A pair of stunning blue eyes stared back at him, full of concern. “Lean on me.”
Amused, Jack unwrapped her arm and tucked her hand in his. “Come on. Reinforcements will be arriving anytime.”
“But you’re hurt,” she protested as she followed him out the door.
“Nah, just looks like it.” Jack looked both ways down the hall. Which way to go?
“We can’t go right,” Darci said. “That’s where I came from and it’s a dead end.”
“Then we go left.” He could hear voices but couldn’t decipher how close they were. He passed a long, dim hallway and turned down another.
They rounded the corner and ran straight into two guards. Aw, hell. Jack came to a stop and felt the woman behind him bump into his back before drawing in a sharp breath.
“Sorry,” she whispered. “Did I hurt you?”
Honey, you didn’t hurt a thing. In fact, her gentle touch soothed his battered body, but now wasn’t the time for those kinds of thoughts. He was about to add a couple more bruises on top of the ones he already had.
Jack stretched an arm behind him to protect her from the two men advancing on them and pressed her back against the wall, using his body as a shield for her smaller frame. He heard her speak but her words were muffled by his back. The sensation of her warm breath distracted him.
In a low tone, he said, “I’m going to head them off. You make a run for it. Straight out the front door and don’t stop for any reason.”
She stiffened against him and then peeked over his arm and shook her head when she saw the two men easing in closer with feral looks in their eyes.
“Oh, no.” Her hands gripped his waist, surprisingly strong for a slender thing. “You can’t do this. You can barely stand as it is.”
Jack winced. “Hey, easy on the ego.”
Her nails dug into his flesh and she pressed closer into his back as the guards stopped a few feet away, spoiling for a fight. There was no mistaking the gleam in their eyes.
“This is no time for playing. These guys want to hurt us and I don’t think you can take much more.” She poked him in the back, emphasizing her point.
Jack sighed without taking his eyes off the two men. “Trust me, honey, I know what I’m capable of. I can take care of myself. It’s you I’m concerned about. Now, would you please get moving!”
“And leave you here alone? No way.”
“You two love birds about through?” The taller, dumber-looking of the two cracked his knuckles.
Jack’s feathers were ruffled at the taunt, but he didn’t let it show. He held up his index finger. “Almost.”
The hand that had been holding onto his waist now slapped him on the shoulder. Jack wanted to smile at his spirited little escapee, but he kept his expression carefully neutral for the sake of the two challenging him. He couldn’t protect her if she wouldn’t let him.
She slid up against his back and whispered, “I’ll take the smaller one on the right, you take the big one.”
“What?”
Jack couldn’t believe what he’d heard. He didn’t get a chance to tell her how ridiculous the suggestion was, because the first guy jumped him, obviously tired of waiting. Jack sprang into action and met the guy halfway, preventing him from reaching Darci. Adrenaline surged as his training kicked in. He slammed his palm up and into the guy’s jaw, snapping it shut with a painful crack that echoed down the hall and effectively took him out of the game.
A scream registered in the back of his mind as he took a couple of quick jabs to the midsection. This guy might be small, but he was quick. Jack preferred an opponent the size of the Hulk to a speedy little one like this. They were the worst, quick and accurate to make up for what they lacked in size. The big ones were strong, but slow.
As Jack dodged a blow and brought his elbow up to bust the guy’s nose, he thought of his precious boat bobbing quietly in the marina and how much he looked forward to a weekend of relaxation on her shiny deck. His body certainly looked forward to it.
The hall echoed with grunts and curses as Jack parried blows and returned punches, driving his opponent farther down the hallway and away from Darci. When Darci screamed, his concentration broke and he turned to see two men grab her just before everything went black.
*
Darci tried to warn him, really she did, but the jerk that grabbed her from behind clamped a hand over her mouth. She didn’t like being pushed around. It scared the daylights out of her and she hated being scared. Even more, she didn’t like being afraid for someone else and right now that someone crumpled to the ground unconscious. He’d put up a good fight, but she had distracted him when she screamed, making it her fault he had been hit from behind. The brute he’d been fighting took advantage and knocked him out with the butt of his gun.
Seeing her only hopes of escape lying in a heap on the floor, a wave of anger surged through her and she bit down hard on the hand covering her mouth. The skin broke and a trickle of blood seeped into her mouth.
The guy howled, tearing his hand away from her mouth. He backhanded her and Darci saw stars. Again. Sweet Mary, she was getting tired of seeing them.
The other guy grabbed her before she could regain her footing.
“Take them down to the cellar and make sure they don’t escape this time. If they do, shoot them,” the guy she’d bit snapped.
Cellar? Oh, no, no, no. She didn’t like small, dark spaces any more than she liked the water. God only knew what kind of creepy crawly things were down there. The cellar under the house she’d grown up in had been a great place for her and her sisters to play chicken. None of them liked going down there, but neither would they be called a chicken.
A guard dragged her down a series of hallways until they reached the kitchen. Then shoved her through a door in the back. They threw the groomsman in beside her. He landed with a thud on the cold, dusty floor.
“Hey.” Darci, moved to his side, covering him with her body in case they decided to finish what they’d started. No way she’d let them hurt him anymore.
The door closed with a distant click, the bolt thrown from the outside, plunging them into darkness. Darci took a deep, calming breath and coughed when her lungs filled with dusty, dank air. Stay calm. She could do this. First things first. Find a light. She’d caught a glimpse of a light bulb and white string hanging from the ceiling when they threw her in here.
Rising to her feet, Darci reached up and felt for the string. It took a couple minutes but she found it, and to her relief, it worked. Dim light filled the small cellar, empty except for the wine rack in the far corner. Bummer, because she could really use a drink right now. Otherwise, they were surrounded by cement walls and dust. It smelled damp and musty and made her sneeze, but at least she didn’t see anything that crawled or slithered. Yet.
Suppressing a shudder, Darci managed to drag her well-muscled companion to the nearest corner. She sank down, winded, and cradled his head in her lap. She wanted him close to her.
Staring down at him, she threaded her fingers through his short, spiked hair. More for her comfort than anything. He really was a handsome man beneath the bruises.
Though now discolored, his square jaw had been cleanly shaven for the wedding. She ran her hand along his smooth skin and wondered how it would feel rubbing against the rest of him and immediately blushed. What was she doing? Fantasizing about an unconscious man? Sweet Mary, she was losing it. She’d probably taken one too many blows to the head.
What if he didn’t wake up? The blow to the head had knocked him out and that didn’t seem like an easy task. This man was good sized. Six-two, maybe three, and heavily muscled from head to toe. Not an ounce of fat on him anywhere.
Darci sighed and cradled his head a little more securely on her lap. So who was this groomsman? Certainly no ordinary man.
Biting down on her lip, Darci stifled a sob. Her head hurt, her nerves were shot and she feared for her life. If that blow had put this guy in a coma, what th
en? She would be lying here holding him like this until they came back, and then what?
She didn’t know how to handle the people that brought them here. She could pick a lock and use a few self-defense techniques, but that wouldn’t help her when staring down the barrel of a gun. She tried to swallow past the lump in her throat as harsh reality set in. This was more serious than someone stealing her purse on the street.
She really wanted this guy to wake up and talk to her, tell her they were going to make it out of this alive. She could handle a few bumps and bruises as long as they lived through this. She needed his help to do that.
Even as she stared at him, his eyes didn’t open. Darci placed a hand on his chest and sighed with relief when she felt it rise and fall in a slow, steady movement.
“Thank goodness.” She leaned over him so she could rest her cheek against his. It gave her comfort to know she wasn’t alone. She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders the best she could in this position, and tried to forget the danger they were in, if only for a moment.
“Did I win? Because this is one hell of a consolation prize if I didn’t.” Like a voice from above, the deep baritone washed over Darci and although it was a smart aleck thing to say, she found herself laughing, despite herself. Maybe it was stress, or relief, but either way she couldn’t be happier to hear his voice.
She laughed because she wanted to cry and cried because she was happy.
“Maybe I should quit my day job, huh?”
Darci lifted her head and laughed through the tears that streamed down her cheeks. She didn’t care that she sounded hysterical or that once she started she wouldn’t be able to stop.
“Hey, don’t do that. Everything’s going to be okay.” Her comedian struggled to sit upright. He pulled her into his arms and surrounded her with his strength, turning her into the one receiving comfort instead of giving it.
Darci didn’t resist. She took what he offered and held onto him so tightly he winced. She cried on his shoulder, then sank against him, feeling like she’d been put through the wash. He held her the entire time, mindless of the physical discomfort she caused him.
“I’d give you a hankie if I could, but I’m afraid I left it in my other jacket.”
Darci laughed and lifted her head. “Are you always this prepared?” Although tired, she felt tons better than before.
Her companion’s lopsided grin made her heart somersault in her chest. How could she not think this man was gorgeous? She didn’t attempt to move out of his embrace; it felt too good to be there. His arms were strong and comforting, his heat drawing her like a moth to flame.
With their faces this close together she could see the bruises marring his tanned skin and gold flecks mingled with the brown in his eyes. A scar sat above his left eyebrow and another by his right ear. His chest rose and fell against hers. Her heart pounded like a drum.
The air charged around them and Darci realized she didn’t even know the name of the man holding her in his arms.
She found her voice. “I don’t know your name.”
“Navy SEAL Lieutenant Jack Taggart at your service, ma’am.”
Navy SEAL? That made perfect sense. “I’m very pleased to meet you, Mr. Taggart. I’m Darci O’Shea. The wedding singer.”
“Well, Miss O’Shea, I must say the pleasure is all mine.”
He said it with such sensual sweetness, Darci blushed. This man was charm on a stick and it did all kinds of fun things to her insides. She’d never met anyone quite like him. Even in the midst of danger he kept his sense of humor. She respected that and wished she could be more like him instead of being scared.
“Not exactly what you’d planned when you signed on for this gig, huh?”
“No, not at all. I love adventure, but this is a bit over the top for me.”
Jack shifted so she could get more comfortable against him and Darci didn’t complain. She liked being close to him. Felt safe.
“So where do you call home, Darci the wedding singer?”
“Boston, now. But, I grew up in Michigan. I have two sisters. How about you?”
“Coronado, California. No siblings. Tell me about your family.”
“Are you distracting me?”
“Unsuccessfully, apparently.”
Sweet. “Am I hurting you sitting like this?” Though she didn’t move away. She felt safe in his arms and for now she needed that. Reality would come crashing through the door soon enough.
In response, Jack pushed her head down on his shoulder and Darci relaxed against him. She couldn’t remember ever feeling this comfortable with a man. Like she’d known him forever.
“I feel wrung out.” She blinked the heaviness off her eyelids.
“It’s normal after an adrenaline rush. Your mind and body are crashing and need to recuperate from the stress they’ve suffered. It’s safe to sleep now, Darci. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Her eyes were already closed. “Promise?”
“You have my word.”
She barely heard his reply as she drifted into an exhausted sleep. She couldn’t be sure if she’d dreamed it or not, but she thought she felt Jack’s lips brush the crown of her head just before she entered never-never land.
*
Jack stared down at the woman nestled in his arms. Some of her dark hair had come out of its twist and long, silky tendrils fell over her shoulder. Long hair, his one weakness. He loved a woman with long hair and he bet he could sink his hands in Darci’s and never tire. He longed to pull the pin and let it tumble down her back, but resisted. Not the time. Maybe later when he had her back to safety, they could get to know each other on a more intimate level.
He usually kept his relationships short and impersonal, but something about Darci made him want to explore the more serious side of relationships. He wouldn’t mind traveling the high seas with her at his side, a first for him. He reserved his boat as his personal, private place in the world that no one could touch or influence.
He’d failed this woman twice and yet she looked at him with trust in her eyes. It humbled him enough to make him see this was no ordinary woman. She’d saved him from a real beating and he wouldn’t forget the bravery she’d shown. Worthy of a Purple Heart.
Jack rubbed a hand over his face. His own mother wouldn’t recognize him if she read his thoughts right now. He didn’t think about things like that. He liked his life. He could come and go as he pleased without a wife to worry about him when he was away on a dangerous mission for unknown lengths of time. He looked forward to his time alone on his boat after a long mission and had never wanted anyone to share that part of his life. So what made him consider inviting Darci along with him? It made no sense at all. Boggled the mind.
Or maybe he’d taken one too many blows to the head.
Pushing the troubling thoughts away, Jack scanned the room around him. A wine cellar without the wine. He guessed they used the house specifically for business. A place to bring hostages to get demands met. So what were the demands? What did Darci O’Shea have that they wanted?
Jack tipped his head back and closed his eyes. His aches and pains were making themselves known with a vengeance, but he’d worked through pain before. His top priority right now was to keep Darci safe and get them off this island. As long as he got them out of the house he could protect them. He’d spent plenty of time in jungles around the world and knew how to hide in one so no one would ever find them.
He needed a plan. He doubted it would be long before his blond friend came for them. She’d be furious her hostages had managed to escape. It would bring her wrath down on them and he wasn’t about to let her at Darci. Darci may be a strong woman but her heart was pure. There would be no contest. The Amazon would stomp her like a bug on the bottom of her stilettos.
Darci stirred. Jack shifted to tuck her more securely against his shoulder. Her hand dropped down to rest on his thigh. He stiffened. She needed his protection, not his lust.
Deciding
it better if he put some distance between them, Jack started to unwind her arms from around him.
“Don’t leave me,” she pleaded. “Not yet.”
Jack knew he should find a way out but he didn’t. He stayed right there and held her. A fool’s move but it felt too damn good to give up. He settled back against the wall, listening to the muted sounds above them. At least two people moved around. He knew there were, at minimum, four guards on the premises.
“They’re going to be coming soon, aren’t they?” She asked in a sleepy voice against his neck.
Jack glanced down to see Darci’s eyes were still closed, her expression reluctant. She looked small and delicate, so he tightened his arm around her.
“I’m afraid so.” Though he hated to say it. He didn’t want it to be true.
“I know it doesn’t change anything, but I don’t want them to come.”
“Neither do I, sweetheart, but we aren’t going to let them win. Right?”
“Right.”
Jack put a finger under her chin and tilted her head back so he could look her in the eye. The brilliant color mesmerized him for a moment before he could speak.
“We’re going to get out of this. You have to believe that.”
“I know, and I do. I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed. Nothing like this has ever happened to me.”
She lifted her head so she could sit up beside him now, his arm still around her shoulder. Neither of them mentioned it and he didn’t remove it.
“You’ve done great so far. I haven’t ever seen anyone wield a broom like you did. That took a lot of courage.”
That earned him a sheepish smile. “I don’t know about that. In truth, I was terrified. I’ve never…” She shuddered.
Jack tightened his arm around her. Darci had been through more than any woman should ever have to and in his opinion she had handled herself well. He hated to think she’d have to do it again in order to get out of here. If he had his way, he’d tuck her safely away and leave her there until he’d dealt with their captors. Then he would whisk her off on his boat for some R&R his way.
SEALs of Summer: Military Romance Superbundle - Navy SEAL Style Page 102