Caroline’s heart drummed in her chest. Instead of shouting at the nurse for startling them, Reaper had sought to put the woman at ease.

And before that, when he’d assured Caroline his need had nothing to do with his fever, he’d soothed her as well.

She’d always imagined her life with some polished executive, someone who knew exactly how to hold the fork at a dinner; A shark in a suit, able to withstand the kind of social attacks commonplace in the political crowd. Instead, fate had served her up a god.

Reaper would never fit into one of her father’s dinners, let alone one of her fundraisers—and thank God for that. He’d done more good in his life than she could ever dream. He fought with his hands and risked his life to save those in need.

No amount of money on Wall Street or in the White House could ever equal that kind of sacrifice. She saw that now. What a sheltered life she’d lived, showing her dedication to alleviating poverty and helping starving children by showing up at fundraising dinners, whether the plate cost $2,000 or $10,000. Disgusting when you thought about it.

This town and this whole experience, start to finish, had been a giant slap of reality in her face. She’d been so naïve and so stupid, but Reaper had helped her see the truth.

When she got home there would be no more overabundance of sequined ball gowns and fake smiles and fake fundraisers. This kind of place needed boots on the ground and people to support them. People like Reaper who really cared. No donation could equal that. Much better for her to strive to be more like Reaper in the future. To help by actually showing up.

That hope unfurled inside her, blooming ever brighter.

“I know this is a stupid question, but how bad does it hurt?” Caroline asked.

He probably intended to offer her a smile, but it ended up looking more like a grimace. “Not the worst I’ve been through.”

He didn’t even flinch as the nurse pierced his flesh time and time again, re-stitching his wound, but the white lines around his eyes got wider. So did the tiny wrinkles that appeared in the corners of his mouth as he clenched his lips together.

“Liar,” she said with a smile.

“Okay, I’m man enough to admit it hurts just a little bit.”

Caroline glanced at the large hook-shaped needle the nurse was wielding. “A little bit?”

“Barely feel a thing.”

The brazen lie made her chuckle. “Thank God, because if it’s fifty miles to the nearest embassy, we’re going to be doing a lot of walking.”

The nurse looked up then, pausing mid-thread. “I have a cousin who smuggles refugees from the village. He could get you over halfway.”

Caroline drew a hopeful breath. “Really?” If they had transportation, it would give her time to rest; it would get them home even faster. This was more than she could’ve dreamed.

“No, I’ve already got something set up. You will not risk your family for us,” Reaper said gruffly, his gaze pulling from Caroline to the nurse. His eyelids lowered and his entire expression shut down. Try as she might, she couldn’t read his face when he did the shutdown thing, not even a little bit.

“Are you sure? He wants to fight against the guards as much as I do. I promise he isn’t a threat,” the nurse said. “My cousin sent word that the guards have put out an alert for two Americans. They’ll be searching for you here, and if they find you, I will not be able to stop them.”

“I’m sure. We have men waiting on us outside the city to transport us to the embassy. But thank you for your offer. It is truly kind,” Reaper said.

The nurse went back to stitching and Caroline went back to daydreaming.

Of course Reaper would have someone waiting on them. He probably had an entire unit of special-forces guys waiting in the bushes for him to get patched up and back out to them.

That thought should’ve sent nothing but joy through her, but there was a shadow over her heart. If he made contact with his men so quickly, she wouldn’t be allowed to spend any more time alone with him. She’d be rushed back home to her father and Reaper would be rushed to the nearest military base with a hospital. She hadn’t had enough time with him. What if he was assigned to another mission immediately and forgot about her?

A giant lump of dried-up sand clogged her throat—so chokingly dry she couldn’t even swallow. She wasn’t ready to give him up yet. Maybe she could convince him to stay and rest.

The nurse finished stitching up his wound all too quickly and had him re-bandaged before Caroline could think of a plausible reason to stay. His quick treatment was finished with an injection of two vials of fluid. “The first is a broad spectrum antibiotic. The second is something else. I know you Americans say it’s not safe, but I’ve also given you a dose of ephedrine, which may give you the edge you need to get out of here alive. You can’t stay in this hospital for much longer.”

Caroline watched as Reaper slowly pushed himself into a sitting position. She put her arms around him and helped him, knowing she wouldn’t likely be able to help but scared he might fall back and reopen his wound. “She didn’t mean for you to move right now.”

“Yes, I did,” the nurse said. “The sun’s coming up, which means you’ll lose what little camouflage you had by the darkness. If you’re going to get out of here safely, it has to be now.”

“Are you sure he can make it in his current condition?” Caroline asked.

“As much as I hate to say it, he doesn’t have a choice.”

Reaper’s hand closed around her arm, his fingers completely circling her wrist. “She’s right. We’ve wasted enough time here. We have to go now.”

“But, you were almost unconscious thirty minutes ago.”

“And I was unconscious earlier today. I got all the rest I needed then.” He swung his legs around the edge of the table and let his feet dangle above the floor.

“I can get you out of the hospital, through the back, but you will have to take it from there,” the nurse said. She crossed to Reaper’s other side, and together she and Caroline managed to hoist him to stand. “I know it’s not much, but I managed to steal some water and a little bit of food,” the nurse said, gesturing to the satchel. “I’m sorry, but that’s as much as I can do.”

“It’s more than I could expect. I hope to one day repay the favor,” Reaper all but grunted out as he struggled to maintain his balance.

With most of his bare chest and abdomen showing now, the muscles she’d spent the day imagining were now on display. His shoulders were even wider than she’d thought, his waist narrower, and yet his almost impossible physique fit him perfectly. He was built just like the predator that he was, made to attack his enemies and defend those he loved.

No way would she ever strap him into a suit.

“Maybe one day you will, but any resistance you pose to those men is payment enough. Here, this is the robe and head covering you wore. Miss, you must cover your face again. Whatever you do, don’t make eye contact with any soldier. There is no woman in this place who has eyes as bright blue as yours. They are a dead giveaway.”

The nurse went to the door as Caroline fixed her costume and shouldered the small satchel. Moments later, their guardian angel was back, gesturing for them to follow her. “We must go now. If anyone catches us, run.”

The nurse, who’d never told them her name, Caroline realized, stepped out into the hall and hung a left, her pace brisk yet unremarkable in the setting. Caroline hugged Reaper’s side and they went out together. Was it her imagination or was he putting more weight on her than before?

They hurried past flashes of light as the nurse maneuvered them back to another door. “Peace be with you. Good luck.” She shoved open the door.

Caroline couldn’t leave without saying something else or doing something. It just didn’t feel right. “If it’s ever within my power to do so, I will return to this place and find you.”

The nurse offered her a brittle smile, one that was devoid of any hope. “What can you do? Only an insane person would return to this place after living in freedom. You would be best to forget you ever saw or knew me.”

“Wait! At least tell me your name.”

“You’re just as stubborn as your man. It should serve you both well to forget, but my name is Mira Abdul. Here take these and go. Now.” Mira shoved a pair of sandals into Caroline’s hands and pushed them out the door, leaving them in the semi darkness of the alley.

“Caroline, we’ve got to get back to the jungle now,” Reaper said, his voice urgent. “It’s our only cover. We can skirt the edges of the village as we make our way out.”

Caroline quickly pulled on the sandals and then allowed Reaper to take the lead once more, though his arm was still around her. She helped support him as much as she could, feeling inadequate and tiny all the same. Once more, the gigantic growth of the jungle loomed ahead, its wild tangle of uncontrolled leaves just as scary as it had been before. This place filled with every nature of threat was their only hope of salvation.