Kiera couldn’t speak. She was sick.
“I knew it would’ve been awful for you thinking I was dead, but I still couldn’t stand the thought of you not loving me, our memories, enough to keep yourself pure for marriage. Even if that marriage wasn’t to me.” He splayed his hands. “So I went to work for Sutton and kept myself busy and tried not to think about you.” He smiled sadly. “It didn’t work. Though I was angry at you for what I’d thought you’d done. I never stopped loving you.”
Kiera couldn’t stand not touching him right now. She scooted over to him and plopped herself on his lap, wrapping her hands around his neck. “I need to kiss you on the face right now.”
Creed chuckled. “Just a second.” He grabbed a mint off the tray and tossed it in his mouth. “Okay, now.”
Kiera laughed and kissed him and kissed him. An explosion of happiness rushed through her. It was like coming home yet more exciting than Christmas morning. His lips were tender and firm, and she was warm from head to toe.
When she pulled back, her eyes feasted on his handsome face. The face she’d always loved. “As soon as my mama called and said you were alive, I caught a red-eye from Vegas and headed straight for Long Island. When I got there, your mom told me that you’d already left with some ‘handsome English man,’ and I thought you’d ditched me. Oh, Creed. Of all the stupid misunderstandings. How could you think I wouldn’t wait for you?”
Creed buried his head in her chest and let out a groan of pain. “I’m sorry. Kiera, please forgive me. I was blind and stupid, and you deserve so much more.”
Kiera grasped his cheeks with her hands and pulled him up so she could look at him. “I love you, Creed. Of course, I forgive you.”
Creed pulled her in tight and kissed her. Kiera was certain she’d found heaven, and she was never letting anything come between them again.
Chapter Thirteen
As Creed held Kiera close, he wondered if he’d ever been this happy. Kiera had always made him happy. The pain of what he’d gone through—being captured, imprisoned, and tortured, and then thinking the reason he made it through all of that had been disloyal to him had nearly destroyed him. It made this moment of happiness even more meaningful.
There was also the sweet realization that he and Kiera’s time was now. Before, he’d known he would have to leave, to fulfill his calling to be a SEAL, but he’d completed that mission. Now, even if he kept working for Sutton, his focus could be Kiera.
“Do you ever think about why?” she murmured into his chest.
“Yeah. All the time. The imprisonment was … I really can’t talk about it, but complete misery doesn’t even come close. I wondered many times why we had to go through that, be separated with you thinking I was dead. But I do know it makes moments like this all the better.” He ran his hands over her trim waist and was so happy to hold her close.
“I can’t even imagine. The thought of you being tortured”—she shuddered—“starving, miserable.”
“Yeah, let’s not dwell on it.”
“You’re so tough.” She glanced up at him with her beautiful dark eyes wide. “If I went through something like that, I’d want to go on talk shows, write a book about it, have everybody know how bad it was and give me lots of pity.”
Creed chuckled, but any mirth fled quickly. “You say that, but truly, I pray several times a day for the Lord to just help me forgive and forget.”
She nodded, considering. “Sometimes, I take the why a step further. Sometimes, I wonder why you ever had to choose your path. Why you ever had to leave me.” She bit at her lip and looked so kissable in her humble questioning it was all he could do to stay his mouth. “Sorry, that’s so selfish and petty of me.”
“No, it’s not,” he hurried to reassure her. “I hated leaving you, my mom, and my brothers, but I knew from the time I was little that I’d be a SEAL. I knew it. For me, it was a calling from God just as surely as someone called to a ministry or a mission. Does that make sense?”
She nodded. “I know that about you. How honorable and good you are to want to serve, to protect. Sorry, sometimes I just get bratty.”
“You are the farthest thing from bratty.” He let himself kiss her and got distracted for many minutes with her perfect lips.
When he pulled back, she glanced up at him, and her eyes were glistening. “You know when I was teasing you in the gym? About your brothers?”
He remembered. She’d been mad at him and now that he knew the truth he was sick about how rudely he’d treated her. Yet her teasing at the gym had been cute. Still, he didn’t like being compared to his brothers. They all had their own paths, and he was proud of each of their successes.
“I think your path in life is the noblest, Creed.”
He smiled. “That means a lot. Thank you.” He paused. “I think my brothers are the greatest. I love that we all have our own paths.”
“The great Hawk brothers. All famous in their own right.” She teased him.
He chuckled. He loved his family, but their life wasn’t cake and roses. People assumed because they were wealthy and talented they had it easy, but every one of his brothers worked hard to succeed. To try to live up to their father’s expectations. They worked harder than most people he knew, truly. “We didn’t have any choice not to be successful.”
“Because of your dad?”
“Yeah. You remember how it was. Mom adored us and thought we could do no wrong. We all worked hard to prove her right. Dad tolerated us, for Mom, and if any of us messed up, he would’ve been so disappointed in us.” He trailed his hands along her back remembering. “BUDs training was much worse than I could’ve foreseen, and so many guys rang the bell. But no matter how bad it got, even when I thought they were going to drown or kill me with training, I remembered my dad telling me if I ever quit, it would disappoint him and break my mom’s heart. I couldn’t do either.”
“I don’t really like your dad.” She admitted.
Creed laughed. “No one does. Except maybe my mom. Even Callum doesn’t really like him, though it seems like he’s becoming just like him. Bridger loved to call my dad Tomahawk.”
“Bridger got away with a lot more than any of the rest of you.”
“That’s for sure.”
He trailed his hand up her neck and cupped her face. “Why are we wasting this time talking about my dad and brothers when we could be kissing?”
Kiera giggled so cutely, but he cut it off by pressing his lips to hers. Much, much later, he pulled back. “I really need to go take a shower and put some clean clothes on.” His clothes were still damp from being out in the rain for so long, and he was afraid he smelled like wet dog. The duke and his men had lingered over lunch for hours before going on a long walk in the rain down to the ferry dock and along a huge wooden pier next to the resort. Creed wished he knew what they were looking for, what they were planning. River or Sutton should be here within hours, so he tried not to worry too much about the duke. Finally, the men had returned to their rooms, almost as wet as Creed. Thankfully, he hadn’t gotten any notice that the duke had left his room tonight.
“Will you be okay without me for a few minutes?” he asked.
Kiera sighed dramatically. “If I must. But hurry.”
He kissed her and headed for the door. “Deadbolt this behind me. The job I’m on is tracking that William idiot. He’s an escaped convict with quite the past.”
Kiera’s eyes widened. “That’s why you had to leave earlier, to track him?”
“Yeah, but he’s been in his suite all evening working on his computer. Sutton and his other men will be here soon with MI6 to apprehend him. I just have to keep an eye on him for a little while longer.” He kissed her slowly, savoring it. “But you’re much more important. If I have to go follow him again, I want to know that you’re safe.”
Kiera nodded. “I’ll stay in my room with my deadbolt turned and pepper spray in hand.”
He chuckled. “Good girl. I’ll see you soon
.” He slipped out of her door and waited to hear the deadbolt click. He’d hurry through his shower and be back by her side soon. He prayed the duke would sit in his room until Sutton or River got here and apprehended him. Before, Creed had wanted to dismantle the man. Now, all he wanted was to be with Kiera. As soon as the duke was under arrest, Creed was going to spend as long as Kiera wanted at this beautiful resort, with her by his side. Afterwards, they would go home, be with their families, let their moms plan the dream wedding. Unless … could he talk Kiera into eloping?
Chuckling, he waited impatiently for the elevator, not wanting to be away from Kiera one second longer than he needed to.
Creed hurried to his room in building twelve, up to the tenth floor, and through his shower. His watch beeped when he was rinsing off. Wiping his face clean, he checked it quickly and cursed. The duke was on the move. At least Kiera was safe in her room. Any time now, Sutton or River would be here and this job would be done.
Chapter Fourteen
Kiera didn’t like the silence and loneliness that crept in as soon as Creed left. She turned on the television and tried to distract herself, but it didn’t work. Stacking all the room service dishes, she opened the door and set the trays outside where they would pick them up. As she bent down, arms came around her waist and painfully jerked her to her feet.
She whirled and saw William glowering at her. She screamed, but a hand covered her mouth, and somebody behind her held her tightly while someone else ripped her hands behind her back and tied them up. Kiera couldn’t even squirm with whoever was restraining her holding her.
William smiled. “You should’ve just stayed with me last night. You would already be on your way to your new life.”
Kiera glared at him, though chills of terror raced through her. What was he talking about?
The hand was removed from her mouth. She screamed out, but duct tape was slapped onto her mouth so quick she barely got a squeak out.
William trailed a hand down her cheek. She tried to move her face, but the men held her tight. “So beautiful and famous. You’ll make me a lot of money, sweetheart.” He inclined his head. “Let’s go.”
Kiera was plucked clean off her feet and thrown over some guy’s shoulder. Instead of the elevator, they threw open the door for the stairs and pounded down them. Kiera was jostled and banged around. Her stomach was tumbling and her head full of fear and confusion. It sounded like William hadn’t drugged her last night so he could have his way with her. It sounded like he was planning to sell her. Icy terror ran down her spine. Kiera squeezed her eyes shut tight and started to pray.
Creed rushed out of his room and knew he had limited time to find the duke. The duke could easily disappear with the time it took Creed to get dressed after his shower, and the elevator had been unbelievably slow. He searched around the main areas for a few minutes but didn’t see the duke. An uneasy feeling settled in his gut. He needed to know where Gunthry was and stick to him until River or Sutton got there. He wanted this job done in the worst way. He glanced up at where he knew Kiera’s penthouse suite was across the huge complex of rooms. Her lights were still glowing softly. How he wanted to be there with her. Sadly, now was not that time.
Heading for the main building, he said to the front desk attendant. “I need the head of security, right now.”
She blinked at him but grabbed a phone and dialed. Within half a minute, a burly well-dressed Mexican man strode up to him. “How can I help you, señor?”
“I need to look at your security film for the past ten minutes.”
“I’m sorry, sir.”
“I’m not asking.” Creed pulled out his credentials as a private investigator and one of Sutton Smith’s men.
The man’s eyebrows went up.
“You’ve heard of Sutton Smith?”
“Si, señor.”
“Security film?”
“This way.”
Creed rushed after the man, praying Gunthry hadn’t vacated the property. As they walked in the small security room, two men straightened quickly and hid their phones that they’d obviously been playing on. The head of security arched an eyebrow at Creed but didn’t reprimand his men in front of him.
The security room was impressive with up-to-date equipment and huge screens. Creed had them scroll back through the footage outside of Gunthry’s rooms. Sure enough, thirteen minutes ago he exited his room and took the elevator. They followed him across the property, three large men trailing him, and then up the elevator to the outside of Kiera’s suite. Creed’s stomach dropped. They fast-forwarded through. The film showed them waiting outside Kiera’s door for four minutes and twenty-nine seconds.
Creed watched in horror as Kiera opened the door and stacked trays of food on the ground. One man grabbed her and another man bound her hands. They put duct tape on her mouth then headed for the stairs. Creed could barely stand still as they quickly went through the film and showed them exiting at the main level and heading toward the pools. Less than one minute ago it showed them hurrying toward the beach. Creed thought of Gunthry checking out the ferry dock and the pier earlier today and his body filled with dread.
“Tell your men to look on the beach, the ferry dock, or the pier for them,” Creed yelled as he took off at a run out of the security office, not waiting for their confirmation.
He was halfway across the second set of pool decks when his phone rang. He yanked it out and kept sprinting. “Hello.” He gasped out.
“Creed, it’s River. I’m here. I can’t believe you’re getting paid to—”
“Head for the beach,” he yelled out. “The duke’s got Kiera.”
Creed shoved his phone back into his pocket. River would be exactly the backup he needed, but the duke could already be gone. If they left by boat, would Creed ever find Kiera? There was a big ocean out there.
Creed should’ve realized Gunthry wouldn’t give up on having Kiera after his stunt last night. He pushed his legs to rotate faster, but his stomach churned quicker than his legs. Why had Creed ever left her side?
Chapter Fifteen
Kiera bounced against some burly guy’s shoulder as the men ran along the beach and then down a long wooden pier. The rain was still coming down, and within seconds, she was drenched. They made it to the end, and the man set her on her feet but kept his arm around her. The pier widened into a large covered dock. The rain splattered against the covering, and waves lapped gently against the side of the pier. The wind was warm, but as wet and terrified as she was, Kiera’s entire body was trembling.
She heard William cursing and yelling at one of his men. “Where’s the boat? Where are the other men with my merchandise?”
“Don’t worry so much, señor. Is all coming.”
William backhanded the man who was twice his size. “Speak again, and I’ll kill you.” He threatened in a low growl.
The man held up his hands and backed away, running into Kiera and the man holding her. The rain made the late evening sky as dark as midnight. Kiera peered out into the ocean and saw lights headed their way. It looked to be a decent-sized boat, a small yacht. If they got her on that boat, they could take her anywhere. She looked down at the dark water below, with the rain splattering on it. Could she keep herself afloat without her hands? She’d have to wait for just the right moment. Her heart was racing, and with the duct tape over her mouth, she felt like she was forcing oxygen in and out of her nose too quickly. She couldn’t pass out before she had a chance to escape. She tried to look back down the dock, but the man holding her prevented her from seeing that direction.
The boat came closer and closer. The men were all focused on its approach. The dock was open with no railings. Kiera waited until the yacht bumped against the dock and the men tied it off. William strode onto the low rear platform and open deck of the yacht, yelling at someone else. The man holding her started to pick her up. Kiera threw her head back as hard as she could and felt the back of her head make impact with his face. He cried out, a
nd his grip loosened. She flung her body toward the water, and then she was falling.
The warm water embraced her and closed over her head. Kiera sank for half a second before kicking furiously, trying to angle away from the boat. Her head broke the surface, and she snorted through her nose, trying to get enough air in. She could hear men’s voices shouting and chaos above her as she kicked for all she was worth back toward the beach. Maybe the cover of darkness and the rain would help her get away. Maybe someone had seen them and would come help? Maybe a miracle would happen and Creed would find her. If she didn’t drown first.
Kiera tired quickly, and her head slipped under water. She rolled over onto her back and kept kicking as ferociously as she could, ignoring the yells and the fear pounding through her head. It was too hard to keep afloat with her arms tied, even floating on her back. A wave covered her face and filled her nose. With the duct tape over her mouth, she couldn’t gasp for air. She lifted her head and tried to push air and the salt water out of her nose and pull oxygen in, but she wasn’t getting enough.
Breathe, in and out, she told herself, but it was hard to settle down and even harder to get enough oxygen and keep her head above the water. She kicked harder, and her leg cramped. She slipped under the water, but she ignored the pain and kept kicking until her head popped up again.
A light blinded her, and she screamed against the duct tape as a huge body launched into the water next to her. Within seconds, the man reached her side and roughly grasped her. She tried to kick at him but only succeeded in going underwater and catching a noseful of salt water. He pushed her toward the boat and hands grasped her and yanked her onto the yacht’s rear platform.
Hawk Brothers Romance Collection Page 23
