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“We have two minutes then we’re off again.”
She didn’t waste the energy nodding. Two minutes wasn’t enough time to catch her breath and respond.
At the two-minute mark, she was hauled to her feet and dragged on another marathon through the bush. Why? If he’d been able to rescue her, why wasn’t he able to get her picked up and shipped out to safety?
When he shoved her down behind a log, she knew she wasn’t getting up again.
Not willingly. She closed her eyes and willed back the tears of exhaustion.
Damn.
“You okay?” That low deep note of concern had her opening her eyes and lying.
“I’m fine,” she whispered.
His smile of appreciation warmed the coldness inside. When his grin widened, flashing his white teeth, and he whispered, “Good, let’s go again,” she groaned.
“Once more,” he promised, helping her over the log they’d been hiding behind.
She didn’t believe him but forced her legs to move. But instead of a run they stumbled. Instead of landing softly they came down hard, stilted. He reached out a hand. She put hers in it, loving the way his hand, fingers closed over hers as if he could impart some of his strength, his endurance to her.
Maybe she was gaining strength from him as her feet seemed to cooperate better, and she could pick up the pace. When they stopped the next time, she slid in a weak heap to the ground. She huddled up into a ball and closed her eyes.
When had she last hurt like this? Had she ever hurt so badly? She didn’t think so.
Her rescuer crouched beside her and said, “We’re waiting for a pick up. Should be in ten minutes.” His voiced deepened. “We’re in Mexico and need to get across the border fast.”
She lifted her face to his and wanted to cry. Mexico? Oh no. She wanted to be home. Away from this nightmare. Were they driving out? Flying out? By donkey? Maybe she didn’t want to know. But whatever method she wanted to go now.
His finger stroked down the side of her cheek. “You’re doing just fine.”
“Doesn’t feel like it. Feels like you ripped my ribs out and made me walk on them,” she muttered.
His grin widened. “You got spunk. I like that.”
She rolled her eyes. That was a first. She’d been called a lot of things but never spunky. Brainy, nerdy, geeky. Yeah, they had all been tossed at her head a time or two but not in a complimentary way. And never making her spine quiver at the banked emotion in a man’s voice.
It was almost as if he was proud of her.
She wasn’t proud of her. Good Lord she knew she’d start crying at the drop of a hat and look at the shit she’d gotten into. Her dad would have kicked her ass good for this mess. He wasn’t going to be pleased when he found out. Then again, he wouldn’t have anyone to blame for what happened to his only child and that would bring up his anger too.
She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. She had to survive. For his sake and hers. He’d already lost one child. He wouldn’t survive losing another.
“No energy for spunk,” she whispered, her throat so dry it hurt to talk.
A water bottle was shoved into her hand. Her eyes opened, lit up with greed.
She tilted it and took a long drink.
“Don’t drink too much. It will be hard on your stomach,” he warned.
Instantly she stopped but she didn’t want to. She had to hand the bottle back before she drained the rest of it on him. As it was, the bottle was less than a third full. He must need some too. “Sorry, I should have left you more.”
“There’s enough. Rest now. You’re almost safe.”
He squeezed her shoulder before settling down beside her. She closed her eyes and rested. Only the sounds of the forest filtered inside her mind. The wind gently floated through, plucking a leaf here and there off a branch, picking up dead ones off the ground and tossing them in the air. But there were no birds. No squirrels. No wildlife.
Just her rescuer.
“What’s your name?”
“Mason, ma’am.”
She winced. “I’m Tesla.”
“Nice to meet you, Tesla.”
At the teasing quality in his voice, she tilted her head and opened her eyes. To find his head inches from her shoulder. In the faint moonlight she could see the thunderous frown, so at odds with his voice as he stared at her puffy shoulder. “What’s this from?”
“They injected me with something,” she whispered. “I think it was to knock me out, but whatever it was, my body didn’t think much of it.”
“It looks infected.” He smoothed a gentle finger over the puffy skin. She tried to hold back a gasp of pain, but he heard her. Of course he did. “It’s hot.”
She shrugged. “Of course.”
“Not good.” He rummaged around in his bag and pulled out some tiny tube of clear liquid and a small gauze. He cracked the tube and poured half the liquid on the wound. She gasped at the stinging pain. He poured the rest of the liquid on the gauze and placed it gently against the site. Somehow he had a medical tape in his hand and managed to wrap that around the gauze on her arm.
“That’s all I can do out here,” he said. “We’ll get you looked at as soon as we land.”
She nodded, staring in bemusement at the field dressing. Being an injection site, there wasn’t much that the gauze was going to do to help the situation, but it would help keep it clean. She leaned back and closed her eyes.
But couldn’t get comfortable.
“Isn’t it time yet?”
“Another couple of minutes.”
She shifted again. This was a horrible position. Everything ached. She couldn’t wait for a hot bath.
He tugged her toward him, so she was leaning against his shoulder and hips. Instantly she felt at home. Comfortable. She closed her eyes and nodded off to sleep.
What readers are saying:
A USA Today Bestselling Book
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"All books from Dale Mayer, including Mason, in the Seals of honor, are way above & beyond in quality and insight into the human psyche than most books I read. These people’s psychology is so real that every time you pick up one of her book, you pick up a friend." - Amazon Reviewer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Meeting this team of SEALS is one honor that I’m glad I didn’t miss because not only are they sexy, protective and deadly heroes but Tesla is one heroine that compliments Mason which really adds to the energetic feel of the story and I was held hostage by the story from the very first page and I can’t wait to read the rest of the teams books." - Amazon Reviewer
Whats included in the bundle:
✅Mason
✅Hawk
✅Dane
✅Swede
✅Shadow
✅Cooper
✅Markus
✅Evan
✅Mason's Wish
✅Chase
✅ Bonus Content: The K9 Files: Ethan
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