He raised his own binoculars. He didn’t want ‘the talk”. He’d heard it several times. How she could be dead already. How they might be too late. That she might not even be there.
She was here, and he was getting her out. Today.
The next shift of guards arrived, and he tensed.
“Time to rock and roll,” Travis stated.
***
Something touched her shoulder, and she hit at it angrily. She was tired. She wanted to sleep. It was the only way she had of escaping. She knew it was a bad sign. She was growing weaker the more time she spent here, not eating and barely drinking. The darkness, the loneliness, and uncertainty played with her mind.
Another touch on her shoulder.
“Go away.”
“Sh, little bit, be quiet.”
Oh, she was still dreaming, because she knew that voice. And there was no way Curt would be here.
“Curt.”
“Quiet now, it’s me.” Hands ran over her body. Not rough, but not soft either.
A tremble shook her as his earthy scent filled her senses. This felt so real it was painful.
“Are you hurt?”
“This is a really good dream,” she said, reaching out to pat his face with her hands, surprised by how sluggish her movements were. She opened her eyes, but she still couldn’t see anything. Her fingers encountered his beard, and she ran them over it. “I always liked you with facial hair.”
“Did you?”
“We’re ready,” a strange, male voice said, and she tensed.
“Who else is here? Tell him to go away. I’m not into ménages.”
There was silence then a low chuckle. “Good to know,” the stranger said.
Then why didn’t he go away? She wanted to pet Curt some more. He was so pretty.
“I am not pretty,” he said in a deep voice.
“Oops, didn’t mean to say that out loud. Oh, well, it’s my dream. Let’s just pretend you never heard that.”
“I’m still trying to figure out what the hell you know about ménages,” he muttered.
“I’m twenty-six, not five. I know what a ménage is. Don’t want one, though.” She frowned over at where the other voice came from. There was another chuckle.
“Travis is just going to cut through that cuff from your ankle, then we’re out of here,” Curt told her.
She felt something cold against her ankle then a tugging that made her hiss with pain.
“Be careful, you’re hurting her,” Curt snapped.
“I’m trying to be careful,” the other man said in a cool voice. “The cuff is so tight it’s dug into her skin. Cover her mouth so she doesn’t make a sound.”
“I’ll be quiet,” she said, feeling panicked. This dream was taking a really weird twist. Even weirder than a possible ménage. “You don’t need to keep me quiet.”
“Just do it, Travis.”
Curt pulled her close, and she pressed her face into his stomach, breathing in his scent as the other man pulled the cuff off her ankle. She bit down on her lip to stifle another cry of pain.
“Done. Let’s go. Do you want me to sedate her? One of us is going to have to carry her since she’s so weak.”
“I am not weak.” She scowled at the asshole who’d been talking to Curt as though she weren’t even here.
“Didn’t your mother ever teach you it’s rude to talk about other people? Especially when they’re right here.”
“Nope, can’t say she did. We have to go, Curt. I have the sedative.”
“No. No.” She grabbed Curt’s arm, urgency filling her. They’d pumped her full of something when they’d transported her here, and she’d vomited for so long she’d gotten dehydrated. It was part of the reason she couldn’t bring herself to eat, even now. “I can be quiet. Promise.”
He stared down at her for a few seconds.
“Please, Curt.” Her heart started to race. Now that she was fully awake, she realized this was no dream. He was really here. She was actually touching him. “You came for me.”
He started to pull something up her legs, and she realized he was dressing her. “Of course, I did.”
Relief filled her, along with happiness, elation, and something deeper.
“As soon as your father hired us, we were on a plane to find you.”
Idiot. He was here because he was being paid to. There was no other reason for him to be here.
“You really have to be quiet, little bit. I have a sweatshirt for you. We have to cover up all that white skin of yours.”
He helped her put on the sweatshirt; she winced a few times at the pain from her bruises. But it’s warmth soon took away her shivers. It was cold here at night and stifling hot during the day. She stank from sweat, dirt, and fear, but when she put the sweatshirt on all she could smell was Curt—and safety. She always felt safe with him. As though nothing could touch her when he was around.
He tied something around her hair. A scarf.
“I’m going to carry you now. No matter what you see you can’t make a noise.”
He picked her up in his arms, and for the first time since she’d been taken she knew she was getting out of this alive.
Because Curt was here.
Curt nearly cursed as he felt how light she was. He’d seen a recent picture of her, taken at her farewell dinner before she’d left. She’d practically shone with health. Pleasantly curvy, her skin glowing, and her face filled with happiness. No hint of fear.
The way she should always look.
He moved out behind Travis, eager to get her out of the tiny, dirty hut. Jace kept watch as they exited. Curt pressed Jenna’s face against his chest as they walked past the guard, whose neck he’d broken. Not that she could probably see that in the dark. Jace quickly pulled the body into the hut and shut the door. It wouldn’t take long for it to be found, but they planned to be long gone by then.
They only encountered one guard on their way out, which Jace and Travis quickly took care of. Curt pressed her face against him once more, protecting her. She shivered.
He found himself wanting to reassure her, feeling such a surge of protectiveness it took his breath away. This was Jenna, of course he was going to be protective. He’d known her since she was three. Played with her, watched over her. She was practically his cousin. Yeah, that was it. She was family. That was why he cared so much about her. Why he was so filled with rage over what had happened to her.
He’d feel the same if any other members of his family had been kidnapped and terrorized. Not that he had much left. Just a few distant cousins.
They hastily made their way towards the rendezvous point where Josh, his teammate at Black-Gray, and Gable, who was one of Travis’s men, would meet with them. He tried to shelter her as best he could from the vegetation slapping at her as he moved quickly. They didn’t have much time before the dead guards were spotted. When they reached the rendezvous point, they paused to wait for the others, who would be covering their backs. He set her down, crouching in front of her. It was still dark out, the moon only at half-mast. He drew his night vision goggles off. The moon provided enough light to see as Josh and Gable joined them. She let out a small gasp as she noticed the other men, then slammed her hand over her mouth and looked up at him. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. At least he hoped it was reassuring.
“Where are you hurt, little bit?” he asked.
“I’m just bruised,” she replied. “Nothing’s broken as far as I can tell.”
He frowned but nodded then grabbed her ankle, examining it.
“She hurt?” Josh asked, coming closer.
“No worse than we thought,” Curt said quietly. “This ankle will need to be wrapped.”
Josh nodded and quickly pulled out a bandage, winding it hastily around her ankle. Curt didn’t like the other man touching her, but stopped himself from snapping. This possessiveness was crazy. He needed to get himself under control.
“We can’t stop long. We need to get
further away from here before they spot their dead,” Travis ordered.
Josh grabbed a bottle of water and a protein bar from his pack, holding them out.
Jenna just stared at the other man. Curt felt her tremble. Christ, he was an idiot. In his hurry to get her safely out of there, he hadn’t taken any time to explain who these guys were.
“Take the water and bar, Jenna,” he told her. “That’s Josh, he works with me and he has some medical training. You met Travis, and that big guy is his brother Jace. The other one lurking around, keeping watch, is Gable. We were hired by your dad to find you.”
“Oh.” Her hands shook as she took the items from Josh. “Thank you.”
Josh nodded and moved away.
“I’m going to carry you on my back, all right? Think you’ll be okay?”
“I’ll be fine.”
The steadiness in her voice impressed him. He’d fully expected her to be hysterical. That they would have to sedate her. Instead she was a bit shaky but otherwise composed.
“I have something for you.”
She looked on curiously as he pulled something out of the bag he had strapped to his front. Her eyes widened as she took in the worn, brown fur of the old teddy bear.
“You brought Sergeant Teddy with you?”
Embarrassment filled him and he shrugged. “Asked your father for it before we left. No big deal.”
He handed it over and she pulled the old bear tight against her chest. She blinked. Oh hell, she wasn’t going to cry, was she?
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“I want you to drink all of that and eat every bite, understand me,” he ordered in a gruff voice as he gently picked her up, and they started to move out again. “I don’t want one crumb left behind or else.”
“Or else what?”
“You don’t want to know.” He grimaced as he realized how harsh he sounded.
“Yes, sir.”
He knew she was being sarcastic, but the sound of that “sir” coming from her lips made his cock stir, and his balls ache. Christ. He had to get himself under control. There was no way he could be attracted to Jenna. She was family. She was a baby compared to him, not just in years but in experience.
He’d eat her up and spit her out.
And even pushing all that other shit aside, there was no way Jenna would ever be able to handle his darker needs. No way he would want her to. She was soft and gentle and needed protection.
She definitely didn’t need to be handcuffed, gagged, and whipped. Although, damned if the thought didn’t send his arousal soaring. Damn, he was in trouble.
***
They hiked for what seemed like hours in the dark. Curt carried her on his back all the way. She’d asked him a few times if he wanted her to walk, but he’d just told her to be quiet in that low, commanding voice of his. She had no idea why the gruff sound of him barking out orders turned her on.
She put her reaction down to the stress of what she’d been through.
She dozed on and off as she slumped on his back. Occasionally someone else would offer to take her, but, thankfully, he always turned them down.
When they finally stopped, she felt completely exhausted, even though all she’d done was lay against his back. He’d done all the work. And when he sat her down, crouching in front of her in the early morning light, he didn’t even seem winded.
“You really are superman, aren’t you?” she said tiredly as she took the bar and water he handed her, placing Sergeant Teddy on her lap. She still couldn’t believe he’d done that he’d remembered how much she loved this old bear and had asked her father for it before he’d left.
It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her.
He paused and raised an eyebrow. “I’m not superman, little bit.”
“No? You crept in, rescued me from the bad guys, snuck out while carrying me, then hiked for hours with me on your back. You’re not even winded. And you’re trying to tell me you’re not superman?”
“Nope, superman had a weakness. I don’t.”
He took the water from her numb hands, undid the top, then held it to her lips. “Drink.”
She took a few sips then tried to pull back, but he just gave her a look, and she gulped until the bottle was half empty. She pushed at his hand, and he set it aside.
“You’ll drink the rest soon.”
She resisted the urge to salute. Barely.
He ripped open the packaging on another disgusting protein bar. Just as she’d expected, the other had tasted like cardboard. She’d choked some of it down before slipping the rest into the pocket of her sweatpants. What he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.
He held the bar up. “Eat.”
“It tastes awful,” she complained. “Besides, I’m still full from the other bar.” She crossed her fingers behind her back at her small lie. “And my stomach has shrunk considerably since I’ve been captured so I don’t need to eat a lot before I feel full. I need to be careful not to eat too much too quickly or I could make myself ill. But you go ahead and eat. I’m just going to sit here for a moment and enjoy the fresh air.” The sun was getting higher now and it looked beautiful as it rose against the skyline.
“That’s all very interesting. Now eat.”
She sighed. “You’re getting even more stubborn and bossy as you get older. I’d hate to think what you’ll be like when you’re eighty.”
“Don’t plan on living that long,” he told her casually. “Now either you eat this bar, or I’m going to have to get strict with you.”
Hmm . . . strict, huh? Her body stirred.
Shit, what the hell was wrong with her?
“Bossy bastard, isn’t he?”
The guy who’d been in the hut with them came and sat beside them. What was his name? Travis?
She nodded then yawned. “Sorry. Haven’t had much sleep lately.”
Travis, who was a good-looking guy and well built, gave her a concerned look. “Gonna take you a while to recover from being held captive for eight days.”
“Eight days? Oh, my God. It felt like forever, but I wasn’t sure how long it really was. Why did they hold me that long? What did they want? Why kill everyone else but me?”
Curt and Travis gave each other a look. “They sent your father photos of you as proof of life for ransom.”
“How much? Did he pay it?”
“Seven million,” Curt told her. “He was still waiting to hear details, but he didn’t want to take any chances with your life so he hired us to rescue you.”
She shivered and the other man gave her a small smile. “You don’t have to worry about them anymore. We’re going to get you home where you’ll feel safe.”
She nodded, although she thought it would take her a long time to feel safe anywhere again. She glanced over at Curt, who reached out and squeezed her knee. Except with Curt. She always felt safe with him. She blinked back tears. The look on his face became slightly panicked.
“Jenna?”
“I’m okay. Just feeling a bit off balance.”
“Understandable. We’re only a few hours from where we’ll meet the chopper then we’ll be airlifted out of here, and you can return home and get on with your life.” Travis stood and left.
She shivered. “He makes it sound so easy. Like being kidnapped and held by extremists happens every day.”
“It won’t be,” Curt told her bluntly. “He’s trying to keep you feeling positive and happy because we can’t afford to have you lose it right now. Then we’d probably have to sedate you.”
Panic filled her at the thought of being helpless. “Don’t. Please. I couldn’t take that. I’m not going to go crazy on you.”
“I know you won’t. I know how strong you are.”
“I don’t feel very strong right now.”
“Not everyone would have survived eight days in that hell hole and still come out sane. You did. Because you’re strong. You remember that when you’re feeling low. When you�
�re wondering why you were taken. When you’re scared. You survived. That’s all you ever have to do, Jenna, survive. Because I will always come for you.”
She had to glance away to hide her tears this time. These tears were for a whole other reason. Because she knew he didn’t mean those words as anything more than from one friend to another, but, to her, they meant so much more.
“Here, I’ll put this bar into your pocket, and you can have it later.” He stuffed it into her pocket, stilling as he obviously felt the remains of the one she’d hidden there earlier. He gave her a stern look as he pulled out the half-eaten bar.
“Jenna,” he said in a low, warning voice.
She shrugged. “It tastes like dry cardboard coated in artificial sweetener. It’s disgusting.”
His lips twitched. “It is. You’re still eating it though.”
“Bossy.”
“Troublemaker.”
Chapter Two
Three months later . . .
Jenna stepped out of Lacey’s office feeling drained and defeated. Why couldn’t she remember?
Dissociative amnesia. She knew what it was. She just never thought she’d suffer from it. She’d blocked out the memory of being kidnapped and beaten because it was so traumatic she couldn’t cope. Great. So, she was weak. Too weak to remember what had happened to her.
It was the most bizarre thing she’d ever experienced. Apparently, she’d fallen asleep on the flight to the states and when she’d awoken, she had very little memory of the previous eight days.
She could recall getting up that morning, going to the temporary clinic that had been erected on the outskirts of the village. She could even remember treating people. Then nothing.
She couldn’t remember anything more. Lacey had told her she had to be patient. That often memories would just return suddenly and fully, whether from a trigger or through therapy. That she shouldn’t despair or stress about her lack of memory.
But she was over this. She had to know. It felt like not knowing, not remembering, was just making her more fearful. She looked around as she walked through the building that housed Black-Gray Investigations, hoping to spot Curt. She felt a little silly. He probably wasn’t even here.
To Save Sir (Doms of Decadence Book 7) Page 3
