Page 41 of Her Captivated Hero

There was a pause. Then Hunter whispered. “She needs to be knocked out. She’s fighting us. She’s out of her mind with fright and I can’t blame her. There’s not one of us who could talk her down right now after what those animals did to her.”

“Are they dead?” Dex snarled.

“Griff took care of them. They’re still hanging on. They’re going to die bad.”

Aiden, Dalton and Dex all said “Good,” simultaneously.

Gray picked up Chantelle. “Did you grab the port or the starboard lifeboat?” he queried Dalton.

“Starboard.”

“Men, I’m taking Chantelle to starboard. Dalton’s with me. The rest of you go to the port lifeboat.”

“I’ll head there as soon as Aiden arrives,” Hunter said.

Chantelle stirred in his arms. “Emily?” she whispered. “Where’s Emily?”

“She’s alive,” Gray assured her as he weaved his way around the different pumps and tanks toward the stairs. He saw tears trailing down her face.

“Hurt,” she whimpered.

“I know it hurts, Miss. We’re going to get you to a hospital.”

Gray juggled with the door knob, and tried to shoulder the door open at the same time she lifted her hand in the air and waved it in front of his face. “Not me. Hurt Emily.”

“I’ve got the boat. It’s midship on the lower deck. We’ll load up and winch us onto the water.”, Hunter said.

“Got it,” Gray said. Even though he was walking fast, he did his best not to jostle Chantelle as he made his way up the stairs to the lower deck. He finally heard Aiden with Griff.

“Hold her still,” Aiden barked. It had to be a shit situation, but Griff needed to lay hands on the woman in order to help her. Her scream of terror was heartbreaking. “I’ll take her,” Aiden said after a long moment.

Yep, a shitty situation.

* * *

Gray’s boatwas the first one to reach land. He didn’t know how he’d done it, but by the time he got Chantelle to the truck, he found that Dex had some of the softest pillows and blankets imaginable.

“Where’d you get these?”

“You don’t want to know.”

Fuck, no wonder he knew there’d been a wedding at the resort.

Chantelle was unconscious, and her breathing was labored, but no blood bubbles. Her fingers were pink, so that was a blessing. Gray left her in the truck with Dalton. He was the second best medic on the team.

Hunter and Aiden were pulling the boat to shore. Griff held Emily in his lap. There had only been one time Gray had seen Griff look this broken up, and that was when Miranda had been close to death. Gray waded beside the boat and held out his arms. He saw that she was wrapped up in a bed spread.

“Hand her to me, so you can get out of the boat. Okay?”

“She’s so young,” Griff said.

“You’ve done enough. It’s time for the rest of us to take care of her. Give her to me, I promise she’ll be safe,” Gray said.

Griff hesitated only a moment. “I know you will, man. It’s just that her eyes are the exact color as Livvie’s,” he said, referring to his daughter. The blanket slipped as he handed the girl over to Gray. Her soft, naked shoulder was exposed.

Gray’s worst fears were confirmed. He gently took the young woman out of Griff’s arms, and gave Griff a nod of approval.

Griff sighed. His glance cut over to the big, blond Irishman. “I’m sorry, Aiden.”