Chapter 26
Holy shit, she felt good.
As her tight warmth enveloped him, all logical thought flew from his brain. Pure instinct took over.
She was so hot and slick and ready for him, his need catapulted out of control. He wanted this woman more than anybody he’d ever been with. Straddling him, her hair all wild like that, her glorious breasts catching the moonlight, Phoenix had never seen anything so beautiful.
Right now, in this moment, she was all his.
The possessive thought shot through his head, as he gripped her waist and began to move slowly beneath her. When she moaned, he knew she felt it too. Even if it only lasted one night, even if this was it, in this one moment, they belonged to each other. Solely and completely.
He slid in and out of her, slowly and smoothly, each time burying himself to the hilt. God, she felt incredible. He increased the pace, wanting more friction.
Ellie moved her hips in time with his, her mouth open in ecstasy, her breathing erratic, cheeks flushed.
He took a shuddering breath. He still couldn’t believe she wanted him, desired him, despite what he’d told her—and now here she was, giving herself to him in the most primitive way possible.
As their tempo increased, a tightness built inside of him, and all the tension, the hurt, the guilt began to recede, replaced by a molten heat in his balls so hot it was almost unbearable.
Fuck, he was flying, higher and higher, the ache growing stronger with each thrust. He fought back a sob as he gripped onto her hips, feeling her anchor him.
She ground against him, her movements becoming more frenzied.
She cried out, desperately. “Oh, God, Phoenix!”
He drove upwards, plunging into her, every thrust a balm on his shattered soul. The pressure grew until he couldn’t stand it anymore. Everything he’d suppressed for so long mingled with his imminent release, and it was too much.
“Ellie—” He couldn’t hold on much longer. Any moment she’d send him flying over the precipice, out of control.
Her body glistened with perspiration. She clutched at his chest, riding him like her life depended on it. He clung to her, making sure she felt every inch of his yearning.
“Oh. God. Phoenix. I’m gonna come!” A few more frantic thrusts and she screamed as her body convulsed around him. Her internal muscles clenched as her orgasm hit, and she gripped him like a velvet vice.
Any hope he had of holding on vanished, and he catapulted over the edge. A guttural cry escaped him as raw, hot lava exploded inside of her. Oh, sweet Jesus. He was drowning… floundering… emptying himself into her. He was vaguely aware of her bucking on top of him as wave after wave crashed down on him.
Holy shit.
She collapsed on top of him, panting hard, as the waves of ecstasy turned into ripples, then finally, he stopped trembling.
He held her quietly, his breath mingling with hers, both of them spent. It didn’t matter that they were both slick with sweat, that she was lying on top of him on the hard floor. He just didn’t want to let go.
At that moment, he knew no matter what happened out here on the island, he had to keep this woman—his woman—safe. He had to make sure they survived, because he didn’t want to let her go. Not now, not ever.
Phoenix's eyes snapped open, instantly alert. A foreign sound had jolted him from sleep—something out of place. Unnatural. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he peered into the inky darkness. Disentangling himself from Ellie, he sat up, every sense straining.
There it was again.
The crack of a twig snapping under a boot—his early warning sign. The rustle of leaves displaced by stealthy movement. His hand crept to the shotgun.
They were here.
Despite the precaution of extinguishing the light and positioning themselves out of view, the shabby log cabin stuck out like a beacon for their pursuers.
Damn, he thought they’d have more time. He'd assumed the densely wooded terrain would delay an attack until daylight, but he’d underestimated their prowess, or was it their desperation? Either way, someone very clearly wanted them neutralized, and weren’t prepared to wait.
“Ellie, wake up.” He gave her an urgent nudge, then reached for his shoes. "Get up and get dressed—fast. They've found us."
"What?" she mumbled groggily, then gasped as the words sunk in. "They're here?"
He gave a terse nod.
Ellie yanked on her clothes and shoes, then huddled against the wall, out of sight. Her wide eyes tracked Phoenix as he risked a glance out the window. Two armed shadows glided across the clearing.
He waited but didn’t see any more. Only two men to take out an ex-soldier and a scientist. Their mistake.
The ruthless game plan was obvious—perforate the cabin, then storm in guns blazing to eliminate any survivors. He knew, because that’s what he’d do. It was fast, aggressive, and if done with an element of surprise, very effective.
Except he’d seen them and knew what they were up to.
"What do we do?" Ellie breathed, voice tight with fear.
"We need an exit route."
"You barricaded us in! There's no way out," she said, an edge of panic creeping in.
"The rug. Check under it." He gestured tensely. Ellie scrambled over and flipped back the worn rug, releasing a soft gasp.
"A trapdoor!"
“Yeah. That’s how we’ll get out.”
She heaved at the wooden door. “It’s stuck.”
Phoenix lunged over and wrenched it open with a prolonged creak. He froze, listening hard for any reaction outside.
Poking his head down, he nodded. “It’s all clear. You go first.”
She shimmied through the rectangular hole and lowered herself onto the ground below. He followed, lowering the trap door behind him, just as a hail of gunfire erupted overhead, splintering the cabin walls.
"Make for the trees!" Phoenix whispered. "Don't look back!"
She wriggled out from under the cabin then sprinted for the tree line. Within seconds, she’d disappeared into the foliage.
Gritting his teeth, Phoenix veered in the opposite direction, blending into the undergrowth flanking the cabin. There was only one way to handle these guys, and that was to take them out.
He crept through the brush, ignoring the whip of the low-lying branches, until he was parallel to his target. The shotgun’s blast would be too loud, and he didn't want to alert the other mercenary, so he drew his hunting knife instead.
Silently, he crept up behind the stocky shooter. The man had the build of a fighter, his military vest bristling with spare magazines. No doubt about it—these were hired killers.
The merc's rifle fire masked Phoenix's approach, but then, sensing rather than hearing Phoenix’s presence, the shooter spun around.
Too late.
Phoenix’s blade was quick and deadly. He clamped a hand over the man's mouth, muffling his scream as the knife severed his jugular. The rifle clattered away as the body slumped to the ground.
In the sudden silence, he knew it was only a matter of time before the guy's partner came to investigate. Phoenix grabbed the corpse by the ankles and dragged it into the dense underbrush, concealing it beneath a mound of leaves and branches. It wouldn't fool them for long. But every second counted.
Next, he retrieved the fallen merc's AK-47. Now armed with the rifle, shotgun and knife, the odds were tipping in his favor.
Phoenix turned his focus to the second mercenary. Ducking low, he moved silently through the trees and shrubs, circling to the other side of the clearing.
The second shooter had quit firing now. Phoenix studied him from behind the trees. He was taller than the other guy, with pale hair that gleamed in the moonlight. Not great for undercover work—too noticeable.
“Conrad?” the blond mercenary called. He had an accent that Phoenix couldn’t place.
Hearing no answer, he advanced cautiously into the clearing, scanning for threats with obvious skill. This guy was no amateur.
The merc halted at the bullet-riddled cabin and peered through a shattered window. "Where are you?"
Phoenix sighted down the AK-47, finger poised on the trigger, waiting until the man stepped away from the cabin.
Two shots. A lethal double-tap.
The blond crumpled to the ground, dead before he hit the earth.
Although he was pretty sure these guys had come alone, just to be safe, Phoenix pulled the body into the jungle and hid it along with the other one. He scooped up the second rifle, checked the magazine, then slung it over his shoulder.
"Ellie!" He strode into the clearing. “You can come out.”
Her ashen face emerged from the foliage, the lightening sky giving her an ethereal glow.
“It’s okay,” he told her. “We’re safe now.”
"Thank God!" She ran to him, only to skid to a halt, gaping at the bullet-ridden cabin. "Holy shit... they did do that?"
“Yeah.”
She hugged herself to stop the tremors. “If we’d stayed in there—” She couldn’t finish.
“Which is why we didn’t.” He moved toward her.
"Where... where are they?" She glanced around fearfully.
"Dealt with."
Ellie met his gaze, voice trembling. "They're dead, aren't they?"
At his nod, she swallowed hard, clearly struggling with the implications.
"I had no choice," Phoenix said, needing her to understand. He was no cold-blooded killer. "It was us or them."
"I know." She managed a weak smile. "I know you did what you had to. To protect us."
He exhaled and pulled her tight against his chest, savoring her warmth and softness. If only they could go back to how they were last night, entwined, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking. The thought of danger far from their minds.
She clung to him, her heart hammering against his chest. The urge to protect her overrode his desire to hold her and comfort her any longer. They needed to move out.
“These guys must have a boat moored somewhere,” he murmured. “I suggest we head down to the beach, locate the boat, and get the hell out of here.”
When she looked up at him, her eyes were wet with tears. “That sounds like a great plan.”
They salvaged what supplies they could from the ruined cabin—bottled water, some snacks, the first aid kit—then struck out downhill. This trail was wider and more worn than yesterday’s, but he hoped it would lead them to the shore.
Ellie stuck close as they proceeded through the forest. It was hot and humid, and soon they were both perspiring. After a grueling hour’s hike, they emerged onto a sandy beach not unlike the one they’d first arrived on.
“There!” Phoenix pointed toward a rocky spit that curved out into the glittering turquoise water. At the end, a sleek speedboat bobbed against the rocks.
“Oh, thank God.” Ellie grasped his hand. “Come on!”
“Easy,” he warned, squeezing her hand, then releasing it. He needed both hands free in case he had to discharge his weapon. "Stay behind me and let me check it out first."
With a nod, she fell in behind him and they picked their way cautiously over the sand.
The boat looked nearly identical to the one that had fired on them yesterday after the oil rig explosion. It was obvious that whoever was behind this had serious resources. And more hired guns on tap, if those two thugs at the cabin were any indication.
"So far so good," he assured Ellie, as they clambered over the rocks toward the moored speedboat for a closer look. "I think we're in the clear—" The distant thwup-thwup of helicopter blades made the words to die in his throat. His head snapped up, eyes narrowing at the growing black speck in the sky.
“Is that the Coast Guard?” Ellie said, hopefully. “Billy must have informed them we’re still missing.”
Could be. They’d have worked out this was the nearest island and were doing a fly-by to check it out.
Then… the chopper banked hard and dropped altitude. Phoenix's gut clenched. Rescue pilots didn't maneuver like that.
"Ellie, get back!" he roared over the rotors' growing thunder. "Back to the trees, hurry!"
"What is it?" she cried, confused. "What's wro–?"
His desperate warning died as a man leaned from the open helicopter door, assault rifle in hand, and let loose a hail of bullets.