Page 38 of Lethal Pursuit

She drew a shallow breath, licked her sore lips. “Now the third guy, he’s watched all this happen and has planned his distraction out real carefully. He waits for his turn at the front of the room while the firing squad lines up with their weapons aimed at him, then at the last second points out the window and yells, ‘Fire!’” She fought a hysterical giggle because it hurt her ribs like a bitch. “And so they shoot him.”

A pause, followed by a dry snicker floating to her. “That’s the most depressing fucking joke I’ve ever heard in my life, Lieutenant.”

She fought the continued urge to laugh, even though she knew it was crazy. “Yeah. Sorry. I’ll try for something lighter next time.”

“You sure know how to lighten the mood.” He was still laughing at her. “You know what?”

“What?”

“When we get outta here, I’m taking you on a vacation.”

She liked the thought of that. Her last vacation had been a long weekend down to Miami from Hurlburt. And it had been completely forgettable. “Hmm. You’re paying, right?”

“Of course.”

“So that means you’ll probably expect me to put out, huh?” Her voice was rough and weak.

Another laugh. “Oh, believe me, I’ll make sure youwantto put out. A lot. I’m real attentive.”

God, he was so freaking adorable. “I might be interested,” she said, playing it coy, loving the distraction of this whole conversation. She shifted gingerly and winced at the sudden stab of discomfort in her back. “Plus, last time I didn’t get to see the green footprint tattoos on your ass. You’ve got ’em, right?”

“Honey, I’m a PJ. And you’ll like my tat. It’s special.”

She bet it was. “So where do you have in mind?”

“Someplace warm. You said you want to scuba dive. Ever been to Hawaii?”

“No. Just California, Colorado, Texas, Florida, Germany and here.” Mostly military towns. Pretty sad, when she thought about it.

“Well, then I’ll take you to Kauai. It’s my favorite place in the world.”

She’d love to see it, especially with him. What was the harm in dreaming about it? “Okay, but now that you’ve brought it up, you’d better not renege on your offer.”

“Hey, I’m a man of my word,” he said, his tone full of mock insult. “And I’d never renege with you, since I’m already thinking about all the things I’m gonna do to you when we’re in bed together next time.”

They should not have affected her under the circumstances, but his words made her lower belly flip anyhow. “Why, you into kink, Thatcher?” she asked with mock suspicion.

“Maybe. You scared?”

She snorted, keeping up the banter to cover the pain and helplessness. “In your dreams, Sergeant.”

“Naw, I’m pretty sure my dreams are too X-rated for the likes of you, Lieutenant,” he fired back.

“I’ll consider myself forewarned then.” She was smiling now, in spite of her torn lip and throbbing cheekbone, feeling lighter inside. God, she wanted to get them out of here. But how? There was no chance if they kept them confined and isolated like this. Both she and Jackson had tried kicking at the locks of their cages and gottenprecisely nowhere. She’d almost vomited at the pain of the effort.

A hollow silence settled between them, and she realized with a start that Haversham had stopped screaming at some point during the conversation. Had they finished torturing him, or had he...

She blocked out the horrific thoughts threatening to bombard her, the continual pain streaking along her face, ribs and wrist, the low-grade nausea and the incessant noisy gurgle of her ravenous stomach. Instead she closed her eyes and conjured up an image of her and Jackson lying on the beach while the surf rolled in. Just like a scene out of a postcard she’d seen. The breeze would be warm and salt-tinged. She could almost feel it on her face, hear the rustle of the palm trees swaying overhead.

Except it wasn’t the sound of rustling palm trees she heard now. It was shoes shuffling over the dirt floor. Someone was running down the corridor. She could hear muffled shouts from outside, loud voices as they swept into the corridor and down to where the interrogation room lay. At least two men were barking orders, others rushing to do their bidding.

Her eyes sprang open when she recognized the thud of booted feet heading their way. She held her breath, making herself as still as she could, praying the person wasn’t coming for her or Jackson. But the rapid footsteps came nearer. Two sets. They passed Jackson’s cell.

She was the only other person down this far.

Her heart hammered as alarm streaked through her, her bravado evaporating under a rush of sheer terror.Not again.She couldn’t do this again. Sweat broke out across her skin, panic clawing at her insides.

The man at her cage door flicked on a flashlight, and everything in her went icy cold when she recognized Khalid’s yellow eyes staring down at her. They gleamed with resolve and barely concealed anticipation.

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