Page 126 of The Wrecked One

“Julia’s not losing her brother,” I said in a daze. “That is not happening tonight or any other night.” The water lapped up on the shore near our boots as our team all knocked up our NVGs to look at each other.

That was when Michael’s words came back to me, nearly sending me to my knees. “And from what I know, you’ve saved a hell of a lot of other people in your life.”

Yeah, well, one more life to save . . . and that’s yours. I faced the island again, M4 in hand and ready. Not leaving here without you.

49

MYA

AL DHAFRA AIR BASE – TWO HOURS LATER

Wyatt’s eyes were red as he came over to where Gwen and I sat on the floor against a wall inside an empty hangar, waiting for news. The span of time since we’d been picked up from the yacht and flown by helicopter to the base, per Admiral Chandler’s orders, had been two of the longest hours of my life.

At the sight of Wyatt striding our way, I forced my trembling legs to usher me to my feet. “You have news?”

Wyatt locked his arms across his chest, drawing a hand over his mouth as Gwen rose next to me. “Everyone worked together to dig him out. They found him. He still had a pulse,” he said hoarsely, then shocked me by taking a knee.

Alive. He’s alive.

“Dad?” Gwen reached for his arm, going down with him.

We’d nearly lost Wyatt on the op Julia had brought us in on to save Oliver, and now this. It was all just . . . I couldn’t wrap my head around any of it.

“POTUS finally got through to the French president. She pulled the ship off our guys. Skies were clear for a medevac rescue.” More good news. Yet, Wyatt wouldn’t look us in the eyes as his other knee hit the floor. “Just after Michael made it inside the hospital, he coded.”

And there I went, too, collapsing in front of him. Shock tore me down next to the two of them.

“I was talking to Mason when it happened. He dropped the phone and I lost contact.” He curled the fingers of his free hand into a fist and touched his forehead.

Memories of Julia and her brother crowded my mind, going back to the day I’d secretly reached out to Michael to let him know his sister had asked for my help to save Oliver. I’d been worried she was going to get herself killed. And now Michael’s . . .

“This can’t be happening.” Tears flew down my face, and I choked back a full-on sob.

Gwen squeezed her dad’s arm and mine, offering us both support.

Wyatt jolted as his phone buzzed in his other hand, and he answered the call on speaker.

Mason immediately shared, “They’ve resuscitated him. They’re rushing him to surgery now.”

“Let me know the second you hear anything.” Wyatt’s voice was raw as he wiped away tears with the back of his hand.

“Mason,” I whispered, thankful he was okay, but also unsure what else to say when his close friend wasn’t yet out of the woods.

“Mya.” Mason’s voice was strained as he said my name, clearly fighting to keep it together. “Be in touch,” was all he added before the call ended.

Chills erupted across my skin at the sounds coming from behind me. I felt Oliver’s presence before I saw him. I craned my neck around to search him out.

Falcon team, Sam, and the other SEALs filtered through the roll-up door. No sight of the Irishmen. Oliver was at the front of the group, and he halted the second our eyes connected.

The breath whooshed from my lungs, and I lost my balance in my haste to get to my feet as quickly as possible, but I didn’t let that stop me from going to him.

Oliver met me halfway, lifting me off the ground. He crushed me against him, and I felt his stuttery breaths, emotions choking him up, as my feet slowly made contact with the floor again. “We couldn’t all go with Michael in the medevac,” he explained, his voice fraught with pain and distress in my ear. “The guys called to let us know what happened when they arrived at the hospital.”

I turned my face into his bare chest, clutching hold of his arms while being careful of his bad shoulder. “You’re okay?” I knew he was because Wyatt would’ve told me otherwise, but still, seeing was believing in this case.

Feeling his body flush with mine, I dissolved into an ugly cry as the weight of everything caught up with me.

I slowly peeled back and captured his face between my palms. His eyes were even more bloodshot than Wyatt’s, the emotion in every line of his face despite the dried blood and dirt smudged there. “How are you still standing after what you’ve endured tonight?” From the abuse his body had taken from fighting Hugo to this, it was a miracle he was still upright.

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