Chapter 12
Creak, creak, creak
Quick, steady noises pulled Gemma from sleep. She blinked in the darkness and memories assaulted her, giving her mental whiplash. Plane crash. Parachutes. Jungle.
Dallas.
Creak, creak
He pulled her tighter to his chest, but her brain worked at warp speed to identify the sound. It was close. The plane shook, and something banged against the side of it.
Dallas shot into a sitting position. “What—”
“Something’s trying to get in.” Her words came out in a shaky, hoarse whisper.
A clank of metal told her Dallas had retrieved his gun from the trunk. He bolted to his feet. “Stay here.” The glow of a flashlight lit the plane. Gemma swallowed and got to her feet but stayed near the back.
Dammit, she needed a weapon.
The banging continued, and the trunk in front of the door scraped against the floor.
“Holy shit!” Dallas’s shout echoed through the interior.
He leaned forward and held out his hand, towing someone inside. “Eli. Man, I can’t believe you’re okay.”
Gemma rushed forward, her muscles sagging with relief. Eli stumbled to the floor between the seats.
“Quick, get him some water,” Dallas commanded as he knelt close to Eli.
With shaking hands, Gemma turned on the lantern and dug through the case of water bottles at the bottom of the trunk. After yanking one from the plastic, she rushed forward.
Dallas had Eli leaned up against one of the seats. Sweat and blood poured down his face. His clothes were torn, and a makeshift sling held his left arm.
Gemma wet her lips and crouched next to him. “Eli, can you hear me?”
Moisture drenched his shirt. Dirt covered him from head to toe. If she had to bet, she’d say he’d had a far worse landing than they had.
Dallas took the bottle of water from her hand and unscrewed the top. He held it to Eli’s lips, and the man chugged.
Eli gasped then took another sip, this one not as desperate. Slowly, his breath became less haggard.
He met her eyes and nodded. “I thought you two were dead.” His mouth trembled. “So glad we all made it.”
She rubbed his arm, and tears misted her eyes. “You’re fine now. We’ve got water, food, and supplies. Everything you need to rest up. Can I get you something to eat?”
He nodded weakly. “Please.”
She scurried to the back of the plane and dipped into the rations. The fire was probably out by now, and he needed something quickly. They could always cook him a bigger meal after. She grabbed some beef jerky, a protein bar, and trail mix and delivered the food to Dallas, who quickly opened the packages.
She returned to the back of the plane and poured water into one of the pots—thank god they’d still have more than they could carry on their trek tomorrow, even with Eli here. Then she retrieved some paper towels for him to clean up with.
Fifteen minutes later, less strain creased Eli’s skin, and his breathing was normal. He’d washed his face, and his ebony skin was much brighter, as were his eyes. The food and water had clearly revived him.
“I must have drifted much farther from the plane than you two. I don’t even know how I found it. I wasn’t even really looking anymore, just trying to find a place to hide from predators. I knew I was going to die tonight. Then...” His voice broke. “I saw a small flame. I ran toward it thinking I’d found you guys. And then I saw the plane.” A tear crept out of his eye.
Gemma pulled him into a hug. “It’s almost over now. We have each other, and Dallas has a satellite phone, so we’ll get a route planned tomorrow. We’ll be out of here in no time.”
She was being too optimistic, but with Eli on the brink of a breakdown, she had to reassure him. She pulled away and looked at Dallas. His expression was dark.
She gave him a look and his eyes narrowed, but he clapped Eli on the shoulder. “She’s right. We’ll be out of here in no time. How about we set up a bed for you?”
Eli’s gaze drifted to their setup at the back of the plane. “I see you guys are settled. There’s two of you and one of me, so makes sense for you to keep the bed.”
Gemma swallowed over the lump in her throat. If Eli had shown up earlier, he would have walked in on her and Dallas doing the nasty—rather interrupted, which would’ve really sucked.
“I’ll just use the seat cushions,” Eli said, his tone light. He patted the one he was leaning against. “They pop right off to be used as flotation devices.”
Dallas stood. “I’ll grab you a blanket.” He returned with a blanket from their bed and the only pillow. In five minutes, they had a makeshift bed set up for Eli near the cockpit and door.
An uneasy sensation flooded Gemma. They’d used Eli’s things, food, and water. Was he perturbed? It was too hard to read him, especially with fatigue clinging to his body. She made her way to the back of the plane and settled into bed.
Eli had survived, she told herself, and she and Dallas were stronger now with another person. His arrival was a blessing. All day she’d feared they’d spot him dead, hanging from his parachute in the trees. Still, despite her relief that Eli was alive, a little nugget of worry pinched the back of her neck.
She was being ridiculous.
Eli had cried tears of joy when he described how he’d found the plane... and them. He was on their side and an asset. She was just spooked by how he’d approached the plane, and the energy inside it had been shaken—it was no longer her sexy little haven with Dallas. That’s all.
Dallas strode down the aisle to their alcove. The lantern they’d given Eli switched off behind him. Theirs still glowed from the trunk as Dallas settled into bed next to her. He clicked off the light, and she curled into his side.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
She winced at how loud his whisper was. She didn’t want their conversations broadcasted, or to keep Eli up.
Her throat tightened. “Fine,” she whispered.
“I’m going to do everything in my power to get us out of here tomorrow, okay?”
She nodded and he hugged her to his side. Closing her eyes, she waited for sleep to pull her back into its comforting arms.
Only this time, another man’s snores kept her awake.
***
The clanking ofmetal pots made Gemma blink her eyes open. The blanket was piled around her, as if she’d been tucked in. The spot next to her on the mattress was vacant. An orange glow streamed through the plane’s windows, indicating the sun was starting to rise. It was still early, though.
Memories of the previous night rushed in.
Hot sex with Dallas...
For the second time in a few days, which was highly unusual.
Her stomach flipped over. She had to be careful. Dallas had unloaded a lot of information about himself, and while his honesty gave her some peace, he wasn’t the ideal person to get more involved with. After all, how was freeing herself from the CIA any good if she jumped right back into a dangerous world? A world on the other side of the law.
No. Anything serious with Dallas would be a step in the wrong direction. Plus, the CIA would probably watch her once she left, and that could further implicate Dallas and his brothers.
She rubbed her palm over her forehead. Geez. It was too early to dive this deeply into life decisions. Coffee first. Then she could remind herself of all the reasons staying in Dallas’s orbit for more than a yearly sex session would be suicide.
Lifting her head, she scanned the interior of the plane. The bed that Eli had slept in was gone, and she sighed with relief. She didn’t want to have to sneak by his sleeping form. She tossed back the covers, slipped on her boots, and made her way to the door. Prying it open, she peered at the firepit they’d made last night.
Darkness still clung to one end of the sky, and the orange she’d seen from the plane lit the other. Dallas sat on an overturned bucket near the flames, water boiling in a pot in front of him. His gaze snapped to her as if he’d sensed her, and his mouth moved into a soft grin, doing all kinds of things to her belly.
“Coffee?” he called from next to the fire.
She nodded. Folding her arms across her chest, she walked down the plane’s crooked stairs and surveyed their little cutout of the jungle. “Where’s Eli?”
He lifted a shoulder. “Probably doing his business.” He pulled the pot off the fire and poured the water into two stainless steel mugs.
She also had personal business to tend to, but the thought of doing so in the jungle made her skin crawl. “Where exactly does one find a suitable bathroom without worrying about having something poisonous bite their... delicate areas?”
Dallas threw his head back on a laugh. Even though she was pretty sure he hadn’t brushed them, his teeth still gleamed like shiny pearls. He passed her one of the cups and nodded at the powdered creamer and packets of white sugar that she usually wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole.
“I mean, if you want privacy, you’re going to have to go behind the trees. Just make sure to clear a spot and check the ground and overhead. And take a stick with you.”
She ripped open a sugar packet and grimaced. “Sounds lovely.”
His grin melted her tension. “I could go with you if you want.”
She wrinkled her nose. “No, thanks.” The only thing worse than going to the bathroom in the jungle would be doing it with an audience.
He shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
She sipped the warm brew. Normally instant coffee wouldn’t be her thing, but right now it was divine.
The shrill ring of a phone split the air, and birds squawked angrily. Dallas dipped his hand into the pocket on the side of his cargo shorts and waved the bulky device at her. “It’s Dare. One sec.”
He tapped a button and brought the screen to his ear. “Hey.”
A male voice rattled something off, but Gemma couldn’t make out what Dallas’s brother was saying. A beat passed.
“I checked this morning. We’ve got a long day ahead of us, but hopefully we’ll reach a town before nightfall.”
Gemma swirled the liquid in her cup and fought the overwhelming urge to sink to the ground and not move. They had at least twelve hours of daylight. That was a long-ass walk. Yesterday’s had been far shorter and she’d almost died of fatigue.
Taking a deep breath, she squeezed her eyes shut. She didn’t have a choice. Staying in the jungle wasn’t an option. The sooner they got off their asses and put one foot in front of the other, the sooner they’d be out of here.
She got to her feet. Dallas looked at her, a question in his eyes, and she pointed to the bushes. He nodded, and she set down her cup near the fire and strode off. Monkeys cackled overhead. The orchestra of the jungle was becoming familiar and almost... calming. Even though they were stranded, they weren’t really alone.
Oh, lord. Was she getting jungle fever?
She brushed aside leaves as she waltzed into the foliage. Mosquitos buzzed, promising to bite her ripe flesh as soon as she pulled down her pants. After finding a tree, she took a minute to inspect the ground and the branches overhead. Then she broke off one of the sticks and kept it beside her. With one last look to ensure Eli wasn’t close by, she pulled down her pants and did her business.
Not wasting a moment, she cleaned herself with leaves—praying they weren’t poisonous—and stood. When she returned to the fire, Eli was there eating a protein bar and holding a cup in the hand that was in the sling. Dallas hung up the phone as she approached.
“Well?” she asked.
He slid his gaze over her body and back to her face. “Did you make out okay?”
She puckered her lips to stop the grin that wanted to take hold of her face. Only he could make her laugh in a life-threatening situation. “’Course,” she said, shrugging. “What did your brother say?”
“He offered to have one of his connections meet us. It’s going to cost him ten grand. Apparently, there’s only one road through here,” he said, gesturing to the east. “They’ll make better time than we will traveling by vehicle, so hopefully we’ll get to town before dinnertime.”
Her shoulders sagged. “Oh my god. That sounds heavenly.”
Eli took a swig of his coffee and tossed the remainder on the fire. “Your brother has contacts in Ecuador? Kind of work is he in?”
Dallas tucked the phone back in his pocket. “He’s a businessman.” Turning to Gemma, he stretched both hands out at his sides. “Let’s get the hell out of here, shall we? Pack as much food and water as you can.” He walked toward the plane and Gemma fell in line behind him.
Eli packed up their things that lay around the fire. Inside, she began stuffing her backpack. “That’s really good Dare knows someone who can meet us,” she said, as Dallas packed his bag.
He grunted. “It’s actually Cole’s contact, but no one needs to know that.”
She lifted her eyebrows. “What do you mean?”
“Cole’s my twin.” He zipped up his bag and met her stare. “He’s the brother we don’t mention under any circumstances—to anyone.”
She bobbed her head slowly. “Are you concerned about Eli?”
He lifted a shoulder. “Nah. But I don’t like it when people ask questions. So let’s just watch what we say, okay?”
“Okay.”
The stairs outside rattled, and the metal squeaked in protest. “Who’s ready?” Eli called with a wide, bright smile.
“I am.” Gemma grabbed another handful of protein bars and stuffed them in her bag. She’d packed four liters of water, which would be heavy but hopefully enough if she rationed it.
Dare had packed twice as much and carried a bottle in his hand. They checked over the plane, grabbed a few more survival tools they might need, and headed out.
As they entered the foliage, Gemma glanced over her shoulder. The white plane was just visible among the greenery. Something tugged in the pit of her stomach.
Now they had no haven. No roof over their heads. No mattress. Nothing to shield them from predators or insects.
Until they made it to Ecuador, they were as vulnerable as an exposed nerve.