by Serena James
“I don’t know.” Her tone mirrored his own frustration. “I can’t even remember who you really are to me. I am getting more and more flashes of memory but I don’t have the whole story. I can’t remember being tortured, raped or anything else they did to me. You have to understand, it’s debilitating. I feel like a dependent child. I am not sure whom I should trust. I am not sure I can even trust Michael. He makes me feel uneasy. Everyone is a stranger to me. I feel alone. Worst of all I feel helpless. I am beginning to understand that is a feeling I don’t take to very well.”
He felt her attempt to tug her arm back. He tightened his grip just a little. It was enough to make her give up. He told her, “I do understand. It must be terrifying.” He pulled her closer and lowered his voice, erasing the urgency from it. “Maybe you could at least tell me why you thought I was worth protecting, let alone my sister.”
Her eyes gave him a quizzical look. “What are you fishing for Dominic? Do you want me to tell you that love motivated me?” He didn’t answer her. Her answer was cold, a statement. “I suppose it must have.” Her head dipped away from him. She stared at the floor as though appearing to weigh up the gravity of her words.
He stared back at her. Her voice was soft, almost loving when she spoke to him again. “I wish I could remember all that you are to me. I just know that when I do get memories of you I get a warm safe feeling. Everything is so dark and painful in my mind right now that I’ve been trying to hold onto that feeling. I must care very deeply for you, Dominic, to risk my life for yours.”
He smiled gently and moved a couple of strands of her hair away from her forehead. He whispered to her. “You told me once that you had never felt safe in your life apart from when you were with me. I suppose you definitely still have feelings for me. Maybe they are ones of love, even after all of this time.” He moved closer to her, dwarfing her small form. She lowered her eyes. He bent his head to look down at her, waiting patiently for her to look up at him again.
Eventually she raised her eyes. She was trembling. It was difficult for her to make eye contact with him. He couldn’t help but smile. She had never been this shy with him before. He was therefore surprised when she spoke to him with a measured amount of command. “So, Mr. Kane, the question is, how do you feel about me? We broke up. It was obviously a bad break up because you won’t talk to me about it. So, what are you doing here at the other end of the world saving my neck in a country that is about to go to war? What are you really here for, Mr. Kane?”
Kane gently pulled her even closer to him until her body touched his own. He brushed her cheek lightly with his fingers then swept them downwards to cup the side of her face. He tilted it up towards him, smoothing the pad of his thumb across the silky skin of her cheek. Her eyes were shining brightly at him. They were full of curiosity and anticipation. He answered her question by lowering his lips to her own. She didn’t object. He watched her close her eyes as he kissed her softly. He whispered against her lips, “I am here for you because I love you.”
She reached up this time and brushed her lips against his. Surprised he let go of her arm satisfied she wasn’t going to run away from him. He took control and kissed her more deeply. She pressed her palms against the sleeves of his suit and curled her fingers around the material pulling him against her. His arms enveloped her, trapping her body against his. Once again there was no objection. He lost himself inside her for a moment, drinking her in. Her need for him seemed as urgent as his own.
Eventually he broke off, suddenly concerned it might all be too much for her. He held her face in both of his hands and expressed his concern. She shook her head at him. “No. I’ve told you. When I am with you, everything is all right. I feel safe. Please hold me again.” He obeyed without question, drawing her to him, holding her as tight as her broken ribs would allow. He felt her head rest against his shoulder and closed his eyes, revelling in the fact that after so long he was holding her again.
After a while she asked him, “Are you going to take me home today?”
“Yes. But I want Doctor Han to check you out first. We need to move quickly. From what Niran said we haven’t got long before they might send a team after you. Everyone is talking about the invasion happening in the next two days. That will make it easier for them to come and try to take you out. No questions will be asked. The world will presume you were killed in the cross fire trying to get out.”
She moved her head from his shoulder and nodded. She looked apprehensive. “Do you think I will be able to remember everything in time? Do you think I will be able to stop those bombs going off? I don’t want anybody to die because I failed.”
He held her at arm’s length and tilted her chin up forcing her to look up at him. “You won’t fail. I will be there to help you. Trust me. I won’t let you down...” He’d nearly said, again. He felt uneasy, guilty. He had conveniently forgotten about the reason for their break up. He was taking advantage of her ignorance of it. Would she want him if she knew? He would have to face the music at some point but for now he would do his damnedest to convince her that they belonged together, whatever her argument to the contrary. This was one battle he was determined he was going to win.
“I don’t want to let anyone down, Dominic...”
He hushed her. “Shhh, you won’t.” He gave her a firm command. “And no more trying to do this on your own and putting yourself in danger. I want you safe by my side.” She frowned at him. He gave her a half smile but made sure his voice lost none of its directness. He had to make her understand that this time he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “I’ve been told to tell you, by Anna, that you are fired if you don’t do as you’re told where your safety is concerned. That makes me in charge.”
She opened her mouth to protest but he bent his head and kissed her quickly to silence it. She pulled away from him and frowned, studying him closely. He couldn’t help but grin. She told him, “I know something else about Rebecca Eaton. She doesn’t take orders from anyone, especially men. That makes me in charge.” His eyes widened with surprise when she suddenly grinned. Her eyes sparkled mischievously at him. She asked him excitedly, “Why do I have this aching, burning need to call you Captain Caveman?”
He groaned loudly. Damn it.
She laughed. “Well you are a bit Neanderthal. Aren’t you? I can see why I gave you that nickname.”
He was lost in her once more when he heard the sharp cutting sound of fighter jets screeching across the sky outside. They were coming to bomb the city. He heard the bombs drop and knew they were close. He lifted his gaze from hers and they both turned to the window. As the bombs landed he threw Rebecca to the ground underneath him.
Chapter Eleven
Kane slowly raised his head. There was glass all over him. His body was covering Rebecca. He could feel her struggle to breathe beneath him. He heard alarms going off all over the building. He could smell smoke and feel water on his face from a sprinkler overhead. He wiped his face and moved off Rebecca a little to judge whether it was safe to let her up.
The room was a mess. Plaster hung from the walls and littered the floor. There was a hole where the window had been and another large one in the roof over the bed. He could see the clear blue sky through it. What was left of the ceiling looked ready to come down on top of them. The jets had moved away but he could hear them in the distance bombing other parts of the city.
Rebecca was now trying to move. “What happened?” she asked him.
He moved and helped her turn over to her front. He smoothed his hand over her hair worried that she had been injured. “It was a bomb. It looks as if the invasion has started even sooner than anticipated. Are you all right?” He watched her rub her temple. She was still finding it painful to breathe with her broken ribs.
She told him, “Fine. Just a headache.”
He’d pushed her to the ground pretty hard. She may have had concussion. He really wanted her to see a doctor but there was no chance of that. He wanted her o
n the plane ASAP. He would get Michael to check her out.
“Okay. Let’s get you out of here while we still have time.”
Rebecca sat up on her elbows as Tom walked through the door. There was plaster all over his hair, colouring it white, and blood was coming from his mouth. He handed Kane a mike for his ear and shook at his hair. He said, “Looks like we will have to use that tactical plan after all. The boys are waiting. Just give the order when you are ready.”
Kane spoke into the mike, “Everyone okay? Positions?” His team answered promptly and calmly as he helped Rebecca rise from the floor. She scooped up the laptop from the rubble that lay around them. Connor was outside the room. When the bomb had struck, Ramsay and Miles had been taking Michael Eaton down to the cars parked at the entrance of the hospital. They reported that the lift was out of action and the main stairwell was blocked by structural damage from the third floor down. They were now making their way to the service lift and stairs on the other side of the building.
Stuart and Alastair were already downstairs. Kane told them to guard the front entrance and fall back if necessary. This may have been an ideal opportunity for a sniper to take Rebecca down. He was beginning to believe that the hospital might have been deliberately targeted to kill Rebecca. Whoever wanted her dead would have wanted to make sure the job was finished.
Connor brought Charles in from the corridor outside the room. He had been on his way up to see Rebecca. Kane moved towards what was left of the window and looked out. Sure enough it seemed he was right – there were two cars swerving around the debris in the street and the screaming staff and patients running from the building. A team of men kitted out in assault gear were getting out of the cars. Alastair had also seen them and was giving Kane details of their positions.
Kane acknowledged the communication and found his attention diverted by a loud noise over head. Rebecca came to his side. She looked down at the men below with concern. Kane made her move back from the edge and quickly looked to the hole in the roof. As he suspected, the noise came from a helicopter. It was attempting to land on a part of the roof that was still intact and another small assault team was preparing to jump out.
Tom lowered his eyes from the hole and gave him an anxious look. “Whoever wants to take Rebecca out is going to great lengths to achieve it.”
Kane nodded. He turned to Rebecca. “I am beginning to wonder what else you have found out about that you can’t remember. Looks like you’ve upset somebody more important than doctors. They are sending too much fire power after you.” She gave him a bemused hopeless look.
He told her firmly, “We have to go now.” He took hold of her arm and pulled the Uzi from the bed and slung it over his shoulder. He led her out of the door with the others. Smoke loomed in the corridor and they quickly realised that damage and debris prevented any access to the service stairs. Water was coming hard from the sprinklers and there was an odious smell of gas. Kane told Rebecca to stay close behind him as they quickly moved towards the main stairs. They fell into the pre-agreed formation. Tom lead the way, Kane stayed in the middle with Rebecca and Charles, Connor brought up the rear. Their semi-automatics were drawn– they were ready to be engaged at any moment.
Tom pushed the fire door to the main stairwell open wide. The last of the staff and patients from the top floor were disappearing down the stairs. Kane and Tom checked it out before allowing Rebecca and Charles to move in. As they did, two men appeared from Rebecca’s room down the other end of the corridor. Kane swept Rebecca behind him and swung his Uzi round, wasting no time in opening fire. He took the first man out before he could indent the wall behind them with bullets. He shouted at Connor to get Rebecca and Charles into the stairwell as another man appeared.
Tom caught him through the head with his semi-automatic. He danced around like a puppet on a string until he fell dead in a crumpled bloody mess on the floor. Another one was coming through the room. The bullets from his machine gun had them ducking for cover behind a wall. Kane drew his handgun and returned fire as Tom reloaded. Kane shot the assailant in the leg and the arm. It was enough to disable him.
He listened to the injured man shouting at the other three pouring through the door. He was English. The man who answered him sounded Bundenese. Mercenaries? He didn’t wait around to make an assessment. He and Tom made a run for the stairwell as the group of men started to pursue them. They found Connor standing in front of Rebecca and Charles, his weapon drawn and aimed squarely at them. Tom slammed the fire door shut and Connor helped Kane to move a vending machine providing water to jam the door. They completed the action just in time as one of the men on the other side started banging at the door and shooting at the lock. Kane issued a command to all of them, “Go now.”
Tom positioned himself at the front once again. Kane stayed in the middle with Rebecca and Charles. Connor followed them. Kane was thankful that he was with two of his best men. Tom had served under him in Afghanistan as a Captain and later Major. His specialisation had been weapons training and he was invaluable to Kane’s operation. He was a close friend who left the Royal Marines a couple of months after Kane. He trusted Tom with his life.
Connor had been a good Intelligence Officer in the Royal Marines. He had also served under Kane as a young Captain. He’d had a good career to look forward to in the Marines and Kane had been bemused when he came looking for a job six months ago. He’d told Kane he didn’t want to take orders all of his life. He wanted to run his own security company himself one day and wanted to learn from the best. Kane had been flattered, but also wary. At twenty-nine, Connor was a cocky kid who could do it all. His build was similar to Kane’s, tall and athletic - and his short black hair and good looks completed the picture. Educated at the same private school and University of St. Andrews like Kane, Connor reminded him of himself at that age.
Connor kept himself fit, unlike Tom who was starting to let middle age spread get the better of him despite Kane’s order to shape up. He was quick witted and intelligent and could improvise when needed.
Adrenaline was coursing through Kane’s veins at one hell of a pace. He hadn’t felt this way since Afghanistan. His reactions were lightening quick, thanks to the constant training he put himself and his men through. It was as though he had never been away from combat. The stakes were higher this time though and were motivating him harder than ever before.
He looked back at Rebecca as they reached the fourth floor. She was clearly struggling with the pace going down the stairs. She was holding her side and clutching the laptop close to her chest as though her life depended on it. She had only been out of bed for a couple of hours and was still suffering with her surgery and those broken ribs let alone her other injuries. He could hear her breathe in short gasps. He’d experienced broken ribs himself and the pain was excruciating. I should be carrying you.
“Rebecca, how are you doing? Do you need any help? Let me carry that laptop.”
“No, thanks. I can manage.”
He was about to take her arm and suggest carrying her when Charles came up close behind her. Kane frowned at him when he slipped his arm around her back and took her hand from her side, giving her support.
He told Kane confidently, “Don’t worry, I’ll help her.”
Kane would have been lying if he said he was happy with it. After everything that had happened to her he didn’t want any man touching her. But Rebecca needed help. He decided to trust Charles, they were friends after all. He searched her eyes quickly assessing whether or not she was happy with the idea. She nodded. Satisfied, he continued down the stairs in front of them.
Kane received a communication from Stuart that they were engaged and fighting to keep the back entrance clear but there were too many of them and three of the assault team had made it into the building and were heading up the service stairs. Stuart also told him that the hospital staff were worried that there was a gas leak. There may be another explosion.
Kane said to him, “No pressu
re then.”
He heard Stuart chuckle and tell him in his characteristic dry humour, “All good fun sir. We’ve been in worse. By the way these Heckler and Koch G36s we got from that contractor are proving one hell of an asset. You don’t go back when you’ve used one of these.”
Kane grinned and shook his head. Stuart was the same age. Another officer who’d served with him in Afghanistan. Kane had carefully drawn the people from his employ that were ex-military for this trip, especially from the Royal Marines. He knew their performance, knew all of their skills and how they handled themselves under fire. Everyone had stepped forward to help the boss. Tom was right, it was no secret that they knew he was still in love with Rebecca. He was touched by all of their loyalty.
Still, he knew he had put a few noses out of joint because of whom he had chosen as his team. Not least from his only two female operatives. Kathy had been with the Royal Protection Services and Jane with the police. They were both high calibre but they’d had no combat experience. He needed more women with combat experience in his company but they rarely applied. He decided he would go on a recruitment drive to attract more women when he got back.
Kane requested a report from his team on the third floor. Ramsay told him that they had made it to the service lift and stairs. The lift was still working but they had also been engaged. Kane realised there was going to be trouble on the third floor and their path to the service stairs and lift wasn’t going to be an easy one. Ramsay’s voice was its normal detached cool self. It took a lot more to ruffle Ramsay’s feathers. He was clearly taking it all in his stride.
“Sir, do you need us to stay and provide assistance?”
“No, That’s a negative. Get Michael Eaton safely out of the building.”
Kane had no time for any further conversation. One of the assailants burst through the stairwell door ahead of them as Kane’s group hurried down the stairs towards the landing on floor three. Tom immediately fired as Kane pushed Rebecca and Charles against the wall. Tom dispatched the man quickly and gave cover for Connor who ran through the door, weapon raised. Kane jumped from the stairs, shouting at Tom to hold Rebecca and Charles there. He rushed after Connor through the door, aiming the Uzi.
