Part 16 (1/2)

And it was about Carrie Granger not being the only American on this mountain in need of rescue.

He drew a deep breath and made himself disengage. Now was not the time to indulge in the mind f.u.c.k of self-pity. And until he could get a handle on what was happening with his head he needed to be very careful around this woman.

”It's going to be okay,” he promised her, surprised at the gruffness in his voice. Surprised again when he lifted a hand and gently brushed a fall of blond hair out of her eyes. ”Take it to the bank, Carrie. You're going to be okay now.”

”Thank you.” A world of grat.i.tude, relief, and trust s.h.i.+mmered in her eyes.

Eyes so brave and true, he found himself praying he deserved that trust.

Praying? h.e.l.l, he didn't pray. And even if he did, prayer wasn't going to get them out of this. Keeping his head in the game was. Starting now. h.e.l.l, he didn't pray. And even if he did, prayer wasn't going to get them out of this. Keeping his head in the game was. Starting now.

”Eat,” he said forcefully for the benefit of the guards. ”We need to get some protein in you.”

This time she didn't hesitate. With one hand latched in a death grip on the blanket between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, she rushed to the table and sat down on the woven matting that covered the dirt floor. Then she tore into the soup, white rice, and chicken curry.

He'd been hungry himself before, but he'd never understood the term ravenous ravenous until he watched her eat. until he watched her eat.

”Easy,” he cautioned. Ignoring the warning alarms telling him not to, he reached for the whiskey bottle the general had left. He poured a tall shot and downed it in one swallow. ”Slow down or you're going to make yourself sick.”

He watched her get control again. Couldn't help but notice that despite the brutality of her captivity, there was no disguising how astonis.h.i.+ngly beautiful she was. The bones always told, and hers were amazing. She had high cheekbones, perfectly arched brows, and a cupid's bow upper lip that just begged for attention.

Christ.

He thought about hitting that bottle one more time... but he knew where that road led and the last thing he wanted to do was let this woman down.

Five.

Daylight had faded, and the inside of the tent was cast in shadows by the time she'd eaten her fill, savoring every bite. Cav understood. It was as much about nourishment for the soul as it was for her body.

Her body.

She was naked beneath the blanket. He did his d.a.m.nedest not to think about it. Or to remember the generous perfection of the b.r.e.a.s.t.s the guards had brutally forced her to bare.

What he needed to think about were the bruises crisscrossing her shoulders and back. The angry welt on her rib cage, just below her left breast. The cuts on her feet, the blisters on her hands.

A motor roared to life in the distance, and a bare bulb flickered to dim life overhead. He'd noticed the gas-powered generator on the other side of the camp earlier. Its noise would provide partial cover for their conversation.

”How are you, physically?” he asked, still cautious, leaning in close so they wouldn't be overheard.

”Much better now.”

”Infections? Fever? Anything broken?”

She shook her head, and the ends of the blanket picked that moment to slip and fall away from her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. She reached up and caught it, but not before he got a glimpse of a dusky rose nipple.

”I need to check your ribs.”

Her face flushed pink in the pale light. ”It's just a bruise.”

”The skin is broken.”

Her eyes met his, beseeching.

He got it. She was humiliated over the way they'd stripped her, then held her there for everyone to see her naked from the waist up.

Yeah, he got it, but he couldn't give her a pa.s.s. Besides, he had to start acting the part of the paying customer. Daylight had actually provided more anonymity inside the tent than the night did. The overhead light, anemic as it was, cast their shadows against the tent walls for inquisitive eyes to see.

”Trust me,” he mouthed and sat down cross-legged beside her. ”On my lap.”

Her eyes widened, suspicion rampant on her face as she glanced at the strip of condoms he'd dropped on the table earlier.

”They're props,” he a.s.sured her quickly. ”If you talk the talk, you gotta walk the walk to convince the bad guys. Trust me,” he whispered again, and nodded toward the tent wall.

He saw the moment she understood. Just like the condoms, this was for show. Whoever was out there would see their shadows and a.s.sume they were watching a man having his way with a woman.

Very gingerly, she moved toward him and settled herself sideways on his lap, her right side pressing against his chest.

She was tall and lean, and while she'd doubtless dropped some weight during her captivity he was very much aware that she still had plenty of curves.

”That's more like it, baby.” Even if the guards didn't understand English, they'd recognize his lewd tone. ”How about a little grat.i.tude for getting you out of your cage for the night?”

She stiffened but let him pull her against him.

”Easy,” he whispered, pressing his mouth against her ear and trying not to think about her firm a.s.s nestled up tight against his groin. ”Once we make our break, we have to head through some rough territory. In this climate, in this terrain, even a small cut is ripe for infection.”

She turned her face toward him, her mouth very near his. Anyone outside watching their shadows would think she was letting him kiss her. ”When? When are we leaving?”

The anxious edge in her voice made it clear she wanted him to say ”now.”

”When I say it's time.” He ran his hand over her hair to enhance the visual, then stroked her shoulder and reached down to her thigh. ”Now I need to look at those ribs.”

She stiffened involuntarily and he made himself slow down.

”You trust Wyatt, right?”

She swallowed, then nodded.

”And he trusts me to get you out of here. You need to follow his lead. Let's just get this over with so we can move on.”

She closed her eyes and, in what must have taken formidable effort, lifted her right arm and wrapped it around his shoulders.

Progress. Only he was the one shaken now. He'd asked for her trust and now that he had it, it felt like a Mack truck had just parked on his shoulders.

”What about the others?” she asked tentatively. ”When we go, we can't just leave them here.”

Cav had already thought about releasing the workers, creating a little pandemonium to buy them some time, and then he'd thought better of it.