Page 38 of Seduced by a SEAL

Chapter 15

Colton’s gaze swept over the woman sleeping beside him. She’d been so out of it when they found her, he wasn’t even sure if she realized this was all real. Her dark hair cascaded over the seats across from him where she lay curled up, a Navy-issued blanket draped over her. Although she had some scrapes and bruises, he wasn’t sure what, if any, other injuries she’d sustained. She’d go straight to the hospital when they landed; ambulances were already on standby.

And hell if he wouldn’t have a lot of explaining to do.

Hunter walked over to him, eyeing him carefully. “I just spoke with the CO. We can get her a refugee visa to temporarily stay in the U.S. If she agrees to cooperate with the authorities and provide whatever intel she can, that’ll make the process much smoother.”

“Hell,” Colton said, scrubbing a hand over his face. “This is a damn lot to take in. I was so focused on rescuing her, I didn’t even think about the loopholes we’d have to jump through when he got home.”

“It was easier for Emma,” Hunter said. “With her background in archeology, it was no problem getting her a work visa and green card to stay here in the U.S.”

“Yeah,” Colton said bitterly. “I guess it’s not exactly the same when your father is head of a notorious drug cartel.”

“Nope,” Hunter agreed. “It doesn’t mean something can’t be worked out though if she wants to stay.”

Colton chuffed out a laugh. “If? Hell, she was kidnapped by her own bodyguards. You think she’d want to go back to that life?”

“Don’t know. But I’m guessing you’ll have a lot of explaining to do when she wakes up.”

Colton’s gaze slid back to Camila. “Ain’t that the truth. Hopefully she won’t be pissed as hell at me for not telling her who I was back in Miami. Rescuing her has to count for something, right?”

Hunter looked over to Camila’s sleeping form. “One thing I know? Don’t count on anything for sure with women. She may think you’re her savior, or she may be mad as hell.”

“Wonderful,” Colton quipped.

Ryker strode down the middle of the aisle of the C-17. “Did you see that message from the CO? Analysts are already going over the data we collected from the laptop. The operation may have gone to hell with Miguel being taken out, but we retrieved a hell of a lot of information.”

Colton’s gaze slid over the pale features on Camila’s normally caramel-colored skin. She had dark circles under her eyes, and her face was wan. She looked so damn innocent sleeping across from him. He’d helped her into a spare pair of fatigues before they’d gotten onto the plane. The large clothing had swallowed her much smaller, curvy frame, and she’d been so disoriented, he wasn’t sure she even realized who he was or what had happened.

He’d do damn near everything in his power to make it right though. Explain to her about Miami. Tell her who he was and what he did. Not every career involved flying off to foreign countries and tracking down armed men. She had to realize he was U.S. military.

That didn’t mean she’d be happy about it though.

An hour into their flight she stirred, crying out as she awoke from her sleep. Colton was at her side in an instant, crouching down beside her. “Shhh, kitten,” he whispered. “I’m here.”

Ryker snickered from a few seats over, and Colton shot him a look that could kill.

Chocolate brown eyes opened to meet his concerned gaze. “Colton?” she asked, her voice weak. “What’s going on?”

He cleared his throat. “You’re on a flight back to the U.S. We’ll get you to a hospital to get checked out as soon as you arrive. I know you’re dehydrated and may have other injuries.” His chest tightened as his eyes ran over her. Camila was here. Alive. Whatever she’d dealt with he’d help her to face. If she wanted him.

“Are you hurt anywhere, kitten?” he asked softly.

“Just some scrapes and bruises,” she said.

“They didn’t—hurt you?” He didn’t move a muscle, eyeing her carefully. Not knowing what had happened to her was almost worse than knowing the truth. Worst-case scenarios were tumbling through his mind. She hadn’t been missing for long, but any number of men could have taken advantage of her. Hurt her.

“They were planning to sell me at an auction,” she whispered. “Some type of sex-trafficking ring like the type my father was involved in.” Her voice became choked, and tears started running down her cheeks. Her body trembled, and without thinking, Colton moved closer, pulling her into his arms.

She shuddered against him, quietly sobbing, and Colton felt his chest tighten in anguish. His arms tightened around her.

“You’re U.S. military,” she whispered after a few minutes.

“That’s right,” he agreed, wiping a tear from her cheek as she pulled away and straightened. Her tearful gaze slid around the plane.

“What are you? Some type of military commandos?”

“Navy SEALs,” he confirmed. “We were sent down to Colombia to track down your father.”

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