“Yeah, he saved my life,” Scarlett said sadly.
“Then trust him enough to let him take you there. If it doesn’t work out, you can return and do what you’re doing now. From what I understand from Tex, who can’t tell me exactly what you did in the military, it sounds like those men must’ve stored a lot of faith in you to get them out of some tight spots. Maybe it’s time you let them lead you out.”
“I’m scared,” she whispered.
“You’re never alone. I’ll visit and we can talk on the phone. Someone named Sledge seems anxious to see you there,” Rayne encouraged her.
Scarlett gripped her hand. “I’ll go,” she said, resigned.
“How about you shower, and I’ll help you pack your things? Rocker can make the arrangements and calm your parents down,” Rayne said, pulling Scarlett to stand and leading her toward the connected bathroom. “I’ll be in your room if you need any assistance.”
Scarlett gripped the countertop and made her way around the room to the shower. She turned on the water, slipped off her robe, and carefully stepped inside. Desperately wanting to believe this place offered something different than the others, Scarlett told herself to put on her big girl panties and stop feeling sorry for herself. The endless days of feeling helpless and sitting in her room bored her to no end. Maybe if anything, she wouldn’t be a constant presence in her parents’ home, causing them pain. Scarlett didn’t have much hope, but for once, she prayed she was wrong.
CHAPTER 7
Scarlett satacross from Rocker and sipped from the bottled water. “I can’t believe they sent a private plane,” she whispered, unaware if anyone else might overhear her.
“Yeah. Kassie Winters called me after I contacted Sledge and said you agreed to visit. She said it might not feel as overwhelming for you as the airport, and they needed to pick up some supplies. I gotta say, I could totally get used to this,” Rocker said, biting into the cheese from the charcuterie board the attendant placed before them.
“How much can you possibly eat? I don’t think you’ve stopped since we got into the air,” she teased.
“I’ve lived on burgers for the last week. When we stayed in the desert, I dreamed about having a thick, juicy hamburger with greasy fries. I don’t want to see them again for at least a year. You need to eat a bit more. You’ve lost weight,” he admonished.
“Then hand me a cracker and cheese. How long until we get there?” she asked, taking his offering.
“We’ll land within the hour. Sledge will meet us. He can’twait to see you,” Rocker informed her. “I’ll spend the night and head home to Connie and the boys. If you need me, I’m a phone call away. It’s your job to keep Sledge out of trouble.”
“I’ll get right on it. Shall I take sentry duty by his room?” she snarked at him.
“No, smart ass. Tell him about the last book you read. It’ll keep him up all night. Where the heck do these sick and twisted authors live? Do their spouses sleep with them after reading their gory books? I know I’d be sleeping with one eye open,” Rocker said, grabbing a piece of pepperoni.
“How can you go into villages with insurgents hiding everywhere and then complain about a little itty bitty scary book?” she taunted.
“Because we know the bad guys. Half the time, you don’t even know who’s picking off everyone until the last chapter. Hell, in the last book, the sweet, innocent girlfriend ended up as a serial killer who collected men’s balls. Who does that? And how does some sweet innocent woman with two kids and a dog write this stuff without her husband doubting her sanity?”
Scarlett shook her head. “Maybe she’s writing about things she wants to do to her spouse, but doesn’t want to spend her life behind bars. Writing turns into a sort of therapy session for her.”
“It sounds like you have some personal knowledge of how this author thinks. Do you know her?”
“We’ve emailed a couple of times. I haven’t heard from her since the accident,” she said, remorsefully. “I ARC’d for her and found holes in the plots and such. I guess she doesn’t need me now.”
“You don’t know what you’re capable of doing yet. Why don’t you wait until you check out the place and decide if you want to remain a cynic?”
“What if I don’t like it? It might be like all the others. ‘I’msorry, Ms. Peterson. The trauma to your eyes seems irreversible. We don’t hold out much hope for it to change,’” she mimicked in her best doctor’s voice.
“I’m sorry, Scarlett. It’s bad enough you lost your sight, especially since you hold a love for reading and can memorize a map in mere minutes to order air support. Let’s say they can’t do anything. Do you consider your life over? You’re a bright, intelligent woman, and I have difficulty believing you won’t find something to make your life worthwhile.”
“I planned for a military life. You see how that’s going,” she shot back. “Thanks for your service. Here’s a pretty medal you can’t see but can boast about and feel good about your sacrifice to your country.”
“Wow. How long have you kept rolling that around in our head? Let me ask you something. If you knew then what you do now, would you do anything differently?” he argued.
Scarlett sat for a moment, feeling stunned by his question. She knew at an early age she belonged in the military. Knowing the risks and possible outcomes of joining a job where men outnumbered females, what captors might do to a woman versus a man to get information or, at worst, come home in a casket, she still signed up. “No. I don’t regret my decision. Someone needed to save your ass, you barely made it out of a barn,” she teased.
“There ya go. You need to focus on your abilities now. Promise me you’ll give it a chance, Sassy Pants. We can’t bear seeing you torture yourself by staying in your room like it’s a prison cell. This situation may be permanent, but your response to it can only be temporary. We let you feel sorry for yourself for months, and I speak for the guys when I say we believe in you and expect to see you rise like a phoenix from the ashes.”
Scarlett swallowed and fought back thethreatening tears. She led these men out of danger, knowing their lives depended on it. Could she do the same for herself?
CHAPTER 8
