While the most handsome man I’d ever seen in my life, the furrowed look of his brow and the number of weapons strapped to his massive body provided an ominous appearance. I could easily tell by his hard expression he was none too happy with me.

  He took long strides in my direction, never blinking. Tank sat back on his haunches, watching the man with full admiration in his brown eyes.

  There were no words exchanged, no further explanation. He simply yanked me off the ground, pitching me over his shoulder as if I weighed nothing. Another series of long strides and this time I was strapped into the passenger seat. Just before he closed my door, he offered a savage look as a warning.

  I sucked in and held my breath as he moved around the front of the Jeep, jumping inside.

  “You cost us valuable time, Juliette. Time that could mean the difference in getting the fuck out of here or eventually sending you home in a box. That is if you’re not fed to the sharks or wild boars.”

  Another shiver cascaded down my spine and I stared at him while he resumed driving. “Are you trying to scare me?”

  God, the man could snarl and scowl with the best of them. He was obviously no happier being here than I was over not knowing who the hell he was.

  “I’m trying to keep you alive. No more stunts.”

  My contemptuous side was ready to demand an answer to what if I did. But some of the shock was wearing off, terror filling up the deep cavern.

  He took the back roads, constantly scanning every road, every shadow. With it being so early, there were few people on the streets. I’d been to Bermuda several times in my life and had visited almost every corner of the connected islands. It was obvious he didn’t have a clue where he was going.

  “You’re near Pembroke Parish. There’s a small hotel, almost like a BNB called Cavendish Heights. It’s totally off the grid.”

  The ridiculously slow way he turned his head indicated he wasn’t used to a woman providing any thoughts or assistance. If I had to guess given his surly attitude, he also didn’t have a significant other in his life. Who could put up with his holier than thou attitude?

  “How far?” he finally asked.

  “Not far. Maybe five miles. I don’t know if they take dogs.”

  “Oh, they will.” His utter arrogant confidence might have been a distinct turn-on in my former life. But as a prisoner in some unknown war, I had no such thoughts.

  “Are you always so sure of yourself?”

  “Are you always such a pain in the ass to people trying to help you?”

  His rudeness caught me off guard. “As you might imagine, I’m not used to being kidnapped.”

  “Oh, yeah?” He slowed down, throwing me another look.

  At least I could laugh even if doing so hurt. I folded my arms across my stomach, nausea settling in. My hands shaking, I found the bottle of water I’d tossed, finding it more difficult to twist the cap than before. I was losing strength. When I finally did, the bottle almost slipped through my hand. The commotion forced the lieutenant to glare into the rearview mirror.

  I closed my eyes, touching the side of my face where I’d been hit.

  “Does your head hurt?” Kage asked.

  “A little.” I took several swallows of water, trying to take it slow, but sucking down almost half. With Tank breathing on me, I realized he must be thirsty. I poured a little in my hand, still fearful, but worried the pup was thirsty. When he lapped the water, his actions brought a smile to my face. “Good boy.”

  Eyes burned into me. Why did this man hate me so much?

  “Where is this place?” he asked.

  I sat up, woozier than before. When I threw my arm across my stomach, he cursed under his breath. “I’m going to throw up.”

  “Fuck me. Open the damn door.”

  He would never be awarded a nice guy medal. That was for certain. I threw open the door, barely hanging my head out. There was nothing in my system but water and bit of granola, a sick reminder I’d been kidnapped. My head remained fuzzy and I moaned as soon as I sat back in the seat, barely managing to close the door.

  “I told you about the water. Your system isn’t used to an overload. You’ll need to take it easy for a couple days. Now, do you know where we’re going?”

  With blurry eyes, I looked around. “Go two streets up and take a right. You’ll see it on your left.” I wiped my mouth, fighting tears for the second time since being rescued. He wouldn’t be taking me to a motel if he planned on killing me. Right?

  A strange laugh bubbled up from my throat and I leaned my head to the side, tears running down my face as I cackled.

  His exhale was exaggerated, but he remained quiet as he pulled into the small parking lot around to the side. He eased it forward until the Jeep was partially hidden by a group of Chinese fan palms cradled with hibiscus. When he cut the engine, he immediately ripped the keys from the ignition and leaned over to peer at me.

  “You need to listen to me very carefully,” he said with his extraordinarily deep and husky voice. “I’m going to get us a room. You will stay right here. If I need to chase after you, you will be punished. I’m not kidding about this. We are still in significant danger. The next twenty-four hours will be extremely dicey so you will do every single thing I command you to do.”

  While he had a voice that could make any girl’s toes curl, including mine, his gruff demeanor and permanent scowl were decent reminders I still didn’t know him. And I certainly couldn’t trust him.

  “I’m the victim. Remember?”

  “Yeah? And I’m the only man who can save your life.”

  CHAPTER 8

  Kage

  Why in the fuck was I drawn to the chaos and the woman’s unpredictability?

  Sure, she was beautiful even with grime covering a good portion of her body, and cuts and bruises marring her fragile porcelain skin. And the way the sunlight had filtered in through the window had created a shimmer of gold in her long, tangled strands of copper hair.

  And yeah, her eyes were the color of cornflowers, which happened to be my mother’s favorites. That shouldn’t mean shit. She was also the subject of my mission and her attitude stunk.

  I’d left Tank to watch her, confident he’d let me know if there was an issue.

  As I took long strides toward the main office, I thought about how quickly the plane had been spotted. With one airport and dozens of flights departing and arriving, commercial and private, the likelihood the exact plane had been spotted was slim to nil.

  Plus, the police were supposed to be paying attention. Yeah, there was something weird going on and I didn’t like being in the middle of a warzone.

  My pilot had known someone who’d allowed the plane to taxi to a semi-hidden spot near several maintenance buildings. The site chosen carefully, there’d been no way a passerby would have paid any attention. That meant someone had known ahead of time of my arrival and intended departure.

  Anger swelled from deep within.

  Flying out on any aircraft would be dangerous, but a ship would take too long with too many possibilities for a hijacking. Being cornered had already gotten on my nerves. Men had died because of that alone.

  I stormed into the small office, instantly on edge. When an older man appeared, eyeing me warily, every muscle in my body tensed. He was nervous, constantly darting his eyes toward the weapon attached to my hip. I pressed both fists on the counter. This needed to be done quickly.

  “I need a room.”

  “We have suites,” the man said with a decidedly British accent, the tone clipped.

  “That’s fine. How much?”

  “I need to see some ID.”

  “No, you don’t.” I lifted my eyebrow and when he swallowed, I took a deep breath. “I’ll be paying cash.”

  He darted his eyes toward the window. It was easy to see he was debating calling the cops. If he reached for the phone, he wouldn’t live long enough to finish dialing. At least that’s the way I’d normally handle an operation. No questions asked. No shit allowed. I had to remind myself I was no longer a SEAL.

  “Three fifty.”

  I’d exchanged several thousand U.S. dollars with Bermudan dollars as required of any missions of this nature. I tossed over a thousand for good measure. “We won’t be bothered.”

  “We?” He greedily scooped up the cash, curling his hand around the bills.

  “Yeah, my wife and me. And our dog. Got it?”

  He glanced out the window again and the nervous tic in the corner of his mouth caused an instant reaction. I leaned over the counter, narrowing my eyes as my hand automatically reached for the weapon. “No one is to know we’re here. You keep silent, I’ll ensure you have a windfall. If not, the money will be exchanged for a bullet between your eyes. Do we understand each other?”

  “Yes. Absolutely. I don’t want any trouble.”

  “A place in the back.”

  He remained shaking as he grabbed two keys to the room. No keycards. That could work in our benefit.

  “Neither do we.” I headed to the door, stopping before exiting. “Where can I purchase some clothes and food, a bottle or two of liquor?”

  “Just around the corner. You’ll find almost everything you need.”

  “Good.” I headed out, hearing a single bark. Pulling the weapon into my hand, I rounded the corner, crouching low. When I reached the edge of the building, I took a deep breath and cursed.

  Tank was currently resting half his body on top of Juliette. While his tail was wagging, a clear indication he was enjoying the hell out of himself, she was doing everything to push him away.

  I took my time walking over. Handling her was going to become an issue. The last thing I wanted was to be saddled with some socialite prima donna.

  She was tossing her head from side to side, making no headway in pushing Tank’s large body aside.

  When she noticed I was standing over them, she grimaced. “Would you get him off me? Please?”

  “What are you doing out of the Jeep?”

  “I just needed some air.”

  “Why didn’t you roll the windows down? Old-fashioned crank handles.”

  Her glare was hardcore, especially for a woman who’d just been saved from men who’d just as soon taste the merchandise as follow their bosses’ orders not to touch. Slave traders were all alike. A dirty, but highly profitable business. With her beauty, she’d fetch a high price.

  My gaze drifted down her long legs. Even dirty and scarred, the sight of them created a bulge between my legs.

  “Fine. I had to pee. Okay? And I wanted more water. Instead, I found an arsenal in your bag.”

  I gritted my teeth. Carelessness in leaving my bag wasn’t like me. I was obviously out of practice after only a few years.

  “Tank. Heel.” An ache pulsed between my eyes. I rubbed them as I thought about how to handle her.

  Tank turned his neck and glared at me but begrudgingly obeyed. If only she’d do the same. I held out my hand for her to grasp and she looked at me as if I was going to dig a hole in the ground and bury her alive.

  “Fine. Have it your way.”

  Juliette snapped her hand into mine and I instantly pulled her onto her feet. Excess force was used and she slammed her open hand against my abdomen as she gasped. The closeness was close to debilitating, the shot of electricity unexpected. She licked her lips and damn if I wasn’t paying attention way too closely.

  “We have a room. Come on,” I finally gritted out.

  Her swallow was just as nerve-racked as the man in the office. Sure, I knew I put the fear of God into people. I’d done so from the day I’d turned eighteen. However, hers was mixed with determined defiance. There was no time to stand around lamenting over how I could handle her differently or if she’d respond to reason.

  Backing away, I grabbed my two bags, nodding toward the building. She was still shaky, required to hold onto the railing as we headed to the second floor. I noticed she was also limping slightly. One knee was battered as hell. My muscles tensed thinking about how the fuckers had treated her.

  Before sliding the key into the lock, I surveyed the location once again. We were off the main road, the Jeep hidden. Unless the asshole inside tipped off the cops or anyone else, we’d be safe at least for twenty-four hours.

  Hopefully, that would give me enough time to arrange for a way off the goddamn island.

  As soon as I let her inside, she moved to the center of the room, saying nothing. Her shoulders slumped and she was staring at the wide-open window. After quickly checking the bathroom to ensure we were alone, I moved past her, yanking them closed.

  “Rule number one. You don’t leave the room unless you’re with me. Number two, if I leave for supplies, I’ll have a key. Do not under any circumstances open the door otherwise. Even if you hear my voice telling you to open the door. Make sure the deadbolt is on. We don’t want any room service. Number three, stay away from the windows.”

  She tilted her head, looking at me with wide eyes. “Anything else? Sir?”

  As Tank moved beside her, I could tell she was still frightened of him.

  “He’s not going to hurt you, Juliette. That much I promise you.”

  “Whatever you say. I just… I’m just not used to dogs.”

  Her contempt would eventually grate my nerves to the point we’d need to have a further discussion. But I reminded myself this wasn’t a war, and she certainly wasn’t used to being kidnapped. Although I hoped her father had provided her with some understanding with his wealth and the business he was in, her abduction had always been on the table.

  “I’m sure there will be additional rules, but they’ll do for now,” I mumbled and dropped the bags, noticing she eyed them with a flash of fear furrowing across her brow. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I know what I’m doing.”

  “How can I be certain of that, Daddy?”

  Her slight at the age difference forced me to clench my jaw. At least she’d stopped before eviscerating me with sharp words. I sensed she had that in her. The fact I’d saved her life had yet to dawn on her. Or maybe she considered me an extension of the men and the horrors she’d been through.

  I’d experienced it several times in handling extractions, not that I’d been good at holding hands and singing ‘Kumbaya.’ That wasn’t me. I’d left that to my buddy, Maddox. He’d been good with people.

  I gritted my teeth to keep from saying something that would further exacerbate the already difficult situation. Besides, we were at the kind of impasse that could escalate. Sighing, I looked around the room, happy to see a dorm size refrigerator and that the air in the room wasn’t stale like so many small facilities.

  “How did you find me again?” she asked, her voice no longer holding the hint of arrogance. The adrenaline was ebbing, exhaustion taking over.

  “You had your phone with you when you were taken.”

  Her cognitive skills were also challenged. I knew the various stages of shock better than most. I moved toward her slowly, keeping my distance so she wouldn’t feel suffocated. Somehow, I needed to at minimum get through to her that I had no intention of hurting her.

  “Yes,” she managed, looking to the side briefly. “I tried to use it, but one of the bastards noticed and tossed it out.”

  “Fortunately, that helped provide a basic location. When I landed, I went to your condominium and Tank inhaled your scent. When I narrowed down the possibilities of your location, Tank took it from there. He was trained for search and rescue.”

  “By you?”

  “By his former owner, a Marine.”

  “Oh, not you. Why was he given up?”

  “Because the original owner is dead.” I don’t know what prompted me to be a dick. Maybe because over the last few years, I’d lost touch with how to be a decent human being. No, that wasn’t exactly the truth. I just didn’t give a shit about anyone else. Why should I?

  I’d learned a long time before that most people were only out for themselves, eager to maintain their lifestyle while perpetuating their greed and self-worth at the expense of anyone around them.

  The only people I’d seen different had been members of SEAL Team Six.

  Maybe my hatred of people was the sole reason I’d packed up my truck with what little I’d owned and headed west given the good fortune my uncle had left me.

  She peered down at Tank and her body swayed back and forth. “Oh, poor baby. Now you’re stuck with Mr. Grouchy.” Just before she fell to the floor, I managed to wrap my arm around her. She slumped against me, taking continuous shallow breaths. “What’s happening?” Even her words were slightly slurred.

  Without thinking I scooped her into my arms and she flailed one hand toward me. Her eyes were as unfocused as they’d been inside the shithouse she’d been kept in. If I’d had time, I would have brutalized the fuckers for tormenting her for fucking days.

  “You’re okay, Juliette. You’re just exhausted.” I moved toward the bed, yanking down the comforter and sheet. It didn’t matter she was filthy other than I’d need to check for wounds that could possibly lead to infection. But that would wait.

  “Uh-huh,” she whispered. “I’m fine. Just let me rest for a little while.”

  Well, at least she felt comfortable enough around me to pass out. Maybe that was saying something. After easing her down gently, I rubbed her hair from her face. Her lips were swollen, one eye slightly puffy and she had a cut near her ear. With my eyes traveling further, I captured the round fullness of her breasts, her slender waist, hips meant for a man to grab, and her long legs peeking out from thick denim shorts.

  Get a grip, soldier. Hissing, I looked away briefly before continuing my examination.

  From what I could tell, her injuries were minor. However, the scrape on her knee was deep and probably imbedded with gravel. A scratch on her arm was long and covered in dried blood. From what I could tell, she was lucky. Whoever had orchestrated her abduction had wanted her kept intact. I tugged off her tennis shoes, placing them by the bed. Her clothes were ripped, speckles of blood on her shirt. She’d need a change of clothes for our limited stay.