Page 35 of Javier

“I don’t copy.” He paused at the trailhead and stared at me.

“Can you… um…” I shrugged. “Tie them up or put them out, but not kill them, maybe?”

“Not likely.” He checked the mag on his handgun before he did the same with his carbine. “That’s harder, less efficient, and more dangerous. It leaves the killers able to kill you. Please don’t tell me you’re hung up in some religious mumbo jumbo or another.”

“It’s not about that,” I countered softly. “It’s just that every person has potential and every life has value.”

“I happen to value your life over theirs.” He started down the trail. “Stick with me at all times. Mum’s the word. Clear?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s go.” He broke out into a fast jog.

I had no trouble keeping up, but as I followed him into the jungle, fear soured my stomach. My heart boomed like a drum in the night. The bad guys had caught up with us and terrible things were about to happen. And yet, for some odd, unexplainable reason, one thought prevailed above the others: Javier had kissed me. A lot.

It had felt good—no—amazing, even better than the first time, if that was possible.

I decided on the spot. I wasn’t going to let him die, and I wasn’t going to die myself until he kissed me again, and preferably, many times. It was shocking, but after we got away from the mercs, I wanted the happy ending I’d witnessed in my dreams, the one that took care of the lust, and ended with both of us naked and sated.

Chapter Ten

Missy

“Wake up the ladies,” Javier ordered as soon as we arrived at our camp. “Keep it quiet. Tell them to get ready to run. Get them to shape the ground under the poncho to look as if a couple of people are sleeping under the lean-to.”

“Got it.” I jogged over, shook the sisters out of their slumber, and relayed Javier’s instructions.

The women and I got to work. Javier got lost among the trees, then returned, leading the donkey that had scared the crap out of me. Leaving the sisters to complete the task, I tightened my backpack’s straps and rushed to meet Javier where he stood next to his ruck under the jacaranda tree.

“They’re on it,” I reported. “What now?”

“Take this.” He handed me the animal’s lead rope and busied himself transferring cartridges of ammunition from his ruck to his vest and pockets. “Go that way.” He pointed toward a dirt road visible beyond the trees. “Put the nuns on the donkey and move as fast as you can. Don’t come back under any circumstances. If I don’t catch up with you in the next twenty minutes, assume I won’t exfil with you and keep going.”

A frown tensed my forehead. “What do you mean?”

“You’ll walk due east until you hit the main road.” He un-velcroed his mission computer from his vest, brought up an electronic map with a route marked in blue, and traced his blunt index over the crooked line. “You’ll then parallel the road going south. Keep out of sight. You’ll veer here toward the border and park at the exact coordinates indicated in the screen. On this red blip.” He tapped the spot. “This should take you six hours, give or take. Someone will meet you there.”

“What if I can’t find them?” Anxiety bubbled in my chestas he slid the device into my leggings’ side pocket. “How will I know who they are?”

“Trust me.” He donned his tactical vest and fastened it in place. “They’ll know you.”

He shouldered his ruck, crossed over to the lean-to, and after conferring quietly with the sisters, dropped his backpack under the shelter. “Leave it where it is,” he tossed over his shoulder, stalking back to me. “Time for you to get moving.”

“But…” My chest squeezed with horror as the realization that he wasn’t coming with us hit me. “We can’t leave you behind.”

“We’ve come too far and worked too hard to let those fuckers screw up the mission.” He strapped on his tactical helmet. “Youare the mission. Getting you out. I can take care of myself. You’ve got your orders.”

“But I can’t—”

“Yes, you can.” He took a knee and tightened his boot laces. “If you don’t leave right now, you and your friends could die. I can’t allow that to happen. Do you read me, Angel?”

I don’t know what came over me. Fear. Dread. A profound sense of admiration for the warrior kneeling before me. I took his face between my hands, and in plain view of the nuns, planted a kiss on his lips.

“Catch up with us,” I whispered against his mouth. “That’s an order, Marine.”

“Yes, ma’am.” His lips took mine, a voracious, all-too-brief mauling.

When he released me from his mouth’s possession, I reeled from the sheer impact of his passion. For a moment, I was suspended in the most delicious dream, suffering from the after-effects of his real-life kiss.

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