I couldn’t help myself. I had to kiss her. Touch her again. Let her know how I feel. Throw all fucks aside and do what I’ve fought against for months—lay claim to her.

I don’t give a shit about the rules anymore. There’s nothing like life and death experiences to make me realize it’s time to obliterate the line and take what I want. From here on out, that’s exactly what I intend to do.

Because I want her.

And I didn’t lie. I’ll never let anyone hurt her again.

I have to taste her one more time, so I lean in where I still have her pinned against the wall in this godforsaken shithole and put my lips on hers. The look on her face is something I’ll never forget and it has nothing to do with what we’ve just been through.

“Let’s get out of here,” I say.

She licks those damn lips and, if we were anywhere else, I’d yank her dress up and take her here and now.

What comes out of those beautiful lips surprises me. “Yes. I could use some chocolate.”

Standing amid dead bodies in a room where we’ve spent most the day shackled, I can’t believe it—I almost smile.

But I wasn’t kidding. We need to get out of here.

I drop my hands but grab one of hers to keep her close as we step over lifeless bodies. I peek out the door and see there’s a light on at the end of the hall of this ramshackle of a building.

“I’m pretty sure they were the only ones left from the way they talked. The other two went home for the night,” Lillian says, speaking quietly.

Without looking back, I mutter, “What else was said today?”

“They’re waiting on a reply from your company about the ransom. I’m not sure if you should be concerned or not, but no one responded.” I look back at her and her eyes are big. “I mean, don’t you think they would have at least responded?”

I shake my head. “They better not have. If these assholes think they’re gonna get a dime out of me, they’re mistaken. But them contacting corporate is a good thing. That means the authorities are involved and, by now, I hope, the Embassy.”

The building is quiet and since she said there was no one else here, I move down the hall toward the light.

“Please don’t tell me there’s a company protocol for when employees are taken hostage in foreign countries. I might have to start looking for a new job,” she says.

I’m forced to look back and frown. “You’re not looking for a new job, Lillian.”

Her eyes go big. “If this is how many of your business trips end up, I might.”

I shake my head and we turn the corner into a room filled with gold. Not literal gold, but given our situation at the moment, we’ve hit the jackpot.

Technology—it’s a sight for my sore eyes.

A computer—even though it may be ancient, might connect to something. Two-way radios and some other ancient shit I’m sure won’t help us. A few cell phones laying around. But, a landline.

Who has landlines anymore?

I only need to make one international call and he’d better fucking answer.

The sun has completely set, but I notice another truck parked outside. Now, I just need to find the keys—I haven’t hotwired a car in years.

I let go of her hand to pick up the cordless phone and dial, grateful I have a knack at memorizing numbers. Turning to the woman who’s made me cross every boundary, I watch her hug herself across her now dingy dress that makes her no less beautiful.

“Do me a favor and start looking for stuff. Car keys, money, food, water … a new pair of shoes for you. Anything we might need.” I start banging through drawers and Lillian starts to do the same.

“Who are you calling?”

I’m about to answer her when he finally picks up and bites, “Who’s this?”

I knew he’d answer. Only those close to him have this number and I know for a fact he’s gotten many unknown callers before.

“Tex,” I breathe his name in relief through the dirty handset. “Blackburn, here. I’m in a bit of a situation.”

“Fuck, Gabe. What happened? Never mind. Tracing the call now. A bit of a situation, my ass. Your VP called me when they got the first ransom call. I’ve tried locating you with your phone, but you have no signal. Your employee still with you?”

I reach up and brush Lillian’s cheek, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear and watch her eyes warm. “Yeah. She’s with me. We’ve had quite the ride but she’s still in one piece.”

I hear him typing away in the background. John “Tex” Keegan is a buddy I met when I was in the service. He might be a SEAL and I’m a Ranger, but we crossed paths years ago and bonded over our obsession with technology. I’ve offered him a job more times than I can count, but he’s happy with his wife Melody and their girls in Pennsylvania. No one’s better at finding and tracking people than Tex. And right now, I need him to find me and get us to fucking civilization.

“There you are.” He keeps pecking away on his keyboard. “Man. You’re smack in the middle of Nicaragua. You need to reevaluate your clientele.”

“Tex. I just took down two armed guards and I don’t know when the other two will be back. I don’t want to go back to the hotel—we’ll have to leave our stuff. They took our phones, computers, and passports. No idea where they are and I have no money on me.”

“Aha!” I hear Lillian from behind me. I turn and she’s looking down into a pouch and flipping through a large stack of American dollars with some Nicaraguan córdobas mixed in. She looks up to me and her face lights up. “Lunch money, should we run into a food truck on our way back to town.”

Despite our current conditions, I smirk at her as Tex keeps talking. “You on foot?”

“Hope not.” I look back out at the truck, willing it to have gas. “There’s a truck outside. We came from the capital, but I’m not going back to that hotel. We need somewhere safe to go then get to the Embassy since we don’t have passports and I don’t see our shit anywhere around here.”

“I’m zoomed in on the satellite maps. There’re dirt roads that should get you back to Managua. Keep a southwesterly route. The first major city you’ll hit will be Teustepe. You’ll find signs toward the capital from there. I’d say you’ve got a good three to four hour drive, minimum. Call me as soon as you hit civilization. I’ll find a safe place for you.”

When I open another cabinet, I find more guns and ammo. I grab all four handguns and extra magazines. If we can get out of this country without using another gun, that would be better than okay, but I’m gonna do everything I can to cripple their organization before we leave.

“Do me a favor and call Smith. Tell him we lost our passports—he’s got government connections. He’ll know who to call. Also, have him look into transportation. We need to get to…” I hold the phone away from my mouth and turn to Lillian. “Where does your family live in North Carolina?”

She’s unearthed some gum and is popping a piece in her mouth. She gives me a small frown and says, “Wilmington.”

“Tell Smith, when we get out of here, we’re going straight to Wilmington, North Carolina. He needs to make that happen. We found some cash, but a credit card would be nice.”

“I’ll let him know. Call me back if you can’t get that truck started. Kills me you won’t carry one of my trackers. Would make my life a helluva lot easier.”

I shake my head and sigh. Tex puts trackers on almost all of his friends and their women. Never saw the need in it. But I can’t lie, it would’ve been nice the last couple days.

“We’ll talk about that when I step foot on American soil. I’ll check in when I can find a phone.”

“Talk to you then, brother.”

I hang up the phone and turn to Lillian.

“All I found was the cash, gum, and some really, really questionable-smelling bowls of mostly eaten … something or other. I think it’s been sitting around for a while. I’m sorry, but I’d rather be hungry than sick. I don’t think I can eat it.”

I nod. “I’m gonna go check their pockets for keys and then we’ll get out of here even if we have to walk.”

She cringes the second the word walk passes my lips.

“Stay here,” I say.

“Oh, don’t you worry. I’m not going anywhere without you.”

Careful of the blood seeping all over the floor, I check all their pockets and we luck out.

Keys.

I jingle them on my way back down the hall and Lillian’s eyes get big when she sees them.

“As long as it’s gassed up, we’re good to go. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

She gives me a genuine smile and it lights up my world on this dark night.