“Okay. I’m going just beyond those trees over there. You hear or see anything out of place, give me a yell. And don’t hesitate to use your gun, if need be.”
“You think any of Cook’s men are still around?”
“I doubt it, but I don’t want to take any chances.”
She watched him make his way slowly through the bushes. He stumbled a couple of times but did better than she’d expected. Once he’d disappeared, she was vigilant, her gun at the ready, alert for any unusual sounds. Wild birds cawed, and small four-legged creatures scampered beneath the foliage. Other than those normal sounds, she heard nothing.
Less than ten minutes later, Aidan returned. His face was once again flushed, and his eyes were dull with pain. The short walk had cost him.
He must’ve noticed her worried frown, because he was quick to reassure her. “We’ll stay here one more night, and then we’ll get out of here. Promise.”
She nodded. Either way, they were going to have to leave tomorrow. Their water supply could be replenished with rain, and they still had some candy bars and crackers, but Aidan desperately needed professional medical care.
They split a candy bar and a pack of crackers and settled back beneath the overhang of the rock. The rains came, and even though they both got a little damp, Anna was at peace. Tomorrow, things would be better. They would continue their journey down the mountain and would be safe soon. She fell asleep dreaming of a hot shower, clean sheets, and Aidan’s strong arms surrounding her.
She woke with a gun to her head.
Aidan soundlessly eased around the clearing, cursing his carelessness with every breath. He should have woken Anna before he left, but she’d looked so peaceful, and he was gone only a few minutes. And now Patrick, Cook’s main minion, had found her.
The only thing Aidan had going for him was that he had managed to circle around without getting caught. Patrick’s back was to him. Aidan just needed to figure out how to get him away from Anna. The bastard had a gun to her temple. If Aidan took the shot now, Anna was dead.
“Where is he?” Patrick growled.
“I don’t know. We got separated.”
“You’re telling me that the knight in shining armor who fought like hell to save you just lost sight of you?”
“He fell down a hill. I’ve been trying to find him, but I injured my back. I can’t move very well.”
Good for you, sweetheart, Aidan thought. Let the asshole think she was injured. He’d be less on guard.
“Well, now, isn’t this a pretty pickle.”
“Look, Mr. Patrick, I don’t know what all of this is about. I’ve done nothing to you. I just want to go home.”
“I’m sure you do, but it’s too late for that now. Getting mixed up with Aidan Thorne was a bad decision.”
“But I barely know the guy. Why would—”
“Tell it to someone who gives a shit. You’re no use to me. I sure as hell can’t carry you down this mountain. Might as well shoot you and put you out of your misery.”
“But I—
“Get away from her, asshole.”
With one smooth move, Patrick pulled Anna to her feet and whirled her around until she was in front of him, shielding him. The gun was still at her head.
“Well, looks like he’s found you, love.”
“Let her go. This is between you and me.”
“I’m afraid it isn’t. You ruined the plan. Dr. Cook intended that the girl die, too. There’s no reason that still can’t happen.”
“Except if she dies, so do you.”
“Not if I kill you first. Dr. Cook was the one who wanted you to live with your grief. I’d just as soon you die, too. Less complications for me. Plus, I owe you for the bullets lodged in my arm and leg.”
“Then you better kill me, because if you harm one hair on her head, you are a dead man.”
The gun turned away from Anna and pointed toward Aidan. “I’ve got no problem with you going first.”
It wasn’t planned, but Aidan knew Anna’s ingenuity, he knew she was smart. And he was right. The instant the gun moved away from her, Anna eased a knife from her belt and plunged it to the hilt into Patrick’s thigh. The man released a loud squeal and loosened his hold on her just enough for her to twist away. Aidan didn’t waste any time. He fired a shot into Patrick’s chest and followed it with a headshot.
The man was still falling to the ground when Aidan reached Anna and jerked her away. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“No. I’m fine.” She glanced down at the now dead Patrick. “There you go saving my life again.”
“This time I think we can call it a draw.”
He gave her a quick, short kiss, mostly just to reassure himself that she was really fine.
“Why don’t you go take a quick walk, loosen up your legs?”
“What are we going to do about him?”
“Leave him here. When we get to civilization, I’ll tell the authorities where to find him. I doubt that they’ll care.”
Aidan waited until she’d walked away before he went to Patrick’s body. In the last few weeks, Anna had been around more dead bodies than most people saw in a lifetime. He rifled through the man’s pockets and confirmed what he thought had probably happened. Patrick was supposed to have gotten away, probably on the helicopter, and because Aidan had delayed him, he hadn’t been able to escape. Cook’s remaining men had gone off and left him. The man was unprepared, having almost nothing on him. But the one thing he did have was the exact thing they needed.
Anna came back to the clearing. “Why are you looking so happy?”
Aidan held up the treasure he’d found in Patrick’s pocket. “Want to make a phone call?”
Delight in her eyes, she rushed forward. “Yes!”
A little surprised at the old-school device, Aidan flipped the phone open and clicked on the phone icon. He punched in McCall’s number, and when nothing happened, he growled out a curse. “Dammit. What is it with this mountain?”
“No signal?”
“Not a single bar. Let’s grab our gear and get started. The closer we get to civilization, the better our chances of getting a signal.”
Aidan reached for the duffle bag. The snap of a twig had him turning, simultaneously going for his gun as he pulled Anna behind him. Hell, what now?
A familiar face appeared between the bushes. “You guys interested in a ride out of here?” Justin Kelly asked.
Chapter Forty-four
Alexandria, Virginia
Aidan stood beside the empty hospital bed and reviewed Anna’s chart. She was out of the room, having more tests done. So far, the test results were negative for any kind of damage Cook’s drugs might have done to her organs. Every time he thought about the shit that had been forced upon her, he grew infuriated again.
They had been back almost three days. Once Justin and Riley arrived, things had moved fast. It figured that McCall and his Elite teammates were already on the mountain looking for them. When Aidan had learned who’d informed McCall of their whereabouts in Bogota, he had been surprised at the irony. Sometimes you never knew where the hell help was going to come from. You’re just damn glad you got it.
Thankfully, Kelly had had a radio that worked. He had called for a rescue helicopter and then notified the other operatives.
Within an hour, McCall and the other team members had arrived. Not long after that, a helicopter had appeared, and he and Anna had been airlifted out of the jungle. They’d landed at an airport where the LCR plane was waiting. A few hours later, they’d been back in the States.
Aidan had been out of commission for a day or so. The infection that had been raging through his body had needed strong antibiotics. The bullet wound in his shoulder had caused no muscle or bone damage. Though it still throbbed, the pain was bearable. A little rehab, and he’d be good to go. The crease on his side had required a dozen stitches and had already started itching, telling him he was healing. He’d had a slight concuss
ion, and the ribs he’d cracked last week had indeed been cracked further. All in all, he’d gotten out damn lucky.
His biggest concern was still Anna’s health and well-being.
“Hey.”
Aidan turned as a nurse rolled Anna into the room in a wheelchair. She was still too pale for his liking. There was a worrisome dullness to her eyes, and her appetite, which he’d always admired, was still off.
“Hey, yourself.” He nodded at her wheels. “Enjoying your ride?”
“No, but I’ve been told it’s hospital policy.” She stood and came toward him. The weight she’d lost in the last few days hammered at his conscience. It was time he started taking better care of her.
“Why didn’t you tell me that the drugs Cook first gave you caused hallucinations and made you violently sick?”
“How did you know?”
“I read your charts.”
“Hmm.” She didn’t smile, but amusement glimmered in her eyes. “Isn’t that some sort of violation?”
“When it comes to your welfare, I’m willing to take the risk.”
Her hand caressed his arm. “I know,” she said softly. “I’m alive because of you.”
“So why didn’t you tell me? After we got away…when you told me about your abduction, you didn’t say anything about the hours of vomiting and migraine. The hallucinations about being back in Tranquility.”
“Because there wasn’t anything you could do about it. After I got the poison out of my system, I was fine.”
That wasn’t quite true, but he wasn’t going to argue the point. The test results had indicated she’d received a concoction that had included some kind of bacteria that commonly caused food poisoning. Cook had combined that with a strong sedative. The bastard had been an evil genius, able to create a variety of illnesses.
Since their return, McCall’s best researchers had discovered something so chilling, so gut-wrenchingly horrifying, that Aidan had still not come to terms with the reality. Dr. Simon Cook Sr. had crafted the poison that had killed some of Julio Garcia’s men. If he had given that particular concoction to Anna, she would probably be dead.
“It’s over now, Aidan.”
Anna’s gentle voice pulled him from his grim thoughts. She knew exactly what was on his mind.
“McCall told you…about the connection between Cook and Ruiz?”
“Yes.” She gave him that smile that caused his heart to jolt every time he saw it. “I’m very lucky.”
And that was it for Anna. She had survived the ordeal. So far, they had discovered no lasting side effects or consequences from what she’d been given. She was ready to move on.
He would do that, too…or at least try. The fact that she never would have been exposed to Cook if it hadn’t been for Aidan was something he would have to live with. Going forward was the only option.
Taking the hand that was still caressing his forearm, he led her to the sofa. He sat down and pulled her to sit beside him. He wanted to hold her but couldn’t afford the distraction right now. His time was limited. He had a plane to catch.
“I’m leaving in a few hours.”
She frowned up at him, her worry and disapproval evident. “You’re going back to work? Isn’t that too soon? You haven’t healed yet. Your shoulder and side, not to mention your concussion, are still causing you pain.”
“I’m not going back to work. Not yet. I need to see Kristen and Amy. They need to know who was responsible for their attacks. And they deserve the closure in knowing the bastard is dead.”
Anna swallowed past the growing lump in her throat. Aidan was right. These women had every right to know the truth. Telling them on the phone would be cold and cruel. Not telling them the truth would be worse.
But she couldn’t help but want to cling to him. When they’d been out in the jungle, just the two of them, she had felt so close to him. Connected in a way she had never been with another person. Since their return, they’d been separated for large blocks of time. Necessary because of all the tests she’d had to endure, but the connection they’d had was lessening. No, that was too mild. It felt as though it was disintegrating at an alarming speed. And she had no idea how to stop its progress.
“When will you be back?”
“Hard to say. Kristen is still in Connecticut, but Amy moved to Vermont a few years back. While I’m in Connecticut, I need to see my family. They’ve been through hell with me. They deserve the truth, too.”
And so his answer was I don’t know. She wasn’t shy when it came to most things. It was her experience that you didn’t get far in life by being a shrinking violet. When it came to her heart, though, and the immense emotions she felt for this man, she couldn’t be the straightforward, tell-it-like-it-is person she was in other things. He just meant too much to her. Because if she told him what was in her heart and he said no, that there was no future for them, she wasn’t sure she could handle the pain. Even if he indicated they could date and see each other in public, she wouldn’t react well.
Dating wouldn’t be enough for her. Not without commitment. There was nothing shallow, casual, or fleeting about her feelings for Aidan. She was in love with him, totally and forever. There could be no halfway for her. For Anna, it was all or nothing.
“Hey.” His voice jerked her from her thoughts.
She gave him her best understanding smile. “You’re right. Everyone deserves to hear the truth in person.”
“When I get back, we need to talk.”
“Okay.” What else could she say?
Cupping her face, he leaned down and captured her mouth in a tender, mesmerizing, exquisite kiss.
Anna’s heart, soul, her very being ached for more, but she responded with the same degree of tenderness and caring. If this was their last kiss, she wanted them both to remember the moment as beautiful and magical.
When he pulled away, she didn’t even try for a smile. There was no way she could fake one. Instead, she said what was expected of her, what would ease his mind. “I’ll see you when you get back.”
A few minutes later, Aidan walked out the door. Not taking any chances that he would come back and catch her, Anna sped to the bathroom and locked the door before she broke down into a sobbing mess of tears.
***
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Standing in the quiet of the small park, Aidan let the isolation soothe him. The last few days had left him raw. He had been face-to-face with both Kristen and Amy. The two women were alike in a lot of ways, but how they took his news was the polar opposite. Kristen had sat beside her husband, holding his hand when Aidan had delivered the name of the man responsible for instigating the rape. When he had explained the details and that Cook Sr. claimed that her rapist had been killed, she had wept in her husband’s arms.
Aidan had apologized profusely once again. He had wanted to do more, but whatever he could offer would never make up for what she’d been put through simply because he had dated her. But after her tears, she had given him a gentle smile of understanding and told him she was glad to know the truth, but she had been able to move on. She told him she hoped he could move on, too.
Aidan had left her home, still sad but slightly buoyed by her gracious forgiveness. Perhaps that was why his meeting with Amy had been so intensely painful.
Amy had not been able to move on as Kristen had, though it was obvious she had tried. She had lived in five different cities since her attack, married twice, divorced twice, and had been employed at no less than a dozen places.
Some would say that the violation she’d suffered was less traumatic than what Kristen had endured. Aidan wouldn’t go that far. Not only did Amy still bear the physical scars from her attack, the way each person dealt with trauma was their own. Her pain was genuine and so raw, it was like the assault had happened only a few days ago instead of years ago. Aidan had left her apartment feeling as though he’d been flayed open. The suggestion that she seek more counseling and his offer to pay for whatever she ne
eded had been met with bitter contempt.
His parents, as he had expected, received the news that the threat was over with both joy and relief. Aidan had left soon after with the promise that he would return soon. He hoped that Anna would be with him. He still hadn’t told them about her. Since he was about as unsure of her as he’d been about anything in his life, he’d simply told them he hoped to be sharing more good news with them soon. From the quick, delighted looks they’d given each other, he knew his sister had already spilled the beans.
And now here he was, his final stop before he went home. This place of solitude and comfort held so many memories, both happy and painful. It only made sense that this was the place he would visit last.
He had proposed to Melody here, right under this giant oak tree. They’d been grilling each other for a final. She had asked him a question, he had answered. When it had been his turn to ask a question, Aidan had asked her to marry him. She’d simply smiled, given him a yes, and then went on to ask him another quiz question. That had been Melody, unflappable and serious, even in the midst of a marriage proposal.
Beneath this giant oak was also the place he had come that cold December day to spread her ashes. And he had sobbed…God, how he had sobbed. Lying on the ground, uncaring of the snow and wetness, he had poured his heart and soul out to her.
Today, he had come for another reason. He wanted to talk with her about what he had learned. And then he had something else very important to discuss with her.
Sitting beneath the tree where they’d sat so long ago, Aidan began. “Hey, Mellie. Sorry it’s been so long since we’ve talked. Guess you know what’s happened—that I finally found out the truth. Something you’ve known all along.
“I can’t even begin to imagine what you felt that day, Mellie. It still rips at my guts to even think about it. I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m sorry that happened to you. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. To protect you.
“You probably got pissed that I blamed Simon. I feel bad about that, Mellie. Hating him for all these years for something he didn’t do. And to think I’d had conversations with his father…and all the while he—”
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