about that. “Oh fuck. Did they put it on the internet?”
“Afraid so. Don’t worry about it. It was obvious you made it under duress.”
“I hope my family doesn’t see it.”
“I called Tex when we got back to base, and I asked him to make it disappear. If anyone can make that happen it would be him. I also read him the riot act for sending my woman into a war zone. Mel got on the phone and almost ripped me a new one for thinking I could tell you what to do or give her husband a hard time. So, I guess we’re even.”
“I spoke to her, she seemed really nice. Maybe one day we can meet them?”
“Definitely. But one step at a time. You need to heal before you worry about anything else.”
“I know. Do you think they’ll make me stay here long?”
“Only until they’re sure you’re stable. It wouldn’t surprise me if you were headed to Germany by tomorrow.”
“Why Germany?”
“Ramstein Air Force Base. They’ll be able to give you better medical attention. Then you’ll be debriefed before they send you home.”
“Debriefed?”
“Don’t worry. It’s not as bad as it sounds. They’ll just want to know everything that happened. That you can remember. Don’t hold anything back, because they’ll find it out anyway. And don’t worry about Tex, you won’t get him in trouble.”
“Oh good. I was worried about that. Will you be going with us?” His hand resting on her arm tensed, and she had her answer before the words left his mouth. She should have known he wouldn’t be able to. He had to go where they sent him.
“I’m afraid not. We’re actually leaving today. Jake, our team leader, and the captain put it off as long as possible so I could see you. I was so worried you wouldn’t wake up before I had to go.”
“I’ll have to thank them if I ever meet them.”
“You’ll definitely meet the whole team.”
“Can you hold me before you go?”
“Are you sure? Moving you around is going to hurt.”
“Yes. I but I don’t care. Who knows when we’ll see each other…” The tears gathered in her eyes. What was wrong with her? She’d never been this weepy in her life.
“Sweetheart, it’s okay. No tears. You’ll see me again soon. I promise.” He moved closer and slid his arms under her legs and shoulders and rotated her until she was lying across his lap, careful not to
pull on her IV, and wrapped her in his arms. “Better now?”
“Yes.” It hurt like hell, but she wasn’t going to tell him. His warmth made everything a thousand times better, and even in as much pain as she was, the desire to have all of him pulsed inside her.
Her head rested in the crook of his neck and with his arms wrapped around her, she felt safe for the first time since she’d left home. Safe, and warm, and thoroughly loved. They might not have actually made love yet, but she could feel it, the truth of his love for her. They stayed that way until the nurse came in.
“You shouldn’t be moving around yet, Ms. Henley.”
“I know, but he’s like a big heating pad and it feels good.” The nurse looked between Meghan and Rafe and laughed.
“Oh yeah, I bet it does. But still, doctor’s orders.”
“Yes, Ma’am. I have to get going anyway.”
“I’ll give you a few more minutes then.”
“Thank you.”
“Spitfire, I have to go. I hate to leave you like this…”
“It’s okay. It’s what you do. I have Charlie here. Maybe they’ll let him stay with me until I’m well enough to travel.”
“I’m sure they will, but I’ll check on it before I leave.”
“See, always taking care of me.”
“Always, sweetheart. We’ll figure everything out when you get home. Okay?”
“Yup.” She was determined not to cry again, but it was hard. Her emotions were raw, and the pain made everything worse. “I love you. Please be careful.”
“I will. I’ll talk to you soon. I love you, don’t forget it.” He laid his cheek against her then kissed her one more time before he left. Her heart ached even more than the pain in her ribs but knowing she was safe and would see him again made his leaving easier to handle.
Almost as soon as he’d left, the nurse returned. “How are you feeling?”
“Not as good as I was five minutes ago.”
“I bet. That’s quite a man you have there. But we’ll take good care of you until you leave.”
“I know you will.”
The nurse made small talk as she took Meghan’s vitals and then hooked up another IV bag. She appreciated that the woman was trying to take her mind off Rafe, but it wasn’t working. It was as if seeing him, touching him, ignited a need that couldn’t be eased without him.
“I’ll be back in a bit to check on you again. Buzz if you need anything.”
“I will. Thank you.”
It was like a revolving door, Rafe left, the nurse came in, the nurse left, and Charlie came in. She should have been happier to see her brother considering everything, but she was tired and aching.
He sat in the chair next to the bed and looked at her for a moment without saying anything. She recognized that stare, it was just like Dad’s when she was little, and he caught her doing something.
“I called Lizzie. Let her know we were both okay.”
“I bet she was relieved.”
“You have no idea. Apparently, you’re pretty famous.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The video the Taliban made of you.”
“Dammit. I was hoping she’d never see it.”
“It was horrible how they beat you. You should have just given in.”
“You too? No, I wasn’t going to give in. They would have beaten me anyway.”
“Okay. Calm down. I’m not supposed to upset you. I’m sorry.”
“I love you, Charlie. We were worried sick we’d never see you again. I figured if I could get an interview with the leader who’d kidnapped you, I could find out you were alive at least.”
“But you were almost killed. Then Lizzie would have lost her brother and sister.”
“I didn’t think that part through.”
“It’s okay. It’s over, God made sure we are all going home.”
“Did you find out what happened to Miranda?”
“Yeah, your SEALs rescued her too. She got beat up pretty bad as well, but she’s going to be okay. See, we were really blessed.
“Or lucky.”
Charlie laughed. It was a constant debate between them, and it felt good to have something normal even if it only lasted for a few moments.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Rafe left this for you. I think he wrote it when he thought he’d have to leave before you woke up.”
The envelope was addressed to her, his handwriting was bold as she’d expected. There was nothing meek about that man. She contemplated waiting until she was alone to read it but couldn’t resist. Tearing open the envelope, she pulled out a single sheet of paper.
Spitfire,
I am so glad you’re okay. You are one of the bravest women I know but you could have been killed. I could have lost you forever.
Please follow the doctor’s orders and get well. I’ll see you when you get back home. Promise me you won’t take any more chances.
I love you and when you’re better I’ll show you just how much. I will talk to you soon, sweetheart.
Yours,
Rafe
She re-read it twice more before she tucked it back into the envelope.
“Everything okay?” Charlie asked.
“Yes, it’s perfect.”
Chapter 19
It had been two months since Rafe had seen her. As usual with the life of a special operator, they’d been sent on a mission, and as usual, the timing sucked. They’d left the day after she’d gotten back to Atlanta with Charlie.
He’d planned on giving her a few days at home with her family, then show up and bring her to his apartment to finish her recovery. He’d even redecorated his apartment to make it feel less like a bachelor pad. But as most of his long term plans, they got blown out of the water, such was the life of a frogman.
Before he’d left, he’d given Tex a call. After thinking about everything Meghan had said about her going with or without his help it would be wrong to be pissed at Tex. Instead, he owed him a huge debt that he’d kept her as safe as possible.
“Hey, Tex.”
“Rafe, how’s it going? Are you ready to kick my ass now?”
“I was tempted. But Meghan saved you.”
“She did?”
“Yeah. The little Spitfire made it clear she would have gone even if you hadn’t helped her. And because of you, she’s alive now. So how could I be upset? You saved her as much as we did.”
“I don’t know about that. But I’m glad you understood. I was afraid if I said no, she’d take off and really get into trouble. Not that she didn’t anyway.”
“Exactly. And the tracking on her phone? Pure genius.”
“Yeah, well I’ve done that for a few others when their wives were in trouble.”
“I was wondering. Could you do it again? Put a tracker on her phone? She needs a new one and I was hoping you could add it. Not that I am trying to be a stalker, I just want to make sure there’s no backlash.”
“Normally I’d say no. But you’re right. Azfaar is still in the wind and even more dangerous after you took out his brother. So, I’ll do it.”
“Can you program my number in too? I want to make sure she has it even if I can’t answer when we’re on missions.”
“No problem.”
“Also, when she’s feeling better, we’re going to come and visit if that’s okay. She really wants to thank you and meet Mel.”
“That sounds great. You’re welcome anytime. I know Mel would love to meet her too.”
“Great. Thanks again. Give Mel my love.”
Once she’d received the phone, they’d spoken a lot and thankfully Lizzie helped him convince her to stay in Atlanta until he returned. Since he hadn’t known how long he’d be gone it wasn’t an easy sell. But having his Spitfire back made it worth all the debates and pleading.
The Black Eagle team was sent to Syria to locate the chemist responsible for the manufacture of a new chemical compound the Russians were trying to weaponize. They’d ha
d intel that he would be in Aleppo but when they’d arrived his lab was destroyed and there was no sign of him.
They’d spent the following week tracking down every lead they could get before they were told to come home. Rafe knew it wouldn’t be the last they heard of Dr. Yasser Abaza. But now he had a week of leave and a woman to fetch.
After he got back to the apartment, he showered, changed and sent Meghan a text message.
How’s my Spitfire? Feeling better? I sure hope so, because I’m back and I can’t wait to see you.
While he waited for her response, he went through the refrigerator and tossed the spoiled milk and leftovers. He’d have to get some food when they got back. He realized he didn’t even know how she took her coffee, or if she even drank coffee. Fuck a duck, he was head over heels for a woman and he didn’t know anything personal about her.
Welcome home, big guy. I have a surprise for you. A surprise? He’d made her promise to stay in Atlanta, she shouldn’t have been able to get into any trouble with Lizzie watching over her.
Should I be worried?
No. It’s a good surprise. I’m already in Norfolk. You don’t have to go to Atlanta to get me. Isn’t that great?
What happened to staying in Atlanta until I got back?
Really? You’re going to give me grief now? I saved you an eight hour drive each way.
He wanted to be mad, he really did. But he missed her like crazy and couldn’t wait to hold her in his arms. So, no he wasn’t going to give her grief. As he was typing his reply, his phone rang and without looking he knew it was Meghan.
“No, I’m not going to give you grief.”
“Good thing. I wanted more time with you. Chrissy came to visit, and I drove back with her. No big deal. Now are you going to come and get me, or should we drive over?”
“Give me her address and I’ll be right there.”
The drive to Chrissy’s condo should have taken about ten minutes, but every freaking light turned red as he approached it. It was like his timing was off. Nerves, something he didn’t usually experience. He had no doubt about his feelings for her, but he couldn’t help the niggling little worry that maybe she didn’t feel the same way.
SEAL's Spitfire (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) (Black Eagle Book 1) Page 15