Chapter 17
Chapter
Seventeen
Even with Mateo’s arms wrapped around her, it hurt as they fell off the motorcycle and hit the ground.
There was no time to think about it, though, because they were rolling and skidding across the rocks and compacted dirt.
Ally knew that Mateo was doing his best to shield her as much as he could, but even with that protection, sticks and stones scraped across her exposed skin.
Given that the dress she was wearing covered basically nothing, that was a whole lot of skin.
“Take a deep breath and hold it.”
Those words were the only warning she got before they plunged into water.
She tried to do as Mateo had instructed, but she got nothing more than a quick gasp of air into her lungs before they went under. The water was cold, but nowhere near freezing, and it actually felt nice against her skin.
Well, it would if they were in it for a different reason.
As it was, she could feel the panic already setting in. She hadn't been able to take a very big breath, and now they were under, Mateo didn't seem to have any plans to let her go back up for more oxygen. His arms were still wrapped around her, and he was holding her tight against his body.
Even if she fought, she wasn't getting away from him, and she wasn't fighting because she trusted him. It was obvious that he had some sort of plan, but she had no idea what it was.
Men had followed them from the house. She knew that.
She had heard the vehicle driving along behind them, and someone in it had shot at them.
She remembered hearing the crack of bullets right as Mateo tipped the bike.
Had they been hit? She didn't feel any searing pain, so she assumed she hadn't. Mateo’s grip on her had been strong as they rolled across the jungle floor. Ally was sure he couldn’t have spun around and grabbed hold of her all before they hit the ground if he’d been shot.
Maybe the bike had been hit?
Lungs screaming for a breath, even though they couldn’t have been under for more than fifteen or so seconds, Ally opened her eyes and tilted her head back. The water was reasonably clear, and as she looked up, she could see Mateo looking down at her. His gaze was steady, strong, and comforting.
But it didn't provide oxygen for her to breathe, and she needed to breathe.
Panic grew inside her.
She had to breathe.
It was all she could think about.
They were moving, she hadn't realized that at first, but now that her eyes were open, she could see that they were drifting along with the current. Why weren't they swimming to the surface? Why was Mateo holding her down here?
Was he trying to drown her?
No. He wouldn't do that.
Why would he?
Coming all the way to the South Pacific to rescue her, getting her out of the house, and then drowning her in a river would be stupid.
Positive she was about to open her mouth and take in a mouthful of water, Ally struggled. To fight with all the remaining strength left in her body. Granted, it wasn't much, but she didn't want to die, and if she didn't get her head above the surface soon, that was exactly what was going to happen.
Fighting did no good.
Mateo was too strong.
Whatever the reason, he obviously wasn't letting her go. Fighting was too hard, she had nothing left to give. All she could do was grow limper and limper in Mateo’s hold and wait for the inevitable to happen.
Around her, things began to grow fuzzy.
Her eyes drifted closed.
Lips parted.
Water rushed in.
She choked.
Gagged.
Couldn’t get the water out because it was everywhere. Slowly consuming her.
Then all of a sudden, water streamed off her as they broke the surface.
Voices shouted. All she could do was try to take huge mouthfuls of air to replace the water, but she couldn’t seem to get it into her lungs. Instead, she choked on it, spewing up a never-ending stream of water, even though she couldn’t have swallowed more than a handful of gulps.
Gunfire buzzed about them.
Maybe she screamed.
Or tried to, but it sounded muted even to her own ears.
Then a hand was hitting her back between her shoulder blades, a steadying arm around her waist, the only thing keeping her afloat.
“It’s okay, little mouse, just breathe, take it easy, they’re dead,” Mateo’s voice cut through the panic and clung to it.
“Wh-who’s dead?” she managed to wheeze out between coughs.
“The guys after us. They must have followed us downriver, but the others got them.”
“O-others?” Ally seemed to be having trouble keeping her thoughts straight. They seemed to be floating off down the river even though she was no longer moving.
“Just breathe, baby, focus on that. Had to get us a distance away from them. Was hoping they wouldn't follow, but they did. The guys have good timing, though.”
For some reason, she still couldn’t organize her thoughts enough for them to make sense.
Maybe that didn't matter. Mateo was here, and he’d take care of her. No matter what else had happened between them, how confused she was about her feelings for him, Ally knew with absolute certainty that she was safe with him.
“Reach out, little mouse, and take his hand,” Mateo instructed, and her eyes popped open, head snapping to the side, to find a man dressed all in black standing at the side of the river. They’d drifted toward the edge, and the man was close enough to grab hold of her if he wanted.
That panic was back.
Clawing at her insides.
She didn't know this man, and she sure as hell wasn't reaching out to take his hand.
“His name is Oz,” Mateo said when she clung tighter to him, obviously reading her fear without her needing to say anything. “Remember the Delta Force team I told you came out here with me? Well, Oz is one of them.”
“I remember Lucky, he was singing, pretending to be drunk,” she said, her body beginning to tremble.
“Bet he was awful,” Oz said from behind her, his tone light, easy, reassuring.
“Pretty bad,” Mateo agreed. “He’s safe, baby.
I swear I would never hand you over to someone I knew would hurt you, not when I have a choice, and Azure isn’t here right now.
I'm free. I’d hold you myself, but I can't climb out with you in my arms. Let Oz take you for a moment, and as soon as I'm out of the water, I’ll take you back.”
“Promise?”
“Promise,” he vowed.
Reluctantly, she unwound her arms from where they were tangled about Mateo’s neck, and reached out a hand to Oz.
Even in the dark, she could see that his gray eyes were kind, and his fingers curled slowly around hers.
When she didn't panic or try to pull back, he tugged her toward him as Mateo passed her over.
It felt weird to be in the arms of a stranger after everything she’d been through.
Her life had always been full of strangers, people she knew but never grew close to, people who neglected her, or who seemed to draw pleasure from tormenting her.
All she wanted was a place that was safe, a person she could count on.
When she’d met Mateo, she’d thought it was him, but he’d ghosted her, only to pop back up when she was abducted.
She’d hated him when she thought he was part of it, and she’d been so angry when she learned he was undercover and wasn't going to try to get her out. But now he’d come to save her, and she knew her feelings for him were still alive.
Not just alive, but intact.
What happened next, she had no idea, maybe too much had happened for them to pick back up where they’d left things behind.
But maybe it hadn't.
“You're safe now,” Oz murmured as he moved away from the river’s edge. “None of us will let them get you back.”
Glancing over the man’s shoulder, she saw six other men all dressed in black surrounding them.
They had big weapons in their hands, bigger than the gun the man back at the mansion had had, and maybe that should scare her, but since she knew none of them were going to turn those weapons on her, it didn't.
Instead, it reassured her.
Although not more than when Mateo appeared beside her, holding out his arms. Oz deposited her in them, and for a second, she thought maybe she should be offended being passed about like a child, but she wasn't.
She wasn't sure she could stand on her own two feet, and even if she could, Mateo’s arms were where she wanted to be. This was where she felt safe. At least for a second.
Until she remembered.
“There’s a tracker in my backside,” she blurted out.
August 21st
12:23 A.M.
Ally’s announcement had them all freezing.
“Are you sure?” Trigger asked, and she frowned at him.
“Of course, I'm sure. When King—Koa Rolland—brought me here, he sent me with one of his men to a bedroom. The man told me to bend over the bed. I thought … it doesn’t matter. He used a syringe to put a tracker in my backside so that if I ran, they could find me. I felt it, and he told me that was what he was doing.”
“Okay, little mouse,” Mateo soothed. “We’ll get it out.”
“Now. I want it out now,” she said, growing panicked.
“Now,” he agreed, spotting the car and carrying her to it. Grover opened the back door for him, and Mateo slipped inside with Ally still in his arms.
“I’ll remove it,” Brain announced.
“No, I want …” Ally cut herself off, and because she was pressed against him, he felt her drag in a slow, deep breath. They all knew what she was going to say. She wanted him to cut it out, because she knew him. The others were strangers, even if she knew they were good men.
“Okay, baby,” he soothed again. “Lie down on your stomach.” Sliding her off his lap, he shifted out of the car, so he was standing in the doorway.
Once she’d moved how he asked, one of the guys passed him a first aid kit, and he pulled out a scalpel and an alcohol wipe.
As soon as he looked down at her bare backside, he could see the slight bruise that was no doubt from the syringe.
“This is going to hurt, little mouse. I don’t know how deep it is. ”
“I don’t care if it hurts, I just want it out,” she told him.