“You doing okay?” Ethan asked, glancing down at her. She looked up, recognizing the concern on his face.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m ready to get out of here though.”
“Aren’t we all,” he agreed.
The men listened to something on their headsets, and Ethan turned toward her again, his brown eyes intense. “The pilots are on their way. We’re going to hike the rest of the way down, remain hidden, and then run toward the helo after it lands.”
“Okay. They’ll probably hear the helicopters, right?”
He nodded, knowing exactly what she was asking. “Whoever is nearby will hear them and come running. The second helicopter will remain in the air, and the other guys on the team will cover us. We’ll go first.”
“Hold up, guys,” Blake said in low voice, and the group paused. He eyed Kimberly. “You good with this?”
“Yes. As soon as it lands, I’ll run.”
Blake caught Ethan’s eye, then looked back to her. Did they think she was going to panic and freeze? No doubt if she hesitated, Ethan would simply haul her up over his shoulder and carry her onboard. She’d seen plenty of soldiers haul other grown men around. He was practically twice her size and would have zero trouble carrying her.
“She’s good,” Ethan said. He glanced down at her again. “They’ll be behind us, but don’t be alarmed if we take off before everyone is on. We can drop a rope down to the others if needed. Their orders are to get you out.”
“Okay. Jesus. I’m starting to get nervous,” she said, wringing her hands together. The men were all watching her, and her heart pounded. Did they think she was weak? She was a reservist, not highly trained like they were. She wasn’t used to dangerous missions.
“You’ll do fine,” Ethan assured her. “I’ll be with you the entire way.”
Troy glanced over at them. “We’ve all got your back, Kimberly. You’ve got no reason to worry.”
The group continued the remainder of the way down, stopping behind some bushes near the bottom of the mountain. Blake spoke quietly into his headset, and two of the guys scanned the area, weapons ready. Kimberly didn’t see anyone. It was just after dawn though, so hopefully the men who’d kidnapped her would still be asleep. Even if the helicopters woke them, she was counting on it to take a little while for them to grab their weapons and take aim.
They’d be flying out of there by then. Hopefully.
The low whir of the rotors had her head turning, and just like that, two helicopters were coming in from the east. Kimberly’s heart pounded in her chest. She didn’t think she’d ever seen a more beautiful sight. After months of waiting and hoping, they were coming for her.
Ethan reached over and took her hand. She squeezed his tightly, grateful for the connection. No doubt he probably rescued lots of women in his job. She certainly wasn’t anyone special to him, but right now, she was more thankful for him than he’d ever know. He tugged her slightly closer to him. “Get ready.”
She trembled beside him and wondered if he’d noticed. No doubt he’d taken her hand so he could physically pull her along if need be. She felt ill-prepared but knew Ethan’s team trained for missions like this all the time. Hadn’t the guys said they’d parachuted in? They were elite Special Forces.
If all went well, the helicopter would land, and they’d climb right on. The idea of dangling from a rope wasn’t appealing, but she’d do whatever was necessary to get the heck out of here. She only hoped she didn’t embarrass herself during their final moments as they made their escape.
Jackson and Logan stood around them, looking like sentries guarding the area. The helicopters flew closer, one remaining in the air as the second began heading straight toward them.
“All clear?” Ethan asked his teammates.
“Affirmative. I don’t see a damn soul,” Logan confirmed.
And then suddenly, the helicopter was landing. Ethan tugged her along with him, and they ran. She knew he could’ve gone faster without her, but he held her hand tightly, pulling her close. He let go, wrapping his arm around her instead as he pushed her in front of him, and she knew he’d physically shield her from danger.
Suddenly the helicopter in the air began shooting in the distance, and she let out a yelp of surprise. “Almost there, you got this!” Ethan shouted. She started to climb up, but Ethan gripped her hips and was physically lifting her as two men onboard grabbed her beneath the arms and pulled her inside. Ethan was right on her heels, followed by Grayson and another guy. She couldn’t even tell who it was in their mad rush.
She sank onto a seat, shaking, as Ethan and Grayson sat on either side of her. She wasn’t quite sure what they expected to do. If someone got to her now, it would be by blowing up the whole damn helicopter. She didn’t question it though, just watched as one by one, the other men jumped onboard.
Grayson handed her a headset, and she put it on.
Before she had a second to realize it was over, the helicopter was lifting into the air. She grabbed onto Ethan, panicking.
“Easy, sweetheart. You’re safe.”
He nodded at Blake, and then the team leader began talking into his headset, notifying Bagram of their departure from the valley. Kim imagined the helicopter pilot would keep them informed, but maybe Blake was actually talking to his commander or something.
The helicopter banked slightly as they turned, and then they were flying east, away from the god damn mountain.
Unable to help herself, Kimberly burst into tears.
“Shhh,” Ethan soothed, his large hand landing on her back. “You’re safe now. We’re on our way back.”
She was too choked up to reply but saw the looks on the men’s faces. They were thrilled they’d gotten out of there alive but looked worried about her at the same time.
As her tears began to slow, she realized she was shaking. All the adrenaline wearing off had left her exhausted and in a state of shock. After being alone for months, she was heading back to her colleagues. To a base filled with people. There’d be questions and doctors and phone calls. She felt overwhelmed just thinking about it.
“I’m cold,” she said to no one in particular.
Ethan’s arm wrapped around her shoulders, and then he was pulling her close. “Give me a blanket,” he ordered.
Logan produced one from somewhere, and then the men were covering her up as she shook in Ethan’s arms. She let him take her weight, leaning against the solid muscle of his upper body. Maybe she should be embarrassed that she couldn’t even hold herself together, but at the moment, she didn’t care.
Ethan’s arms around her felt too good. It wasn’t even anything sexual. She just felt safe and secure for the first time in months. The men around her were talking, but it felt like an ocean of noise was roaring in her ears. Her body continued to shake, and then she closed her eyes and slumped against the man holding her.
Chapter 9
“Shit, she’s crashing!” Ethan yelled as Kimberly’s body sagged against his. He adjusted her weight, holding her close, as Grayson reached over, taking her slender wrist in his hand. “Her pulse is weak, but she’s breathing. I think she just fainted. She might be in shock or have low blood sugar.”
Troy grabbed the medic bag and crossed toward them, while Blake radioed to Bagram to have an ambulance waiting to take her to the hospital. “We could put an IV in—get some fluids in her. How far out are we?”
“Ten minutes,” the pilot said.
Ethan brushed some of her hair back from her face. She was paler than before and her skin cool to the touch. “Give me another blanket,” he ordered.
Jackson tossed one toward him. They covered her up, Ethan adjusting how they sat so Kimberly was nestled between his legs, wrapped in his arms. His body would provide some heat, but they were both fully dressed. He knew she’d been a little cold and weak this morning and cursed that he hadn’t gotten more food in her and given her some warmer clothing.
She was small, and her body was already weakene
d from her time in captivity. She’d insisted she was okay, but clearly that wasn’t the case.
The others were hustling around, readying to move her out the moment they landed. Grayson carefully rolled up her sleeve, and Ethan winced as he saw her red wrists. He’d cut the rope free last night, but she hadn’t mentioned anything about them being sore today. Clearly, they’d been rubbed raw, and he felt guilty for not asking her about them.
Troy swabbed an alcohol wipe over the back of her hand and then inserted a needle into her vein. Fluids would help if she was indeed in shock, plus no doubt her body was dehydrated, not to mention lacking vital nutrients.
Ethan tightened his arms around her as they encountered some turbulence, but then they were in the clear again, Bagram Airfield visible in the distance. His chest clenched as he looked down at Kimberly. Damn. He had no right holding her this close or feeling the possessiveness and protectiveness that washed over him. He wanted to keep her safe from any further harm and felt guilty as hell for all that she’d been through.
The team might’ve moved the minute they had solid intel, but that didn’t make knowing what she’d endured any easier.
“Two minutes,” the pilot said over the headsets. Grayson tightened his harness, then reached over to steady Ethan since Kimberly was essentially sitting on top of him. The other guys grabbed their seats, and then they were flying over the walls of Bagram.
“Shit. There’s just a damn hole in the ground where they destroyed the rest of that building,” Logan said. “We couldn’t see it last night.”
Ethan looked out the window, clenching his jaw. Kimberly would probably want to go see it. He was sure that would only bring back further bad memories for her. She’d held up well for the past twelve hours, but clearly, she needed time to recover. Her body had essentially given out the moment she’d realized she was safe.
As soon as the rotors were slowing down, Ethan was standing up, Kimberly in his arms. She stirred slightly, nestling further into him, and his chest clenched. She was still covered by the blankets, and Troy moved with him, holding the IV bag of fluids.
“I’ll grab your gear,” Grayson said.
Ethan nodded and climbed out of the helicopter, setting Kimberly carefully on the stretcher the medics had brought over. A crowd was forming around them, and he cursed. Kim wouldn’t want this type of attention—people staring at her like she was an object, not a person.
He scrubbed a hand over the stubble on his jaw, eyeing the crowd in annoyance. He stepped back as the medics whisked Kimberly away, knowing his team would have to go meet with the general on base and contact their own commander. It would be a busy couple of hours. That didn’t stop him from watching as they drove away with Kim in the ambulance.
“Let’s get cleaned up and changed,” Blake said. “The general wants an update.”
He thanked the helicopter pilots, and then the men moved toward their housing. Ethan wanted to go check on Kim, but there wasn’t time right now. They’d have to debrief and provide information on the men they’d encountered, the camp, and what needed to happen to take out that group of insurgents. He’d be paying a visit to the hospital later on though. There was no way he was leaving her there alone.
***
Kimberly winced as the nurse applied ointment to her wrists a few hours later. Her skin was irritated and raw, but she was alive. She was in the hospital. She didn’t even remember the last part of the helicopter ride. One moment she’d been sitting next to Ethan, and the next, she’d woken up here.
They’d cleaned her up as best they could with a sponge bath, and she was wearing a hospital gown. She was too weak to shower, but hopefully with the IV and medicine she’d be out of here sooner rather than later. She’d love to wash her hair and put on some real clothes. At the moment, she was grateful just to be alive.
“Knock-knock!” a male voice said, and then Ethan appeared in her doorway. He’d changed into a clean uniform and shaved, and she felt a little self-conscious by her own appearance. With his short-cropped hair, chiseled features, and dark eyes, he was handsome as hell. And she felt like an utter mess. She was already embarrassed she’d burst into tears around all the macho, alpha guys on his team during the helicopter ride.
Had she passed out?
She didn’t even remember landing or how she got to the hospital.
And now the man who’d saved her was really here, standing there in her doorway and looking handsomer than a man who’d gotten no sleep the night before should have.
“Hey there,” he said with a grin as she flushed. “I had to sweet talk the nurses to let me come see you.”
The nurse at Kimberly’s bedside raised her eyebrows. “Is he okay in here? Don’t think I can’t throw him out if need be.”
Kim laughed, shocking herself. The idea of the petite woman bodily removing the Navy SEAL was amusing as hell. She assumed the woman would’ve actually called security or something, but Ethan’s smile widened when he saw her laughing.
“He’s fine,” she assured the nurse.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes with your meds then.” She wrapped the bandage around Kim’s wrist and glanced at Ethan. “Make sure she eats some of that, will you?”
His gaze landed on her full tray of food. “Will do, ma’am,” he assured her.
“Ma’am,” the nurse said, pretending to be annoyed as she walked out the door.
Ethan strode in looking comfortable and at ease. He seemed even taller than she remembered, but then again, she was lying in a hospital bed. “It’s good to see you laugh,” he said, sinking down into a chair near her.
“I can’t remember the last time I laughed,” she admitted. “I also can’t remember how I got here.” She looked over at him, knowing he’d fill in the blanks.
“You blacked out in the helicopter,” he said, staring at her intently.
“Blacked out. Wow. Well, that’s embarrassing. I made it that long only to pass out beside you?”
“More like on me,” he said.
She blushed, and he quickly reassured her. “It’s okay, sweetheart. We covered you with blankets to keep you warm, and Troy put in an IV. We were only ten minutes out, so they took good care of you when we landed. I carried you out of the helicopter and right to the ambulance.”
“Thank you,” she said softly. “Not just for that, but for rescuing me. I was starting to lose hope that anyone would come find me.” Tears smarted her eyes, and she quickly blinked, looking away from Ethan.
“Hey, it’s okay. You’ve been through a lot,” he said, his voice soft. “And you’re welcome. I’m just glad the rescue went off without a hitch. We got you out of there and back to base, just like we wanted.”
He shifted slightly, and she looked at his muscular hands clasped together. Briefly, she wondered if he visited all the people he rescued in the hospital. Probably not. His team most likely carried out all sorts of hostage rescues and then went on their way to their next job. They’d connected though, as unexpected as that might be.
His gaze moved over her, as if trying to assess her injuries, and then he nodded toward her tray. “You should eat something.” He caught sight of her wrists as she moved. “Why didn’t you mention they were so bad? I could’ve wrapped them for you in the field.”
“Too much on my mind I guess,” she said with a shrug. “That might sound silly, but when you’re literally running for your life….”
“I get it,” he said, gently guiding her tray of food closer to make it easier for her to reach.
“Where’s the rest of your team?” she asked, taking a sip of her water.
“Meetings. We met with the general earlier, and I snuck away to come check on you. Raptor will cover for me.”
“You guys all have nicknames.”
“We do. I should’ve said Blake. He’s our team leader. He gave me the go ahead to come check on you. They wouldn’t update us—HIPAA regulations or something. I told the guys I’d find a way. It was hell just letting
them take you away on the ambulance earlier. We had to debrief though.”
Her mind spun. It had been hell to leave her?
“Huh. So, what’s your nickname?” she asked.
“Everglades,” he said with a grin. “And what was that look? You doubted my ability to get in here?”
“Not at all,” she said with a smile. “You found me in the middle of the night in a terrorist camp, so I’m sure you could find me anywhere.” Their eyes locked for a brief moment, and in that instant, she knew it was true. He would find her anywhere. She couldn’t say why. This was his job, but it was something else. Something more. She met men all the time in her military career. Not a single one of them looked at her the way Ethan did or made her pulse pound just from being near her.
The man had left his meetings to come check on her. She didn’t even want to examine that too closely. Did he feel obligated? But then Grayson would’ve shown up, wouldn’t he? Because she was Hailey’s friend?
She was shocked she felt anything at all for Ethan. She’d been kidnapped by armed men and held against her will. He was nothing but good though. He fought for his country and protected those weaker than him. He rescued people in impossible situations like her and took out some of the world’s most wanted men.
How could she not like the way he made her feel safe anytime he was near? It was silly to even think she could be attracted to him after everything that had happened, but the mind worked in strange ways. Ethan was safe and good and strong.
“I grew up in South Florida,” he said after a moment, “and somehow the nickname Everglades stuck. I actually haven’t been back there in a year or so. My folks keep asking me to come visit. Have you talked to your parents yet?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “They said I can call them after I eat.”
SEAL's Revenge (Alpha SEALs Coronado Book 4) Page 7