by Kells, India
“What is our escape route?”
After putting her dress back on, the woman slung the backpack on her shoulders before taking one gun. “Two doors down the hallway, there is a storage room. There is supposed to be an outside door.”
“Supposed to?”
The woman grimaced, her eyes turning to ice, and he guessed it wasn’t a good sign.
“I’m sorry, sir, but the situation is sketchy, and all available information even more so. Would you prefer to wait back in your cell so I can find an escape and bring your limo around?”
Whoa, she caught fire fast, that’s for sure.
“I know how a rescue can be. Now can we move on?”
Without a word, she opened the door, looking around before motioning him to follow her. Less than ten seconds later, they were both in the storage room.
“Shit,” Gabrielle muttered.
“What?” Sully tried to keep his voice as low as possible.
“Escape route blocked. The door has been sealed.”
He examined the area. “What door?”
“According to the plan, there was supposed to be an emergency door in front of this door. Do you see a door?”
He walked to the wall and gently knocked on it. “It seems to only be sheetrock. There may be a door behind it.”
Gabrielle shook her head. “No good. If the door is nailed shut, it would be too tricky and we would make too much noise trying to open it.”
“Do you have a plan B?” She better, because walking out of here all guns blazing was out of the question.
Gabrielle checked around and smiled. “I think I have an idea.”
***
The alarm was blaring so loudly Gabrielle was unable to hear Captain Thorne’s voice over the noise. Guards were running all around, ignoring them, exactly as she had planned. It wasn’t easy to come up with something on the spur of the moment, with an angry SEAL behind her. As if all of his ops went as expected. She refrained from reminding him that if his own mission would have been according to plan, she wouldn’t be here trying to save his hide.
The smoke became thicker by the minute. The old mattress in the storage room did the job without a glitch. They were in the basement, and since smoke goes up, it was an easy feat. The extra bit of luck was finding a black coverall and cap. It fit snugly on him, but ultimately appeared more like a uniform. It hid his blood-stained pants and shirt, and the cap tucked low on his face hid most of his features and dark short hair. The final touch was her getting back into pregnancy mode, being carried in the arms of this man. As expected, her blonde hair, flowery dress, and imposing stomach drew attention away from the captain. So in complete chaos, they exited the building through the front door.
Gabrielle lifted her head to whisper close to his ear, “Go right around the block. My jeep is parked there. The black one.”
The captain nodded and continued walking. It must have hurt him to hold her weight. She suspected the guards wouldn’t have gone easy on him. In fact, he was lucky not to have been transferred to a more secured facility yet. It was probably in their plans, but if it that had been the case, she would have needed more time and definitely more resources to accomplish this particular goal. The police station holding him had extra cells in the basement but was not as safe as a prison.
From a distance, she detected sirens. Firefighters, no doubt. They would be long gone by the time the station did a head count and saw the two dead guards and their prisoner being gone.
As they arrived at her jeep, the captain gently put her down, and she unhooked the hidden backpack.
Reaching for her keys, Gabrielle unlocked the door and hopped in. The captain sat in the passenger seat without a word. Were all Navy SEALs so temperamental? She knew women with less mood swings than him.
She drove around, making circles to be sure they were not followed. The captain glanced back several times when he was not examining her profile. She didn’t see it, but she could sense it all right.
Once reassured they were alone, she headed for the secured house located in a gated community Bea had arranged for them. Gabrielle had already installed all her gear there. Damn the jetlag and other plans, it had become too risky to leave the captain in the police station any longer. There were too many variables.
Once on the highway to Pretoria, she reached for the black bag on the backseat and dropped it on the captain’s lap.
“What is it?”
“Civilian clothes, clean and free of blood. And I hope in your size. We will soon arrive at the gates of a secured compound and the guards won’t like to see blood on you. Too many questions. As I wasn’t sure how badly they would have beaten you, I chose pants and long sleeves.”
Gabrielle couldn’t hear what he answered apart from a deep muffled thank you. The man twisted in the tight confinement, but was careful not to bump her or the wheel. He unzipped the coverall and removed his bloodstained shirt. Damn, he was a gorgeous man, with his dark short hair, stubbly square jaw, and intense light green eyes. But it was the darkening bruises on his torso and abs which caught her attention. The guards didn’t go easy on him, and he must be in a world of pain. It dawned on her that he’d carried her in his arms for almost a quarter mile without even blinking. She knew Navy SEALs were a tough bunch, but given his condition she felt newfound admiration for the man. She had been in tight spots herself and even if being beaten up was not necessarily the first form of torture for a woman, sustaining a great amount of pain while keeping a level head wasn’t an easy feat.
Out of respect, she kept her gaze fixed on the road, but from the corner of her eyes, she could see the tanned expanse of skin of his thigh … and upper thigh. Damn, the man was riding commando! Even badly bruised and in a foul mood, he could raise her internal temperature in a beat.
Once seated back down again, his muscled thighs clad in dark jeans and a long sleeved T-shirt defining his sculpted chest, his gaze went back to her.
“You said you were sent by the admiral. Why didn’t he send my team to get me?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why you? Where is your team? We’re going to them?”
“No, sailor. I’m your only army.”
Her statement seemed to make him ponder for a moment and he smiled. Too bad his gorgeous mouth dripped with sarcasm when he said, “Admiral Feander assigned a single woman to get me back? You’re that good?”
Gabrielle angled her head at him. “I got you out and am bringing you to safety. What other proof do you need?”
“Wow, I insulted you and you kept your cool. Impressive.”
“You think you’re the first asshole to make this type of remark to me? I save people, I don’t change people. I was asked to get you out of trouble and back to your daddy. That’s all, Captain.”
With that comment, the captain fully turned to her. “You were asked, not ordered. Nice choice of words. It means you’re a hired mercenary.”
Hired mercenary. Gabrielle smiled at that thought. She was way beyond mercenary—she was with purpose.
“Captain, you’re making fantastical assumptions, no doubt. I’m no longer a mercenary, trust me.”
“Lady, I only trust who and what I know. And you, I don’t. Unless you’re generous enough to give me more info.”
“Knowing your admiral sent someone to save you isn’t enough?”
“My admiral, as you say, sent a single woman to help and it’s not standard procedure.”
Gabrielle pondered how close he was to the admiral. Only one way to find out.
“Are you a friend of Admiral Feander, Captain?”
The man glared, but did not confirm nor deny. Definitely in protective mode.
“I would say your lack of answer is an affirmative. If you’re a close friend of James Feander, he perhaps told you about Purgatory.” Bea hadn’t told her not to tell the captain who she was, after all.
“Purgatory? You mean he wasn’t kidding when he told me about this independent organizatio
n, offering rescue services? I didn’t know he was crazy enough to ask that bunch of wannabes for help.”
“Wannabes?” Now Gabrielle laughed. “If only you knew who those wannabes were, you would shit in your pants, sailor.”
The Captain scoffed. “You can fool yourselves, but cute girls are not sent to rescue missions.”
“Mmmm. I haven’t been called a girl in a long time. I think they hit you on the head too many times. You need to take a nap, sailor boy.”
“And even if your group is legit, most of what you do is completely illegal … even unsanctioned by the government.”
“Yeah, right. As if all you do is legal and sanctioned by your government.”
“It is.”
“Dream on. Or you’re simply deluded, I don’t know. You wouldn’t be the first one to be. Don’t worry, as soon as we reach the compound, I’ll call in the cavalry who will be delighted to take you off my hands.”
“Fuck you, lady.”
“You wish, sailor boy.”
Chapter 2
The air conditioning was blasting out of control and the skin on Gabrielle’s back, which was still wet from sweat, was freezing as she answered Bea’s questions on the secured phone. At least she had changed from her summer dress to comfortable and dry pants and camisole.
“Seriously, Bea, I don’t know why our Intel indicated a door where there was none. A simple mistake, I guess. It wouldn’t be the first one. You can’t blame anyone of ours.”
“I don’t like when there are slips. Too many slips and we’re bound to fail.”
“Well, we haven’t failed. I have your package and all is good. As soon as the admiral tells us where he wants him, I’m going back home.”
“How is he doing?”
Gabrielle turned her head toward the closed bathroom door, where the shower was still running.
“Okay, I guess. At least after what he went through. Not happy to have been saved by Purgatory or a woman to boot, but he’ll recover.”
Her boss laughed. “Men. Before I could convince James of our … unique talents, he was skeptical.”
“Well, I hope the Intel the captain retrieved for the admiral is worth his sufferings. Even if he’s an ass.”
“I hope so, too. I’ll contact you as soon as I know how to get you both out. So far, many government agencies were informed of a fugitive and Captain Thorne’s face is plastered all over the South African’s news. I will pull a few strings, but it may take a little time. Stay put and I’ll do the rest.”
“No problem. All is good. As soon as I shower, I’ll feel like myself again.”
“Yeah, especially if it’s like the last one you took.”
“Low blow, Bea. And I thought you were supposed to be all serious and official.”
“My dear friend, I allow myself to be a bit less so when you do your work so well. For the record, I would get even lower for the face I’ve seen in Thorne’s files.” Gabrielle’s mind hastily made a detour to that handsome face.
“I’m not that desperate, Bea.”
“Of course, darling. Keep telling yourself this simple affirmation.”
“Bye, Bea.”
“Bye, hellcat.”
Gabrielle caught herself before throwing the cell phone against the wall. Could Bea be right? Well, not entirely. She was desperate for a vacation. A beach, lots of white sand, a cool, tall cocktail, and a handsome man with hot hands and an empty head. She could stay in South Africa and go to Cape Town to find all of what she needed, which was an enticing possibility.
On that thought, the bathroom door opened to the captain. Her vision caught on the almost unfastened pants hanging low on his lean hips, and a fascinating drop of water sliding down a well-defined, yet bruised chest to mouthwatering abs. Heat pulsed through her abdomen. Captain Thorne stepped out and turned to her.
“By the expression on your face, I shouldn’t say anything, but I’ll risk it anyway. What’s wrong?”
When she finally caught herself and traveled her gaze back up to his face, she frowned. She could have said that licking every inch of his exposed skin would have made her lots better but she refrained.
“Nothing’s wrong. I talked to my boss and she’s contacting your boss. She’s supposed to call me back with instructions for our way out of here. Keep the phone, the admiral will possibly try to contact you soon. It’s a secure line, so if you need to contact whoever, feel free.”
She was walking past him to the bedroom to retrieve her things when he caught up with her and touched her shoulder.
Gabrielle peered up. There was still an annoying half smile, but what she saw beyond it made her hesitate. She knew that expression. The need for connection, tangible and real connection after pain and hardship. And why not flame that fire? She needed to feel alive and connected, even if only for a brief moment, with a stranger. No, not any stranger. With him. With Sullivan Thorne.
The captain stood there, immobile, waiting for a move, any opening from her.
And that’s when she threw her resolutions to the wind and kissed him.
The captain’s hands fisted in her hair and slightly tilted her head while teasing her lips with his tongue. When Gabrielle tried to come closer, he held her back, totally in control. She may not be able to kiss him the way she longed to, but she could absolutely savor every single inch she could reach. Gabrielle felt the vibration of his groan under her fingers when she pressed her palms on his chest and let them explore the warm, accessible skin and trembling muscles, mindful of his bruises.
When he ultimately took her mouth, it was her turn to growl. That’s precisely what she wanted from him, what she hoped he would be: exhilarating, fierce, and possessive. For one moment, she could forget her obligations and only feel. After all, they were protected and safe. For now, at least.
Gabrielle opened her eyelids to see him staring at her intently, his eyes examining her as he kissed her senseless. His grip had lessened and one of his hands was now sliding on the side of her breasts through the camisole. She wished—right here, right now—to be naked, skin to skin with him. He must have sensed her impatience as he gripped the thin material and pulled. The ripping sound reverberated inside her core. A quick movement and her bra was gone, too. All became too tangible and incredibly urgent. Now, her stomach pressed against his. He was so warm, almost too hot. She recognized the same fever as her own. His mouth followed the trail of his hand, but took a detour to lick and suck her nipple. A hint of teeth made her arch into him as his other hand gripped her hip.
Thorne was gorgeous, all tanned skin against her paleness. A seasoned warrior. His hand gripped her other breast, teasing her. When his eyes were on her, his green gaze felt electric, and it never left her face when he crouched in front of her. The intensity made her think of a predator. And for once, it felt so right to be the prey … willing prey for this sailor.
Gone were her pants and panties, so fast she hadn’t even noticed. Now back on his feet, Thorne resumed the heated kiss, slowly pushing her back toward the bed. When her knees made contact with the mattress, she tumbled. One strong arm on each side, the man fell on top of her and rubbed a stubbled cheek against her skin, then in the crook of her neck. Instinctively, she wrapped her naked legs against his hips, which were still clad in jeans. The rough material against her sensitive skin made her even more desperate for a closer contact. When he started to rock, mimicking what was to come, she reached for his fly.
Smoothly, Thorne pushed her hands away and kissed her again, while his hand snaked between them. He cupped her at first, squeezing lightly, rubbing his whole hand in a barely perceptible motion. Her hips followed suit of their own volition, mirroring the movement, increasing the pressure. The captain’s tongue darted enticingly between her lips at the same rhythm.
His hand splayed and his fingers gently delved deeper—circling, teasing. Infuriatingly so. He simply brushed her clit and she moaned.
“God, baby, I want to taste you.” His voice was so d
eep, Gabrielle hardly recognized it.
Not waiting for her assent, he slid down and took her in his mouth.
Good didn’t describe the profound pleasure she felt. She was all about telling him when he inserted two digits inside of her and started rubbing. That’s when she lost speech. Gabrielle simply grabbed his head and held on for the ride. She knew his gaze was still on her; from the beginning, his eyes were always on her. But how could she hold his stare when pleasure blinded her? How could she connect this way when the emotions swirling inside her were this intense? Too intense. Too fast.
As if he knew a simple lick would have sent her over the edge, the man stopped. She bit back a scream of frustration when she saw him kneel between her thighs and get rid of his pants. Gabrielle felt restless, but she wasn’t sure if it was the intensity of his gaze, his bunching muscles, straining with restraint, or the sight of his freed cock, so rigid and thick, aimed and ready. She took him in her hand, circled him, and his body bowed with pleasure. His chest heaved and his hands turned to fists. The SEAL was at her mercy, offered and willing, but only for a second. His hands clutched her knees and forced her to spread wider for him, and her hand, still circling his cock, guided him inside of her.
