Maddie eased her tired and sore body down on her pallet and let the tears come. In the dark, she could do that. Releasing the hopeless fear and frustration now, would help her survive another day tomorrow. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about Jorge bothering her or Sarah again, and she didn’t have to worry about repercussions from killing him.

She just wondered who would be guarding her tomorrow while she flew, and prayed it wouldn’t be someone worse. There were worse men in this group, for sure.

Considering she counted six dead bodies in the courtyard, maybe she wouldn’t be flying tomorrow. Maybe she’d have a break and could spend the whole day with Sarah while they regrouped. The helo may not even be functional enough to fly, with all the bullet holes in the hull. In a fantasy world, she’d have a whole week to spend with her daughter.

But they wouldn’t allow that. They limited her time with her daughter to keep Maddie cooperative. She had to earn that precious time, and the only way she could do that was flying for them. But maybe since she’d fought beside them today to take out their enemies, she’d get bonus points toward gaining their trust.

With a shuddering sigh, she closed her eyes and smiled through her tears when Sarah’s sweet face appeared. Today, she made two weeks old. They had both survived two more weeks, and Maddie was getting stronger every day so she could keep her safe.

They were going to be okay.

Turning, Maddie adjusted her body to try to get more comfortable on the hard floor. When she moved her leg, a sharp pain pierced through her foot then crawled up to her calf and throbbed there, making her realize her skin was so tight, it felt like it would burst.

She sat up to massage it, which had helped before and gasped when her flesh burned her palm. That was definitely not good, she thought, moaning as she rubbed harder. She would have to talk to the witch doctor tomorrow, whether she wanted to or not.

The sickening pain she was learning to deal with, as well as the nausea-inducing feeling of the bones in her ankle grinding together when she pushed the pedals to fly. Mind over matter was a powerful thing, but if she had an infection, she could die. The thought of what would happen to Sarah sent fear slicing through her as she frantically squeezed and released the muscle in her calf.

God, please don’t let it be that.

The metal bolt on the door slowly slid back and Maddie tensed. When the door creaked open, she whimpered and wished like hell they hadn’t taken Jorge’s rifle from her when a huge, dark shadow appeared in the doorway.

What fresh hell was this? Someone else who wanted to rape her?

Well, she might not have a weapon, but he would have a fight if that were the case. Maddie squinted to try to make out who it was, but he was backlit by the harsh, mega-watt security light in the courtyard.

“What do you want?” she demanded, forcing strength she didn’t have into her tone. “If you’re here to rape me, El Jefe will have your balls.” El Jeffe would probably give him a medal and a pat on the back, especially if he got her pregnant again, so they had more leverage with her.

“Maddie? It’s Hawk, sweetheart. I’m here to take you home,” a deep, unaccented voice whispered as the door closed and she was trapped inside the dark shack with the owner.

Maddie scooted back into the corner and hugged her knees. Had the cartel brought in new men to replace the others already? Was this man’s soft tone, so he could gain her trust to have his way with her? Or was this a trick of some kind to see if they could trust her?

“This is my home and you are not supposed to be here,” she growled back, as she reached down to rub her calf. “Just go away and leave me alone.”

“I’m not here to hurt you,” he said and she heard boot steps as he came closer, felt his masculine energy when he stopped to hover above her. “I don’t care what you look like, honey. I just want you to come with me.”

He didn’t care what she looked like? Of course he didn’t. None of these monsters did. All they cared about was what was between her legs.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” she hissed, as every muscle in her body went rigid with fear and she molded her back into the corner.

“Oh, yes you are,” he growled, kneeling down in front of her.

If this man was new, maybe she could threaten him into leaving. “Touch me and I will scream. You’ll be dead in five seconds.”

A hand reached out to gently stroke her cheek and Maddie flinched as she swatted it away, but a strange, comforting tingle remained there. She rubbed her cheek and the ridges there abraded her palm.

“I said, don’t touch me!” she shouted, and his hand suddenly covered her mouth.

Maddie fought as she clawed at his arm. She slid down the wall to kick at him with her right foot. He put his shoulder into her right knee to pin her leg against the wall and his hand clamped down on her left ankle.

Maddie screamed into his palm as pain ripped her apart, bright, blinding stars appearing before her eyes. It seized her brain and electrified her body. She shook violently as she slid down further and bile rushed up her throat.

Prickles of light followed the stars, and Maddie knew she was going to pass out. She fought it as her body went limp, but then welcomed the blackness when he moved his hand away. Like she had been when she was impregnated with Sarah, at least she would be unconscious when he violated her body.

God, please don’t let me get pregnant this time, was her last thought.

Maddie groaned when she woke up to the rhythmic, involuntary movement of her body. She squeezed her eyes tight again, waited for the next pounding thrust into her body—but she suddenly realized the movement came from being carried over a broad shoulder, which was pressed into her midsection.

Disoriented, she panicked as she looked around and saw the dark shapes of tree trunks and heard the sounds of frogs, crickets and other wildlife. She wasn’t being assaulted, she was being carried through the jungle.

Away from compound. Away from her baby!

She took a deep lungful of the damp night air and felt like she was drowning, but she managed to work up a scream. It came out as a rusty roar as she tensed and tried to wiggle out of the strong arms clamped around her thighs. Those arms tightened and the bumping stopped.

“You need to be quiet or you’re going to get us killed,” the man snarled. “We’re almost there, so just be still.”

“There? Almost where?” she wailed as tears burned her eyes, and his fingers dug into her flesh. “Take what you want from me, but I have to go back to the compound—now!”

“You are not going back there,” the man replied, his voice gravelly.

He started walking again, panic seized Maddie and she screamed again. She gritted her teeth and fought him, beat his back with her fists and squirmed in his hold. Getting away from him meant getting back to her baby, and she would fight him to the death, she thought, swinging her elbow up to plant it in the back of his neck.

He howled and she was suddenly free, laying on her back on the damp jungle floor with her kidnapper standing above her. She sat up, scooted away from him, but he followed her until her back was pressed against a tree. Another even larger man stepped up beside him to glare down at her and Maddie knew there would be no escape.

Disgust made her want to vomit as she reached for the hem of her skirt to yank the material up to her waist and spread her legs wide. “Take what you want, you filthy assholes, but do it fast—I have to get back to my baby.”