Two Dauntless Hearts

by Elle James

  Men’s voices sounded nearby and they were speaking English, but she couldn’t make out the words. Her ears rang too loud, and she didn’t have a whole lot of control of her motor movements.

  When she finally pushed to her feet, another explosion ripped through the air, again knocking her to the ground. She lay still. The stars she could see through the trees blurred and faded to black.

  When she surfaced again, she blinked up at tree branches and more stars. Her ears were still ringing, but her vision was beginning to clear. She moved her fingers and toes, then her legs and arms. Nothing hurt, other than the bruises she’d received from her captors. Then she remembered the nine other women she’d been trying to get to safety.

  Marly sat up too fast. Her head spun, but she pushed past the dizziness, refusing to pass out again.

  The women lay on the ground around her. Some sobbed quietly, while others lay with their hands over their ears as if waiting for the next explosion.

  Celeste pushed to a sitting position beside her and blinked.

  “Are you all right?” Marly asked.

  Celeste nodded and winced. “My ears hurt and I can’t hear well.”

  “That would be a concussion from the explosion. Hopefully, it will go away soon.”

  She stared out at the plane and fuel trucks. “Did you get him?”

  Marly nodded. “Nobody could have lived through that explosion. You felt it from here and we’re over two hundred yards away.”

  Celeste nodded. “Still, I want to see the body. Proof.”

  Marly understood. She, too, wanted proof the man died in the explosion, never to torture, sell or trade in humans and animals ever again.

  Now that they were free of him, would they be able to get away from the others? She’d destroyed their means of transportation, and going back to where the others had been loading trucks would be a very bad idea.

  Marly glanced at the road leading away from the village. They might have to walk. “Let’s ask the others if they can walk.”

  Celeste and Marly went around to each of the women to make sure they were okay. Some were so distraught, they couldn’t stop crying. Others sat in shock, almost catatonic. All of them seemed physically well enough to walk, though.

  Marly glanced back at the village. A light still burned near the other end where the trucks had been and the animals had been loaded. The engine noise had ceased, and she couldn’t make out any shouts. Then she remembered hearing voices before the last explosion. Voices speaking English. American English.

  Her pulse sped up, and she pushed to her feet. “Keep them here. I want to check on something.”

  Celeste grabbed her wrist. “It is too dangerous.”

  “I’ll be careful. If don’t come back in five minutes, take the women and start walking. Follow the road, but don’t walk on it. Stay in the shadows and move at night. Understand?”

  Celeste nodded. “Please don’t go.”

  Marly squeezed her hand. “I have to.” Deep in her heart, she knew she’d heard something. Had it been a dream? Had she had a flashback to her time spent at the All Things Wild Resort? Or were there really men here who spoke American English? And if there were, who were they and what were they doing here?

  Marly stood and walked toward the village, moving from tree to tree, still a little wobbly on her legs. Her hearing was coming back slowly. She could swear she heard the murmur of voices. She worked her way toward them and came to a stop when she heard one very familiar tone.

  “I’m so sorry, Marly.” The voice came from the shadows beneath a tree. “I wish I had never let you out of my sight.”

  Her heart skipped several beats and then raced, pounding so hard against her eardrums, she was afraid she would lose her hearing altogether.

  “Pitbull?” she whispered. Then she was running, crashing through the trees. “Pitbull?”

  “Marly?” A man materialized out of the shadows, caught her in his arms and crushed her to his chest. “Oh, Marly, I thought you were gone. I thought I’d lost you in that explosion.”

  “You found me,” Marly said. “I can’t believe you found me.”

  “I’d have searched to the ends of the earth. I never should have let you go back to your plane alone.”

  She cupped his cheek and leaned up on her toes to lightly kiss his lips, her heart so full she thought her chest might explode. “You found me.”

  Pitbull held her close, his lips crashing down on hers.

  Marly winced and jerked back.

  “Did I hurt you?” Pitbull held her at arm’s length.

  She touched her hand to her mouth. “I have a split lip. But I don’t care. Kiss me again.” She pressed her mouth to his, but he refused to kiss her.

  Instead, he raised a penlight and scanned her face and body. “Sweet Jesus, Marly, what did they do to you? Are you bleeding?” He shone his light over the blood stains on her flight suit. “Buck! We need a medic! Stat!”

  She touched his cheek again and shook her head. “I’m okay but for a few bumps and bruises. This blood isn’t mine.”

  “Not yours?” He let go of a long, heavy sigh.

  “No, it was the guard who gave me these.” She pointed to her bruised cheekbone and jaw.

  “Dead, I hope?”

  She nodded. “Very.”

  By the fierce look on Pitbull’s face, the dead man was lucky the SEAL hadn’t gotten to him first. He’d have made him suffer for hurting Marly.

  Pitbull didn’t belabor the discussion of the man’s death, which suited Marly fine. She still wasn’t sure how she felt about killing. Though she hadn’t killed the man who’d hit her, she had been responsible for the death of his sadistic boss.

  She shook off the thought and hugged Pitbull again. “How did you find me?”

  Buck appeared behind Pitbull. “Actually, T-Mac found you and we all came to rescue you. Poor Pitbull was so distraught, we were surprised he didn’t catch your plane with his bare hands before it left the ground. If he could have run eighty miles per hour, he might have done it.”

  “I saw you,” she said. “And I couldn’t do anything about it. They threatened to kill all of you with a grenade. I had to fly.” She pressed her cheek to his. “And then the bastards pulled me out of the pilot’s seat and knocked me out.”

  Pitbull’s arms tightened around her waist. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. I’d kill them all over again if I could.”

  “All over again?” Marly glanced around. That’s when she saw the bodies lying on the ground. “Are these the men who were working this operation?”

  Pitbull nodded.

  Her gaze shifted to Pitbull’s. “They were trading in baby animals and human trafficking.”

  “Human trafficking?” Big Jake shook his head. “Death was too good for them.”

  She nodded in the direction of the women hiding in the woods. “Celeste, you can come out now. It’s safe.”

  Moments later, the nine women walked out of the woods, following the sound of Marly’s voice.

  They held back when they saw Pitbull, Big Jake and Buck’s big, burly bodies surrounding Marly.

  “Don’t worry, they’re here to rescue us.” Marly hurried over to Celeste, took her arm and walked her over to the men. “This is Celeste. She helped me get all the women out.”

  Celeste nodded. “Thank you for coming to help us.”

  Big Jake chuckled. “It appears you didn’t need us, after all.”

  Marly raised her eyebrows and stared around at the men littering the ground. “We would be dead if you hadn’t come. These men would have killed us after I took out their boss.”

  Pitbull frowned. “You took out their boss?”

  She tipped her head toward the smoldering fire. “I sacrificed my plane rather than let him get away in it.”

  “You we
re responsible for the explosion?” Buck asked.

  Marly nodded. “I couldn’t let the man behind this operation get away. He would have gone on to kill more animals and kidnap more women, only to sell them to the highest bidders. I couldn’t let him do that.” She shook her head, staring at the smoldering heap. “I’d do it all over again.”

  T-Mac, Harm and Diesel joined them, each giving Marly a huge hug.

  “We weren’t sure we’d find you,” Harm said.

  T-Mac backhanded Harm in the gut. “What are you talking about? It was only a matter of time before I located her. I had no doubt in my mind we’d find our Marly.” He frowned at the fire. “I’m sorry about your plane.”

  She shrugged and slipped her arm around Pitbull’s waist. “I’m just glad you guys are okay.” Marly frowned. “By the way, how’d you get here?”

  Pitbull grinned. “Our unit sent helicopters.”

  “Oh, dear Lord. You flew in one of those death traps?” She winked. “Well, I’m glad you didn’t crash.”

  “I’m sure the 160th will appreciate the sentiment,” Big Jake said. “Speaking of which, I put in a call for extraction. They should be here in just a minute.”

  Pitbull pulled her close and held her tight.

  Marly turned in Pitbull’s arms. “But we can’t leave.”

  “What do you mean? We’re in the Democratic Republic of the Congo without permission. As far as you and anyone else are concerned, we aren’t here,” Pitbull said.

  “But the crates.” Marly grabbed Pitbull’s hand and dragged him toward the light in the center of the village.

  “Where are we going?” he asked.

  “We have to take care of the animals.”

  “We can’t airlift them out of the Congo,” Pitbull said.

  “No, but we can drive them out,” Marly said. “The men loaded them into the trucks. All we have to do is drive them east back into Kenya and take them to a sanctuary where someone can care for the babies until they’re old enough to be on their own.”

  Pitbull chuckled. “You make it sound so easy.”

  “What’s hard about it?” Marly stared around at the men in the night, their eyes shining by the light of the moon. “They got them here by truck. We should be able to get them out the same way.”

  Pitbull looked over her head at Big Jake. “What do you say? Want to pull an all-nighter and get the kids to a safe place?”

  “I’m game,” Buck said.

  Big Jake drew in a deep breath and let it out. “We’re already in hot water for being in the DRC when we’re supposed to be in Kenya. We should let the crew get the women home, and those of us on vacation can get the trucks loaded with animals and headed somewhere safe, where they won’t die or be sold.”

  The helicopters flew in just then, landing on the road a couple hundred yards away from the dying fire. The SEAL team, minus the six who’d chosen a relaxing vacation in Kenya, escorted the women to the helicopters.

  Pitbull bent to kiss Marly’s lips. “You need to go with the women.”

  Marly shook her head. “I’m going with you.”

  “As much as I’d love to have you with me, I know those women need a strong lady like you to make them feel more comfortable flying off with a bunch of men. Especially after what they’ve been through.”

  Marly frowned. He was right. She hadn’t gotten them this far just to abandon them. “Promise me you’ll be okay if I don’t go with you.”

  He held up a hand. “I promise.” Pitbull pressed his lips to the top of her head. “You know I’d have given anything to see you go all commando and blow up your plane.”

  She smiled. “You have no idea how hard it was to pull that trigger.”

  “Oh, baby, I do. I know how much you loved that plane.” He hugged her one last time and then escorted her to the waiting helicopters. “Now, don’t jinx the pilot. This helicopter is perfectly safe and won’t drop out of the sky. I’ll see you soon.”

  “You bet.” She climbed aboard, turned and threw him a kiss. Then she was being hustled into a harness, and the helicopter lifted off the ground.

  As the chopper rose into the air, Marly focused on the man who’d changed her life and made her feel like a woman, not just a grease-jockey pilot.

  Soon he became a speck and all she could see was the plume of smoke that had once been her plane.

  Her heart hurt. Her plane had been like a friend. The decision to destroy it hadn’t been easy. But now that it was done, what could she do with her life? The possibilities were dauntingly endless.

  First, she had to get these women to safety. Sure, the SEALs could have done it without her, but the ladies had been through so much at the hands of ruthless men. Having another female around would help calm their fears in the transition.

  Marly smiled. Most of them had never flown in a helicopter. In the limited light from the helicopter control panel and from the starlight, she could see the terror in their faces. As much as she wanted to be with Pitbull at that moment, she’d made the right decision to fly with the freed captives.

  The big question in her mind was what would happen next between her and Pitbull?

  Chapter Fifteen

  Once Marly’s helicopter disappeared into the night sky, Pitbull hurried to the trucks the men had been loading. The animals in the cages and crates were showing signs of extreme stress. Many of the babies had probably gone without nourishment for far too long. The best they could do for them was to get them to a rehabilitation sanctuary as soon as possible.

  The men finished loading the last few crates and cages. After a final check around the village for any remaining animals or people, the men piled into the trucks and headed out, wanting to make good use of darkness to get out of the DRC and back into Kenya.

  The roads were rough. Pitbull worried about the animals in the back. The men didn’t have the supplies or the knowledge of each creature to stop and feed them, or he would have. Still, they were better off than being abandoned in the village to die of starvation and dehydration.

  The SEALs pushed on, finally crossing into Kenya as the sun popped up from the eastern horizon.

  Big Jake had contacted Talia via the satellite phone the team had brought for them. She had arranged for the delivery of the animals to a refuge fifty miles into Kenya. They were greeted by an army of volunteers who helped unload the animals, sort them and place them into better environments.

  Pitbull and his teammates stayed to help care for the baby animals until all had been fed and housed. Every one of the creatures survived the trip, some in better shape than others.

  By the time they left the sanctuary, the men had been awake for over forty-eight hours. They were exhausted, hungry and in need of a full day’s sleep. Still, they pushed on, driving the trucks they’d taken from the illegal compound, finally reaching the All Things Wild Resort as the sun rose on a fresh day.

  Talia greeted them in front the big house in her khaki uniform, her hair perfectly combed, a frown pulling her eyebrows together. “Tell me you got some sleep along the way.”

  Big Jake rubbed a hand across his three-day-old beard. “No, ma’am. And I’m sure we smell like the animals we rescued.”

  “Go get yourselves cleaned up. I’ll have food on the table in ten minutes.” She paused. “Unless you’d prefer to sleep first.”

  As one, the men said, “Food.”

  She smiled. “Then food it is.” Talia turned toward the house.

  Before she disappeared through the door, Pitbull called out, “Any word from Marly?”

  Talia shook her head. “Sorry. I’ve heard nothing.”

  Big Jake laid a hand on Pitbull’s shoulder. “The 160th wasn’t supposed to be in the DRC or in Kenya. I’m sure they had to fly low on the radar, literally and figuratively. Marly will contact us as soon as she is able.”

&nb
sp; “It’s been more than twenty-four hours.” Pitbull scrubbed a hand over his tired face. “Talia, I won’t be at the breakfast table. I’d rather get sleep.”

  “I can have someone deliver a tray to your bungalow, if you don’t feel like coming to the big house,” she offered.

  “No, thank you.” He walked away, heading for his assigned cabin. Once inside, he closed the door and leaned his forehead against the wood paneling. As tired as he was, he couldn’t stop thinking about Marly. He had to tell himself she was in good hands, free of the man who’d dared to deal in humans and animals.

  She must be hurting, possibly scared. Without her plane, what did her future hold for her?

  Pitbull wished he could scoop her into his arms and tell her everything would be all right.

  As he walked to the bathroom, he stripped out of his dirty clothing, letting the items fall to the floor along the way. He switched on the shower and stood in the spray for almost half an hour, his body and mind so drained he could barely remember to work up a lather and scrub the dirt out of his hair and skin.

  When he finished, he dried himself, wrapped the towel around his waist and walked into the bedroom.

  A tray piled high with breakfast foods sat in the middle of the bed.

  His stomach rumbled loudly.

  “How long has it been since you’ve eaten?” a familiar voice asked from the adjoining sitting room.

  Pitbull spun toward the sound, his heart banging hard against his ribs. “Marly.”

  She stood framed in the doorway, wearing a long, colorful caftan cinched at the waist, her sandy-blond hair hanging long and loose down her back.

  “Miss me much?” she asked, not making a move toward him.

  “You have no clue,” he whispered.

  She chuckled, the sound warming the air between them. “Then give me one.”

  He opened his arms and she walked into them. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you since we left Djibouti on our way to a little vacation safari in Kenya.”

  She rested her cheek against his chest. “Your heart is beating so fast.”