“They are, but you’re safe.”His deep voice rumbled right through her, competing with the sheer terror she felt.She was surrounded by armed men in the vehicle, but somehow, the one at her side was who she felt safest with.It made little sense.She didn’t know the first thing about Commander Madden yet instinctively sensed he’d protect her no matter what.
Another explosion sounded, and she let out a tiny yelp of surprise.
“Shouldn’t we do something?We’re just sitting here!”she cried out, panic suddenly rising within her.“We need to get farther away!”Luciana knew she was being somewhat unreasonable, but to be so close to freedom and have it snatched away was gut-wrenching.What if the cartel found her and drugged her again, taking her someplace she’d never be rescued from.Luciana broke out in a cold sweat, her chest tightening as adrenaline flooded her veins.Placing a hand over her heart, she felt it pounding, and took a shaky breath.
“Breathe,” Commander Madden ordered.“In.Out.There you go,” he said, watching her closely.“We’ll get you out of here, Ms.Rodriguez.Our counterparts are handling the current situation, so we’re hanging back for the moment.It appears some cartel members are currently attempting to breach the Panamanian military base.We’re not about to put you in danger.Our only priority is ensuring your safety.”
She clutched her hands to her chest but nodded, her breathing easing slightly.
“What was that explosion moments ago?”she finally asked.
The commander exchanged a look with Ryan.“More cartel members were spotted on the highway and taken out.After we paid a visit to several of Santiago Garcia’s properties tonight, his men are coming out of the woodwork.”
A commotion outside had them pausing, and then Luciana heard several gunshots from close by.“Oh my God,” she whispered, listening to the shouts of the men and weapons firing in the night.
“They’re too damn close,” Harrison muttered.He listened to something on his headset and then gestured to the other men.“Stay with Luciana.”He opened the door and jumped out before Luciana could say another word, watching in shock.
“Shit!Go after the commander!”one of the other men yelled, and then two more men were exiting the Humvee as well.
“Jesus Christ,” Ryan said from beside her.He tensed, looking through his night vision goggles out the window and listening in to the communications.He could see everything in the darkness—and she was practically sitting here blind.Luciana wouldn’t know if someone was breaching the vehicle until they were right in front of her.
Was the cartel as equipped as the elite Navy SEAL team?She could only hope the answer to that was no.Something bad was going on, however, or the other men would still be inside with them.
“SITREP!”Ryan said over his mic.
He put his arm across her, almost as if expecting someone to come inside.Luciana was trembling, and then there was another round of gunshots.
Ryan’s hand was at his ear.“Roger that.Package is secure.Over.”
Moments later, the commander and other men climbed back inside, the interior suddenly filled with light.The commander’s sleeve had blood on it, and she gasped in surprise.He’d barely taken a seat beside her before the engines were rumbling, the Humvees pulling back out onto the road.
“Enroute once again to the airstrip.ETA is ten minutes.Over.”She wasn’t sure who had said it, because she was staring at Commander Madden.
“You’re hurt!”she cried out.
“I’m fine,” he muttered, but the other men were already grabbing a first aid kit, pulling out gauze and supplies.
“You’re not fine; you’re bleeding!”
“It’s just a scratch,” he said, pressing gauze to his wound.
Without thought, Luciana pushed his hands aside.“Si.Will it be just a scratch when infection sets in?Maybe you expect me to command your SEAL team while you are delirious with fever.”
He looked amused but let her tend to him.In that instant, she wasn’t a scared, former hostage anymore.She was an experienced nurse in her element, scolding her patient for downplaying his wound.“Gloves,” she said, sliding on the pair that was handed to her.She rolled up his sleeve to assess the injury, eyeing his muscled forearm.There was springy hair covering his tan, toned flesh, and she felt an unexpected flutter in her belly.He was just another patient.That was all.Commander Madden was no different than any other man she’d treated.
It looked like he’d been grazed by a bullet, and he was right—it wasn’t serious.That didn’t mean it should be left untreated.Gripping his arm, she cleaned the wound with antiseptic.She’d treated thousands of patients over the years, but it somehow felt strangely intimate sitting beside him in the back of the Humvee.She’d pulled his arm across her lap and bandaged the wound, making sure the area would stay clean.
As he sat still while she tended to him, Luciana realized it had grown quiet around them as the men watched her work.Flushing, she pulled back, suddenly self-conscious.“Si.All set.You will survive.”The commander’s arm was still in her lap, but he thanked her and rolled down the sleeve, briefly eyeing Ryan.
Commander Madden met her confused gaze.“We were ambushed back there.There’s likely a tracking device on you.We changed route, heading away from the military base, yet were quickly found by the cartel.”
“Oh my God,” she breathed, running her hands over her clothing.“A tracking device?But when?How?”
“If they had your clothes, ma’am, they probably inserted something then,” one of the men said.“If you’d tried to run, they’d have found you.”
She patted her clothing again before realization set in.Frowning, Luciana lifted one foot, taking off her boot.She pulled the insole free, and instead of the pocketknife she’d hidden in the sole, she pulled free a small tracking device.“They took my knife,” she said in shock.“They replaced it with this.”
Commander Madden reached over, his gloved fingers brushing hers, and dropped the tracker to the floor of the Humvee.He stomped on it, crushing the small device.
