Page 6 of Protected By the SEAL

It isn’t much of a trek to the jungle, so I get there quickly and I’m damn near blown away. The jungle has a beauty to it. It’s magnificent in the way that it towers its greenery above me, but it’s intimidating as well. Stepping in, stepping away from the sunshine which is trying its hardest to make an appearance, I know what I’m going toward. Potential death.

“No, this is going to be good,” I remind myself as I walk. “This is me avoiding too much drama, sidestepping violence as much as I can, and saving Cassie’s life. This is right. I’ll get rid of the one kidnapper rather than the freaking Mexican Cartel.”

It just makes sense, doesn’t it? One small-time criminal versus several big-time gang members. Yes, Max would agree with me. I will even call him and tell him as much to get that confirmation, but it’s too early in the morning for that. I don’t need to disturb him. I can tell Max what I did right afterward. He will know where I am, anyway. It’s fine. He always knows where we are.

I feel calm. I feel good. Every step is flooded with confidence. Every time I check the compass and the map, each time I follow the directions laid out for me, I wonder how Cassie is doing.I would love it if she could feel me coming, if she knew that safety was headed her way, because this poor girl really has been through enough, but I doubt it. But I know it, which is enough.

I’m coming for you, Cassie,I think deep within me as I stalk through the jungle which is growing denser and thicker by the minute.You don’t know it yet, but I’m coming and everything will be okay. You can trust me to get you out of here.

It’s a prospect that could intimidate me if I let it, but I won’t. Any man who has been through a life like I have can’t.

Oh, my God, how is it possible to be so hot? I’m literally covered in sweat and it just keeps on coming. The temperature in this place is overwhelming, but I won’t give up. Every time it gets a little too much for me, I remember that I’ve been through worse. And not only that, but the beautiful redhead is waiting for me. She’s my motivation.

With every step, I think of her face, her eyes, her smile. I tell myself that I’m going to make sure she sticks around to light up more rooms, to make other people happy. Her future rests on my shoulders, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make it real. It helps me to bypass the sweat, to ignore the constant tiredness creeping up through me, to get past any obstacle in my path. The real positive is that I haven’t seen any dangerous animals yet. That’s a challenge I don’t know whether I’m ready for. Humans, I can usually work out what their plan is, I can see in their eyes what they’re doing and what they’re working for, whereas animals… I have no idea. I don’t know if I can outwit a beast that can tear me to absolute shreds.

Wait.I check the map and the compass a few more times before I finally accept what I think might be happening. Yep, I’m right, I’m here at last. I’ve made it to where I need to be. Somewhere in this area is the meeting spot. All I want to do is collapse to the floor to gather myself back up again, but I have to locate the clearing first. Once I know exactly where everything will transpire, I can pick a place to wait everything out properly. I can plan it out right.

I step quietly because it’s always best to act like I don’t exist in an area where things might be happening. Even if I don’t feel anyone around right now because there’s too much time, it’s better to be safe than sorry. For that very same reason, I keep my hand rested on my gun as I move. I won’t use it unless I absolutely need to because death and disturbance in the jungle isn’t ever the best idea, but for self defense and to help Cassie, I need every possible tool at my disposal.

As much as this place looks exactly the same no matter which way I turn, I use my sharp instincts to locate the finer details which will help me with my tracking later on. Maybe this particular skill is why Max believed in me so much. Tracking in a place like this is the difference between life and death, and I’m teetering on the right side of it. Any minute now, I’ll be able to find the clearing, and then everything can come to a halt for a little while. I can wait, use my patience, and see…

Oh, my God.At first, I blink a few times, assuming that I’m having some kind of oasis in the desert moment. This can’tactuallybe happening, can it? But then, why not? Who else is the flame-haired, terrified woman tied to a tree going to be? Unless there’s some kind of other very similar situation going on here that I know nothing about. No, this is her. This is Cassie.

She’s here. Cassie Jones is in the jungle already. I was right to follow my gut. Maybe the kidnapper has come early. Perhaps Max wasn’t exactly right with his times. Whatever it is, I can save Cassie now and get her the hell out of here. My heart which was hammering violently in my ears only moments before is now softly pulsating with excitement. I might not need to use the motel room again, as we might be out of here in a moment. I could be home in time for dinner if the pilot can come for me sooner rather than later. To have such a sensitive high-profile job done with such speed, I’ll be an absolute legend.

With excitement, I step forward, about to go and untie her without a second thought. To get to Cassie now, with no one around, it’s perfect. Almost too good to be true. And I’m about to be proven right. Before I can make my presence known, a man emerges. A man with a face absolutely red with anger, I can see it written all over him. I slide backward, instinctively knowing that I need to keep out of his eye line for the moment. I can still do this, I can still rescue her, but I need to be patient.

Cassie stiffens. Fear floods her. I feel terrible that I didn’t get to her faster. If I’d moved quicker, then she would be safe now, in my arms. I could be caring for her, keeping her away from this angry man, taking her back home again. Back to the motel, then back to her family, back to the life that she might like, even if it doesn’t seem appealing to me.

Now, she’s at this man’s whim. She doesn’t even know that I’m here to help her. No wonder she’s terrified. Especially now that he’s pacing around her with mania in his face. I take my gun in my hand and hold it in position, ready. I won’t make any moves yet, just in case there are more guys to come out of the woodwork, but I’m on top of this asshole. I’ll finish him off if he eventriesto harm Cassie. I won’t let anything happen to her.Her life is on my shoulders, and that’s something I’m taking very seriously.

6

CASSIE

“This is fucked up, I can’t stand it. Not one phone call, not one bit of communication. It’s as if no one cares about me. No one wants to know, ‘oh, how are you getting on, Alex? Nothing,” the kidnapper, who is seemingly named Alex, unless that’s some kind of pseudonym he’s working with, declares angrily. The pacing around me is making me anxious. I don’t like it one bit. “I mean, they are all well and good, calling me to bark orders at me, but they don’t check in. This shit is supposed to be happening soon. There should be a meeting any minute now, and I haven’t heard from them. Is this professionalism? No, I don’t think so.”

I suck in and hold a breath. I don’t think Alex expects me to answer him or anything. What the fuck can I say? ‘Oh, I’m so sorry that the guys who want to use and kidnap me aren’t here yet’? No way. But I need to be prepared to speak, just in case.

“Are they even coming?” Alex throws his hands in the air in frustration. “Have things fucked up somewhere along the line? Has something happened with your father? I don’t know, and they might be throwing me under the bus.”

My heart lifts with a little bit of hope. Dad must know that I’m missing by now, and there’s a massive chance that he’ll act instantly. I know he doesn’t trust the Puerto Rican police when they didn’t catch the people who broke into our home years ago, but with this will surely change his mind. He won’t be able to get me alone. But is it likely that the cops will get the Cartel over this? I mean, all the things they do are dreadful, the worst of the worst. Not that I know a lot, but there are drugs and murder, God knows what else. I don’t suppose the kidnap of one person will change everything, but if my father starts… well, he can be an animal. I just hope some of that translates to saving me. God, I need him to save me. I need him here right now.

“Those fuckers,” he growls while his fists ball up by his sides. “They think that I’m just some small-time little guy who doesn’t mean anything to them, but I can kick some ass. I can make a dent on them. I can make them know about me.”

“What about me?” I feel like it’s time for me to try and defend myself, but he doesn’t give a shit about me.

“I don’t give ashitabout you.” He shakes his head hard. “I’m trying to work out what the fuck I’m going to do here. I need to figure out how to get out of this situation without landing my ass in jail. Iwon’tget locked up for them.”

“I’m sure my father will still pay you if you want to take me back home,” I offer, my survival instincts coming out.

“I don’t want to hear about your damn father. I don’t want to hear anything aboutyouanymore.”

“Just let me go.” I wrestle with my ties for a little while longer, even though I know it’s pointless. I’ve been trying on and off throughout the night, and all I’ve managed to achieve is a rawredness around my wrists. It’s absolute agony. “We don’t need to keep going on with this now, do we? If they aren’t coming, then you can save yourself. Both of us.”

“Oh, as if you won’t head straight to the cops. You think I don’t see right through you?” He rolls his eyes in an exaggerated manner. “I don’t want to hear anything from you. In fact, I think it might be better if you shut your mouth so I can work shit out. I can’t think straight with your constant going on. Your fucking shrill voice is annoying. I don’t want to hear it.”

I clamp my lips tightly shut, trying desperately to give the man what he wants, but the need to speak damn near overwhelms me. I can’t get past the fact that this might well be my last chance to save myself, so I need to try.

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