Fumbling slightly, Jayde pulled the radio out and pressed the talk button. “Hello?”
“That you, darlin’?”
“Who else would it be?” she snapped.
“Well, where be Cade? I don’t think I want him to beat me for talkin’ to his woman o’ the hour,” the masculine tone said.
Woman of the hour? Jayde knew some of them knew he was married. Perhaps it was a test. “I better not just be the woman o’ the hour. I’m his damn wife.” She paused for a moment. “Stop playing. How long till we meet up?”
“On the way, baby, about thirty minutes. You be a’ite till then? Where is that lazy man o’ yours?”
“Doing what you said. You know how he is. Just lies there and lets me do all the work; you would think he’d want to get some sun to cover up his pale-ass skin, but no. He just wants to lie around, never takes me anywhere.” That was the only way Jayde knew to let them know Tyson was the injured one, not she.
A chuckle reached her ears. “He always did like to just watch your six. How is it by the way?” Jayde was pretty sure it was Maverick she was talking to, but she wasn’t positive.
“Why you want to know about my six? It just needs to be sitting on my favorite horse, Maverick. Have you seen him lately?” she questioned.
“Yes, darlin’, I have. Maverick is here waiting for you. So is Harrier, you know, your man’s horse.”
She released a huge sigh. “Good. In that case, my six is about to get run over by the pack of hounds. They are getting restless.” Jayde picked up the binoculars that were around her neck and peered through them, trying to see if they were still coming. They were. Slowly, but they were coming. “Really restless. Don’t be late, baby, or I am callin’ it quits between us,” she said in as teasing a manner as she could.
“Hang tight, darlin’. I’m comin for ya.” Then the voice was gone.
Jayde looked at the man still unconscious at her feet. “Come on, Tyson, wake up. I need you. I can’t do this on my own.” Not receiving a response, she knelt down beside him and removed the bottom of the bag that protected his head to slap his face. “Wake up!” she hissed. “Damn you, wake up!” Nothing.
“Well, hell. I don’t know what to do.” She sank to the ground beside him and cut the strips that tied them together. It was funny; she hadn’t expected her last moments on earth to be in a Central American jungle. She closed her eyes. “I guess it is just my time.”
“I don’t think so, little rose.” Tyson’s croaking voice was music to her ears.
Her eyes flew open to see him struggling to sit upright. “Tyson!” she exhaled in relief. He was awake and somehow she felt everything would now be all right. “We have to move. They are coming closer.” Her silver lining had just shown up.
Tyson ran his eyes over the woman sitting across from him. She was muddy from head to toe. His sharp eyes picked out the blood on her hands and arms, but she was alive. And armed to the teeth. He noticed the guns on her along with the machete and knife on her leg.
It was his job to get her out of here. “Let’s go, then. We need to get to the rendezvous point.” His body was in the shutting down process; those bullets must have been tipped with poison. Whatever it was, it kicked his ass.
Jayde stood. “They said they would be here in about thirty minutes. That was about fifteen minutes ago.”
Tyson stood also. He took in his surroundings and noticed the harness around his bare chest. “You would make one hell of a SEAL, Mrs. Kincade, one hell of a SEAL.” His lips brushed against hers as he slid a gun out of her waistband and flipped the safety off, keeping it in his hand. “Let’s go.”
Tyson took point; they left with what was on their person. Heading out at a slow trot, Tyson moved towards the meadow. His head pounded, the nausea overwhelmed, and his shoulder blazed, but he didn’t have a choice.
Keeping an eye on Jayde as they ran right through the thinning trees to the open meadow, he saw the fierce look on her face. She was in pain but not complaining. Suddenly, he stopped at a low lying area in the meadow and dropped to the ground. He smiled as her brown body fell next to his.
“What are we doing?” Jayde whispered.
“Waiting,” Tyson said.
“In the open?” her question was incredulous.
“Where do you think they will look first? Besides, the chopper can see us from the sky, but the grass is relatively tall and thick, so the men following us will not be able to,” Tyson announced.
Jayde shook her head in dismay. “You are insane.”
“Probably.” Tyson agreed. “Can’t you hear it?”
“Hear what?” Jayde cocked her head to the side.
“The chopper. It’s coming,” he said, smiling.
“All I hear is rain and thunder,” she vocalized with a shrug.
“That is the chopper—the thunder you are hearing,” Tyson clarified it for her.
“Oh.” Jayde rolled over and watched the direction they came from, gun in hand and ready.
They stayed still and remained silent for a while until Tyson broke the silence with a question. “What is that thing on your necklace?”
Jayde smiled. “It is a karabiner, a locking one to be accurate; I figured it would not be exactly a com-mon thing for people to have on a pendant, yet considering how much I love to rock climb…well…it just fit.” It was an oblong metal ring primarily used to attach a freely running rope to a piton, the metal spike used for securing rope when climbing.
“That’s true; it isn’t a common thing. But it’s cool.” For a time he fell silent as they listened to the heli-copter get closer. “Answer something else for me, Jayde,” Tyson said.
Flicking a glance at him, she waited for him to continue. When he didn’t she prompted. “What?”
“That first day we met.” He looked at her. “What were you thinking about to get that heated look on your face? You were drinking from your glass and you smiled before this passionate expression took over. What were you thinking about?”
Jayde blushed.
“Well?” he pushed.
“I was thinking about someone if you must know.” She shut her eyes, steadfastly refusing to look at the man beside her.
“Do tell.” He had a hunch of who she meant but wanted confirmation.
“No,” she denied with a firm shake of her head.
“Now, now, you aren’t supposed to keep secrets from your husband.”
“I’m not.”
“Was it a man?” Tyson asked.
“Yes.”
“Handsome?”
“That man took my breath away. Now will you let it go already?” she begged.
Before he could say anything in response, a huge dark-gray chopper flew into view. “Get ready,” he answered all business once again. Tyson repositioned himself so he was squatting on his haunches and Jayde followed suit just as the first shots rang out.
Five men in green fatigues jumped out of the bird that had the word “NAVY” printed on the tail. They were aiming guns in their general direction as they moved swiftly towards them, eventually falling into a staggered formation and keeping an eye on all their surroundings. Sooner than expected, their painted faces upon Tyson and Jayde. Three of them took up positions to defend while the other two dropped down beside them.
“Long time no see, Cade,” one man said with a grin that faded as he took in Tyson’s injuries.
“Too long, Baby Boy, too long.” Tyson answered him, already succumbing to the exhaustion and secu-rity in knowing his Team would see to Jayde’s safety.
“Well, let’s get you moving. Come on, man, let’s go.” The man dubbed “Baby Boy” pushed his weapon to the side and lifted Tyson like he were a flower being picked, despite the height difference in the men: Tyson was much taller. Another man fell in close and they headed for the chopper, Tyson’s legs dragging behind him as if he were a rag doll. His teammates and the rebels were exchanging shots, but the M-60 on the chopper was doing a good job of keeping their foes at bay.
The last thing Tyson saw before he fell back into unconsciousness Maverick lifting Jayde into the chop-per and looking too closely at her bared skin. Tyson vowed to himself that he’d kick his ass for that as soon as it didn’t hurt to think.