Chapter 8
Mila wished she’d had time to bandage her foot before she’d left the camp.
The sandal protected her sole but branches scratched every area that wasn’t covered—which was most of it.
She’d grabbed a couple of bandages from the medical centre for that purpose, but didn’t dare stop now in case the team caught up with her.
She just hoped the cuts didn’t get infected by some weird jungle disease.
Her breath came in pants as she strode up the road. She figured she’d have about fifteen minutes before anyone noticed she was missing.
Vance wouldn’t dob her in. He’d come after her when she’d left and told her she had a solid plan.
She shook her head. He’d been so earnest, as if she was the only one thinking clearly and the special ops guys didn’t know what they were doing.
But she saw through his bullshit now. He was only interested in saving his arse and she was a means to that end.
He didn’t see the irony that she was putting herself in harm’s way because of him, because of the information he’d shared with Agus.
She exhaled, pushing away her anger. She wasn’t doing this for him. She was doing this for Ethan and Damien, the men who’d risked their lives to come here.
Ethan needed to be off this island with as little fuss as possible.
And Damien… well something about him was special. He exuded confidence and a protector vibe that made her want to climb into his arms and stay there.
He was a man worth fighting for. He had argued against her putting herself in harm’s way, not encouraged it.
She jogged up the road, her steps loud in the morning’s stillness. The dawn brought pastel colours to the surroundings.
She had no illusions that if the men disagreed with what she was doing, they would catch up with her. She’d never been a jogger and after the night she’d had, she wasn’t at her best.
Damien would realise this was the only option. He had to put his team first, and by her leaving, she was taking the decision out of his hands.
He didn’t have to feel guilty about it.
Shadows were fading and the drop off on the side of the road was clear. Hopefully the car wouldn’t be hard to spot. Mila was hopeless at estimating distances and had nothing to check coordinates, but the fan palms covering the back should be noticeable going this slowly.
She kept listening for any motors. If the all-clear had been given, it wouldn’t be long before news would filter through to the villagers and they’d return home to take stock of the damage.
Agus would only inform them after he was certain there wasn’t anything he wanted in the village.
Not that there was anything left to steal.
At a rustle behind her, she turned. The road was empty and so was the forest beyond. It was probably a bird.
She turned and thumped into something warm and solid.
“Ow.” Pain spread through her as she took in the dark fatigues, broad shoulders, tanned neck and the angry expression on the very attractive face of Damien.
Damn. She hadn’t realised how blue his eyes were.
They were the type you wanted to dive into and swim around in, even if they were not impressed right now.
Her heart raced and she smiled. “Hi.”
His pissed off expression didn’t change. “Did you really think you’d get far?”
“Well I’d hoped to get a little further.”
He growled, and she stepped around him and kept walking. He grabbed her arm. “Mila, I’m not letting you sacrifice yourself.”
Her stomach clenched. She didn’t want to be stuck on this island with Agus, but Ethan’s life was more important. She was almost certain she’d be able to evade capture in the village.
“Damien, this is the best way and you know it.”
The pain in his eyes spoke to her, and she placed a hand on his cheek. “Ethan needs help and you don’t want to be shooting at people while trying to get him onboard.” She ran her thumb over the roughness of his day-old stubble and he grabbed her hand to stop her.
Yeah, that was inappropriate, but she wanted to keep touching him.
“You’ve been through enough.”
Did he feel this pull of attraction too? “I’m tough. I can handle it.”
His lips turned up. “I have no doubt you can.” He shifted closer. “I don’t want you to. I don’t want to risk you.”
Her heart fluttered. “I’ll be fine. I promise.” She brushed a kiss against his lips to seal her vow.
His sharp inhalation made her think she’d made a mistake and then his lips crashed against hers.
Passion, lust, fire.
His tongue slipped between her lips and she moaned.
This. This was what she’d been missing from the other men she’d kissed. A passion that promised he would do anything for her. He pulled her closer, his hand pressing on a sensitive bruise and she winced.
Instantly he stepped back. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” She swayed towards him but kept her feet still. “You touched a bruise.” They didn’t have time for this, as much as she wanted it. “I need to go.”
“I’m coming with you,” Damien said.
She shook her head, but he was already speaking into his comms. “I’ve found her.”
Someone must have responded because Damien replied, “Copy.” He turned to her. “I’ll fetch the car. You keep moving, but if you hear anyone, get off the road and hide.”
“Is there enough space to turn around on the road?” she asked.
“I’ll figure it out.” He hesitated. “Be careful. If you get worried, hide until I return.”
“I will. You be careful.”
He kissed her briefly and then turned and jogged up the hill.
She touched her lips. Wow. That had been unexpected, but she wasn’t complaining. He was an incredible man. She enjoyed watching his butt as he jogged up the hill.
So that’s what being super fit looked like. He disappeared from view before she remembered she was supposed to keep walking.
When she got home, fitness was going to be a priority.
She lengthened her stride as she followed the road.
Wait.
Her steps slowed. They wouldn’t leave Damien behind. Perhaps they would pick them up on the northern beaches like she’d suggested.
Relief filled her. Either way she wouldn’t be stuck here alone.
She closed her eyes and took a moment to be grateful to these men.
She was going home.
The morning was still as if it wasn’t sure whether the destruction of the night was over. No wind rustled through the trees and even the birds had stopped their chirping. The only sound was her constant steps on the bitumen road which sounded far too loud.
Mila glanced behind her, but the road was empty. The rainforest trees towered above her, shading the road and blocking her view of the ocean and Batara below.
It was maybe fifteen minutes later when the rumble of an engine reached her. She twisted to figure out it was coming from above her. The mountain to her left dropped away, and to her right it was an almost vertical incline. Crap.
If it wasn’t Damien returning, she’d be seen.
She ran forward to the bend in the road where the drop off wasn’t as steep and ducked behind a tree, clinging on to it as a black four-wheel drive reversed down the road.
Damien.
She stepped out, waving him down and he stopped, and got out.
“Did you reverse this whole way?”
He nodded. “No way to turn around. You need to drive.”
“Why?” She got into the driver’s side and adjusted the seat.
“Because you’re right. No one can see me with you. Before we get to the village, we’ll hide the car and hike the rest of the way. I’ll wait in the jungle and watch what’s going on. You stay out in the open, do not go inside. Does this village have a square as well?”
She nodded.
“Then stay there. Tell them you’re too scared to go inside in case another aftershock hits.”
She could do that. “Do we need some sort of bat signal?”
His low chuckle warmed her. “You mean an emergency signal?”
Heat flooded her cheeks. “Yeah. Some kind of shit’s just gone south and we need to run, kind of signal.”
He sobered. “I hope it doesn’t come to that.”
So did she. “So after I ask them to call Agus to check on Vance, I’ll ask Agus to bring him to me, say I need to see him, but I’m too scared to go near the ocean. He won’t admit Vance isn’t with him. Then I can sneak out of town, and we can go to the extraction point.”
He touched her arm. “Yeah, but here’s the thing. Plans go sideways all the time. If something happens, stay calm. Do not risk your life. Just know I’ll be coming for you.”
The declaration hit her in the heart and stole her words. She nodded.
They drove in silence until a moped appeared on the road in front of them. Damien ducked.
“We’re close,” Mila said. “That was Fajar’s father.” She glanced in the rear-view mirror to make sure he hadn’t turned around. “They must have been given the all-clear to return.”
“Stop here.” He checked his watch and frowned.
“What is it?” She pulled off to the side before the sign which announced the village.
“We’re earlier than I’d like us to be. It’ll only take Agus forty to fifty minutes for a round trip.
That means he could get back to his house before the extraction.
” He got out. “Take your time walking into the village and before you ask to contact Agus. I’ll turn the car around and meet you there. ”
“Should I wait for you?”
He grinned. “I’ll catch up. We have to be out of the village by oh seven thirty at the very latest.”
“I don’t have a watch.”
“Find someone who does.” He stood at her window waiting.
This was her plan. She just didn’t like the bundle of nerves in her stomach as she got out.
“I’ll be right there with you,” Damien promised and brushed a kiss on her cheek.
His declaration filled her with confidence. Mila headed for the village, walking the few hundred metres from the sign to the square.
Not as many of the longhouses here had been damaged.
Groups of people congregated around cooking fires in the square and children slept on the ground where there was space.
She spotted people from her village and those who lived here.
An area had been set aside for the injured and the doctor from the medical centre was seeing to them.