While there were many loving village communities, overall the region was deadly. This area was riddled with devaluation of human life, rife with low survival rates due to poverty and high violence. People died for no more than being seen as an annoyance on another person’s part.
Kayla changed groups after her kidnapping to a group with better security. She’d still suffered from some anxiety when she returned last year, and she anticipated some this year, but she refused to allow fear to rule her life. She needed to be part of a group of professionals who cared. This group included nurses, a teacher, and caregivers who trained the girls how to come back from their despair. Giving the girls hope and options saved lives.
The group helped them to care for their abused bodies, so they died of physical infection and injury less often. But there was still the emotional trauma of social exile. She loved that she was a small part of the work and she refused to give it up. She looked forward to her time at the clinic, but she did wish she could transport some of the youngest ones to a safer environment.
She focused her attention on her seminar group as the last clip ended.
“The victims’ families don’t take them back because of their shame and the diseases they can carry due to the violence. These girls are so emotionally devastated due to cultural ideology on uncleanliness they often commit suicide. That or find themselves in situations where their only way of survival is to continue doing what their captors did to them. Except they sell their own bodies this time, not have it taken from them, but it is all tragic. Questions?”
“How did you get into this line of work? Is it a hobby?”
“Not a hobby. I found I was great at public relations, and I realized the projects I worked on were humanitarian at heart. I accepted an invitation in college to work with this population. After college though, continuing with that work made it hard keeping a regular job. I needed more autonomy in the workplace. I took this job, and it afforded me much more free time to do the things I also love to do. Like this seminar sharing my experiences.”
“What about your personal life? What does your husband think about all the time spent gone?”
She smiled wryly. “Unfortunately, that part of my life is underdeveloped. I’m not married nor am I currently dating. That is one of the side effects of doing what I do; you don’t have time to form strong bonds. At least I haven’t figured it out yet.”
Someone shouted, “Maybe you need to find a military guy, hot and protective to go over with you like in the movies.”
The room broke out in laughter. Kayla smiled distantly, but she instantly saw the image of Hunter’s face in her mind’s eye. Hot and protective described him to a tee.
Another question brought her back to the discussion.
“How did you find your group you’re with now?”
“Oh, right. Anyway, after the first year, I discovered the humanitarian program, Hope That Matters. Hope That Matters focuses on women and young girls who are at risk of slavery or the human trafficking world. The work looks different in other parts of the world.”
“Isn’t it dangerous?”
“Well, it does mean I am more exposed to the seedier part of the population in the most dangerous parts of the world, yes. But if we don’t help, then who will? No one has stepped up so far. It’s why I do this, to bring awareness to the injustices of the world, man’s inhumanity to man if you will.
“And it is interesting that you would bring up the military man. Two years ago, I found myself in a grave predicament. I and three other benevolent workers were taken captive. Before anything more horrendous happened, a military group of men came in the night to rescue us. They air lifted us out in the dead of night. But I assure you, it is all the excitement I ever want to experience on a trip.”
Kayla could see her rescuer clearly. Hunter’s eyes were dark blue, his irises rimmed in black. He was intense and all business but kind.
She pointed to a young lady about college age. “Do you remember any victim particularly, Ms. Rhea?”
“Yes, several but most recently, on my last trip, I had a part in successfully saving a young girl. She’d been stolen from her family, and after a year or so in captivity, I found her, used and discarded. The girl’s nipples were pierced, her labia pierced, and her clit circumcised.” Kayla could not imagine the pain. “Not to mention the crude tattoo on her arm, acquired in anything but sanitary conditions, identifying the cruel taskmaster that owned her. The mutilations were all good ways of assuring the girl would not run away until they tossed her aside.”
Another hand went up. “Why do you call them mutilations? Plenty of people, including Africans, choose one or all of these things purposely.”
“That is the difference. If you choose them, they are adornments. But if they are forced upon you, the degradation and horror are overwhelming, and they become mutilations.”
“After you found her, then what happened?”
“We got her medical help, a place to live with missionaries native to her area, and she started school. Her parents had named her Adia, which means a gift from God, but after this, she would be hated, not considered a gift any longer. With her permission, I changed her name to Aisha. It means ‘a new life,’ and that is what I hope for her.”
“How is she now?”
“The last I heard, the now fourteen-year-old is flourishing. I intend to check on her myself soon. Well, looks like time is up. Thank you for your attention, I loved sharing with you all.”
Kayla did love this part of her life, but she was anxious to get out in the field again. She needed to update her information. What she refused to factor in was with the raised notoriety. Those she exposed were not happy with her. Robbie and Terin didn’t have to tell her she had stepped on toes, they told her themselves. She received Facebook, email, and webpage messages that were not repeatable. They were a little disturbing, but she chalked it up to just talk.
Terin got wind of the harassments when he went to Somalia to help a diplomat out of a touchy situation. His contacts in the region told him of the whispers behind closed doors of a plan that included taking his sister. Those who were making money from the human trafficking and the use of girls, wanted her stopped.
Terin immediately sent the information home to Robbie who investigated further. Kayla received yet another command to appear in her father’s office. She was aware the timing was predictable. Once again, even though she waited another six months and didn’t take Christmas break to visit the Congo for a week, that would not be enough concession for her family.
“Kayla, Terin will be here tomorrow, but he sent word to warn you. Your life is in danger. You cannot return to the same region you were before. I know of other places you can go for benevolent work. In fact, there is a good group anxious to get their story out. They are well protected, too.”
“Dad, I haven’t even sat down. What are you saying exactly?”
“You aren’t to go back there. Terin says they are waiting for you. They want to get their hands on the ‘woman who interferes’ according to his sources.”
“Dad, I’m not so well known that there would be an organized plot to kill me.”
Robbie walked in the door carrying a deep frown on his face. “Or worse. Yes, Kayla, that is exactly what’s going on. The next time you go to do your humanitarian work in that region, you will be a target. You do good work, sis, and you’re beginning to gain notoriety.”
“Kayla Rhea, I am not asking you this time, I am telling you, you can’t go.”
“Dad, I’m an adult.”
“One that needs to become reacquainted with my knee.”
“Cute. You never laid a hand on me.”
“Maybe I should have. Honey, I’m sorry, but I can show you a list of alternatives.”
“You know, I can get you on the no-fly list. It just takes a little work and to call in a few favors. I own a huge ledger of favors owed me.” She had no doubt Robbie did.
“Can I think about
it? Your alternative offers. Give me the organization’s name, and I’ll research them.”
“Good, honey. I know you hate it, and so do I, but I would never forgive myself if I let you go where you were likely to be killed.”
She did know, and she was aware they didn’t understand how dedicated she was and how much this part of her life meant to her. They were wrong, she didn’t want to die, but intimidation was a heavy weapon the bullies of the world lived on. She’d put off her last trip for them. Hunter’s words came back to haunt her, “You’re reckless. The bottom line is that you realized the danger and you did it anyway. Don’t ever do it again.”
She shivered now just as she had then. He meant it. She should listen to everyone and find a new area to focus on and play by the rules. However, Kayla being Kayla, standing up to opposition from the men in her family was a learned skill. She didn’t obey orders very well. And, with her family’s business, that was a problem.
That’s also why she’d gone back to Somalia last year. She didn’t intend to let anyone tell her where she could go, what she could do, or when she could do it. Kayla knew slave trading and human trafficking permeated the free world as well, but plenty of people worked hard for that cause. She wanted to go somewhere others weren’t already dealing with the issues as strongly. Kayla’s real problem came in when she didn’t tell her family she was going. How could she? They would try to stop her. She understood they could stop her. She realized they would stop her. She knew she couldn’t let them.
Chapter 3
Hunter saw her across the crowded ballroom floor. It was the annual benefit for the foundation. He hadn’t even contemplated a woman to warm his bed in months. He had recently tried, but he couldn’t stop thinking of the woman on the other side of the ballroom. Kayla Rhea. His life grew hectic after leaving her with her father and brothers. Hell, he was in an almost survival mode on some days, glad to live to fight another day in the boardroom. He now understood what others meant when they described the boardroom as a jungle.
Every time he saw Kayla’s picture or read her name, his cock did a jig. He stalked her on all media. He needed to purge her from his system. He needed to possess her. He was a realist, and, without either claiming or purging, he would be useless to move on. He’d proven that.
With life more settled now, he would begin to plan their big work of the year. Right after this benefit to raise more funds for the project, he would be well on his way to do just that, dig wells. And right after he dealt with the Ms. Rhea issue. He caught her eye from across the room, his cock stood at attention, and his mind quickly began to strategize how he would proceed. His military expertise stood him in good stead once again.
Since resigning his commission, he found that his head for strategizing quick on the ground and logical thought processing was not as common as he thought it might be. His dad had lined things out to him not too long ago when Hunter complained about the lack of common sense in the world.
“Don’t be fooled, common sense is not common, especially these days. No one takes the time to savor, to think about things, it is all impulse and reaction.”
Hunter couldn’t agree with him more. Except for tonight. He looked across the room, hesitant to break the connection with those eyes the color of the Aegean Sea, and that face primed for action. She turned and broke the delicate connection.
Hunter concentrated on stilling his pulse as he approached her and then slipped seamlessly into her cocktail group, entering the conversation quietly. Kayla watched him closely and then smiled warmly. Her eyes dilated, and her chest heaved. He had her; she was his.
At that moment, one of the servers bumped into Kayla jostling her and the tray the server held. She stepped back into Hunter, and he automatically put his hand against the small of her back. He wrapped the other arm around the front of her hip, elegantly gliding her out of harm’s way. Her delicate scent wafted up, intermingling with his next breath, light and fresh.
His fingers tingled as he held them against the small of her back, electrifying him. The air fairly crackled with the energy between them. He caught her look of surprise that quickly turned to heat when her eyes connected with his. The attraction unmistakable, Hunter needed to put his tactic into full play. His cock jumped for joy in anticipation of finally finding relief after his long-suffering.
Their stare became intense, nearly eliciting a groan from Hunter when Kayla put her tongue out to skim her bottom lip before biting it. He wanted to lick that lip, bite it, suck it into his mouth and bathe it with attention. His desire for her ramped exponentially. Only years of training on how to maintain silence stopped Hunter’s verbal appreciation of her beauty. He wanted her for as long as he could have her and her answering look responded with the same desire. His cock, however, felt no desire to comply with orders to stand down.
The spell shattered when she stepped out of his hold and thanked him. She put out her hand, and, as her fingers curled around to clasp his own, she put her other hand on top of his. The move said she wanted to cement the connection.
“I’m Kayla Rhea, but I think you already know that.”
“Hunter Barrett, and yes, I did. I follow your work.” Her faced showed a flicker of surprise, a pink of embarrassment.
“Thank you for the save, Mr. Barrett.” The reference to their first meeting obvious to only them while the others would interpret it as today’s incident.
“Hunter.”
“It’s a lovely gathering this evening.”
“Yes, that was the intent. I can take no credit. Even my MC comments were predominately another’s work.
“Yes, but your responsibilities are tremendous.”
He nodded. “They can be, but the military trained me well in delegation, and you see before you one of those excellent outcomes.”
“Ah, something I am not well versed in, but I can appreciate the advantages of learning.”
“Yes. I see your name on articles about your adventures.”
“Really? I guess I never thought you were even aware of what I do or at least not interested.”
“Why would you think that? I am very interested. I can assure you that I remember you very well. I remember you often.”
“I remember you too, fondly.”
Hunter saw her adorable blush. She was embarrassed and hopefully aroused. He’d need to seek out the men’s room soon, just to take the edge off, if things didn’t calm down so he could finish the evening. He noticed she was antsy as well.
“If you will excuse me, Hunter...”
“Of course, except… may I take you into dinner at seven?”
She nodded hesitantly in his direction, carefully avoiding his eyes. “Didn’t you come with your own date to escort?”
Once he knew she would be coming tonight, no thought about a date ever crossed his mind. He glanced around at the still chatting and yet oh so watchful group around them. “No, because once I heard you were coming, I didn’t want one. But, of course, you might have brought one… probably brought one.”
She shook her head. “No. Thank you for the offer. I would be delighted.”
Whew, iceberg avoided. “At just before seven I’ll need to be at the podium to announce dinner. Will you wait for me there?”
“Yes, see you then.” She nodded to those also standing around them and left. He noticed her voice was tremoring slightly and her skin gave off the sweet scent of heated emotion. He watched her wipe her hands on her skirt and then wrap her arms around her waist. All signs of turmoil. Good, he wanted to make her sweat. She had that same effect on him.
Soon after she left his company to walk towards the bathroom, Hunter’s assistant told him he needed to move toward the podium to give the first of his short spiels to their gathered guests. It was time to be the master of ceremony and start gathering those donations.
What he would’ve rather done at that moment didn’t include talking. He wanted to follow Kayla and run his hand through her perfectly coiffured hair
. He would release all the pins that forced the wild tresses into compliance. He wanted to weave his hands through the free falling silken locks. He could almost imagine his fingers closing around their thick strands, immobilizing her head as he lowered his lips to savor hers.
He wanted to taste her sweetness and push his tongue into the erotic velvety moistness of her mouth, tasting what he was sure would be ambrosia. He wanted to remove her clothing one piece at a time, slowly savoring the unveiling of her perfect skin and voluptuous body. She had already given him a hint of her treasures tonight, with her overflowing bust line peeking out of her bodice. He watched her sensual curvy hips as she walked, and imagined her legs to be as long as her flowing skirt.
He would’ve laid large sums of money on the fact that beneath that skirt were long smooth thighs that flowed into delicate ankles strapped into those rather high heels of her sandals. He’d only ever seen her legs covered. He wanted to see them bared.
After first engaging the crowd, Hunter looked for his reward. He saw her dancing with a high-ranking official, and decided he would not interfere although it would be difficult to keep to his decision. That woman would be the death of him, now that he’d decided to claim her. Damn the age difference, he maintained his strength and virility in the prime of his life. He could keep up with her and her impulsivity.
For the rest of this evening, except for dinner, he would need to play host to the well-populated room, and for that he was thankful. He would need to encourage larger donations to allow the foundation to continue their work at the level they currently operated. He might get some additional funds to throw at Kayla’s project. That is if she accepted it.
More people meant better distribution of funds and, ultimately, a larger bottom line. That meant schmoozing his guests as they expected and enduring the passes women of means felt comfortable sending his way. His search would have to wait until later. He whispered to his assistant Kent to begin perusing the guest list while Hunter performed his duty. They would meet back up later to compare notes.
Hero Undercover: 25 Breathtaking Bad Boys Page 101