Chapter 5 #2
They reached the tree line a few short moments later. Natalia stepped into the darkness, more than ready to disappear into the shadows, when a deep rumble came from the man who’d remained close to her side the entire way.
“You need to go to the hospital.”
She looked over to Jagger, whose worried gaze bounced between her and the branches they were trying to avoid.
“I told you, I’m—”
“Don’t.”
The hard, commanding grumble sent her brows dipping inward. Narrowly avoiding a downed and curvy limb, Natalia kept her voice low and hushed to avoid being overheard by the others.
“What’s your problem?” she demanded. Because something definitely had the man’s boxers in a twist.
Despite her best efforts to the contrary, she suddenly found herself wondering what kind of underwear the mouthwatering man actually wore. Did he even wear boxers? Or perhaps…briefs?
Nah. No way a guy like him wears tighty-whities.
No, he definitely seemed more like a boxer-brief kind of man. Of course, there was no way of knowing for sure without obtaining visual proof.
“My problem?” He parroted her words.
Get it together, Foster!
“You’ve been a massive grouch since I came to, which is not like you at all. So yes, Jagger. I’m asking what the hell is your problem?”
“Gee, I don’t know.” The man didn’t miss so much as a beat. “Maybe I don’t like the fact that my partner just took a forty-five to the damn chest. Or maybe it’s the part where you slammed your head so hard against the ground, you knocked yourself out cold.”
When nothing more was added, all she could think to say to that was, “I’m…sorry?”
“If that were true, you’d let me take you to the E.R.”
“Fine. You know what? I take it back. I’m not sorry, because I have nothing to be sorry for.
” Natalia filled her lungs with a painful breath.
Refusing to wince, she went on to add, “I’m a big girl, Jagger, and I’ve been taking care of myself for a long damn time. So while I appreciate your concern—”
“I’m not questioning your ability to take care of yourself, Natalia. But concussions aren’t something to screw around with.”
She stopped walking, snaking out a hand at the last second to grab ahold of his arm. “Hey!”
Jagger halted his steps and looked down at her through the sliver of moonlight cutting through the air between them. The black paint on his skin—along with the confusing anger filling his fiery gaze—made him appear almost sinister in nature.
But she knew this man wasn’t sinister or evil. He was merely a warrior on a mission. And though Natalia couldn’t even begin to understand why, for some reason, his newest mission seemed to be her.
“This isn’t the first concussion I’ve had,” she informed him truthfully. “It’s not even up there with the worst.” Also true. “And yeah, I have a headache, and my chest hurts like hell. But again…this isn’t my first rodeo.”
They waited to continue until the others passed them by.
“Everything good?” Brody asked as he and Christian momentarily stopped next to where she and Jagger stood.
“We’re fine,” Natalia answered immediately.
Jagger motioned to the invisible path ahead. “We’ll catch up to y’all in a second.”
A not-so-subtle hint to let them talk in private that the two Delta men picked up on right away.
“Roger that.” Christian gave Jagger a half-assed salute before he and Brody continued on through the trees.
The rest of the group followed suit. As soon as she and Jagger were alone, he picked the conversation right back up where they’d left it.
“Having a history of multiple concussions is even more of a reason to get checked out.” He raked a frustrated hand over the dark scruff and paint covering his jaw. “What happens if you get back to the hotel and you pass out? You could be in the shower, and all of a sudden…bam!”
“Jagger—”
“I’m serious, Natalia. Something could happen even a few hours from now, when we’ve all gone home for the night. And you could just be lying there, unconscious or—” He cut himself short, but she got the gist.
Natalia was also finally beginning to understand the source of the man’s anger. Jagger wasn’t being a jerk, and he wasn’t trying to boss her around. He was upset with her for refusing medical treatment because…
He’s worried.
Not only that, but it was suddenly obvious that Jagger was also blaming himself. Reverse the situation and—as his partner—she’d no doubt be doing the same.
Either way, it was a ridiculous notion, and one she intended to deal with right the heck now.
“I promise to keep my phone next to me all night.” She even held up a palm as a show of good faith. “If I start to feel off in any way, you’re the first person I’ll call.”
“Wrong.” The intriguing man took a step closer. “Something feels off, you call for an ambulance first. And then you call me.”
“Okay, fine.” Even she couldn’t deny that plan made a lot more sense. “Ambulance first, then you.”
“You promise?” Jagger’s dark eyes burrowed into hers.
Did she promise?
What are we, twelve?
With a painful exhale, Natalia let go of his arm and lifted her pinky into the air. “The first sign of trouble, I will call an ambulance. After that, I’ll call you. But—”
“But what?” Jagger stopped just shy of wrapping his pinky around hers.
She glanced down at their hovering fingers before looking back up into his dark, seeking eyes. “You have to promise me you’ll stop blaming yourself for what happened.”
A flash of guilt let her know she was spot on with her assessment. The crazy, well-meaning man was shouldering what had happened to her as if he’d been the one to pull the trigger.
“You did your job,” she reminded him. “You eliminated the threat.”
Regret poured over him as he glanced down at the spot where the target’s bullet had struck. “Not soon enough.” His throat worked an audible swallow. “If he’d been aiming for your head instead of your chest…”
“Jagger, look at me.” Natalia waited for his gaze to return to hers. “We all knew the risks of the job the minute we signed up. Even me. But the bottom line here is we kept those guns from ever reaching the streets. So maybe stop focusing on what could have happened and take the win while you can.”
The mouthwatering operative held her stare a few pounding heartbeats longer. She was about to lower her hand and give up, but at the last second, his pinky finger wrapped gently around hers.
A gasp rushed to the base of her throat, but she managed to somehow keep it from releasing out into the world. Electricity zinged from her finger, racing like lightning up her arm. From there, it ran across her chest before moving deeper.
Straight into her heart.
“Okay, partner.” Jagger’s lips curved into a smile as he dropped his hand back to his slung rifle. “Whatever you say.”