Page 19 of Emi's Hero

When he saw her standing there, he hurried forward. “How long have you been awake?”

She leaned against the doorframe. “Long enough to hear what you said about someone named Hawk and Kalea on their way here.” Her brow furrowed. “How much do they know?”

“My guy Swede did a quick calculation on currents, time and distance and figured the best guess was that you left on Fallon’s yacht from either Kauai or Oahu. I had thought about taking you out on the boat to see if you recognized the shoreline. Since you were blindfolded when you went out on the yacht, you won’t be able to identify the shape of the island or the shoreline where you left. Taking you out on the boat would do very little good.”

Emi nodded, her head spinning with George’s deductions. “And what does that have to do with these people, Hawk and Kalea?”

“I called my boss, Hawk, and told him I needed to conduct an aerial search of Kauai. I didn’t want to risk hiring a helicopter at this point, not knowing if the pilot could be trusted with my reason and what I was looking for. Hawk suggested he and Kalea come in Kalea’s plane. I told him that I would fill him in on what was happening when he arrived.”

Emi blinked. “And he’s coming? He didn’t want to know more?”

“I told him I couldn’t tell him more until he arrived. He was okay with that.”

“Who is Kalea?” she asked. “Can she be trusted?”

“Absolutely,” George said with a smile. “She’s Hawk’s fiancée and the pilot. She’ll be flying us over the island. That is if you’re up to it.”

“Yes,” Emi said, even though her legs still shook, and she couldn’t shake the feeling of bobbing along in the waves. It would take a lot more time to get her land legs and equilibrium back after spending so much time in the ocean.

“They’ll be here within the hour.” His gaze swept over her briefly. “Let’s find you something to wear and a good disguise. We’ll have to board the plane at the airport.”

Emi frowned. She hadn’t thought about that. “Do we have to go to the airport?”

“We’ll meet them at the general aviation airport, not the commercial airport. We can drive right out onto the tarmac and climb aboard immediately. No security checkpoints or other passengers to wade through.” He passed her and went into the bedroom. “I have a ball cap you can use, but you’ll need more clothes than just that T-shirt.”

Heat rose up Emi’s neck into her cheeks, completely aware of how naked she was beneath the shirt. Thankfully, it was large enough to drape almost to her knees. She didn’t ask because she could guess he’d dressed her in the T-shirt when she’d been unconscious. So, this stranger had seen her naked.

Why that mattered, she didn’t know. Fallon had taken away her clothes whenever he’d had her brought to his room in the compound. She’d been horrified and terrified in the beginning.

Fallon got too much pleasure out of frightening her and embarrassing her. She’d learned to focus on anything but what was happening, as if she’d stepped outside her body while he’d done whatever he wanted to her.

When he’d had her delivered back to her quarters, she’d stood for a long time in the shower. No matter how long she’d stood there, she hadn’t been able to wash away the filth of hisabuse. So many times, she’d wished he would beat her to death and put her out of her misery.

Until Sara.

Then she’d focused on her daughter and prayed for Fallon’s death instead of her own, figuring he’d have to die for her and Sara to be freed.

Now, she was free, and Sara was still stuck in that horrible place with that monster. Her belly clenched, and she nearly doubled over.

George emerged, carrying a pair of sweatpants and a ball cap. “These will be big on you, but you can tie the string tight enough to keep them up. And if you tuck your hair up into the cap and pull the bill low, no one will recognize you.”

She took the two items from him, her heart swelling at the fact this stranger was helping her.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have shoes that will fit, but I can dig out some socks.”

“It’s okay,” she said. “I haven’t worn shoes in so long; it doesn’t matter. He wouldn’t allow me shoes. It's just another way of keeping me from escaping. I wouldn’t have left. Not if I couldn’t get Sara out at the same time.”

George’s lips thinned. “As soon as possible, we’ll come up with shoes for you—and clothes that fit properly.”

“I’m not worried about how I look.”

He nodded. “You’re worried about your daughter.” George tipped his head toward the bedroom. “Go get dressed. We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready. It’s a little bit of a drive to the airport. If we leave soon, we should get there about the same time as Hawk and Kalea.”

“Do I have time to rinse off?” she asked.

He nodded. “Absolutely.”

“I won’t be long,” Emi said and hurried as best she could into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. She relieved herselfin the bathroom and then ducked under the shower to rinse off the salt sticking to her skin. She took a moment to lather her hair and rinse it thoroughly, feeling so much better despite her sunburned skin and cracked lips.

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