Chapter 7
Brick hated feeling helpless. He’d spent most of his career as a Navy SEAL in charge of any situation he’d been put into. Except for that day. When he’d been as helpless as he’d ever felt in his life. Since then, he’d worked hard to never be put in that position again.
Until now.
As he lay in bed, holding Alaska, feeling her tears on his shoulder, helplessness swamped him. He wasn’t sure he knew what to say to make her feel better. She was crying in her fucking sleep, for God’s sake. It was obvious she was terrified to be left alone.
He’d been worried about the blankness in her gaze. But this was worse. As relieved as he was that she was finally showing some emotion, it still clawed at his gut.
Mutt whined deep in his throat as he lifted his head and stared at Alaska.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “She’s safe.” He wasn’t sure if he was saying it for his sake or his dog’s. But Mutt seemed to be comforted by his words and rested his head on Alaska’s drawn-up knees.
She eventually stopped crying, but sleep didn’t come easy for Brick.
He had no idea why Alaska’s pain affected him so deeply.
Yes, he’d known her for most of his life, and he’d respected and liked her before now.
But knowing how close he’d come to losing her, of never receiving another email or text from her ever again… it hit him hard.
She’d been the first one he’d told about buying this land with his new friends.
She’d been so excited. Ooh’d and aah’d over every picture he’d sent.
She’d even given him some suggestions about where to put the guest cabins.
Even though they were thousands of miles apart, she’d been there for him. Mentally, if not physically.
The fact that she was here—in person—was a miracle. He knew it. His friends knew it. And he had a feeling she knew it too.
Brick desperately wanted to help Alaska get back on her feet.
To recover from her ordeal. He didn’t want to do anything that might fuck that up.
Though, he had a feeling the longer she was here, the more time she got to spend with him, the harder it would be to let her go once she recovered.
She was a grown-ass woman, and when she was finally feeling more like herself, she could decide to go back to her nomadic—and probably more exciting—life in Europe.
He dozed on and off the rest of the night, and when he woke up the last time, just as the sun began peeking over the horizon, he and Alaska—and Mutt—were in the exact same positions they’d been in all night.
Alaska was plastered against his side, using his shoulder as a pillow.
Mutt was curled into a ball in the space her legs made as they were drawn up against him.
It felt cozy. Warm. Intimate.
As much as he didn’t want to move—and didn’t want Alaska to wake up alone—he needed to use the bathroom.
Needed to touch base with his friends and make sure all was well with The Refuge.
He’d been gone for a few days, and while he knew they could handle anything that came up, this place was still his baby.
“Stay, Mutt,” he said softly.
His dog lifted his head, then lowered it again with a sigh.
Smiling, Brick carefully shifted out from under Alaska, replacing his shoulder with a pillow.
She grumbled a bit, shifted on the bed, but didn’t open her eyes.
He was relieved. Brick had no idea if she’d gotten any real sleep while locked in that Conex container, but her body certainly needed to recharge after all the stress and terror she’d experienced.
Four hours later, after hearing for himself that their current guests were all good, and after eating breakfast and talking to Henley McClure, the therapist who met with guests who might need or want her services, Brick was getting a little worried that Alaska still hadn’t woken.
She’d slept for over twelve hours now, and from experience, he knew that excessive sleeping could be a sign of depression.
Mutt had come out of the bedroom about two hours ago, and Brick had let him out to do his business.
Most days the dog wandered off and spent his time exploring the land around The Refuge, but today he came right back inside and, after eating, returned to the bedroom and snuggled up against Alaska once more.
When Brick couldn’t stand it any longer, he headed down the hall to check on her. Quietly opening the door, he saw that she was awake. She was sitting up in bed, absently petting a delighted Mutt, her stare locked on the wall opposite the bed.
Turning to see what she was looking at, Brick couldn’t help but smile.
“It’s been on my wall in every place I’ve lived since I was eighteen,” he told her.
Alaska jerked and turned to look at him.
“Sorry, I thought you heard me come in,” he apologized.
Then nodded to the five-by-eight cross-stitch on the wall.
“I wanted it to be the first thing I saw when I woke up. In those early days, it spurred me on to finish my SEAL training. To earn my trident. In my twenties, it reminded me of who I was. And now…it reminds me of my lost friends. How I might no longer be a SEAL, but what I did, the lives I saved…it mattered.”
“I…How in the world did you get that?” she asked quietly.
“After you left my house the night of my graduation party, my mom saw you throw whatever you’d brought for me into the trash. She went out and got it and gave it to me the next morning, before I left for boot camp.”
“It’s awful,” she said softly. “The stitches are uneven, and it’s hard to even tell what that gold blob is.”
“I knew the first time I saw it that it was the SEAL trident. And seeing those words…Navy SEAL Drake Vandine…knowing you had no doubt that one day I’d actually be a SEAL…I got goose bumps when I opened it.”
“I can’t believe you’ve carried that thing around all these years.”
Brick walked into the room and sat on the edge of the mattress.
Not crowding her, but wanting her to understand exactly how much her long-ago gift meant to him.
“My name might be crooked, the color of the Budweiser might be off, but you made that from your heart, Alaska. You put your time and energy into making it for me. It meant more than you’ll ever know. Means more.”
She closed her eyes and sighed.
“Al?” he asked softly. Not even sure what he was asking with that one word.
“I feel weird,” she admitted without opening her eyes.
“How so?” Brick asked, alarmed. “Do I need to call Pipe? Shit, I should take you into town and have the doctor take a look at you.”
She shook her head and finally opened her eyes and looked at him. “No, not physically. Just…weird. Like I don’t belong in my own skin. I’m nervous and jumpy, and the thought of leaving this house, this room…this bed…makes me want to cry. It’s not me—and I loathe it.”
“I hate to say this, honey, but that’s normal. After going through what you did…wanting to hole up and protect yourself is a natural reaction. When I got out of the hospital, I felt the same way.”
“How long did it last?” she asked.
Brick wrinkled his nose. “Longer than I wanted. But you know what helped?”
“What?”
“Coming here. Looking up at the sky. Knowing there were people like you out there who I could lean on if I needed it.”
Alaska stared at him for a long moment. “I’ve never been an outdoorsy girl,” she finally said.
Brick laughed. He couldn’t help it. “This coming from the girl who calmly grabbed a rat snake? Who used to crawl in the dirt and grass while we played soldier?”
Her lips quirked up in a wry smile. “I only did that because of you,” she said quietly.
The admission settled deep in Brick’s bones, and it took him a long moment to respond.
“Let my mountain heal you,” he finally said.
“I promise you won’t have to crawl in the dirt, and I don’t need you to save me from snakes anymore.
We’ll take things one day at a time. Go for hikes.
Eat good food. Laugh with good friends.”
“Drake, I can’t stay here for long. I need to figure out my life. I don’t have a job anymore. I need to find one. I have to get my stuff from my apartment, get new IDs and a bank account here in the States…and speaking of money, I certainly can’t afford to stay here.”
Slight indignation rose inside him. “You think I’m going to charge you to stay with me?”
She eyed him for a moment, then said, “You should. This place is fabulous. And I’m well aware that you’re always booked in advance.
You and your friends have made this into one of the best places people can come to when they need a break from their stressful lives.
And I know about the POW cabin too. You’re all generous, damn good businessmen, and decent human beings to boot.
I don’t want to take advantage of that.”
Brick leaned forward, pleased that she’d researched The Refuge.
“It is one of the premier places to heal, which is why I want you to stay. I don’t give a shit about money.
This is about me returning the favor you did for me four years ago.
If you want it, that POW cabin is yours.
For as long as you wish. Free of charge. ”
He held up his hand before she could protest. Somehow knowing what she was going to say.
“And before you tell me you weren’t a POW, you’re wrong.
You were taken against your will and held captive.
There’s a war going on in the world today against sex trafficking, and you were definitely a casualty of it.
But you aren’t going to let that Russian asshole win.
No way. I know you too well. You’ll eventually beat back that weird feeling you’ve got. I know it.”
Brick didn’t like the look that crossed her face as she silently contemplated his offer.
“What? What was that thought?” he asked.
“I don’t…Being in that cabin by myself…” Her words faded off before she finished her thought.
“You can stay here with me,” he said without hesitation.
“I can’t,” she protested.
“Why not?”