Hannah half smiled, she remembered the nickname he gave her. It was something special between them. It was from all the mischief they caused that he had to save her from. It was a name that had stuck over the years. He hadn’t thought about it since that day at the lake.
“You still have a mission to complete and a life to lead you don't need to be stuck babysitting me.” Hannah said one thing but her body language another. She didn’t want to just be discarded and forgotten about. Hannah had always wanted to be in on the action. Could he allow her to? She knew sensitive information about his enemy and could provide him with intel he was sure wouldn’t be on the flash drive. She had a family that he knew was sick with worry over her. Could he be so selfish and keep her to himself even for a few extra days?
Benwalked up closer to her until a hairs breath separated them. “I would never say I'm stuck babysitting you, Goldilocks.”His tone gentle and teasing.
“But you have to complete your mission and stop Alejandro.” She worried her bottom lip. Hey eyes locked on his. Wondering. Worrying.
“And I needyouto do that.” He told her matter of fact, giving her a lop-sided grin that always made the ladies swoon. Her eyes soften just like he had hoped. He was used to manipulating people to get what he wanted. Right now, he needed her compliance to go back home with him and tell him everything he needed to know.
Her brows crinkled in confusion. Her lips thinned out. “What?”
“You have information we don't, and I'm sure not everything is on that flash drive. You were with him long enough to notice a pattern or heard who he might be working with. I need you to help us stop him.”
“But I’ve told you everything you needed to know.” Ben could hear the panic in her voice. He had pushed her to soon. She abruptly stood up and looked around frantically. He knew she was going to try and run.
Bengrabbed her hand gently. “Hannah, relax. I’m not holding you hostage. You have inside information that could greatly help us. I’m asking for a little of your time to help us and afterward, I will personally see you home.”
“You promise?” her voice cracked. “I tell you everything I know, and I can go home?”
“Cross my heart. You can even call your family once we land.”
“Land? Land where?” Her panic rising again.
“Our home base is at Fort Irwin in California.”
~
Hannah’s ears perked up. California was on the west coast. Close to where sheneededto be. Her brothers lived in California. At least she thought they still lived there. She hadn’t talked to them in a long time, they were so busy running their own empires they hadn’t had time for her.
Hannah sank to her knees and let her tears fall. “I’m going home,” she repeatedly whispered still not believing it. She had hoped and prayed to go home for so long, not believing herself that she would ever make it there. She figured the guards would kill her after so many escape attempts or something far worse.
Benpicked her up and held her to his chest, protecting her as she cried. Once the first tear fell a flood gate broke. She cried for her friend, for all the woman she couldn’t help. She cried for herself. For too long she had been afraid to show emotion. Afraid it would earn her a punishment, but now there was nothing holding her back. Ben, like the rock he was just held her until she felt drained.
Doctors located the drugs and trackers quickly and had them removed. The trackers were destroyed, and the drugs placed in the shipment box. The women carrying the drugs would recoup at the base and then be sent home. The ones not implanted had contacted their families and were being sent home. RAPCON, radar approach control system, kept an eye out for anything coming towards the base, especially from Panama.
Before she knew it, Hannah was thrown on another plane, they were headed for California. She knew she should have called her family first, just to let them know she was alive but hesitated. She loved her family, and though she was the middle child she did always feel the odd man out, well woman, being the only girl. Garrett and Jason had followed their father’s footsteps and started up their own business. Hannah was still finding her way. She was not the high society girl her mother always envisioned her to be as much as she had tried. Her parents forbid her from having a job saying she needed to focus on finding a rich husband to take care of her and then she could focus all her time on charities and functions. Hence her turning thirty crisis. She had been turning thirty and had nothing to show for it. Her parents hadn’t seemed concerned, but she did. She wanted to do something with her life and make a difference and not just by signing a check, but she didn’t know how. Maybe by helping Ben and his team, she could finally feel like she had a purpose.
“You okay?” Ben asked sitting down next to her.
Hannah nodded. There was no point in telling him she was nervous about going home. He would probably think something was wrong with her. Who wouldn’t want to go home after being away just over a year and a half? And while she was happy to be going home, she knew shewasn’t the same woman who had lefthome and gone to Paris. That girl was gone forever. Would her parents accept her? Would they blame her for what happened? They had warned her not to go, but she hadn’t listened. She thought she knew everything about everything and had nothing to worry about.
“You don’t look okay?”Benpressed, taking her hand in his.
She looked down at their joined hands and noticed the differences between them. His were large and callused over. Probably from all his years holding a weapon and physical labor. They were also tanned. Hers were pale and dainty. Dirt clung to her nails she could never get out. Callused over from miscellaneous escape attempts and fighting back. She tried to pull her hand back from his, feeling embarrassed but he held tight.
“Talk to me, Hannah,” he asked leaning closer to her, so their conversation stayed private.
Why did he have to come back into her life? She was nothing special to him. He treated her like she was a guy and never saw her as a woman, until that last summer and gave her the best kiss of her life before disappearing without a word. So why did it seem like he was trying to get to know her again? They were still worldsapart fromwhat they wanted in their lives. What good would it do to get to know each other again? All it would do was break her heart all over again and she couldn’t live through that. She hadalreadytold him she would help him. What more did he want from her? She wasn’t capable of more. He was a large man and use to getting what he wanted. Probably went through women faster than most men went through underwear. She wasn’t capable of something physical. She doubted she ever would be again. “There’s nothing to talk about.” She told him, hoping that would be the end of the conversation. That hope was in vain. She should have known he wouldn’t give up so easily.
“There is, you don’t like to fly, that’s one thing. But something else is bothering you.”
“And why do you care?” Hannah asked facing him. It was a mistake. It put them almost face to face. She could feel his breath on her face.
Benlooked her deep in the eye, pulling her in closer like a spider with a fly. What was it about him that compelled her? He was everything she should despise in a guy. Cocky, arrogant, thought he owned the world, playboy. And yet for all his flaws she still liked being around him. There was somethingseriouslywrong with her. A glutton for punishment.
“Because you have been through enough and it's time someone took care of you.”
Hannah pulled away asif he had slappedher. He cared because he pitied her? What did she expect him to say? He was taking care of her because he liked her? He saw her as a victim, not as a woman capable of taking care of herself. Could she blame him? Their first meeting in thirteen years was her in a bra and shorts chained to a cot. She was the screaming damsel in distress even if shedid havea plan of escape. “Well, you don’t have to worry about taking care of me. I can take care of myself.” Hannah knew she sounded defensive, but he had hurt her pride. She was far from strong, but she hated being viewed as weak. She thought she had held upwellall things considered.
