by Katie Knight
“We have to make a run for it. I’ll carry Logan, it will be faster.” A distinct crack sounded over their heads—this time, there was no mistaking it as anything but a bullet exploding from the barrel of a gun. Wrapping his coat around the little boy, he gripped Meg’s upper arm and they both ducked down and ran for cover as the pops of gunfire followed them. They tripped and stumbled through the dark, moving fast, breathing hard. These bastards were going to pay. After seeing two snowmobiles—and now, hearing two guns firing—he was sure there were two people tracking them.
If it were just him, he’d circle behind them and attack, but he had a woman and child to think of. Poor little Logan was clinging to him, screaming in terror. They needed to get away but with the racket he was making, they would be easy to track in the quiet Alaskan wilderness. Easy to kill. Looking at Megan for help, she quickly shushed the boy, as they ran, telling him they were playing a game of who could be the quietest. Logan looked at her, his lips trembling, but he nodded in agreement before burying his head in Logan’s neck, his little body shaking. Once they got far enough away, they could stop for a few seconds, but amidst the barrage of gunfire, there was no way they could slow down. Adrenaline fueled every muscle in his body. He’d run for hours if that’s what it took to protect Meg and Logan. He was still holding Megan’s arm. She was in damn good shape to run this fast and this long through rough terrain in the dark. He made a mental note to ask her about it once they were out of danger. When the sound of shots died off, they slowed to a jog.
“Do you think we’re out of range?” Meg panted. The night was so dark, he could barely see her.
“For now. But they’re at an advantage. They have snowmobiles with lights, and with snow this deep it would be hard to miss our tracks. We’ve got to keep moving.”
“Oh, trust me, I’m not slowing down. I need to make sure Logan’s okay though.”
She must’ve reached out and rubbed his back, because the little guy made a slight whimper.
“You’re so brave, Bud. I won’t let anything happen to you. I know it’s cold, I know it’s scary to be out here, but me and Ben will keep you safe,” she said in a determined voice.
Hearing her refer to them together made something shift inside his heart. Like they were on the same team. Two caretakers working together to protect the innocent life of a child. Logan should never have been in danger tonight though. Ben should have been on his guard rather than letting himself get distracted. The kiss he’d shared with Meg, touching her supple, irresistible breasts, holding her close after they’d bundled up for the night like he used to have the luxury of doing nearly every weekend, had made him lose focus. He’d fallen asleep, despite knowing full well that danger lurked outside their doorstep. Meg had a way of cutting through all his defenses and when they were together the world somehow seemed right, no matter what was going down. Tonight, had been no different. Even though he’d known they were being tracked, even though they had been sitting on dirty floor boards rationing potato chips, the aura of joy Meg reflected had made him feel safer than he should’ve. He was a highly trained SEAL and he’d let someone sneak up on him. He could make excuses all night long, but the fact was they’d almost been burned to death in their sleep because he hadn’t been alert. It wouldn’t happen again. There was too much at stake. The lives of civilians—of two people he cared about. The thought of losing Megan or Logan clawed a hole in his gut. He’d promised to protect them, and dammit, he’d failed. For as long as he lived, he’d never forget the terror of this night. If one of them had been hit by a stray bullet, he wouldn’t have been able to live with the knowledge that their injury or death was on his hands.
They slowed their pace, and Logan fell asleep—or passed out from fright—in his arms.
“I’m sorry.” For once during this fiasco, he was grateful for the cover of darkness. He didn’t want her to see the guilt etched on his face.
“For what?” she whispered back. In the distance, a wolf howled, a lonely, forlorn sound that made him feel sorry for the creature.
“I told you I’d keep you safe. I didn’t.” His voice was grave, and for a moment he feared she wouldn’t answer him. That maybe she was as angry with him as he was with himself.
“Don’t put that on yourself. You got us out of there. You did keep us safe.”
If only.
He focused on the fall of her footsteps and the sound of her breath. She was alive. She was unharmed. “They never should’ve had the chance to sneak up on us like that, because I never should’ve dozed off.” A fresh wave of guilt crashed over him, and he clenched his jaw.
“You’re right,” she said, voice stern.
His stomach dropped like a stone, but he knew he deserved worse than what she was about to dish out.
“You should be some faceless, emotionless robot who lives to serve and protect twenty-four hours a day without ever taking a break. Come on, Ben. We’re both the adults in this situation and that means we share the responsibility for our safety. I could’ve stayed awake to keep watch, but I didn’t. For the first time in days, I felt safe. Safe being held in your arms.”
He’d felt safe holding her, too. Whole. And that scared the ever-living shit out of him. They kept moving, listening for any signs of danger that might be lurking.
Meg had no idea how strong she was. Her ability to react under pressure tonight impressed him. She’d held her own, climbing out the window like an alley cat, catching and shielding Logan with her body once they were all on the ground, and having the stamina to pound through the snow in the pitch black for what seemed like hours. She’d been strong after the crash too, right up until they found out someone was trying to kill Logan, and hell, that was almost enough to gut him.
She was so willing to face danger head on to protect Logan, no matter how hard it got. He’d never seen love look like this. Based on his childhood, he’d always believed that love crumbled under pressure. Could he have been wrong? Was there really something more out there—even for someone like him? He didn’t know if his birth mother was alive or dead. Didn’t know if she felt any sort of attachment toward him when he was born. Maybe he had biological grandparents out there, but they certainly hadn’t gone out of their way to locate him. Logan wasn’t even Megan’s child, and yet she showed that little boy more love than Ben could ever remember receiving in his whole life. Maybe he’d been wrong about leaving her the first time, but it was something he’d never know now. He’d missed his chance and besides, his job was his life and it wasn’t conducive to having a family. He needed to stay in mission mode and not let any emotions threatening to shove their way to the forefront, get a foothold. He needed to stick to what he knew best—being a SEAL. Fewer people would get hurt that way.
Chapter Thirteen
Megan kept moving through the snow. She was tired and sore from everything she’d been through, but the fear of someone harming Logan or Ben was akin to a thousand hands on her back pushing her forward. How she could be thinking about her feelings for Ben at a time when their lives were in imminent danger was completely beyond her. She’d taken a risk telling Ben she felt safe in his arms, but she’d lost hope of him returning the sentiment five minutes ago. The only sounds were their labored breaths, the crunch of sticks and snow, and the occasional eerie howl of a wolf. She was far more terrified of the gunman who might be chasing them than she was of a wolf.
“When I first smelled smoke, I was thinking how nice it was to have you in my arms,” Ben said in a hushed tone.
Megan’s breath hitched. Ben wasn’t typically this transparent, yet she could usually sense what he was feeling long before he said it—if he ever did. “You were?” she asked trying to keep her voice steady. Sharing what was in his heart had always been hard for Ben. The fact that he was giving her a glimpse into his feelings was a rare gift.
“Yeah.” His voice was somber. He certainly didn’t sound like he was happy about having her wrapped up against him, but she understood. Facin
g these resurfacing feelings and the new ones that were developing was uncomfortable, and had the potential to hurt them both. He cleared his throat and continued in a strained voice. “With the fire burning, it seemed warm and peaceful at first. It took me a second to register that it was the cabin that was on fire and not just the logs in the hearth.”
The sound of his footsteps stopped, and she halted in her tracks. The weight of his hand pressed against the top of her shoulder.
“You always fit so nice there.” He let out a deep, soul quaking breath that had all her senses heightened for danger of a different kind. The kind that reduced strong women to hollow shells when they reached out for their lover only to find the bed cold and empty. “Now the bastards chasing us will have to answer for ruining the first peaceful moment I’ve had in months along with trying to repeatedly kill us.”
She didn’t trust herself to respond, so she started moving again. Didn’t want to tell him that he’d not only stirred up desire when they kissed, but had also resurrected emotions she thought she’d shuttered away for good. Didn’t she know from experience that he was the love ‘em and leave ‘em type? He’d shown commitment to the SEALS and even Logan, but could he show a commitment to her as well? Don’t be naïve. It simply wasn’t smart to trust him with her heart after he’d so badly crushed it the first time. If they were in a less harrowing situation, would the attraction growing between her and Ben still exist?
Maybe it was easier to think of the problems she was currently facing with the man she once loved, than to think of all they’d been through since boarding the flight to Fairbanks. She was doing her best to stay strong, and as much as she didn’t want to admit it, being with Ben soothed her. She was clinging to the intuitive knowledge that if anyone could get them out of this situation it was him, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t do her part to help. Now more than ever, she was grateful for the time and effort she’d put into Taekwondo. It helped her stay in shape, and would give her the tools she needed if they encountered the people out to harm them.
She tilted her head up to the sky. The brilliant stars were fading and a pale-yellow strip outlined the horizon. Soon their path would be lit by the five hours or so of sunlight afforded to this part of Alaska during the winter months. Maybe they’d get lucky and find a shelter where they could regroup, or better yet a rescue team to pull them to safety.
“So, you’re going to have to tell me what kind of crazy fitness routine you keep. You’ve made it farther than a lot of seasoned infantrymen would.” It was light enough now that she could see the smirk he flashed at her, and her stomach somersaulted.
“Taekwondo.” She really didn’t want to get into the reason why she started. The more they reminisced about the past and the more she learned about the man Ben had become, the more he snuck back into her heart.
He raised a brow. “That doesn’t seem like an activity you’d choose out of the blue.”
“No,” A sigh escaped her lips. She should’ve just told him something non-descript like running. Now she’d hopped down a rabbit hole. “It wasn’t.”
“But you don’t want to elaborate.” For a moment the only sound was the crunch of snow beneath their feet. “I know a lot has passed between us, but you should know when I left you were never far from my mind.” The out-of-the blue emotional revelation was so unexpected that she almost tripped. Regaining her footing, they walked another few steps before he asked, “What happened to make you want to learn?”
So that was the reason he’d made the confession—it was a trade- off, sharing his feelings so she’d open up in turn. A gust of wind swirled the snow along their path and sent an icy tingle over her face. Fine, then—she’d talk. Maybe it would be a distraction from her aching legs.
“I left the marketing firm later than usual one night. It was only my second week working there, and I was already swamped with media plans for clients.” She stole a glance at Ben, watched as his lips thinned. “It was dark, but a fairly populated area so I wasn’t concerned. I’ll never be so nonchalant about safety again.”
Ben sucked in a breath and for the second time stopped her in her tracks. “Someone hurt you.” His voice carried so many emotions—anger, pain, regret.
“Not in the way you might think. Just bumps and bruises. He came up from behind, put a knife to my throat, and pushed me into an alley. Scared me to death, but in retrospect I was lucky. Only my wallet was taken, and once he’d gotten it, he pushed me to the ground and fled.”
“I’m sorry that happened to you. Sorry I wasn’t there to protect you.” He ran his free hand down the length of her arm. “But I’m so damn proud you decided to learn how to fight back.” He planted a kiss on her forehead and the combination of his words and the tenderness of his action made warmth bloom in her chest.
“It took four years to get my black belt, but it was well worth it to feel like I can take care of myself.” Maybe it was a little like bragging, but she was proud of what she’d accomplished.
Ben whistled through his teeth. “Impressive.” His hand was still on her back as they walked. “I mean it. You’re stronger than you even know.”
There was a hum overhead, and she looked up toward the sky. “It’s a helicopter! Hey! Hey!” She ran forward waving her arms. Relief washed through her. It’s over. We’re going to be okay. The tree branches swayed under the whoosh of the chopper’s blades and it was so close she could see the sun glint off the smooth aluminum bottom. She couldn’t wait to get Logan warmed up and checked out by a doctor. Between the plane crash and the fire, he’d endured a lot of trauma, and she wanted a medical professional to check him out from the tips of his toes to the top of his head.
But instead of circling down to land, the helicopter kept charging forward. “Wait, where’s it going?” she yelled and turned to Ben who offered her a sympathetic glance. The chopper whizzed past and disappeared into the distance. She wanted to give into the heaviness in her limbs and slump to the ground. The adrenaline that had been keeping her going rushed out of her, leaving her zapped of energy. She swallowed back the tears that threatened to fall when Logan groggily lifted his head and rubbed his eyes.
“The trees are dense here,” Ben said. “It’s unlikely they saw us. We’ll find a place to stop real soon. Regroup. Yeah?” His tone was gentle and reassuring. Did he know she was about to break?
All she could do was nod. If she opened her mouth to speak, she’d lose her grip on the last remaining threads of her self-control.
“Well, I’ll be damned. I guess ‘real soon’ is ‘right now.’” She lifted her chin and followed Ben’s outstretched hand to see he was pointing to a chalet-style cabin nestled in the distance.
A smile broke over her face and for a moment they just grinned at each other stupidly. “That’s not like the cabin we stayed in last night.”
“It sure isn’t.” Ben’s grin widened and they all made their way toward the vacationer’s dream house.
“I can’t believe our luck.” Megan said to Ben when they stepped inside the spacious main level. It hadn’t taken Ben long to locate a spare key hidden in the shed behind the house. After all they’d been through, the scene in front of her didn’t seem real. Glossy log accent beams framed the open kitchen, dining area, and living room. Appliances—a real six-stove burner, microwave, and oven—framed the L shaped kitchen.
Logan bounced excitedly at their feet. “A house! A real one!”
“And look, a landline.” Megan rushed through the foyer and into the kitchen. She held her breath and picked up the receiver and the dial tone was the most beautiful thing she’d ever heard in her life. “It works. I’m going to call your mom and dad.” She caressed Logan’s cheek and picked up the receiver. Logan let out a screech of delight and ran in circles around her legs.
“I’ve got a bar of cell service. You call Logan’s parents and I’ll get in touch with the police. And Meg, stress that speed is critical. We still don’t know who we’re up against.” He walke
d toward the living room, as she punched in the numbers she’d memorized in case they ever were in an emergency.
“Hello?” Susan’s weary voice sounded on the other line.
“It’s Megan. I have Logan. We’re safe.” There was a gasp then a clatter, and she heard Logan’s mother yelling Charles, Charles.
“Oh, thank God. Thank you, Megan. Where are you? Are either of you hurt?”
“No. Here, talk to Logan and hear for yourself, but please be quick—there’s something we need to discuss.” She handed the phone to Logan who started rattling on about their adventure. Ben, who had since ended his phone call, came to stand by her side as she took the phone back from Logan.
“We’ll go explore the cabin,” Ben told her and hoisted Logan into his arms. She mouthed thank you behind Logan’s back before they turned to walk away, then told Charles and Susan everything that had happened from the time the plane crashed to the letter revealing the plot to kill their son to how they were now being tracked.
“Susan,” Megan heard Charles say in a voice edged with sadness. “Do you remember the little boy I told you about? The one who was in the sledding accident a few years ago?”
“Yes, so terribly sad. And the father had to be removed from the premises he was so heartbroken,” Susan responded.
“Heartbroken and filled with rage.” Charles’s voice was sad and tired. She couldn’t imagine what they’d been through since the plane crash.
“I think Ben needs to hear this.” Her heart thumped in her chest. Up until this moment, part of her couldn’t believe that someone would truly want to kill Logan. But her boss’s voice made it clear how real the threat truly was. She and Ben both needed to know who they were protecting Susan and Charles’ son from.