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EMILY MOANED AND TURNED her head to the side, pain shooting through her with the slight movement. Her head throbbed, and nausea roiled through her. They’d found her hiding in that supply hut. Screamed at her in Arabic. Hit her over the head with something.
And now?
Her body jostled with movement, and she whimpered. Were they taking her somewhere else? What has happening?
Someone was carrying her, she realized, someone big.
She blinked, her eyelids fluttering. Strong arms cradled her close to a broad chest, jostling her slightly as the man jogged forward, carrying her as if she weighed nothing.
And what was that strange sound?
A light shone at them in the middle of the darkness, and she caught a brief glance of a U.S. flag stitched onto a desert camo uniform. Deep male voices shouted around her, and she wanted to cry in relief if she could just muster up the strength. She felt safe for the first time in over a month—relieved.
She didn’t know who the man was who held her, or where they were going, but she’d been rescued. Saved.
He held her even tighter as they boarded the helicopter, and he smelled of sweat and the desert and something else distinctively male.
She shut her eyes tightly against the onslaught of pain as she was laid down on the hard floor. The constant whomp, whomp, whomp of the helicopter blades was exacerbating her headache, but she’d listen to that sound all day and night if it meant she was finally on her way to freedom.
Something cold was laid over her forehead, and she shuddered and cried out.
“Easy sweetheart,” a deep voice said. “We’ve got to get the swelling down. It looks like the bleeding has stopped.”
She opened her eyes and saw a man crouched beside her. He was holding onto her shoulder, she realized, steadying her as the rest of the men jumped on and the helicopter lifted off the ground. She helplessly reached out and clutched onto him, and his large, gloved hand held hers as her eyes watered.
It was crazy to be clinging onto this man.
She’d rode in helicopters before, provided security to all sorts of important government officials. But at the moment?
She was weak. Injured. Scared.
Helpless and dependent on him.
This one guy was the calm in the midst of chaos.
Voices shouted around her, over the loud noise of the helicopter. “ETA is seven minutes,” one man barked out. “Tell them to have a medic waiting when we arrive.”
The man kneeling beside her lifted up his night vision goggles, and despite the dark interior of the helicopter, she could sense that he was looking at her. Watching her closely. She could barely see him, but she clung onto his hand like he was her lifeline.
“What’s your name?” he asked urgently.
“Em—Emily.”
“Good,” he murmured, ducking down so that she could hear him. “Do you know where you are?”
“In a helicopter?”
“That’s right. We’re heading back to base—the same place you were taken from over a month ago. We rescued you from your kidnappers. You’re safe now.”
She whimpered again, and another man knelt beside her, taking her pulse. “Are you in pain?” he asked gruffly.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Quick, give her some morphine!” the first guy at her side said. “Don’t let her just lie there.”
“Easy, Ryker,” the second man said. “Let me do my goddamn job first.”
She blinked, beginning to feel dizzy. Her grip was lessoning on the first man—Ryker’s—hand. She’d feel better if she could just close her eyes for a moment and get some rest. Then she wouldn’t be so damn confused. Then everything wouldn’t hurt so much.
“Shit, she’s crashing!” Ryker yelled.
She surrendered to the darkness once more.
***
FOOTSTEPS PACED AROUND the room as Emily began to groggily stir. Her head still throbbed, and she was lying on some sort of bed. Where the hell was she? Had she dreamt that she’d been saved, or was she really free from that godforsaken compound? From those horrible men?
“I think she’s coming to,” a female voice said, coming closer.
“Well make sure you fucking help her,” a man gruffly replied. “She looks like she’s still in pain.”
“Easy, Ryker. You shouldn’t even be in here,” the woman said. “You know that as well as I do.”
“Like hell I shouldn’t. We pulled her out of a fucking terrorist compound. I carried her onto the damn helo myself. I’ve got every goddamn right to see how she’s doing.”
Other male voices joined in the conversation, and Emily mumbled, trying to make sense of her surroundings.
“We need to stabilize her, and then I’ll see about you visiting.” the woman said. “Why don’t you go wait in the hallway while I check on the patient. You’re disturbing her.”
Emily felt something pulling at her arm, and she realized there was an IV stuck into her vein. She blinked, finally opening her eyes, to see a military doctor standing before her. “Welcome back Ms. Swenson,” the woman said. “I know quite a few people will be happy to see you. But first and foremost, how are you feeling?”
“Awful,” she croaked. “How long have I been out?”
The doctor cleared her throat. “The SEAL team brought you back to base at oh-four-hundred this morning. You’ve been asleep for six hours.”
She sputtered, trying to sit up.
“Easy now,” the doctor said. “You need to rest. You’re dehydrated and malnourished. We’ve run some basic bloodwork but will do some additional tests today. We’ve given you pain medication as well, which is partially why you’re feeling so groggy.”
“Okay,” Emily murmured. “Can I get some water?”
“Yes of course,” she said signaling to a nurse who then exited the room. “And I know this is a delicate question, but I need to ask so that we can make sure you get proper medical care—were you sexually assaulted in your captivity?”
“No,” Emily said, wincing as she shook her head. “Thank God, no.”
“Other injuries?” the doctor asked.
“My head—they hit me last night when I almost escaped. And my ribcage. Most of the time, they just moved me from place to place and didn’t really touch me thank God. I didn’t get much to eat or drink and know I lost a ton of weight. I was constantly stressed out and scared.”
The doctor nodded, making some notes. “We’ll have psychologists available to meet with you, to go over your ordeal.”
“No,” Emily interrupted. “I don’t need to talk to them.”
“Not right now, perhaps, but of course State will require it before you can return to duty. You won’t even be allowed to have your issued weapon back until they confirm you’re fit for duty.”
“Damn it,” Emily muttered. “I don’t even have it anymore—they took everything when I was kidnapped. Bastards.”
The doctor chuckled. “You’re a fighter—I can tell. Anyone would have to be to survive being held that long. You’re in remarkably good condition though, all things considered. And fortunate in many ways that it wasn’t far worse. I was concerned we’d have to transport you to a military hospital, but it’s possible we can get you on a flight home.”
“God, home. That would be amazing. They kept moving me from one dark, cramped room to another for weeks—I think they were saving me for that terrorist asshole. They wanted me to become his wife—”
“Fucking hell,” a deep male voice interrupted as a buff military man stepped through the doorway.
Emily’s mouth nearly dropped open in shock at the man entering her room. His voice sounded vaguely familiar, and despite her weakened state, she couldn’t help but let her gaze briefly run over him.
He was tall, with dark cropped hair and stubble across his firm jaw. The slight circles under his gray eyes told her he hadn’t gotten much sleep recently, but his dark gaze bore into hers. He was athletic looking, with lean muscles and tightly leashed strength. Maybe he didn’t have muscles on top of muscles like some of the other military guys she’d seen, but he looked positively lethal, almost like a panther waiting to pounce.
“Ryker, I told you that you should wait out in the hallway,” the doctor said as she moved toward him. Emily almost laughed. There was no way the slight female could get him out of her room if he didn’t want to leave.
“I’m just checking on her,” he said, glancing from the doctor back to Emily. Dark eyes penetrated hers. “Are you okay? I can’t believe that mother fucking asshole was trying to make you one of his wives.”
Ryker.
As in the guy who’d carried her onto the helicopter, holding her closely against him. Had he rescued her in the compound as well? He’d seemed almost gentle with her as he’d lay her down in the waiting chopper—he’d let her cling to his hand while they lifted off.
And now?
This guy seemed gruff and larger than life. A force to be reckoned with, who clearly wasn’t leaving until he got his answers. He’d walked right in here like he owned the place. Like he had every right.
She was partly flattered and partly annoyed—she damn well could take care of herself. It was odd having a stranger checking in on her though, especially a rough and assertive military guy like him. She wasn’t the type of woman that needed a man in her life to protect her. She didn’t need to depend on anyone. Something about his interest made her heartbeat quicken though. He seemed worried about her. Invested in her safety.
She probably looked like hell. He was buff and handsome, he’d literally stormed a terrorist compound to rescue her, and she hadn’t seen a mirror in a month. Not that she was a fussy and frilly sort of woman, but geez. At least they’d let her bathe when they’d moved her to the compound.
He must be Special Forces the way they’d stormed in there—a SEAL? Delta Force?
No, the doctor had just mentioned that a SEAL team had rescued her. It didn’t matter anyway since she’d never see him again after today. He’d go off on another mission. She’d eventually return to duty at State. He could be based in Virginia or all the way out in California for all that she knew.
Funny. Maybe they’d been in some of the same places before and didn’t even realize it. She’d provided security in some less than ideal locations. She probably wasn’t where the SEALs usually deployed though—until she had quite literally became their mission that is.
“I’m fine,” she said weakly.
He raised his eyebrows, clearly not believing a word of it.
“I will be,” she amended, glancing at the IV in her arm. The monitors and machines beeped and hummed steadily around her, and she felt dizzy all of a sudden. Exhausted. Like she could sleep for an entire week and it might not be enough.
“She needs her rest,” the doctor said. “And she deserves to get it after everything that she’s been through. I’m going to have to ask you to leave, Ryker.”
“I just need a minute,” he said in a low voice. “There’s something important that I need to speak with her about. It pertains to her rescue.”
The doctor nodded. “One minute. And then I’ll be back.”
“Is something wrong?” Emily asked as the doctor briefly left the room. “I mean aside from the fact that I was kidnapped. Thank you by the way for rescuing me.”
He nodded and took a step closer. “We were just doing our job. Does the name Mohammad Izallah mean anything to you?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head and then wincing at the movement. He frowned. “Should it?” she asked.
His gaze tracked over her motions as she lifted a hand to her forehead. “Shit. Did those bastards do that to you?”
“Yeah. They got me in the ribs, too.”
His gaze lowered, and she flushed slightly. She was wearing a flimsy hospital gown, covered by the thinnest blanket imaginable. She looked like hell. Why that should concern her, she didn’t know. It’s not like she needed to appear attractive to this man. He’d saved her. It’s not like they were out on a date.
His intense gaze met hers again. “He’s the leader of the compound where you were being held—he heads up a smaller terror group in the area. Not one of the bigger names, but they’re coming into their own. We took out some of his men when we went in to rescue you, but we believe he escaped.”
Emily’s heartbeat quickened, and Ryker glanced at the monitors as the line there jumped. “Shit, I didn’t mean to frighten you. We don’t know where he went. And you’re safe here. No more patrolling base though, all right?”
She bristled slightly. “You think I’m going to get up from a hospital bed and go ride on patrol? I don’t even have my weapons.”
“I’m just saying be careful. My understanding is they moved you around for a month, saving you for him. Am I right?”
She nodded, wondering where he was going with this.
“He’s a possessive bastard. He thinks you’re his. His other men didn’t touch you because they were under orders to save you for him. Maybe he doesn’t know much information about you, but weren’t you ambushed on patrol? That shouldn’t have ever happened.”
“What are you saying?” she asked, frowning.
“I’m worried you were targeted.”
“Targeted? That’s impossible. They wouldn’t even have knowledge that I was there. I was part of an advanced team that was sent in for security for some officials at State. No one would know....” Her voice trailed off.
“You’re right, he wouldn’t know. He shouldn’t know anything about you. It could have just been a coincidence. Or he could’ve had someone on the inside. It’s possible there was a mole. That someone set you up—an interpreter, local guide, or someone like that. My understanding is that little harm was brought to you.”
“If you’re asking if I was raped or murdered, the answer to both is no.”
His lips quirked slightly at her smartass reply, but then he frowned again. “A beautiful woman arrives, goes out on patrol, and that’s the Humvee that’s ambushed? Seems like more than a coincidence.”
“Knock-knock!” a male voice said, and another SEAL strode in.
Emily was still trying to work out the way he’d nonchalantly called her ‘beautiful’ as the other guy kept talking.
“Hi, I’m Hunter Murdock. I didn’t mean to interrupt, just wanted to see if you were okay. My team was the one in charge of your rescue mission.”
“I’m fine, and thanks for getting me out of there.”
“She’s not fine,” Ryker interjected.
Emily rolled her eyes. “Just ignore this asshole,” Hunter said. “Excuse my language. We’re heading back to the States soon, but it’s possible you’ll be riding along with us.”
“They’re sending me home?” she asked.
“If all goes as planned. We’re based out of Little Creek, down near Virginia Beach. They might have us stop off at Andrew’s to drop you off.”
“Well hell,” Ryker muttered. “Nobody tells me anything.”
“I’m telling you now,” Hunter said. “And I wanted to notify Ms. Swenson before I told the team. It depends if the doctors here give you clearance to fly, but you’re in better condition than any of us could have hoped. I know you’ve been through hell, but that’s a good thing that they’re ready to send you back to the States.”
“Did Raptor and his boys leave?” Ryker asked.
“Raptor?” Emily asked, feeling more and more confused.
“Another SEAL team that was part of the rescue op. And you know nothing about it, catch my drift?” Hunter asked, raising his eyebrows.
Emily blew out a sigh. “Got it. You weren’t ever here. Neither was this Raptor person.”
Ryker chuckled, and Emily felt her cheeks heating. He looked at her far too closely, and she didn’t like feeling fragile and dependent on this man she didn’t even know.
Footsteps sounded in the hallway, and the doctor strode back in. “Goodness, now there are two of you in here? Both of you are going to have to leave. No arguments, Ryker,” she added before he could get a word in. “I need to assess the patient. If she does well today, she may be allowed to fly home tomorrow.”
Hunter chuckled. “I’ll touch base with you later on, Ms. Swenson. I’m working things out with the CO. And of course your charming and lovely doctor here.”
“Not another word,” she said, shooing both men out the door. Ryker cast one last glance at Emily, and she watched in confusion as he reluctantly left. A nurse breezed in with her water, and she found her mind wandering as the doctor began to list the battery of other tests they’d run.
She realized she hadn’t even gotten to call her parents and best friend yet to let them know she was okay. “Can I make a phone call?” she asked.
“Of course,” the doctor replied. “As many as you want. We’ll do the additional tests, like I mentioned, and let you rest for the remainder of the day. If all goes well, the SEALs will then escort you all the way back home.”
