my way.”
She tucked her head up against his heart, smiling at the strong beat under her ear. She trusted him. “If you don’t mind. I’m just going to…” a big yawn caught her unaware. When she could she finished with, “…close my eyes.”
“Sleep. We’ll stay here for an hour at least.”
That must be how long he was expecting the rain to last. Nice that Mother Nature followed his orders too.
She closed her eyes and slept.
*
Feeling her body go limp in his arms, Markus adjusted her weight slightly so she was tucked up more securely. He didn’t want her falling sideways. He was content to sit and watch the world go by but of course given the time of night and the weather, there was a special kind of magic all its own.
He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He could catch a few minutes and power nap himself. He checked his phone once again. A message had come through from Mason.
Hostages released. Gunman shot. Transported to hospital. All secure.
Good. Just what he wanted to hear. He’d rather have been in the middle of the action but given the lovely bundle in his arms and stirrings of emotion for a woman after all this time, well, that was something else to enjoy. He quickly texted back a simple message that they were waiting out the elements before continuing their progress.
As he hit send, he watched the circle just continue to spin. The message was going nowhere. He put his phone away and rested his head back. He figured they had another hour or so of walking. Waiting for the weather to let up wasn’t going to hurt. Especially given her energy levels.
He’d just give himself a few moments too.
Footsteps jolted him awake. The gray early dawn surrounded them. Not quite dark and not quite morning. Senses alert, but his muscles relaxed, he heard someone walk ten feet to the left. Had someone from his team come after him? That was a surprise. Something must be up.
Except the footsteps were off to the side, and continuing. His men wouldn’t make that mistake. Did they know for sure there weren’t more gunmen? He narrowed his gaze and waited. Or were there? They’d taken the gunman down, and said all secure. Did that mean they had the two men in custody as well?
But…were there more?
What about Barry? Was he a part of that mess? At the time Markus hadn’t been sure. And hadn’t wanted to take any chances so left him in the pump house. With the others captured he’d figured the authorities could figure out his involvement. If they’d found him…
The footsteps were just close enough he wanted to slide down lower. The blanket he had wrapped around them was metallic. Hard to avoid. And noisy as shit when moved. Not good. He waited… The footsteps slowed. And approached.
“Well, there you are.” And the old man gave him a wide tooth stained grin.
Jake. Of course.
Chapter 9
S he woke to low voices. But she was still tucked securely against Markus’s chest. She didn’t want to return to reality if it meant moving. He was very snuggly. Not that he’d appreciate her saying that. She opened her eyes to see Jake, Mary’s father, speaking with Markus.
“My girl is fine. But I heard you were out here looking for the little one, so I came to make sure all was well.”
“She’s weak and tired but unharmed.”
“Good. The cabin has been emptied out now. Mary is home and resting. She’s upset about Boomer.”
“Is he going to be okay?”
“Not sure. Doesn’t look like it. Skull fracture. He’s in a coma. His prognosis isn’t good, but they are keeping a close eye on him.”
Markus shifted under her cheek. How sad to think that Boomer could die from this. How unfair.
She lifted her head and stared at Jake. “Hello, Jake.”
“There you are.” He squatted down beside her. He had a low brim hat and a heavy hunting jacket keeping him dry. She really had been unprepared for a race in the wild.
She smiled and dropped her head back down again. “Thanks for coming out and
She tucked her head up against his heart, smiling at the strong beat under her ear. She trusted him. “If you don’t mind. I’m just going to…” a big yawn caught her unaware. When she could she finished with, “…close my eyes.”
“Sleep. We’ll stay here for an hour at least.”
That must be how long he was expecting the rain to last. Nice that Mother Nature followed his orders too.
She closed her eyes and slept.
*
Feeling her body go limp in his arms, Markus adjusted her weight slightly so she was tucked up more securely. He didn’t want her falling sideways. He was content to sit and watch the world go by but of course given the time of night and the weather, there was a special kind of magic all its own.
He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He could catch a few minutes and power nap himself. He checked his phone once again. A message had come through from Mason.
Hostages released. Gunman shot. Transported to hospital. All secure.
Good. Just what he wanted to hear. He’d rather have been in the middle of the action but given the lovely bundle in his arms and stirrings of emotion for a woman after all this time, well, that was something else to enjoy. He quickly texted back a simple message that they were waiting out the elements before continuing their progress.
As he hit send, he watched the circle just continue to spin. The message was going nowhere. He put his phone away and rested his head back. He figured they had another hour or so of walking. Waiting for the weather to let up wasn’t going to hurt. Especially given her energy levels.
He’d just give himself a few moments too.
Footsteps jolted him awake. The gray early dawn surrounded them. Not quite dark and not quite morning. Senses alert, but his muscles relaxed, he heard someone walk ten feet to the left. Had someone from his team come after him? That was a surprise. Something must be up.
Except the footsteps were off to the side, and continuing. His men wouldn’t make that mistake. Did they know for sure there weren’t more gunmen? He narrowed his gaze and waited. Or were there? They’d taken the gunman down, and said all secure. Did that mean they had the two men in custody as well?
But…were there more?
What about Barry? Was he a part of that mess? At the time Markus hadn’t been sure. And hadn’t wanted to take any chances so left him in the pump house. With the others captured he’d figured the authorities could figure out his involvement. If they’d found him…
The footsteps were just close enough he wanted to slide down lower. The blanket he had wrapped around them was metallic. Hard to avoid. And noisy as shit when moved. Not good. He waited… The footsteps slowed. And approached.
“Well, there you are.” And the old man gave him a wide tooth stained grin.
Jake. Of course.
Chapter 9
S he woke to low voices. But she was still tucked securely against Markus’s chest. She didn’t want to return to reality if it meant moving. He was very snuggly. Not that he’d appreciate her saying that. She opened her eyes to see Jake, Mary’s father, speaking with Markus.
“My girl is fine. But I heard you were out here looking for the little one, so I came to make sure all was well.”
“She’s weak and tired but unharmed.”
“Good. The cabin has been emptied out now. Mary is home and resting. She’s upset about Boomer.”
“Is he going to be okay?”
“Not sure. Doesn’t look like it. Skull fracture. He’s in a coma. His prognosis isn’t good, but they are keeping a close eye on him.”
Markus shifted under her cheek. How sad to think that Boomer could die from this. How unfair.
She lifted her head and stared at Jake. “Hello, Jake.”
“There you are.” He squatted down beside her. He had a low brim hat and a heavy hunting jacket keeping him dry. She really had been unprepared for a race in the wild.
She smiled and dropped her head back down again. “Thanks for coming out and
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