Before Macy woke up the entire hotel, Nate hurried to her side and wrapped an arm around her, tucking her head into his shoulder to muffle her cries. She pushed against him, scrubbing at her hands.
Holding tight, he led her to the bathroom. Standing behind her so she couldn’t flee, he turned on the faucet. He forced her hands under the warm water, gently rubbing away the dried blood. Macy went still against him, eyes glued to the pink stains in the sink.
“It’s coming off.” Nate assured her, rubbing her palm with his thumb until it rinsed clean.
Her head bobbed beneath his chin.
When her hands were stain-free, he turned off the faucet and reached for a towel but Macy bucked against him, dislodging his hand from her wrists. She began tearing at her clothes. When the fabric didn’t give, she let out a desperate cry.
Nate took over, pushing her hands away. He grasped the hem of her blouse and pulled it up over her head, taking the opportunity to search for other wounds. Macy ripped her pants off, tossing them out the door.
“Get rid of those.” She pleaded, folding her arms over her bare breasts. “Please. So, I never see them again.”
Doing as asked, he threw the clothes out the door. Once he got her in a hot shower he would dispose of them.
“Let’s get you warmed up.” With a glance at the wound on her leg, he leaned around her and turned on the shower.
Shivering, Macy nodded.
Once the water was a good temperature, he held back the shower curtain. “Get in.”
Macy lifted her eyes to his. “I don’t think I can. I can’t seem to move.”
Shock had set in. Nate removed his boots, swept her into his arms and stepped into the shower, setting her carefully on her feet before closing the curtain. He stood so that he blocked most of the spray until he knew how she’d handle it.
Macy’s teeth started to chatter so he shifted, letting the water glide over her. She moved closer to him, letting more of the water cascade onto her.
When the water reached her wound, she hissed out a breath.
Nate leaned over her, pulled the curtain back so he could grab a washcloth and soaked it under the faucet. By now his clothes were saturated. Using the hotel-provided soap he began washing the blood and grime from her body.
She allowed him full access, still shivering, as he ran the washcloth over her slender curves and down her legs. The water swirled down the drain, tinted pink. With each inch he washed, he found more bruises, welts, and marks. Any attraction he felt being in the shower with this beautiful, naked woman was doused by discovering what she had suffered.
He washed her hair twice, upon her insistence, taking a moment to massage the soap into her scalp. With each caress of his fingers she relaxed a little more.
When he’d finished, he hung the washcloth over the faucet, turned off the water and reached for a towel. He wrapped it around her and stepped out of the tub. Macy reached for his hand allowing him to help her out.
“Let’s get that wound taken care of.” He led her over to the table and chairs.
She dropped down in the closest one, face pale, lips pinched.
“Hold on for a few more minutes, and then you can get some rest.”
Nate quickly disposed of her tattered clothes, bagging them in the trash and tying it closed so housekeeping didn’t see the contents. Didn’t need the hotel manager knocking on the door to investigate. After that, he dug the First Aid kit from his pack and laid the supplies out on the table.
Macy watched him as he dabbed the wound with gauze, then threaded a hooked needle.
“Are stitches really necessary?”
He reached over and pulled the lamp closer for better light. “Yes, or you’ll lose too much blood.”
She drew in a deep breath. “I’ve never had any before.”
“I won’t lie, they hurt. I’ll work quickly though.”
He clamped a hand on her knee to hold her leg still and kept his word by going fast. He’d put in more than his share of stitches during his time as a SEAL and with his brothers. If one of them wasn’t bleeding, they weren’t playing hard enough.
Macy’s leg jolted with the first stitch, but he held tight. She bit her lip for the next, and stared at the wall for the rest. Any color left in her face leached out. He gave her credit; she took it like a champ.
Tying off a knot, he snipped the string, cleaned the wound, and covered it with a bandage. By now Macy’s legs trembled and she had wrapped her arms around her middle.
“All done.” He said. “I’ll grab you a change of clothes, so you can get some rest.”
Macy nodded, hugging her arms closer. He wasted no time finding a pair of jeans and t-shirt Avery had sent along. Damn. The jean fabric would be tight on her leg, allowing little breathing room for the wound. Putting them back, he opted for one of his t-shirts which would hang almost to her knees. Good enough for sleeping.
He carried it over to her and held it out.
“Thanks.” She took it from his hand. “You should change too. You’re soaking wet.”
“Let’s get you into bed first. Do you need help getting that on?”
“I think I can manage.”
Nate turned his back so she could change; staying close in case she needed him. A moment later she said, “You can look now.”
He turned to find her balancing on one leg, dark hair falling in loose waves over her shoulders, looking sexy as hell in his shirt. Mentally berating himself for inappropriate thoughts, he wrapped a hand around her elbow and helped her to the bed. She limped, biting down on her lip with each step.
Bedside, he threw back the blankets and aided her in climbing in. Once she settled as comfortably as possible, he covered her up to her chin. “Get some rest.”
Her eyes already closed, she murmured, “Will you stay with me?”
Something tugged in his chest. “I’m not going anywhere.”
That must have eased her mind because her breathing evened out indicating she’d fallen asleep.
As quietly as possible, he cleaned up the mess on the table, put his kit away, and found a change of clothes. He left the bathroom door open as he got dressed, just in case. Macy continued to sleep which was the best thing for her right now.
Exhausted, he dropped down in one of the chairs positioned in front of a small table against the wall. He picked up the remote control and turned on the television, keeping the volume low as he flipped through channels. His hand froze on the buttons when he found a local news channel. Slowly, he sat forward, clenching his jaw.
Holy hell.
Macy’s face popped up on the screen, her face pale and bruised. She glared at whoever had taken the picture. Rolling beneath it were the words: Wanted for murder. If you see this woman, contact the police immediately. Do not approach. She is considered armed and dangerous. Reward for any information leading directly to her arrest. A number followed the warning, flashing red.
Scrubbing a hand down his face, Nate turned off the T.V. and put the remote down before he broke it from squeezing so hard.
Wanted for murder. Fuck.
That complicated things. Regardless if Macy was innocent or guilty, getting out of the country would be next too impossible at this point. All modes of travel would be heavily monitored, the borders shut down.
Macy had admitted to killing a man. Until he got the full story he wasn’t jumping to any conclusions. There were too many variables to explain it.
Either way, he had a mission to complete and nothing short of death would stop him from getting Macy home safely. How the hell to do that was the issue.
He needed a new extraction plan. Air travel would be a no go. No trains to take. If he could get her out of Azbakastan and to the sea, he could charter a boat. Maybe get her to China and fly home from there. He’d have to acquire visas to get in the country. That would be the easy part. Getting there would be the hardest. They would have to travel through Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan. Neither one appealed very much. The Taliban still controlled much of those countries. Getting in and out would be extremely difficult once news spread nation-wide. An American woman wanted for murder would bring every mercenary and lowlife out of the woodwork to capture her. Especially with a bounty. Not to mention Diakameli’s army as well as the police.
Diakameli. An ache spread through his chest, nearly debilitating him. His purpose here wasn’t for vengeance, but to find Macy and bring her home. Once he did that, it was open season on the man responsible for his brother’s death.
Nate scrubbed a hand down his face, forcing himself to focus on the present. If they were going to go on a road trip, he’d need a more reliable vehicle, extra weapons, supplies and visas. He’d also need his sister’s help in planning a route with the least resistance and the most protection. As a cartographer, she had knowledge and access to maps he didn’t. He and his brothers didn’t like to involve her in the business, but more than once they’d needed her help, and Bailey always did so without hesitation or question, and she never pried. Although, she always managed to get details out of them as to why they needed certain information. Too damn smart for her own good.
First things first. Get Macy well enough to travel. Once she could handle the journey he’d put a plan in motion.
****
A knock on the door brought Nate’s head up with a snap. He glanced at Macy; sound asleep in bed, then at the clock. A half-hour power nap was all he’d gotten.
Rising to his feet, he walked cautiously to the door, wishing he’d commandeered a weapon once he’d arrived in the country. He’d needed to go in quick and silent to get Macy out of that house safely. Guns weren’t part of that mission. Hand-to-hand combat, his K-bar and his skills had gotten the job done. Now, with the news cast, he longed for his Glock.
He looked through the peephole to see the hotel manager standing there. Alone from what he could tell.
Another knock.
Shit.
Nate opened the door, rubbing his eyes as if he’d just woken up. Added a yawn to sell it. “Yeah?”
“Mr. Conley, I apologize for the interruption. May we come in?”
He had already scoped out the two security guards standing just off to the side, out of sight of the peephole so he hadn’t noticed them before.
“What’s this about?” He asked, slurring his voice a little.
The manager glanced both ways down the hall. “There’s been a complaint, sir. Are you alone in your room?”
Dammit. They’d been made. That couple they passed in the hallway must have recognized Macy’s face. He should have been more careful.
“Sorry. My friend and I must have been a little noisy earlier.” He winked at the manager as if they shared a secret. “She was a loud one.”
The manager didn’t appear to be impressed. “You are alone, then, Mr. Conley?”
“Yes, I am now. Look, I have to get up early in the morning, taking one of the guided museum tours. I sent my friend packing. Is there something else I can help you with?”
For a moment, he thought the man was going to insist he let them in, but instead he bowed his head and stepped back. “No, sir. Sorry to wake you.”
With a yawn, he nodded and closed the door. As soon as he heard their low chatter disappear down the hall he sprang into action. Since they hadn’t been in the room long there wasn’t much to clean up or pack. He cleaned up any evidence of Macy being there, shoving her bloody clothes in his bag to dispose of later. After pulling on his boots, he went into the bedroom to wake her up.
Gently, with a hand on her shoulder, he said her name. She came awake immediately, sliding away from him, eyes wide and terrified.
“Macy. It’s Nate.”
Recognition slowly took over her fear and she relaxed. Slightly.
“We have to go. I need you to put these on.” He handed her a pair of jeans and shirt.
She winced as she hurried out of bed, taking the clothes from his hand. “What’s going on?”
“Our position has been compromised.”
“How? We were careful.”
He walked to the door, peering through the peephole. “My best guess, the couple we passed in the hall when we arrived. They must have recognized you.”
Her eyes widened. “Recognized me? How?”
Striding to the table he grabbed the remote and clicked on the television, watching the color leach from her face. She clamped a hand over her mouth, her gaze bouncing to his. “I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t be involved in this. You should go.”
Nate turned off the T.V. “I’m not going anywhere without you. Put those on. Time isn’t on our side.”
Still, she hesitated. “I’m on every watch list in the country. I can’t ask you to help me.”
“You’re not asking. Now, move.”
Her gaze dropped to the clothes in her hand, noticing them for the first time. “Where did you get these?”
“Avery.”
Macy’s head snapped up. “That’s not funny.”
He crossed the room and put his hands on her shoulders. “Avery is alive and safe. She sent those with me.”
Her eyes filled with tears, ripping at his chest. “But…how?”
“She was kidnapped, same as you.”
Macy’s hand shook as she continued to clutch the clothes. “What happened to her?”
Nate motioned for her to get dressed. “She’s fine now. We can talk later.” He didn’t want to shake her up any further by telling her what Avery had suffered before his brother, Quinn, saved her. Or, what the Wolff family had lost on that mission.
Sharp pain shot through his chest, the same as it had since his brothers had returned from rescuing Avery.
“I’m holding you to that.” She warned, reaching for the hem of his shirt.
“Need help?”
“No. I can manage.”
He nodded and left so she could get dressed. While he waited, he put his bags by the door and did one last check of the room for evidence.
Macy limped out a few minutes later, lips pinched. “Got any crutches?”
“No. They would draw too much attention. We need to blend in with the other tourists.”
“I know. Wishful thinking.”
Nate reached in his pocket for the aspirin he’d taken out of his kit before he packed it. He grabbed a bottle of water off the counter and strode to her side. “Take these. They’ll help with the pain.”
Without hesitation, she popped them in her mouth and swallowed them with a swig of water. “Wouldn’t happen to have an energy bar in there, would you?”
He pulled one out of his pocket and handed it to her. With a small smile, she tore it open and took a bite.
“Ready?” He picked up his bags.
“It’s the middle of the night. Where are we going to go?”