The man must’ve silently acquiesced, because a large, shadowy form hunched in front of Sully.
“Hi. It is okay if I come closer?” The female voice she heard earlier was now on her other side.
“Yes. Thanks for the shirt.” Jane squinted, trying to see the other woman.
“When Silver is done treating Sully, he can help me get my pack at the back of the boat. I have some shorts you can take. And thank you for letting Sully get you to safety.”
A soft puff of air left her lips. “He did all the hard work.”
“Bullshit,” Sully bit out before the breath left his lungs in a hiss.
“Sorry. Know it burns,” the man she assumed was cleaning his wound said.
“You can hang on to me.” To her surprise, he gave her some of his weight as he leaned into her. She was thankful for the lack of light, because her eyes prickled once more. He’d never know how much it meant to her that he accepted her strength. Automatically assumed she had some left to give. He wasn’t treating her like a victim. He was treating her like she was someone who still had something to offer. The way he instantly used her for support made her feel stronger. More purposeful. More human than she had in a while.
“I’m Addy.” The other woman took her hand, and she accepted her touch, lacing their fingers. “And while Sullyinitiated the rescue, helping someone underwater can prove very challenging.”
“Didn’t fight me,” Sully rasped. “Let me lead you. Instinctively took my oxygen even when there was no visibility. No way to know what I was holding to your mouth.”
She had taken a chance to trust him. The thought struck her hard and her mind flashed again to the dark moment in her past, beneath a bridge, alone and scared. The overwhelming pain. The authority figure who was sworn to protect but only made her suffer. Ever since, her trust in others had been shattered, but for some reason, she’d trusted this man. Sully. He hadn’t let her down.
“You buddy-breathed? Jesus, Jane. It takes practice to be able to share oxygen. Teamwork. Trust,” Silver said. “Most people who are running out of oxygen, and you must’ve been because you were underwater for nearly a minute, fight like hell to get to the surface, sometimes clawing up and over us.”
“Calamity Jane, you’d make a fine SEAL.” She could detect the smile in her guardian’s voice, and his words struck her heart with a pang.
Chapter Two
Sully gritted histeeth and leaned into the woman in his arms. The last time he’d been shot, the pain didn’t register until his buddy Red had applied a tourniquet to quell the blood flow. Maybe it was the location on his leg, or the way the bullet entered his body, but it felt like being impaled by a blistering fire poker. Even if he was in agony, he wouldn’t give just anyone his weight. Wouldn’t look for comfort or strength from anyone outside of his teammates, and now apparently Jane. There was no doubt that the woman had strength in spades. When he dove into the river after her, the usual calm that resonated bone-deep wouldn’t come. He’d been nearly frantic to get to her, and even though he was swimming with strength and speed it wasn’t fast enough. Then he’d spotted the outline of a woman, although the way she moved so fluidly beneath the surface reminded him more of a siren. Her long hair floated around her lithe, naked form. Acid bubbled in his gut. He hated to think of the reason why her body was bare when he found her. Protectiveness clawed up from his chest, nearly choking him.
She’d had no reason to trust him when he’d reached for her in that river. No reason to instantly go lax in his arms and let him pull her even deeper below the surface. With his specialized goggles, he could see the water ripple as bullets flew past. At the time, the safest action was to move downward, but she’d needed air. Sharing his rebreather with her had been a risk for both of them, but the moment he’d placed the device against her lips, she’d fuckingbreathed.
The trust she’d placed in him that second had rocked him hard. So, when her words hit his ears,you can hang on to me, he didn’t hesitate. He wasn’t sure what it was, but something had passed between them in that water, then solidified when she’d begged his teammates to help get him out of the river without a thought of her own condition. So yeah, he’d lean on this woman who had separated herself from being a mission the moment she submitted to him, the moment she breathed his air, and advocated for his well-being.
He swore as sharp pain tore through his calf.
“That’s it,” she soothed moving one had to rest firmly on his chest, as though she was trying to hold him in place. The other took up a reassuring presence on his back. “Breathe.” The feeling of her hands on him distracted from the pain. He wished they had some light so he could lose himself in her eyes while Silver patched him up. There was no doubt he’d need medical treatment once they reached the extraction point and boarded the helo.
“What’s your favorite kind of ice cream?”
To his shock, a hoarse chuckle left his lips. “Never met an ice cream flavor that wasn’t my favorite kind. You?”
“The only kind worth eating. Sundae style. Smothered with hot fudge and peanut butter. Piled high with whipped cream, sprinkles, cherries, and candy pieces.” He could hear the smile in her voice and was addicted to the sound.
“Even gummy worms?” Sully asked.
“Won’t hear any complaints from me.”
“Okay. I’ve disinfected the wound, but the second we get on the helo, we’re pumping you with I.V. antibiotics,” Silver said, interrupting their ice cream banter.
“Did the bullet pass through?” Jane asked before he could comment.
“Unfortunately, no.” Silver’s tone was flat.
“We need to keep you hydrated and monitor the site for infection.” Her tone changed, becoming more self-assured and professional. “Colonization of waterborne pathogens here is high and fragmenting and debris from the bullet pose additional risks.”
“That’s my big concern too. I’m giving him 400 milligrams of moxifloxacin now,” Silver said, responding to Jane’s comment. “Are you a doctor?”
“No. Nurse,” she said. Sully wondered if she was aware of the gentle circles she was rubbing on his back. The last time someone had touched him so tenderly was his mother when he was a kid sick with the stomach flu. With the amount of pain he was in and the high risk of infection, her touch was soothing.
