Page 18 of Emi's Hero

Hands slippedbeneath her and lifted her off the floor. “Emi,” a deep, kind voice spoke softly against her ear. “Emi, sweetheart, wake up.”

She blinked her eyes open, her body tensing. Instead of the angry brown eyes of the man who’d haunted her life for the past eight years, she stared up into concerned blue eyes.

“Sara?” she asked.

He shook his head. “You were dreaming.”

Tears slipped down her cheeks. “She was crying. I couldn’t find her.”

“We will find her,” he said, laying her on the bed, then pulling the sheet up around her. “I already have Swede looking for any properties owned by Fallon Vance. He’s usually pretty fast. It’s only a matter of time before he finds something.”

“She’s only three,” Emi whispered.

“We’ll find her,” he insisted, brushing a tear from her cheek. “Try to sleep.”

As he started to straighten, she reached out to grasp his hand. “He was there. Laughing.”

George held her hand in his big, warm one. “He’s not here. I won’t let him hurt you.”

“But he’ll hurt Sara.” More tears slipped down her cheeks.

“We’ll find her. Right now, you need rest to regain your strength.” He squeezed her hand gently. “Sleep.”

Emi shook her head, the overwhelming fear of moments before hanging in the background of her mind. “I’m afraid to close my eyes. He’ll be there.”

“How can I help you?” he said softly.

She stared up at him. “Will you...stay with me?”

George sat on the bed beside her, still holding her hand. “I’ll stay with you,” he said. “You’ll be safe with me. Sleep, sweetheart. Maybe when you wake, we’ll know more from Swede.”

“I’ll try.” She stared up at him for a few more moments. Eventually, her eyelids drooped, and she slipped into a dreamless sleep with the warmth of the man who’d saved her pressed against her side.

The next time she woke,it was at the sound of a man speaking softly in the other room.

Emi came awake slowly, stretching her arms and legs, experimenting with her muscles and becoming more aware of herself and her surroundings.

She pushed the blanket and sheet aside, realizing for the first time that she wore an oversized dark gray T-shirt and nothing else.

Frowning, she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

The voice in the other room continued talking in a low and insistent tone. She recognized the voice as belonging to the man who’d introduced himself as George. What had he said he was?

A Marine.

Weren’t Marines supposed to be highly trained and the best of the best? That memory gave her a little hope.

Emi wanted to know what he was saying. Was he speaking with his computer guy? Had they found any information about Sara or the compound where they were being held?

Easing herself off the bed, her feet hit the cold wooden floor. Her knees buckled immediately.

She caught herself by holding onto the side of the bed. For a long moment, she stood, letting her legs adjust and grow strong enough to allow her to stand straight and walk.

One step at a time, she made her way toward the door. As she reached it, she could see George standing at a window, staring out as he spoke to someone on his cell phone.

“Until we know more, keep reviewing the satellite images. I just got off the phone with Hawk. He and Kalea were in Honolulu. They’re flying over as soon as they fuel up. We’ll do our own search over Kauai. If we don’t see anything here, we’ll head toward the Big Island. Let us know if you find anything on the satellite images. Roger. Out here.”

He ended the call and turned.

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