Page 61 of Damned
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Bree finished applying a fresh, thick layer of surgical gauze over Kruze’s wound, then strips of white medical tape over that. The night had grown quiet as she’d worked. So had Kruze. By the time she finished, he was snoring, and listening to him made her happy. She had no doubt he’d spring to attention if she asked, but for now, he needed rest. Quickly, she braided her hair. Then, just as he’d done for her in that far-off cave in Turkey, Bree lifted to her feet and walked the perimeter. Only she did it with a can of bear spray in one hand, and a good-sized tree branch in her other.
The campfire was reduced to nothing but orange glowing embers. What was left of the plane was pretty much down to smoking debris. Dutifully, she filled a couple empty bottles from the river, being careful to keep her feet dry, and drowned what was left of the campfire. It needed to be cold, and they needed to be prepared to run at the slightest sign of trouble. A warm firepit would be telling, but cold embers meant they were long gone.
Quietly, she scouted for other signs that would give them away. The tent would have to come down in a hurry, but Kruze had tied the rope with slipknots, making that job easy. The tarps were simple to fold and pack. She had extra room in her backpack for them. The only thing she couldn’t carry was the bottled water. Hoping to make it look as if that case of twenty-four had simply washed ashore after they’d crashed, she dragged it to the edge of the river and planted it between several round river rocks. There. That ought to work.
Bree stowed any loose garbage in the empty plastic bag the tarps came in, then tiptoed back to the lean-to, and, as quietly as she could, extracted Kruze’s leather jacket from behind him. The poor guy was still out cold. Because he’d been alert their entire time together in Turkey, she worried he might have a concussion now. His falling asleep so quickly wasn’t like him. She dragged one blanket over Kruze, then smoothed the thin mylar blanket she’d found in his gear bag, over that. Finally, Bree covered those blankets with the last one. Those three, combined with his body heat, would keep him nice and warm until sunup.
Snuggling into his jacket, Bree zipped it up to her chin, then ate a protein bar as she took her place beside Kruze. The bear spray was close, but she was alone, and she took her self-assigned duty seriously. There were predators in the world, but if any approached this safe zone tonight, she’d let them have it. In the face. She wouldn’t hesitate to take down jerks the likes of Josephus, Berfende, or Lantz. Not that Bree expected Lantz would ever do his own dirty work.
Her poor, battered heart turned to the man lying beside her and his impetuous proposal. She hadn’t answered. How could she? Yes, they were physically drawn to each other, and the sex was phenomenally hot. She did love him. But marriage? To a former SEAL, one of those lone, hard men standing in the dark between innocence and evil? To a man who had no trouble dashing off to the other side of the world at the first hint of danger? That didn’t sound like much of a life for the people he’d leave behind. As charming as Kruze was, Bree wasn’t sure she wanted that for herself or Robin.
And yet… He had come to her aid in Turkey, the last person she’d expected to see. But there he’d been, brash and daring, courting danger and spitting in its face, while he’d spirited her out from under Josephus’s bulbous nose. At first, Kruze hadn’t been the least bit friendly. But Bree now knew his attitude came from past run-ins with the ugly side of journalism. She couldn’t blame him for his opinion of people who’d spread falsehoods against his brothers. She had a problem with liars, too.
Her cheeks warmed remembering the look on his handsome face when she’d gotten up the nerve to ask him for help plucking those bits of glass out of her derriere. Even with a full beard, the man had still blushed like an adorable little boy. It was during those rare moments Bree saw the real Kruze behind the gruff, capable operator she’d fallen in love with. He’d turned shy when faced with her as a patient, the unlikeliest trait for a fierce warrior who killed for a living. Yes, Bree knew precisely what his job sometimes entailed.
She’d researched Navy SEALs in general, had even read a few SEAL autobiographies. Everything she’d found had confirmed what she’d already known. SEALs saved lives. They didn’t kill for sport or revenge. They served their country honorably, with uncommon valor. Kruze could’ve very well gone back down the mountain and killed Josephus in his sleep, but he hadn’t. Instead, he’d held her on his lap and off the cold floor all night. He’d chosen her over high adventure and mayhem.
And for that, she’d picked his pocket. There hadn’t been anything in his wallet except five hundred-dollar bills and a strange, black metal credit card. She hadn’t spent a penny of his, and someday, she’d give that wallet back. Wouldn’t he be surprised?
Bree took a deep breath, then exhaled it slowly through her pursed lips to ease her jittery nerves. Kruze was her kryptonite. She hadn’t been able to resist him in Paris, and certainly hadn’t tonight. It might’ve been their crazy first time together when her heart trouble had really started. That was, after all, when she’d given it away. Since then, it had merely been leading her back to the man who already owned it. The man she truly loved.
But marriage was a significant step for a single mother. There were many things to consider, number one being the ramifications of living with a man who was married to his job. Could Kruze ever settle for an ordinary home life with one, maybe two children? Was it fair to expect him to? Bree didn’t know.
A gentle breeze kicked up off the river, just enough that the branches overhead swayed and made Bree wary. When no other sounds intruded, like bears snuffling or men grunting, she stretched her legs and tipped back into the tree beside the lean-to. Of all people, Bree never dreamed she’d be the one doing the guarding tonight. She could just see the river through the low-hanging pine boughs from where she sat. Up close, it was a noisy thing, tumbling over rocks, pounding them smooth, as it crashed on its way to wherever it was going. But from where she sat, with so many trees between her and the river, it was mostly white noise. Its waves and eddies sparkled from the light of the barest crescent moon rising in the east.
Drawing in a deep breath of cool air, Bree resolved to discuss his proposal more fully with Kruze tomorrow, when he was rested. They needed to talk. Lord, she’d never expected to be faced with such an overwhelmingly frightening decision. The last four years had left a scar on her heart. Kruze had hurt her before. Could she risk letting him hurt her again, or Robin? Could Bree take that great of a chance?
There wasn’t much else to do, so Bree planned Robin’s next cookie party. The cookie cutting. The baking. The frosting. There wasn’t one part of party day Robin didn’t love.
Bree missed that little girl and wondered what she was doing now. Was she sound asleep with her blanket tucked over her ear? Or driving Nana and Grampa crazy with questions? Bree decided this next cookie party would be different. Not only would she teach Robin how to make molasses sugar cookies, but Kruze would be there helping. Oh, how Robin would boss him.
An owl overhead hooted. Bree watched it glide, the moon on its wings more silver than white when it faded into the forest across the river. Next, a deer appeared out of nowhere, as soundless as a ghost as it sniffed the smoke coming off the still glowing wreck. It didn’t have antlers, but Bree wasn’t sure antlers defined a deer’s gender. Probably not. Dairy cows had horns, and they were all female. The deer stood on the edge of the rocky shore for a long time, then, suddenly, it was gone. Just poof, there one second, out of sight the next.
For the rest of the night, Bree planned a thousand other things to keep herself awake and alert. It wasn’t until the first rays of sunlight breached the tops of the pines on the other side of the river, that she heard a man’s voice.
Lifting quietly to her feet, Bree decided to investigate instead of waking Kruze. This guy could be his brother. That’d be nice, and it was about time Chance showed up. She crept from tree to tree until she was close enough to see the man she’d heard.Damon Vick, her editor?Why was he there in the middle of nowhere, and why was he carrying a rifle? Bree very nearly marched into the open to challenge him when—
“Yeah, boss, got it. I understand,” he growled into the radio clipped high on his hunting vest. “Pretty sure this is where they went down. Haven’t seen the wreck yet, but that pinger you slipped into Banks’ cell phone’s still active, so I’m guessing she’s still alive. Yeah, just like in Turkey. Won’t be long now.”
Won’t be long for what? Pinger? In Turkey?Bree stayed in the shadows, furious at what she was hearing.
A terse male voice crackled over Vick’s radio. “No one but Banks can come out of this alive. Kill anyone who’s with her. I don’t care if it’s her damned kid!”
Oh, Lord in heaven, Harvey Lantz? No wonder Josephus had found her and Mehmet so easily. Lantz told him where she was. He’d been tracking her. Damn him!
Bree sank back behind the tree, her mouth dry and her heart racing to an entirely different beat now, half fear, half anger. Mostly anger.My child? My Robin!? You guys are going to kill my little girl?Like hell!
She melted into the dark vertical shadows between the trees, backtracking swiftly and silently to where she’d left Kruze. Once there, she went straight to her backpack and jerked her cell phone from the outer pocket. She’d been so busy before, she hadn’t thought of it. Then, when she had, it’d been too late to video chat with Robin.
Righteous rage roared over Bree now. Her fingers shook. How dare Harvey and Damon do this to her! To Robin! Harvey, she’d already suspected, but she’d trusted Damon with her writing, her confidences.
Betrayed, Bree cocked her arm, intent on slamming her phone into the nearest tree. But that wouldn’t have been smart, would it? What would Kruze do? She intended to find out. Pissed, she went to the lean-to and dropped beside him. Gently, she ran a hand under the blanket and over his shoulder. “Wake up, honey,” she whispered. “We have a problem.”
He sprang to his feet, his fists up, instantly ready to fight. “Where are they?” he hissed, his green eyes wild and fierce as he scanned the forest around them. “What’s going on? Status report! Now!”
“Kruze. It’s just me, honey,” Bree said evenly while she lifted to her feet to face him. “We’re being hunted.”
