by Aliyah Burke
There was nothing in the first three he cleared. On his way to the next, he almost missed it. A faint impression in the ground of a boot print. Since it wasn’t leading away but toward the top, he cast another glance up.
There. An opening. From his earlier position, it had appeared to be a natural swell of the mountain. Not anymore. Ignoring his rumbling belly, Caleb approached, moving cautiously up the steep terrain.
His heart almost stopped when he peered in. Lying prone on the dirt floor was the woman he’d come to find. Kamden Zyanya Strong. She lay on her side, her back to him. Hands secured behind her and her ankles bound as well.
He scrambled to her side, both elated and hesitant. Lifting his NVG, he popped a soft glow stick, enough so he could see her but not bright like a flashlight. He didn’t want to scare her looking like some alien creature. Pure black rage filled him when he saw her face. Puffy and bruised. She wore shorts and a tee shirt that had definitely seen better days. Her eyes never opened. Why they tied her he had no idea, for in her condition she surely wasn’t going to be going anywhere fast. Or on her own.
With a deep ragged breath, he extended a hand—one that shook slightly—and touched her shoulder. Her body that had been so still flinched instantly.
“Kami,” he spoke in a sotto voice. “It’s okay, Kami.”
Her eyes opened, bloodshot and full of disbelief. She blinked a few times before her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
“Caleb?”
The sound of her voice was the most beautiful thing in the galaxy to him. There was nothing that could compare to it. He sliced through the ropes confining her as if they were created from butter.
“I’m right here.”
“Go,” she mumbled. “They’ll be back.” A sob. “They always come back.”
“I’ll be damned if I leave you here, Kami. We’re all going home. Where’s Missy?”
Her lids dropped and a tear cut a swath along her dirty cheek. “Dead. They’re both dead.”
“Both?” He frowned. “Who else was with you?”
“Evan.” Her voice was so weak he could barely hear her.
A myriad of responses teased the tip of his tongue. He kept them all inside. Now was neither the time nor the place to offer condolences. First order of business was to get out.
“What are your injuries?” he asked, unable to refrain from bushing a tendril of hair from her face.
“Broken ribs, a couple fractured,” she said, pushing slow into a sitting position, “to name a few. I have a dislocated shoulder too.”
He reined in his fury. “Drink,” he ordered, putting the canteen to her lips. She needed an IV in her and fast.
Her throat, with more bruising, moved as she drank. When he deemed she’d had enough, he took it away. Her eyes told of her longing for more but she didn’t say a word. It killed him to see her like this.
“Let’s go.”
“Where? There’s nowhere to go, Caleb,” she forced through split lips. There was no hope in her tone, just the sad acceptance of how things now were.
“Move,” he put into his command the tone he used with men below him in the Corps.
Caleb watched as she got to her feet shaking with exhaustion, her face etched in pain. But also determination. He buried the light in his pocket along with the ropes and reengaged the NVG’s. Scanning the path down from this small cave, he breathed a sigh of relief to find it void of any other personnel.
There were plenty of questions he had for her but realized she barely held on. And for the first part he needed her help.
“I’m going to carry you down, Kami. You’ll have to hold on as best you can.” He spoke gently even as he gathered her up, being as mindful as he could about her injuries.
“No,” she mumbled.
“I wasn’t asking for permission, Kami. Hold yourself as still as possible.” He exited the cave and peered back in. His boot prints mixed with the others, and unless they studied them intently, they’d not realize they were different. Hopefully. He had the rope with him as well, so it would appear she’d vanished or…hadn’t been delivered there to begin with.
The trip down was slow and tedious. He had to tune out her slight moans of discomfort. Her skin, hot and clammy, did little to set him at ease. The facts were right there in front of him. Kami hadn’t had an easy time of it.
He stayed on their faint trail as long as he could. Only when he had to did he branch off. He sighed in relief when he came upon his camp. Kami still in his embrace, he passed beneath the netting that kept him even more hidden than relying solely on the thick foliage and terrain.
With the utmost care, he laid her on his bed after assuring there were no poisonous snakes there. Her breaths came short and fast. His world, one of green, focused on her battered face. He ground his jaw to stay in control of volatile emotions.
“I’ll be right back,” he whispered. Her face contorted in fear and his heart constricted. “I’ll be right back, Kami. Stay quiet.” She reached out in the dark as if seeking him, only to lower her arm back.
“Okay.”
Caleb made short work of ensuring there were no tracks leading back to where he and Kami hid. The trek out would be a hellish one and Kami needed fluids and rest. One day was all he could afford to give her. It would have to be enough.
He glanced to the south were the men had gone. A deep urge to track and kill them all rose sharp and swift. Until he remembered Kami wasn’t totally in the clear. He had to protect her. Keep her safe. Return her home to her loved ones.
“Kami?” he questioned once back with her.
“He said you’d come for me,” she uttered, her words slurred and difficult to understand.
There wasn’t anywhere in this world he wouldn’t go for her. “Who said?” There was no answer. He crouched closer to her. “Who said that, Kami?”
“Evan.”
That was her last word for she drifted away, her body giving into the exhaustion and pain owing it.
Caleb dug for the first aid kit and got to work while Kami lay suspended between unconsciousness and sleep. Once the IV was in, he removed her broken-down footwear and growled in anger. Her feet had open cuts, healed ones, and scars which crisscrossed the soles of her feet.
“Oh, baby.”
He cleaned them quick and stored the wipes in an airtight bag so the smell wouldn’t be detectable on the air. Using water and a cloth, he began working on her legs. Even with the green tint the NVG’s provided him, she still affected him.
Jeez, man. She’s half-dead and you’re lusting after her.
After the mental reprimand, he got back to it. He wiped down her legs, arms, and belly. He left her in her clothes despite their condition. One final check and he settled down for the night. Never did he sink into total slumber; he remained alert for the sounds of anyone approaching while allowing his body to get some rest.
He woke when the sun began to cut through the dense canopy. After a stretch and a brief trip to relieve himself, he returned to find Kami still out. In morning’s soft glow, he took another opportunity to check her over.
Abundant bruises, large bags under her eyes, and her entire body seemed much thinner than when he’d seen her last. He couldn’t help it, he had to touch her. Settling down by her head, he dragged a hand along the side of her face. A soft touch but one he had to experience. Almost as he needed to reassure himself she was actually there.
Her eyes lifted slowly, confusion and wariness filling them along with more than a healthy dose of fear.
“Hey, gorgeous,” he said.
“Caleb?”
The single word was raspy but there.
“I’m here.”
“Where…how?” Her eyes welled up with tears. “You shouldn’t have come.”
He shook his head. “Don’t talk crazy. Listen to me, Kami. I don’t know when they’ll find you gone. Hell, they could know already. You’re too weak to move far right now so we’re resting until dark, then we’re gettin
g you out of this hellhole.”
So many questions warred in her eyes. She was unsure of what to ask first. He could see that like the skin on the back of his own hand. So he handled it.
“I need you to rest as much as you can and stay quiet.”
She glanced at the IV he had in her arm and back to him. As clear as day, he could see more reality of what she’d gone through racing to the surface, cracking the iron defense she’d erected in order to merely survive. Again, the tears gathered up. This time however, they broke free of the dam containing them.
Giving her a moment to regain her composure, he went to his bag and withdrew his other shirt. Fingers tight in the olive material, he also took a second. There was so much he wanted to say. Stay focused. Get out first. Talk second.
“Here, this is clean.”
Kami remained mute as a mouse and struggled to a seated position. He glanced at her then to the IV.
“Cut it off,” she muttered.
Knife in hand, he did just that. The dirty and torn remainder of her shirt fell away. He was faced with not only breasts he’d had more than one fantasy about, but also the bruising and cuts. Her midsection was an ugly whirling mass of purples, greens, and blacks.
“Do you want me to wrap your ribs?” he asked, ensuring his tone was bland.
“Please.”
“I’ll put your shoulder back as well.” He moved over her outstretched legs and sank down, not sitting on her but straddling. Her eyes betrayed her moment of fear. He wanted to assure her he would never hurt her, but he didn’t. She’d gone through hell and him continuing to point it out was uncalled for.
He felt for the dislocation and asked, “Ready?”
Kami buried her face in his shirt and held on with her other arm. “Yes,” her mumbled reply came.
God forgive me for hurting her. “On three. One, two—”
Wrench!
He put it back in. Kami, bless her, gave a sharp hiss of discomfort but never cried out, her body tight to his. Caleb cupped the back of her head and held her. He could feel the tears soaking his shirt. Her entire body shook, and he brought his other arm around to hold her.
Eyes closed, he ignored the fact her upper body—her naked upper body—pressed into him. Ignored her full breasts flush against him. When the shaking subsided, he put some distance between them. Her eyes, full of sorrow, met his.
“Let me bandage your ribs then we’ll get the shirt on you.”
When he grabbed the wrap, he took a few deep breaths and found some composure. Then he faced her again and got to work. He paused before her breasts. Oh, the things he longed to do to them. Large dark nipples taunted him, full globes begged for his hands to cup, kiss, lave, and make love to.
“Bind them.”
“What?” He snapped his eyes to her.
“My breasts, bind them.”
He gulped, said a prayer, and did as she commanded. Breasts like this should never be bound.
Chapter 5
Kami sat as still as possible. Her eyes still watered from the pain of her shoulder being smashed back into place. Her mind was a mess. Before her crouched none other than Caleb Moser. Despite everything, she’d gone through, her body responded to his. She stared at the top of his bent head, his hair short and buzzed, skin covered by sheen of sweat.
Her fingers itched to touch him, to feel the scratch of his facial growth along her skin. She wanted him to hold her and eradicate the recent memories. Most of all, she wanted him to look at her how he had in the Miami hotel room. With desire and lust. Not this detached stare.
His touch remained impersonal while he wrapped her breasts. Breasts that grew sensitive and aroused. Would he ever look at her as if she wasn’t soiled?
“Okay?” he asked, securing the end. When she didn’t respond, he repeated the question.
She took a couple experimental breaths. Much better. “Yes, thank you.” She wouldn’t be running a marathon anytime soon but the bindings made things much easier.
He wordlessly helped her into his shirt and she gratefully inhaled the raw scent of Caleb. He wasn’t a man given to wearing cologne. Nevertheless, he always reminded her of the wild outdoors. Rugged, masculine, sexual bliss, and safety.
She held still while he removed the IV. While he worked, she studied him. The taut body covered by dark skin rippled with ease and fluidity each movement he made.
“Lie down and get some rest,” he said in a low tone. “I’ll put another IV in a bit later.”
Thunder rolled and she glanced up surprised to see that mornings sun had been sucked up by the dark clouds churning overhead. Everything grew darker and she fought off a shudder. Caleb placed a palm against her uninjured shoulder and pressed her back. Moments later he lay beside her when the sky opened up, dropping a deluge. She was surprised they stayed dry.
“Rest now, Kami.”
Her chin wobbled as she tried to control her spiraling emotions. Hope that had been dead within her had flared to life. There was a chance she’d get out of this. But along with the hope came the memory of what she endured. She needed to remain strong. Needed to show him she was no wimp. A shudder ran though her. She couldn’t do it.
Turning her head toward his, she said simply, “Hold me.”
She stared at his face while he moved even closer and gathered her tight to him. Shaking hands gripped his strong arm, jagged nails digging into his flesh. He never said a word, just kept her encased in the security of his arms. The rain pounded harder and her tears streamed, desperate to keep up the tempo with the morning downpour.
Sobs racked her. Her ribs burned but she couldn’t find the wherewithal to rein herself under control. Through it all, he held her, blessedly silent.
Finally, she managed to dam the waterworks. Thunder cracked and she jumped, Caleb continued to hold her, but released her easily when she moved back. In the faded gloom of the rainy morning, she stared at Caleb.
His blue eyes, a trait from his daddy, watched her in return. Stubble covered his sharp facial features.
“Thank you, Caleb.” He lifted his brows. “For coming to get me.”
Something foreign flashed in his eyes before he composed himself. “Rest, Kam.”
Kam. He’d called her Kam.
Disheartened, she rolled her head, so she stared up at the material over her head, keeping her dry. He’s probably pissed he had to come for me. She closed her eyes, aware of every breath he took, and how nice it had been to be in his powerful arms. Exhausted she succumbed to the request her body had made.
The hand over her mouth startled her awake. The voice that followed soothed.
“Not a word, Kam,” the Southern timbre murmured in her ear.
Again, the niggling issue of his no longer calling her Kami ran through her mind. She pushed it away, wholly aware of much more pertinent matters at hand. Giving him a nod to show she understood, not a muscle moved when he removed his hand.
She lay there tense and unsure. Caleb readjusted so his feet were near her head. In order to calm her nerves, she passed the time by staring at his ass. Not even his pants hid the firm muscles. With a quick functional motion, she found them head to head again.
“We have to move.”
Squinting at him in the waning light she nodded. She sat up and reached for her shoes. Not hers but the ones she’d been wearing. He packed up the meager campsite.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He removed the netting and stored it. Immediately soaked, she shoved her heavy wet hair from her face. Bag in one hand and a gun in the other, Caleb crouched before her.
“Stay close. Let me know the second it gets to be too much.”
Wiping water from her face, she got to her feet. “Right.”
He struck out; the bag slung over his back and made good time. He didn’t talk, just alternated on forward progression and checking their surroundings. Occasionally, he glanced at his wrist.
She lost track of everything. A mant
ra ran through her mind. Keep going. One foot in front of the other. That’s how she continued on when her body had long since passed the quitting mark.
The thick roots that fed the trees and plants of the tropical forest began to reduce the higher he took her. The air thinned, making it even less ideal for her to breathe with any form of ease.
“Caleb,” she wheezed, sinking toward the ground with her hands out to break her fall. Her legs slid in the mire and muck. In her current state, she hadn’t the capacity to stay on her own feet. Black spots flickered before her eyes and she gave in to whatever may happen next. His arms, strong as always, wrapped around her, halting her collapsing body inches from the ground.
She cursed silently as another torrent of tears escaped and streamed down her face, mixing with the onslaught of the rain and her own sweat. If he noticed, he never said a word. Just readjusted his hold, on both her, and the weapon. Before she could gather herself, he brushed some hair from her face, wiped some water and kissed the corner of her mouth. So fast and so light she wondered if she’d not imagined it.
“We’ll hole up over here,” he whispered.
With him bearing most of the weight, she allowed him to set her down under an accumulation of twisted and bent tree trunks. The rain was halted from getting in but the ground remained wet. She didn’t care. All that mattered was she was no longer required to be on her feet.
Back against a gnarled trunk, she closed her eyes and tried to slow her heart and breathing. There wasn’t an inch on her that didn’t hurt. After a few moments, she opened them.
Through the gloom, she watched Caleb set branches around the opening, camouflaging them better. When he crouched before her she met his gaze and found it nothing but business.
“You need an IV,” he murmured.
There was no argument. She knew he spoke the truth. She needed a lot and the IV was a good way to help replenish liquids and electrolytes. So she just extended an arm when he reached into the bag. His strong hand curled around her arm only then he paused before his head snapped around.
