He’d wanted to help people, and it felt like the missions were more about someone’s private agenda.
He sighed.It wasn’t his job to know why he was sent in, and there were reasons above his pay grade, but the work had lost its appeal.That’s why he hadn’t been able to leave Mila behind.She’d been worthy of saving, not Vance.
They wouldn’t have found Hawk in time if it wasn’t for her.She was selfless, caring and so strong.
He would protect her at any cost.
The strength of his emotion surprised him, but he’d examine it later.
Before he returned to Mila, he scouted for a place to camp.It was just after midday, and he’d noticed a bank of clouds on the horizon telling him it would rain before the day ended.
He found a place on the point where he could see the zod and to the south-west and was surrounded by enough trees that they shouldn’t be spotted.He cleared a space and set up a shelter between two trees so when he fetched Mila she could go right back to sleep.
When he returned to her, she wasn’t sleeping.She leaned against a tree, knees pulled into her chest, arms around Trixie and looked relieved to see him.
“Damien.”
He smiled, though he didn’t like the fear in her voice.“Everything OK?”
She nodded and then shook her head.“Bad dream.”
“Well I can cheer you up.I’ve set up camp and we’ve got an extraction time.”
Relief filled her expression.“When?”
“Twenty-two hundred.”He offered her his hand to help her up.“I’ll carry you.”
She didn’t refuse, just wrapped her arms and legs around him and clung to him like a warm hug.Her hands trembled and he kissed one, his heart aching for what she’d been through.“We’re going to be fine.”
She was his mission now.
***
Tears were far too close to the surface and Mila blinked to stop them from spilling over as she clung to Damien’s back.Exhaustion was a thick fog surrounding her.The only thing that calmed her was being close to Damien.She tightened her hold around him, not ever wanting to let him go.
He was her safe space.
The dream she’d had—the nightmare—had been watching Damien being washed away by the tsunami and being unable to stop it.
She hadn’t even cared she’d been caught in the water.
She’d only wanted to save him.
The water had sucked her under and as she was about to run out of air, Trixie had nudged her awake.
The dog’s wet fur had been a comfort as she clung to her.But though the dog had snuggled in, the panic hadn’t disappeared until she’d stared into Dobby’s beautiful eyes.
So what did that tell her?That she loved him?
No.This type of situation was about heightened emotions.She shouldn’t read anything into her dreams.She barely knew Damien.
But afterwards… perhaps he wouldn’t mind if she looked him up.
Special ops were based on the west coast and she lived in the east so it wouldn’t be easy.
“Here we are.Home sweet home.”He let her down and she looked past him at the camp he’d built them.
He’d set up a waterproof sheet as a tent low to the ground between two trees and placed large palm leaves over it to help it blend in.He’d lined the space with fresh leaves and his pack was to one side.
