Chapter 24
Fuck.
What was wrong with him? He’d had the woman he wanted more than anything in his arms, was seconds away from claiming her—and he’d frozen. Totally choked.
He’d seen the hurt in her eyes, the confusion. Damn, he felt like a jerk. Now she’d think he wasn’t interested or she’d done something wrong, when in fact, it was he who had the problem.
He couldn’t get over the feeling that she was too good for him. It was messed up. He was messed up. But after what she’d been through with that dickhead of an ex-boyfriend, he couldn’t bring her into his world. His world was nothing but guilt and misery and frustration. Even with his new job at Blackthorn Security, he was still surrounded by the kind of life she despised.
Danger, violence, death.
He couldn’t promise her anything. Nothing normal, anyway. Not security, not a stable income, not even a boyfriend who’d be around, because he wouldn’t most of the time.
Ellie deserved more. So why did it hurt so goddamn much?
Hell, he wanted to devour her, consume her, show her how love should be. How a man should be. He wanted to eradicate her fear and replace it with passion. The need in her gaze had been so obvious, so addictive. Yet he’d turned her down.
What a moron! And so soon after he’d told himself he’d never let her go. Well, he hadn’t. He’d pushed her away.
And now, in true Phoenix style, he was going to beat himself up about it. He turned to check she was okay, only to find her walking quietly behind him, eyes downcast, thoughts a million miles away. She was probably questioning what she’d ever seen in him—and he didn’t blame her one little bit.
“Let’s get beyond those dunes, where we’ll be out of sight.”
She didn’t reply.
They walked across the long, wide beach strewn with driftwood and sea wrack. The sand was remarkably white and in the daytime would be almost blinding. Behind the beach were a series of undulating dunes, each topped with sea oats and marram grass swaying gently in the evening breeze. The dunes formed a natural barrier that protected the inner parts of the island, and it would also give them cover.
He didn’t kid himself. They weren’t home free. Those men meant business, and they’d be back. It was only a matter of time. The only hope he and Ellie had was reaching a ranger station and calling for assistance. They’d probably have to spend the night on the island, as no rescue boats would be launched until the morning. Hopefully, the guys pursuing them also wouldn’t make it to the island until daylight. That way they’d have a good shot at being gone before trouble arrived.
They climbed the dunes, Ellie stumbling along next to him, her mouth set in a grim line. He offered her his hand, but she shook her head. “I’m okay.”
They continued in silence, the squawking cries of seabirds filling the air. Every now and then he sensed her gaze on him, but she didn’t speak, and he didn’t know what to say to make it right. How could he tell her how much he cared? That he’d die before he let anything happen to her? That he admired her more than any other woman he’d ever met?
After his foolish behavior, would she even believe him?
Maybe it was for the best. If she thought he wasn’t interested, that he didn’t care, she wouldn’t develop any feelings for him, or any she already had, would die, if they hadn’t already. There was no space for someone like her in his head, not beside his dead SEAL buddies and the guilt surrounding all of them.
They crested the dunes then slunk down the other side, their feet digging into the soft sand. Ellie stumbled, and he grabbed her arm, catching her before she fell. Her hands flew out, making contact with his bare chest. Her eyes locked on his, cautious, anxious. Hell, the last thing he wanted was her to be anxious. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Um, thanks.”
He held her for a moment, savoring the feel of her. Her clothes had almost dried, but her hair was wild and disheveled, making him think of a forest nymph. Those huge tiger eyes were glowing softly in the dying light, filled with hopes and dreams he’d never discover. A physical pain hit him in the gut, and he winced.
Immediately, she frowned in concern. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” His voice was gruff, making her flinch.
She backed away from him and kept going down the dune, all practicality now, avoiding his gaze. They reached the bottom of the dune. The terrain now transitioned into a dense, lush coastal scrub thick with palmetto palms and twisted, gnarled trees that looked like they had weathered many storms.
A wooden sign, partially hidden by encroaching vegetation said, Ranger Station.
“That’s it.” He pointed to the sign.
She heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness.”
He peered through the brush. “Looks like some sort of trail.”
Ellie nodded. “How far do you think it is?”
“Hard to say, but at least we know we’re on the right track.”
She nodded.
It was nearly dark now, and the air was filled with the rich, earthy aroma of salt and decay—a sharp contrast to the clean, briny smell of the sea. In the brush, it would be even darker. There were no footpaths that he could see, which meant traversing the uneven terrain in the dark and dealing with all the associated risks.
The temperature had dropped, and without his shirt, he was exposed to the mosquitoes and biting flies, not to mention scratches and scrapes by branches and leaves. They had maybe half an hour of dusk, then it would be pitch black. While he had some experience with jungle warfare, Ellie didn’t, and he didn’t want to frighten her more than necessary. She’d already been through a hell of an ordeal today.
They both had.
He kicked at pole with his foot, then wiggled it until it came lose.
“What are you doing?” Ellie asked.
“Confusing our enemies.” He hauled it out of the damp ground and threw it into the dense brush, where it immediately got eaten up by foliage. “Come on, let’s go.” The longer they stood here, the darker it would get. “Stay close and move slowly. We’ll follow the trail until we get to the ranger station. They’ll have supplies there, and hopefully someone with a cell or sat phone.”
She gave an eager nod. As they moved inland, the vegetation thickened and gave way to forest. He noticed Ellie give a little shiver and shuffle closer to him. It was dark and cool under the canopy. Phoenix was grateful for the isolation and the cover of darkness. It would make finding them so much harder, but he could tell Ellie was uneasy.
He proceeded slowly, but steadily, heading uphill. He calculated the highest point was probably about fifty to eighty feet above sea level, which meant they’d have to cover a distance of approximately three to five miles inland.
On average, humans walked at about three miles per hour on flat, easy terrain. However, since they were navigating through dense coastal scrub and forest without a footpath, their pace would slow to about two miles per hour. Covering a distance of three to five miles at two miles per hour would roughly take one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half hours.
Ellie stuck close to him, letting him hear her breath coming in shallow gasps. She was tiring, and walking uphill was taxing. They’d had no food, no water, and very little rest since the inflatable had sunk.
When the underbrush rustled, Ellie jumped. “What was that?”
“Probably a lizard or a shy snake,” he said, trying not to frighten her. The forest floor was layered with fallen leaves, moss, and the occasional vine. Many that were still hanging smacked him in the chest or clung to his neck. He wished he had a machete to cut his way through, but this wasn’t Belize, and he didn’t have anything other than his trusty hunting knife, which wouldn’t do shit against this type of foliage.
A short while later, he held up a hand. “Listen.”
Ellie stopped, swaying slightly beside him. She needed a rest. “What?”
“Water.” A soft tinkling sound could be heard echoing through the trees. “It’s a river.”
Ellie blinked at him, not understanding.
“Fresh water,” he said. “We can rest there and regroup.”
“Okay.” A rushed whisper. She was close to collapse.
Taking her hand, he led her toward the sound until they came upon a small, clear freshwater stream. It seemed to gurgle up from a hidden underground spring then cascaded over the rocky bed, down toward the sea.
He lowered her onto a flat rock and gestured to the river. “Drink. We can rest here until you’ve got your strength back.” A little groan told him she wasn’t sure that was going to happen.
The freshwater tasted so good, and he drank his fill after Ellie. Then, he splashed his face, washing away the sweat. Finally, he took off the bandage to cleanse the cut on his arm. It looked red around the edges, and he worried it might be getting infected. Hopefully the ranger station would have a first-aid kit he could use.
“That looks bad,” she said, sliding over.
“It’ll be okay.”
“You don’t always have to be so brave,” she said, quietly. “I mean, I appreciate the show of confidence, but it’s okay to say you’re tired or in pain.”
“Really, I’m fine.”
She sighed and asked for the second time. “How much farther?”
“Another hour, maybe.”
“What if we can’t find it?”
“Then we’ll set up camp and wait until morning.”
Another nod.
Phoenix hadn’t been lying. His head was starting to ease, despite the gentle exercise, and he was feeling better than he had all day. His concussion must be lifting. Thank God it hadn’t been too serious. Not like Boomer, who'd gotten the brunt of the blast. He hoped his friend had been rendered unconscious immediately and hadn’t known what had hit him.
The thought sobered him, and after a short rest, he asked, “Are you okay to keep going?”
“I’ll manage.”
He admired her grit. Her face was pale in the light of the moon, shining down between the trees, and he’d never seen her look so wild.
After what felt like ages but was in fact a little under half an hour, the trees began to thin, and the ground sloped upward more steeply. "We must be close,” he said.
Ellie sighed in relief.
They crested a small hill, and the ranger station finally came into view—a solitary, sturdy structure raised slightly off the ground on stilts to protect it from the damp ground. The exterior was weathered, its wooden, rustic appearance blending into the surrounding landscape.
“That’s it.”
“Thank God.” Ellie rushed ahead, reaching the cabin before him. She tried the door, but it was locked. Not surprising, given the late hour. The cabin was in darkness, the lights off.
“It’s closed.” He heard the dejection in her voice, and his heart went out to her.
“Don’t worry, we can still get in. We’ll just have to make sure we vacate it before anyone arrives tomorrow.” They needed medical supplies, food, and shelter—and it couldn’t wait. His arm was beginning to throb, and they both had to eat something.
“But… how?”
“Give me a moment.” Leaving Ellie standing at the front door, he circled the cabin, but there was no other entrance. No security cameras or flashing lights inside the property, which meant they probably didn't have an alarm. No need out here on the island. They had nothing worth stealing.
Bending down, he inspected the lock. It was an old-style mechanism that wouldn’t be too hard to jimmy. After taking out his hunting knife, he wedged it into the gap then pried. The lock groaned before giving way.
They were in.