Chapter 19
Chapter
Nineteen
Nathan’s shoulder digging into her stomach as he ran away from the gunfire made her feel like she was going to throw up, and Emma didn't even care.
He was there.
In Africa.
He’d come for her.
It was easy to say in hindsight that she should have given him a little credit and believed what he’d told her, but she’d known him such a short time, and they’d met under the most horrific of circumstances, so trusting him hadn't been possible at the time. But he’d blown up his cover for her, left as soon as he realized that she was gone, and worked with his boss to find a way to get her out.
Now here he was, risking his life to try to get her home.
And even as grateful as she was, and as much as she was hoping and praying that he was successful, Emma knew there was a chance she was still going to die in Africa.
Nathan could die, too. The tactical gear looked so natural on him, and he held his weapon like it was an extension of himself.
There was no denying he was trained and experienced, but he was still human, and he still bled like everybody else.
The thought of anything happening to him had her stomach cramping painfully, and she was pretty sure that if he hadn't chosen that second to stop, she would have thrown up.
“How badly are you injured?” Nathan asked as he lowered her until her feet touched the ground, then grabbed her shoulders and bent his knees so they were eye to eye.
“I'm not … not really,” she added when he arched a dark brow.
“What does not really mean?”
“I got knocked out when I tried to run when William and Deacon took me to the auction, and I think I had a concussion. The symptoms are mostly gone. No one really hurt me here, but I have some cuts where the metal cuffs dug into my skin,” she summarized, no need to mention that she was sure they were getting infected, that wouldn't be helpful right now.
Nathan swore but nodded. “We can work with that for now. I need you to climb this fence, then we’re going to run for the jeep and hope we don’t get spotted.”
It didn’t sound like the best plan, but like he’d just said, they could work with it for now. “What about the team you said came with you?”
“They’re highly trained special forces operators, they can take care of themselves. They know I have you, and they’ll also be heading for the jeep. If we get separated, they know the exfil point and will meet us there. Priority is getting you out.”
Given she’d run for several minutes, had been living off a single small meal a day, and little water, Emma was shakier now than she’d been when she knocked out the boy in the hut, but she would climb that fence. Whatever it took.
“I can do it,” she said confidently, hoping she could convince Nathan of that.
Apparently taking her at her word, Nathan scooped her up, carried her to the fence that she could now see was just a few feet away, and set her partway up it.
It was wire, and easy enough to climb, but circles of barbed wire were up the top that she had no idea how she was going to get past without cutting herself into ribbons.
Nathan might be decked out in tactical gear, but she was wearing the borrowed pants and T-shirt.
Still, she didn't let that stop her. Emma climbed until she got to the top, glanced down to see Nathan still on the ground, his weapon aimed at anything that might have followed him, and she knew he was there to give her cover, so she got over safely.
Knowing he was putting his life on the line for her renewed her determination, and avoiding the barbs as best as she could, she managed to get over to the other side.
Even in the moonlight, she could see streaks of blood on her bare forearms, and she was sure the pain would come as soon as she was safe, but for now, all she cared about was that she’d done it.
“I’m over,” she called out as she began to descend the other side.
Glancing over his shoulder at her, she saw Nathan smile and nod encouragingly. “That’s my girl, knew you could do it.”
Hearing him call her his girl did strange things to her insides.
The words should enrage her, or terrify her, considering she’d quite literally been sold and bought, but when Nathan said it, it didn't feel like ownership, although it was definitely possessive. Things between the two of them were crazy and confusing, but she couldn’t deny she liked hearing him call her his girl.
Distracted, Emma wasn't paying attention to where her foot was going next, and it slid inside the too-big shoe, causing her to stumble.
Next thing she knew, she was falling.
It wasn't a huge drop, the fence was maybe ten feet tall, and she was on her way down, but still the landing was harder than she’d been prepared for, and her tired and aching body bounced as she hit, making her cry out.
“Emma!”
There was fear in Nathan’s voice, and she could hear him scrambling over the fence to her side. Even though she wanted to assure him she was fine, the wind had been knocked out of her, and she felt dazed, unable to offer reassurance.
“Are you hurt?” he demanded as his hands skimmed her body in search of injuries.
Was she?
Adrenalin must have been humming through her system, because right now she didn't feel much of anything other than a bone-deep weariness that had her wanting to curl up in a ball and sleep for about a month.
“Emma?” Nathan’s hand stroked gently down her hair, and because she could practically feel his anxiety, she lifted her head and offered up a somewhat shaky smile.
“I don’t think I'm hurt.”
“Don’t think? That doesn’t sound reassuring, blondie.”
Huffing a small chuckle, she willed herself to pull it together. They might be off her buyer’s property, but they were nowhere close to safe. “I'm okay, just tired.”
“Okay, then let’s get you somewhere you can rest, and I can do a proper medical assessment.” Taking her hands, he pulled her to her feet, then scooped her into his arms.
“I can walk,” she protested, although she quite liked this position, tucked against his chest, her cheek pillowed on his shoulder, which was way more comfortable than she would have thought.
Or maybe it was just that anything was an upgrade from her concrete cell where she’d first been kept, and the dirt hut here in Africa.
“We need to conserve your strength,” he told her and took off not quite at a run but at a brisk jog.
The night was quiet. Even though she knew there were animals out there, possibly watching them, it felt like they were all alone in the world.
Tipping her head back, she stared up at the stars dotting the dark sky.
It was so beautiful, and it didn't seem right that it looked down on atrocities like what those men had done to her the last few nights.
Before emotion could overwhelm her, and the horrors of what she’d lived through sank in now that she was safe in Nathan’s arms, she shut down.
There would be time to unpack her trauma later, when she was back home, but not now.
Not when she could fall apart and make it that much harder for Nathan to get them out.
It was starting to feel like they were going to make it. That safety was just a formality now. They’d get to the jeep, drive away, hop on a plane, and she’d be back in her family’s arms in hours.
But of course, nothing went as smoothly as that. Gunshots suddenly broke out.
Nathan cursed, then set her on her feet. “Need you to run north and not stop until you get to the jeep.”
“North?”
“That way.” He pointed in the direction he’d been heading. “Keys are hidden in the wheel on the back of the jeep. Get in, drive until you find a road. Get to a town, the larger the better, then find a phone and call this number.” He rattled one off, but she just stood there staring at him.
“What about you?”
“My job is to get you out of here, blondie.”
“No. Nathan, that’s—”
“Not a discussion. Go.” He gave her a gentle shove in the direction he wanted her to go, and when more gunshots sounded, closer this time, he began to return fire.
With no other choice than to remain here to argue and put Nathan at greater risk, Emma did what he’d ordered and started running.
All the while she repeated over and over again a prayer that Nathan would be okay, he’d eliminate whoever had been shooting at them, and come after her.
She ran until her legs ached, and her breathing was choppy.
Until a pain in her side made her lean awkwardly over to ease the stitch.
Ran until she was positive that at any second her legs were going to just give out on her and she’d collapse into a puddle on the grass.
Just as a jeep finally appeared about two hundred yards or so away, she saw it explode right before her eyes. That was supposed to be their way out of there, and now it was gone.
What was she supposed to do now?
Before panic could overwhelm her, Nathan was by her side, swearing again as he watched the fireball steal their only chance at escape.
“Guess we’re walking out of here,” he said as he slipped an arm around her waist to pull her close so she rested against him.
Accepting his offer, Emma leaned into his solid body and allowed him to take her weight for a moment. “Walk out of here?”
“No other choice, blondie.”
Talk about doing the impossible. How were they supposed to walk out of the African wilderness where animals lurked, armed men were hunting them, and it was just the two of them against the world?
August 9th
10:58 A.M.
Torn between needing to put as much distance between Emma and the man who had bought her and needing to finally set her down and do a proper examination so he could see if she’d been lying to him earlier when he’d asked how injured she was, Nathan finally made his choice. It was time to check over his girl.