Page 17 of Her Tempting Protector

Carys needed to examine the child but she’d been too busy operating. When the older children came back, Faizah questioned who had done this to their younger sister and they had clammed up. But they had suffered abuse as well. It looked like the middle sister had a broken arm that had never been set correctly, and then there was all the facial bruising that Shada had. Carys was ready to kill the man who had so viciously abused this family.

“Let me see her.” Carys and Faizah worked to trade their charges. It was easier than it would have been five hours ago. Carys just wished that the girl was struggling as much as she had been when they had first arrived. Unfortunately, she had lost strength with each passing hour.

“Oh, my love,” Carys attempted to soothe little Farida, but she wasn’t having any of it. She put her down on the communal bed that the children shared. She struggled weakly when Carys examined her bruised belly. Tenderly, she touched the baby girl’s bruised flesh, and she could feel the heat emanating from it. Farida let out a loud howl just from the gentle touch. Carys turned her to her side so that she could see where she had been manhandled. It was obvious she had been squashed by large hands. The bruising exactly matched a large man’s fingerprints.

“There is a truck coming. It’s soldiers. What will we do?” The eldest girl grabbed her middle sister and shoved her into the corner of the shack and stood in front of her, her entire body trembling. Faizah did not look much better, she clutched the newborn close to her body and stared at Carys.

“What if it is their father?”

Carys looked over at her medical kit. There wasn’t a chance in hell she was going to let that man in the house. She scooped Farida off the bed and went to her eldest sister.

“Honey, hold her,” she said calmly. She needed to keep everyone calm. The girl nodded as she took her little sister in her arms.

Carys practically dove for her backpack. She dug deep to the bottom, pushing through all the supplies. When she got to the bottom, she tore at the covering that hid the secret compartment that contained her gun. She grabbed her pistol and released the safety, then she spun around.

“Get behind me,” she gritted out to Faizah. The woman looked at her wide-eyed and stepped backward toward the siblings in the corner. Carys stood in front of them and steadily held the gun pointed at the door. She had a love and hate relationship with the cold steel in her hands. This was one of those times when she loved it.

“Hello?” A voice called out in Arabic.

“Dr. Adams?” An American voice yelled in English.

“Dr. Carys Adams?” her name was repeated from outside. “Dr. Adams, are you in there? We’ve been sent from Khartoum. Jamal told us you were at the clinic, and then Dr. Nazer directed us here. I’m Chief Petty Officer Cullen Lyons with the United States Navy, ma’am. I’ve been sent to get you out of here, it’s not safe.”

They’d sent her a SEAL? She was being rescued by a Navy SEAL?

Again?

“I have an injured mother and her children with me. We need to get them to a hospital.”

“Can we come in?”

She heard a whimper behind her. She realized that all of the talk in English was scaring them, the kids didn’t know what she was saying.

“Can you speak Arabic?” she called through the door.

“Both my partner and I can. Can we come in? We want to help.”

“It’s best if I come out. Let me come out first and greet you.” Carys lowered her gun.

“Are you sure it is safe?” Faizah asked.

Carys turned to her and smiled. “I’m sure. These are good men who will help us. I have friends who are in the United States Navy. I trust them with my life.” She went to the wobbly door and opened it just enough to step out.

They had their truck headlights on. As soon as she came out of the hut, one of the two men went in front of the truck so she could clearly see him. “I’m Cullen Lyons,” he said. Even from where she stood, she could feel the impact of his bright smile.

“Apparently, you know who I am. How did you find me?” Carys asked.

“We were able to track you via your satellite phone,” another voice came from the back of the truck.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Chief Petty Officer Raiden Sato, ma’am. I’ve trained as a medic if that helps.”

“It does. It does a lot. Would you mind standing next to Mr. Lyons?”

“Cullen. Dr. Adams, call me Cullen. I think we’re going to be in tight quarters for more than a minute. For the record, I have some medic training too. But his training is more extensive.” Carys was tense until the other man stepped next to Cullen. He didn’t have a smile, he seemed a lot more serious. He was a little bit shorter than Cullen, but a little broader. It was clear that he was of Asian descent.

“Okay, gentlemen, call me Carys. You’re SEALs, right?”