“Has anyone met with you yet?” he asked.
“The investigators? No. I slept for a while. Then they had to clean me up, run some tests, and send a barrage of medical types in here. A psychologist came in earlier to talk with me, but I was too tired to say much. I’ll probably speak with her again later on.”
Ethan nodded, and she took a bite of her bland toast. “Did you eat yet?” she asked.
“Yep, the guys and I grabbed some food before we briefed with the general. It sounds like the Pentagon is planning on you catching a ride back with us.”
“Aren’t you guys based out of Coronado?”
“We are. We’ll stop and drop you off at Andrews Air Force Base before flying home. They’ll probably have you stay at Walter Reed a few days. Hopefully you don’t mind another helicopter ride.”
She shuddered, and Ethan frowned. “I can talk to my CO if that bothers you. He’s got some connections there.”
She looked at him in confusion. He’d do that? Call his commander and ask for her to be driven instead of flown to the hospital? She had to fly on an airplane though, so getting on a helicopter wouldn’t necessarily bring back more bad memories than that.
“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” she assured him.
“How are you holding up?” he asked.
She took another bite of her food, thinking about her answer. “It’s weird. I kind of feel like I’m dreaming and will wake up back in a cave. A prisoner. I don’t remember flying back here entirely, just getting on the helicopter with you. It feels like I imagined it and this is just some strange dream right now.”
Ethan nodded, resting his forearms on his legs as he leaned closer. She looked into his dark eyes, surprised at the intensity she saw there. It was sweet of him to check on her, but after they flew home, they’d go their separate ways. She lived on the East Coast after all. She had her job at the Pentagon. He had his work and his own life.
Besides, after everything she’d been through, the last thing she needed was a relationship. He could have a wife and kids at home for all she knew. Maybe he was so attentive to her because he was used to being around women.
“I’ve got your meds,” the nurse said, walking back into the room just then. “I’m going to have to ask you to step out of the room,” she said, looking pointedly at Ethan. “I’ve got to examine the patient.”
He nodded and stood, looking like he wanted to stay longer. “All right. I’ve got some meetings to get to anyway. I’ll check in with you later and keep you updated on the flight back.”
“Tell the rest of the guys I said thank you,” she said, watching as he hesitated in her doorway. She was a little disappointed that he was leaving. Ethan was here for work though, and obviously he couldn’t sit at her bedside all day. Rescuing her might’ve been his team’s mission, but she knew they probably had to brief with multiple people on what had happened. No doubt they’d want to talk with her as well.
“Will do. If you need anything, ask the nurses to get a hold of me. I’ll leave my info with the desk.”
She nodded, looking at him uncertainly. She’d been a little surprised he’d come to see her, but now she was feeling sad he had to go.
“I’ll come check on you later, sweetheart.”
“Okay. Bye Ethan.”
They locked eyes for a beat, and then he turned and left as the nurse raised her eyebrows, smiling. Kim watched as the nurse changed her IV, and she tried to ignore the slight fluttering in her heart. She wouldn’t fall for the man who’d saved her. That was cliché and silly, not to mention unrealistic. That didn’t stop her from glancing at the clock on the wall though and wondering what time he’d be back.
Chapter 10
Kim listened to her mom gushing over the phone a few hours later, and then she spoke with her dad, sister, and brother-in-law. Someone from the military had shown up at their front door to inform her parents of the successful rescue operation. Although her family had briefly panicked, assuming the worst, they’d been thrilled to know she was safe.
After more tests and the nurse fussing over her, she’d finally been able to call her family.
Kim hadn’t told any of them details about her ordeal. It was too much, too personal to share. Why she’d told Ethan that she’d been raped, she wasn’t sure. She hadn’t even confided that she’d been beaten after she tried to escape. The doctor and nurses had seen her faded bruises. They’d administered a battery of tests, but all things considered, she was in good shape. It would take a while to heal mentally from the trauma. She’d blocked it out now but knew she would have to deal with it at some point.
She’d prefer not to think or talk about any of it. The psychologist had come back and they’d chatted only briefly. Talking to someone she didn’t know wouldn’t solve her problems. Maybe when she was back home and feeling a little more settled, she’d be interested in sharing some of what she went through.
But right now?
She’d rather move forward with healing and getting her life back on track.
“So when are you coming home, baby?” her mom asked as she got on the phone again. Her sister had cried and cried, but hearing her mom again made her feel more settled.
“I’m not sure. They have to give me clearance to fly home. Hopefully I can be released tomorrow.”
“And you’re not hurt? Oh my God, you can’t imagine how worried we all were. I can’t imagine what you went through.”
“I can imagine how worried you were, because you just told me,” Kim said with a smile.
“But you were…kidnapped!” her mom said, her voice dropping to a whisper. “What if the person who took you is still there on base? Are you safe?”
It was something Kim had wondered herself. She didn’t remember anything after she’d walked outside of her building. She’d been looking up at the fire and then everything went black. Was it someone she knew? A traitor on base? She felt helpless trying to wrap her head around all the possibilities. “There’s an MP outside of my hospital room, Mom,” she said. “And it sounds like I’ll be flying home with the men who rescued me. I’ll feel safer when I’m back on U.S. soil.”
“Me too. Oh my God, Kimmie,” her mom said, calling her by the nickname she’d used when she was younger. “Please be careful, okay? I’m so happy you’re alive, and I love you so much. You can tell me more when you’re home, all right? I understand if you’re not comfortable telling me everything yet.”
Kim nodded, her eyes watering.
A nurse walked in then with another round of meds. Remarkably, Kim was doing quite well. They were treating her with antibiotics since she’d been drinking the unclean water and living in somewhat unsanitary conditions, but her overall health was good. They’d even tested her for STDs, which was mortifying, but she’d been clean. And not pregnant thanks to her IUD.
God. She couldn’t even fathom being intimate with a man again. Maybe someday—years from now, when she was actually in a relationship. She tried to put her attacker out of her mind, but she knew she’d most likely be wary if she did ever date someone seriously again.
“I’ve got to go, Mom,” Kim said over the phone. “I’ll call you tomorrow with an update.”
They said their goodbyes, and Kim watched as one of the hospital staff brought in a tray of plain food for her. She understood they were being cautious, but she’d eaten the protein bars from Ethan without getting sick. She took a spoonful of the chicken noodle soup, realizing how much she was looking forward to going home and eating some real food. Maybe Thai or Indian. Greek. Mexican. There were so many awesome restaurants in Washington, DC and Northern Virginia. Although, even the food in the mess hall would’ve been better than the bland hospital stuff.
She heard voices in the hallway and was surprised when both Ethan and Grayson appeared in her doorway. She smiled when she realized Ethan was holding a bag of food. His hand was up, ready to knock on her door, but he grinned when he realized she was beaming at him.
“Oh my God—do you have pi
zza in there?” she asked excitedly, inhaling the aroma of melted cheese and tomato sauce. Her mouth watered and stomach rumbled.
He chuckled. “Yep. I wasn’t sure what you’d want, so it’s just a couple slices of plain cheese—”
“I don’t care!” she interrupted as the men chuckled. “I haven’t had pizza in months. It smells heavenly, and this food is awful.” She pushed away her tray of hospital food, and Grayson moved it to the side while Ethan handed her the bag.
Tears smarted her eyes, and Ethan brushed a hand over her forehead, trying to soothe her. “It’s okay. You’ll get to eat all of your favorite foods soon. As soon as you’re ready to bust this joint, we’ll take you back home.”
“I know,” she said, squeezing her eyes shut and shaking her head. She brushed her hair back from her face as the men watched her. She probably looked frightful—watery eyes, pale skin, tangled hair. Ethan and Grayson had showered and cleaned up that morning, and it wasn’t like they’d been held in awful conditions for months.
Both men looked virile and strong. Confident. She felt a little weak and helpless at the moment, lying in her hospital bed, but she knew once she showered and put on real clothes again she’d feel a million times better.
She took a smile bite of the pizza and almost cried as the taste exploded on her tongue. “God, this might be the best pizza I’ve ever had.”
“Now that’s taking it a bit far,” Grayson quipped.
Ethan was looking at her in amusement, and she reached over and quickly squeezed his hand. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. And Grayson has some news as well.”
Grayson sank down into the chair near her bedside so they could more easily talk, while Ethan stood beside them, almost like her own personal bodyguard. She knew there was an MP outside her door to keep curious people away and protect her from any harm. It didn’t make her feel as good as having Ethan here did. No doubt he wouldn’t hesitate to hurt anyone trying to harm her.
“I briefly talked to Hailey,” Grayson said. “I couldn’t say much because of OPSEC. Normally, I don’t talk to her at all on our ops, but these were extenuating circumstances, to say the least. She got a few updates because of her position with DOD. Anyway, of course she’s thrilled that you’re safe. She wanted me to ask you to come stay with us to decompress. It doesn’t have to be immediately, but if jumping right back into your old life is too much, you’ve got a place with us for a couple of weeks while you recuperate.”
“Wow. I hadn’t even thought—wow,” Kim said, shaking her head in disbelief. “I’ll have to go home first, of course. My mom said they’ve been paying my bills, so my apartment is still fine. I guess my sister and parents checked up on it, but to see my stuff? It kind of feels like that was someone else’s life. I was at Bagram a couple of weeks before I was kidnapped and haven’t seen my own things in months.”
She shivered.
“Are your parents near your place?” Ethan asked.
“Yeah, they live in DC. Same with my sister and brother-in-law. I’m in Arlington because I work at the Pentagon.”
“You don’t have to decide anything now,” Grayson assured her. “The offer still stands. Hailey wanted me to let you know now so you could think it over. You’ll have a lot going on during the next few days and when you get back. She said she misses you though and that you owe her the biggest margarita ever.”
Kim laughed. “Yeah, I guess I do. I told her I’d buy her drinks when we got back—before she moved across the country.”
“San Diego has good margaritas,” Ethan joked.
“That it does,” Grayson said with a smirk, glancing at his friend. “On that note, I’ll leave you two alone. I wanted to deliver Hailey’s message in person. We’re all glad you’re doing okay.”
“Thanks Grayson.”
She dug into her pizza as Ethan grabbed the vacated chair. “Mind if I hang out for a bit?”
“Of course not. Otherwise, all I have are doctors and nurses poking and prodding me. Most of the women I knew from my building aren’t even here anymore. They were TDY and already are back home or they were injured in the bombing. Hey—what happened to my stuff? Is anything left?”
“I’ll look into it,” Ethan said with a frown. “I do know most of Hailey’s things were ruined. Her room was right near the side of the building that was on fire.”
“Damn. I guess it’s even more lucky that Grayson found her.”
“It was. We were all a little shocked that he did. The scene was complete chaos, as I’m sure you can imagine. How’ve you been holding up otherwise?” he asked quietly. That intense look in his eyes was back, and she wondered exactly how much he’d noticed when they’d hiked down the mountain together. Had he realized how scared she was? She’d tried to remain strong, but that night had been utterly terrifying.
Kim shrugged, trying to play down her fears. “I’m okay. I sleep in short spurts and wake up in a panic, forgetting where I am. It’s not very restful being in a hospital anyway. People are always coming and going out of my room. Plus, I feel a little nervous. There’s an MP outside my door, and I’ve been a little on edge wondering if I’m in any danger here.”
Ethan nodded. “We don’t know for certain who kidnapped you.”
“I’m supposed to meet with an investigator tomorrow. He tried to come this afternoon, but one of the nurses almost threw him out.”
“Good.”
She looked at him in surprise.
“You were just rescued, sweetheart. The guys and I told them what we know. They’ll want to hear it from you, but they can wait twelve hours for you to get medical treatment and rest a little bit.”
She blew out a sigh. “Yeah, you’re right. I want to help them of course, but I’m worried about reliving everything. And I’m scared.” Ethan leaned closer, his brown eyes focusing on her. He looked so calm and collected, but the intense expression on his face let her know he wanted to hear what she had to say. Kim appreciated his concern. Even if it was no more than professional duty, she knew she could trust him. “What if whoever took me is here? Someone who works at Bagram? There are Afghanis that are cleared to be here. What if it wasn’t someone who snuck in but was working alongside us all along? Or worse—a U.S. servicemember that betrayed us?”
“I think anything is possible,” he said carefully. “The distraction at the front gate would’ve made it easier for someone to sneak in, but you’re right. There are locals who work here. And I know you haven’t talked to Hailey yet, but she was in danger from a traitor in the general’s office.”
Kimberly nearly dropped her slice of pizza.
“Yeah. Someone in IT was feeding intelligence to the enemy. They thought Hailey might’ve known about it and tried to have her killed.”
“Holy crap.”
“That’s how I got to know her a bit. She was targeted in San Diego. Grayson kept a close watch on her of course, but I hung out at their apartment a few times.”
“And she talked about me,” Kim surmised.
“Well yeah. She was worried as hell about you. We all were. We saw how rough of a time Hailey was having, and she was relatively safe.”
“Aside from the guy targeting her,” Kim said dryly.
Ethan’s lips quirked. “I just meant she had Grayson and us. You were kidnapped and held against your will. Hell, sweetheart, I can’t even imagine what you went through.”
She closed her eyes briefly, and he quieted. “How’s the pizza?” he asked, changing the subject.
“Amazing. The hospital food sucks.”
“Yep. But the good news is you’ll be leaving soon. I know you’re concerned about your safety here, but that’s part of the reason I’ve been checking in. I want to be here, but I also wanted others to know you’re being watched. I know you’re strong and capable, but having a bunch of Navy SEALs visit you isn’t a bad thing.”
“That makes sense,” she said, suddenly feeling uncertain.
“I wanted to see
you,” Ethan assured her.
She met his gaze and felt herself flushing. This was silly. She wasn’t going to fall for the man that had saved her. She probably wouldn’t even see him again after this week. They’d fly home together, but then she’d be on the other side of the country. Even if she did stay with Hailey and Grayson for a week or two, that didn’t mean Ethan would be around.
She finished her first slice of pizza, almost moaning at how good it was. “I don’t think I can eat any more.”
“No worries. I’ll bring you some more tomorrow if you’re still stuck here. Or something else if you tell me what you feel like eating.”
“They want to keep me for observation overnight, but I might be released tomorrow afternoon.”
“That’s fantastic.”
“I’m not sure where I’ll stay. What happened with the women in my housing unit? I assume they were moved to a new building?”
“Yeah, they were relocated. I think you might end up bunking with us. You’d have your own separate area of course, and we’d be respectful. It’s just safer with the attention your case has gotten and the fact that we don’t know who the kidnapper was.”
“Oh God,” she moaned. “Is everyone on base talking about me?”
He shifted in his seat. “Some,” he admitted. “Your kidnapping was big news. A major lapse in security for one thing. They reviewed all the surveillance, but with the smoke from the explosion, they didn’t see much that was of use. They’ll interview you of course. It’s best that you’re not left on your own though.”
“I’ll say. Plus, I don’t even have my things. It’s not like I can go back to my old room.”
“So you’ll be with us. The general wants to keep you under the radar until we fly out. It depends on when you’re released.”
“So you guys are like my bodyguards.”
“Something like that,” he said easily. “But our mission was to bring you home. We got you here to Bagram, so we’ll continue ensuring your safety until we’re on U.S. soil. Hell, even after that if you need it. Grayson was serious about his offer. And I wouldn’t mind seeing you in San Diego.”
SEAL's Revenge (Alpha SEALs Coronado Book 4) Page 8
