****
“Shit.” Nate dropped to his knees beside Macy. Damn her tenacious hide. He should have insisted she use him as a crutch. If there had been any trees around he’d have made a pair of crutches for her. Stubborn woman had assured him they’d move faster if she walked on her own. Like a fool, he let her have her way.
Placing her head in his lap he gently touched her flushed cheek. Too warm. Almost feverish. The temperature had reached well over ninety but she felt hotter than normal.
He glanced down at her leg. Blood seeped through her jeans, wet to the knee. Dammit. Her fall probably tore the wound open. They couldn’t stop here. Too open and vulnerable.
He tore a strip off the bottom of his shirt and wrapped it around Macy’s leg to staunch the blood flow. Best he could do until he found a safe place to hide out for the night.
Carefully, he lifted her into his arms and rose to his feet. They had to keep moving. He continued up the hill, tucking Macy’s head into his chest to avoid any more sunburn. She let out a tiny moan but didn’t wake up.
So far, this mission had gone sideways. When he’d caught a break, and gotten the name of Macy’s husband, his plans had been easy. A simple grab and run. In and out of the country before anyone knew he was there. Bring Macy home. Fulfill his promise to Avery. All good.
Shit happened, but this topped the charts. Keeping Macy from sepsis or losing too much blood while on the run didn’t bode well for the journey they had in front of them. She wasn’t a navy SEAL. She wasn’t trained for this kind of survival. He was. And come hell or high water, he’d keep his promise.
Sweat rolled down his back and forehead. He’d tied a bandana around it to keep moisture out of his eyes and it was soaked. They still had a couple hours of hot sun before it went down for the evening. Until then, they had to keep moving.
Nate picked up the pace. The more ground he covered the safer they were. Macy felt light as a feather in his arms. Too light. It only confirmed the hell she’d been through. Probably starved, beaten and God help her, raped. She was going to need TLC when she got home and lots of it. Maybe counseling. He knew just the person for the job His mom. She was a caring and nurturing soul by nature. If anyone could heal Macy, it was her. He looked forward to the containers of Tupperware that would be waiting in his fridge when he returned. A silly tradition his mom insisted on, making sure her boys had a homemade meal every time they came home from a job, but one they all secretly counted on.
In the short time, Avery had been with them he’d seen big changes in her. Her eyes had become less haunted and she’d put on a couple pounds, filling out her too-thin figure. Avery had been in similar shape as Macy. Gaunt, pale and nearly a skeleton. A few family dinners, some TLC from his mom, and Quinn and she’d started to come around. Still had a long road ahead of her though, but she was well on her way.
He only hoped Macy had a similar support system. She would need it after what she’d been through.
Macy groaned, her head lifting from his chest. “What happened?”
“You fell.” He barely kept the annoyance from his tone. Not at her, but at himself for letting it happen in the first place.
She touched her head. “You’ve been carrying me?”
He nodded.
“For how long?”
“Forty-five minutes.”
“You can put me down now.”
“Not happening.”
Her head lifted further. “What? Why not? You can’t carry me and all of our supplies the entire way.”
He’d carried heavier in much more dangerous terrain much longer than this trek would be. “Faster this way.”
Her head dropped back down on his chest. Quietly, she said, “I don’t like this. It isn’t me. I’m not helpless.”
That was not a word he’d use to describe her. Strong, brave, and tenacious, yes. “Circumstances are beyond your control.”
She huffed out a small laugh. “Is that your way of making me feel better?”
“Is it working?”
A soft sigh escaped her lips. “Somehow, yes. Promise me you’ll put me down if it gets too much.”
“Scout’s honor.”
“You were a boy scout?”
“I was.”
“Then we’re good.”
Her easy acceptance pulled a smile from him. Macy Gibbs wasn’t at all what he’d expected. Her ability to remain positive in such dire circumstances impressed the hell out of him. Tightening his grip, Nate pushed through the heat, and the burning in his legs from the climb. Pain could be compartmentalized. He knew from experience how hard he could push his body, the limits he could overcome.
“I think my leg is bleeding,” Macy murmured. “It’s going to get on you.”
He glanced down at her. Perspiration dotted her brow and flushed cheeks. Her lips were parted slightly, her breath coming in short pants. He needed to get her out of the sun, hydrated and treated. The last thing he needed was for her to get sunstroke or heat exhaustion on top of her injuries.
“I’m not worried about a little blood.” He told her.
“What are you worried about?”
Her eyes were closed, her words slurred slightly. He wasn’t sure if she knew what she was saying or not. “Nothing.”
“Dying?”
He glanced down sharply at her. Her eyes remained closed, her body lax in his arms. “No, I’m not afraid of that.” He’d gotten over that fear as a SEAL. Now, though, it meant seeing his brother again and that wouldn’t bother him one bit. He missed Ryan like hell. Everything was out of balance with him gone. The family dinners with one empty chair. Their football games that helped them blow off steam. The teams were uneven now. Wasn’t fucking right.
“I am.” She murmured. “There are too many things I haven’t done yet.” She sighed. “I’ve never sailed around the world and I want to on the open water, visiting happy places with a dog named Scout. Instead of repressed, underprivileged, dangerous areas where people resent me. Yes, that’s what I want to do. Oh, and fall in love. Real love. Not the fly-by-night relationships I’ve been in.”
The thought made him shudder. Quinn had taken the plunge and fallen in love. Not Nate. Having a wife, a family only meant there would be someone more to grieve over him if something happened. He’d spent enough of his career grieving and he wouldn’t burden anyone else with it. Not because of him. Not if he could prevent it.
“I’ve never joined the mile-high club.”
Nate gritted his teeth. Time to steer this conversation in another direction. Imagining Macy living out her fantasies with another man didn’t sit well. Made him damn uncomfortable and he refused to analyze why.
“I’ve never been to Italy.” She smiled. “I want to go sail to Italy and eat gelato.”
She hadn’t talked this much since they met. Something wasn’t right. Even through his combat vest he could feel the heat of her body seeping into his. Dammit. Could anything else go wrong on this mission?
Just as the thought crossed his mind; the sound of helicopter wings broke through the valley. Nate looked up and saw a small, black chopper cresting the hill just west of them.
Nate broke into a run.
He just had to ask, didn’t he?
Chapter Five
“What’s happening?”
Nate pushed up the hill, the chopper getting louder and closer.
“Nate, what’s going on?” Macy’s tone had grown panicked.
He gave her a reassuring squeeze, too winded to speak. Only a few more klicks to safety. Or at the very least; a place to lay low. Those rocks should extend over the hill, providing cover.
Macy held him tight. “Are they coming for us?”
When he didn’t answer she started to struggle, throwing him off balance.
“Put me down.” She pleaded. “I’m okay. Please. We’re running out of time.”
Her fighting him wasn’t helping so he let her feet down, but kept holding onto her waist. She cried out when she touched the ground, th
ough it didn’t slow her down. With his help, she limped/ran with him.
The chopper grew louder. If it was a search party they wouldn’t engage. If there were mercs on it, then shit just got real.
Macy breathed heavily, pulling on him more and more until he practically dragged her. She didn’t quit though. She kept going, not giving up.
They crested the hill just as the chopper flew overhead. Nate did a quick scan of the area. Mostly the same rocky, dusty terrain. More boulders. Some greenery.
The chopper blades blew dust at them. Macy coughed, tucking her head into his shoulder.
“This way.” He yelled over the noise of the bird. He guided Macy in the opposite direction, glancing up as the chopper passed over. Pilot. Two men inside the open door. Pointing. Shouting. No weapons that he could see.
“Through there.” He said, seeing a dip in the rocks.
Macy limped heavily beside him. He helped her down a small ravine, relieved when he saw a cavern surrounded by rock and partially shaded by the mountain. Not a perfect solution, but good for now. If Macy didn’t get some rest they’d have bigger problems on their hands.
He eased her to the ground. Her face was deathly pale, eyes wide with fear and shock.
“Do you think they’ll come back? Were they looking for me?” Her voice trembled.
“Could have been a tour charter. Too soon to tell.” Although he doubted there had been tourists on that bird, he wouldn’t worry Macy more than necessary.
He slipped his pack off and leaned it against the rock wall shading them from the direct sunlight. “Don’t worry about that. I can handle whatever comes our way.”
She nodded, biting her lip.
“It will be dark soon. They won’t be able to search at night.” He reassured her. “That also means no fire.”
“Can’t risk them seeing it.” She agreed.
“Right. We’ll camp here for tonight. Gonna be a little rough.”
“Trust me, this is a cakewalk compared to where I’ve been.”
That didn’t sit well with him. In fact, it downright pissed him off. Diakameli had ruined too many lives. The bastard deserved to die.
Forcing his anger down, he unhooked his canteen from his pack. If he kept Macy talking her adrenaline crash wouldn’t be so tough. “Drink slowly.” He said, handing it to her.
She did as told; taking small sips while he tore open an MRE.
“What’s this?” She asked when he traded her the canteen for it.
“MRE—Meal Ready to Eat—closest thing I can get to a warm meal for now.”
She dipped the spoon in and took a bite. Instead of a look of disgust, she raised her brows and dug in. “This is delicious.” She said around another bite.
Definitely running high on adrenaline. There wasn’t a soldier or sailor out there that actually liked MRE’s. Some of them were downright intolerable.
He let her eat and went to work setting up camp. Not much, just a place to sleep as far out of sight as possible. Couldn’t risk a tent. Too detectable.
“I need to check your stitches.” He told her.
She handed him the empty brown package and he put it away. “I don’t think I can get these jeans off.”
Some of the blood had dried in the sun, pasting the fabric to her leg. He found a pair of scissors in his First Aid kit. “I’ll have to cut them off.”
Macy met his gaze. “You have more clothes in that gigantic pack of yours, right?”
“I do.”
“Then go for it.”
He started at her ankle and cut up the middle, exposing her skin. The sun dipped slowly behind the mountain peak, leaving them mostly in shadow. Soon, it would be dark and temps would drop.
When he reached the area above her knee she sucked in a harsh breath. No matter how gentle he tried to be this was going to hurt.
“Just do it.” She said, squeezing her eyes closed.
Fisting a piece of fabric in each hand he tore it from her skin. She gasped. He wished he could kiss it better. Had to give her credit. She was one tough cookie.
“That sucked.” Macy said, her breath coming in pants.
“This next part won’t be any better.” He warned, picking up a stack of gauze pads.
“Did the stitches come out?”
She still hadn’t looked. Probably for the best. Her wound wasn’t pretty. “Yes.”
“Fabulous. Work fast, okay?”
“Promise.”
“Scouts honor, right?”
He shook his head in awe. This woman should be in tears, crying from the pain, yet she was keeping things light. Impressive as hell.
“Right.” He said. “Brace yourself.”
As promised, he worked fast. Not only to prevent her from unnecessary pain, but because he was running out of light. Macy handled it like a champ, but he saw the toll it took on her. No tears, but she shook, twisted her hands together and breathed abnormally fast.
When he finished, he bandaged her leg then packed the supplies away. He put the bloody gauze in a plastic bag and tucked it in his pack. Didn’t need wild animals sniffing around for fresh blood.
“Can you cut the rest off?” Macy asked. “I’m not feeling so great.”
Her teeth had begun to chatter, her body trembling. Adrenaline crash. Time to get her settled in for the night.
“Stay with me.” He said, cutting the remaining fabric of her jeans so that they fell off her, exposing her bare skin to the chilly breeze. He tugged them out from under her and tossed them aside for now. He unhooked a small lantern from his pack and used it to find another pair of pants for her. These were cargo pants, olive green, and much looser than the jeans. They would prevent a repeat of today’s events.
He tried to keep his eyes off the plain black panties she wore, but dammit, the little bow on the front captured his attention. She was a gorgeous woman.
He was a louse for thinking that way about her. She’d been through more than anyone knew and he was fantasizing about her underwear. Completely inappropriate.
“I have sexier underwear.” Macy said, voice strained. “Leave it to Avery to pack my Plain Jane ones.”
Nate mentally berated himself and reached for a long-sleeved t-shirt and sweatshirt to go over it. He really needed to think of something else besides her undergarments.
“Sorry.” He said, extending a hand to help her sit up. “I shouldn’t—”
She cut him off with a kiss that stunned the hell out of him. Her lips were warm, inviting. And gone too soon.
“Yes, you should.” She whispered. “You can’t know how good it makes me feel to have you looking at me like a woman and not a mess. Thank you.”
The vulnerability in her eyes snapped him out of his shock. This woman surprised him at every turn. And damn if he didn’t find it impressive as hell. She was thanking him for being a louse. But, he got it. She’d been treated like a prisoner, hated and beaten for her nationality. Demeaned.
For the first time in his life, he was at a loss for words so he handed her the clothes, giving her his back so she could change.
Moments later she said, “You can turn around now.”
She handed him her soiled shirt and crossed her arms over her waist. “I feel like my entire body is going through a washing machine and I can’t stop shaking.”
Nate pulled her onto his lap, leaning his back against the mountain. Macy curled into him and something shifted in his chest. Made him tighten his hold and never want to let go.
Pushing those disturbing thoughts away, he doused the lantern, plunging them into darkness.
“I forgot how cold it gets here at night.” Macy murmured, her breath brushing his neck.
She still felt too warm to him, but he kept it to himself. Her injury had been red, a bit inflamed. The salve he’d put on it should kill any infection that had started. What he needed was to find a tree with branches long enough to make crutches. Or, at the very least, a walking stick. Something to take the pressure off her
leg. Horses would be ideal, but where to get them out here was the question.
“Is it safe to sleep here?” Macy’s voice slurred, indicating she was fading fast.
“Yes.”
Her body went limp as she fell into sleep. Nate knew he should tuck her in her sleeping bag so she could rest, but part of him didn’t want to put her down. She felt…right.
Off kilter by his thoughts, Nate rose and gently lay Macy down. He zipped it up, adjusting a rolled shirt to use as a pillow and sat back. He needed sleep, too, if he was going to protect her.
Positioning himself near the open part of the cavern, he let his eyes close. His hand remained on the Glock sitting on his lap. If anyone or anything approached he’d hear them. They would have to go through him to get to Macy.
****
A knock on the door, brought Dani awake with a moan. She rolled away from the bright sunlight shining through the open window, ignored the door knocker and the birds chirping way too cheerfully.
For a moment, she let herself go back in time and pretend everything was right in her world. That Ryan was lying next to her, snoring softly in that cute way he did when he was really tired.
A smile touched her lips as she floated through the dream. Snuggling up to his hard, warm body, drinking in the scent of him. Enamored by how big and muscular he was compared to her. She barely stood five-five in heels. She loved that about him. When he put his arms around her it felt like nothing could hurt her. The world ceased to exist when he held her.
Another knock. More insistent. Her eyes flew open. The dream faded away. She looked over her shoulder at the empty bed and bit her lip to stifle a sob that nearly choked her. Ryan was gone and he was never coming back.
Her stomach roiled. Oh, God. Why had she slept in their bed last night? Usually she took a pill and fell asleep watching television on the sofa. The noise made her feel less alone. The pills kept the pain and grief at bay.
“Dani? You home?”
Kell.
Damn it. Of all the Wolff brothers, he was the most persistent. He kept a close eye on her and she hated it. Couldn’t she just grieve in peace? He meant well, but she wanted to be left alone.
Her stomach turned again. Clamping a hand over her mouth she flew across the hall to the bathroom. She barely made it to her knees before getting sick.
Not Without Risk (Wolff Securities Book 2) Page 4