Dana came awake with a start and she sat up in the bed she’d occupied when he’d kept her captive.

Her head was throbbing, her jaw hurt and she tasted blood in her mouth. The bastard had hit her. She got up, rushed over to the door and tried the handle, but to her horror, it was locked.

Her thoughts immediately went to Bowie. He’d been shot. To protect her, he’d thrown his body in front of hers to shield her. Tears filled her eyes, her fear for him twisting like a knife in her gut. If anything happened to him because she was so hell-bent on getting her memory cards, she would never forgive herself.

That was the crux of her problem as she ran to the window and looked out. The compound was full of men, all armed. Her heart sank.

She backed up, tears running down her cheeks. The memory of loving Bowie and the way he’d treated her, so roughly gentle, her throat got tight.

She was in love with him.

“Oh, God,” she sobbed. She had to get out of here because no matter what, SEAL Team Alpha was coming for her. There was no doubt in her mind.

Then she heard the door and she knew what was coming. She’d known ever since that hood had been snatched off her head that the moment when Salazar was finished waiting, he would force her.

She looked frantically around for a weapon, but there was nothing in the room that could protect her. She’d rather die than have him carry out his plan of forcefully making her submit, humiliating her, making her cower. There was some sadistic need in him to subdue women, especially strong ones. She had to wonder if it stemmed from his mother.

Rapists often had overbearing mothers. It created in them a need to diminish that feminine power.

The door opened, and Salazar stepped through. She caught a glimpse of a broad back before he closed the door. Even if she got through him, she’d have his thug to muscle through as well.

She heard the lock engage as he leaned nonchalantly against it. He was carrying a camera in his hand. “Shall we finish what we began, Dana.”

She kept the bed between them, knowing that finishing his ranting interview would only buy her a little time. Hopefully Bowie would get here in time before Hector…

She couldn’t finish the thought.

She looked toward the door, and he chuckled. “There is no way he is going to get here in time, my lovely.”

He pushed off the door and set the camera on the bed and his eyes went over her from the top of her head, lingering over her breasts and traveling down the rest of her body. Her skin crawling, she tried with all her might not to react. He wanted the fear. The instinctive fear a woman had with a man whose intentions were not only impure, but violent.

She shivered when he smiled, his provocative look anything but. “Sure, Hector. Why don’t we finish your interview?”

“Do you have your questions prepared?”

“I would only need a few minutes.”

“Liar!” he shouted all of a sudden, a light in his eyes that told her he’d had no intention of finishing his rant. This was all about intimidating her. Fear rising up from the pit of her stomach radiating to her extremities, she grabbed the camera off the bed. She threw it at him as she raced for the door. But there was no way out. It was as locked as it was before.

He grabbed her by the hair and slapped her hard across the face, the sting of the blow making her eyes water. She reeled away off balance, her shoulder slamming against the wall, pain traveling down her arm to her fingertips.

“It’s time you realized that there is only one man on this planet who can satisfy you.”

Standing there trying to work around the pain, Salazar advanced on her.

* * *

As soon as the chopper set down, Ruckus said, “Punch a hole through that line. Whatever it takes.” Tank caught the bazooka Hollywood threw at him and shot off a rocket. The explosion rocked the compound, and men started firing back at them. “Blow the gates.” Wicked ran up to the iron structure, set his charges. “Breach!” he yelled as he moved a safe distance away and hit the detonator.

The blast was deafening as all eight SEALs open fired on the men who came pouring out of the gate that was now hanging off its hinges.

Hollywood, manning the 50 cal, mowed down a whole group of them. The smoke clearing enough to see that there was the hole he’d ordered. They advanced, taking care of stragglers they encountered, fighting his way to her.

Hang on, babe. I’m coming for you.

* * *

She was determined that she would not go willingly into this violation. She was going to fight with everything she had. She punched and kicked as he reached out for her, but he pressed her hard against the wall and sealed his mouth to hers. She violently pulled away, revulsion washing through her with an icy sickness. He backhanded her, stunning her enough to try to kiss her again. Instead of succeeding, she viciously bit him. He cried out and punched her hard in the stomach, sending Dana to her knees.

“You are just putting off the inevitable. And, I really don’t mind if you fight.” He reached down and grabbed her hair, yanking her to her feet. She tried to hit him, breathing hard, tears washing down her cheeks, fear racking her like claws sunk into her gut.

He threw her on the bed and then covered her with his body. Before she could recover, he had a knife at her throat. “I would feel very cheated if I couldn’t have you the way I want you. You will stop fighting me, and surrender or I will kill you now.”

“You think I don’t know this is what you wanted, you sick bastard. You were going to kill me anyway. Me, Liam, James. We were never getting out of this alive.”

“Of course, when I leaked the interview with me and you, the media would have eaten it up. There would be so much speculation about what had happened to you out here, I would have gotten play of my words for years. If you stop fighting me, I promise it will be quick and painless. If you don’t…”

She could barely breathe, the threat of the razor-sharp knife against her neck ready to cut into her unprotected skin. “I have no choice,” she whispered, the triumph in his eyes making her wish like hell that she had done more with her personal life, lived it fuller and to the max instead of letting her guilt dictate and keep her from going after her own happiness. She regretted it now because she couldn’t comply. She couldn’t surrender this to him because it was her body, her decision. This was her life.

She was ready for him to hurt her bad, but as soon as he removed the knife, she went for his eyes with her thumbs. He screamed as she dug deep, bucked him off and shoved him with all her might.

He came up yelling, blinking and searching for her. She had no idea how to disarm a man with a knife. No idea how she was going to stop him from killing her now because the threat and the promise were in his eyes.

All she knew was she couldn’t give in. Would never give in. There was only one man in her life that she wanted to touch her, one man she wanted to explore and get to know, one man who she freaking loved. Salazar couldn’t take that from her.

She braced herself as he came at her, even as there was a commotion in the hallway. Explosions and gunfire told her that the SEALs were here. They were coming for her, but it wasn’t going to be in time. Salazar would gut her before they could stop him.

Gunfire in the distance had only gotten closer. Something heavy hit the door and Salazar rushed at her, but then it slammed open by some explosive force. Bowie came through. His gun discharged and Salazar jerked. He dropped the knife and Dana reached out, grabbed his thumb and brought him to his knees. Then she kicked him square in the nuts.

Bleeding and crying out in agony, Salazar fell to the floor writhing.

Bowie was there drawing her against him, holding her so tightly in his arms. She looked up at him and Wicked said, “LT. We’ve gotta go, or we’re going to get boxed in.”

“Your memory cards,” he whispered.

“I’m not willing to risk all our lives on them. Let’s get out of here. He’s never going to tell me where they are.”

Blue checked Salazar. “He’s alive.” He shouldered him onto his back and said, “Let’s roll.”

* * *

They formed a wall around her, and they started to move through the house, pausing when they encountered men they had to subdue, Echo distracting, charging in at Tank’s command. They made it to the front door, fighting their way out, the SEALs a force to be reckoned with. They streaked across the compound, two of them breaking off and helping to clear the way. Finally, they were at the chopper, and all of them climbed inside. Dana clutched him, her eyes bruised and sad. He hadn’t been able to get her what she wanted, needed. It was nothing new. Even though he wanted to say that he cared about her more than what had happened physically between them, he couldn’t seem to get his mind around it.

They headed for the coast and the USS Annenberg. This mission was done. Tank landed the chopper on the deck a few minutes later. Blue whisked Salazar off to the infirmary and Major McRae walked up to them and said, “Ms. Sorenson?”

Dana nodded, still looking way too pale.

“Are you okay, ma’am? Do you need medical attention?”

She shook her head. Clutching Ruckus, she followed the major into the main part of the aircraft carrier and a small theatre-like conference room. He said, “Have a seat.”

Ruckus and the SEALs all sat down. “Ma’am, this is just a short debrief. I’m sure you’re aware the nature of this mission was black and to have any of this information leaked to any media outlet would undermine our ability to carry out such missions. We do appreciate your assistance in the capture and detainment of Hector Salazar, but ask for your silence in this matter once you are back stateside. Can we rely on your discretion?”

“Yes,” she said, looking at Ruckus. “If it wasn’t for Lieutenant Cooper and the rest of his team, I wouldn’t have ever left that stronghold the first time and definitely not the second. I appreciate all your efforts, and you have my word that I will never talk about this mission to anyone at all. Also, let me commend Lieutenant Cooper and his team for their professionalism, attention to duty, and determination. I simply wouldn’t be sitting here if it hadn’t been for Lieutenant Cooper’s quick thinking, quick action and patience with me. I am and will always be eternally grateful.”

“Thank you, ma’am. That is good to know about my men. This is a top-notch team.”

“What happens now?”

“You will be flown to Panama City. You are booked on a commercial flight back to San Diego. I am truly sorry about your inability to recover your memory cards and your interviews.”

“Thank you. I’m so thankful my crew was rescued. Is there any word about them?”

“Yes, Liam Nelson has been released to his family and is back home. James Quinn has woken up from his coma and is doing well. He’s out of the woods.”

“That is such good news.”

“I’ll be sure to give you information about where he is, so that you can visit.”

She rose and shook the major’s hand, then she turned.

She met his eyes. They filed out and when they reached the deck, Blue was already back on the chopper, ready for their trip off the aircraft carrier. She nodded to him, and he saluted her. She hugged each one of the SEALs, petting Echo, thanking them and Ruckus’s throat got really tight. Finally, she turned to him and as they headed to the waiting chopper. “Is this going to be goodbye?”

He looked away, working to maintain his composure. “Yes, I’m not the kind of man you need in your life.”

“How do you know what I need?”

“I’m just not good at relationships.” When she went to protest, he covered her mouth and stepped into her, wrapping his arms around her. When he broke the kiss, he murmured, his voice low and strained, “Do you want to know what destroyed my marriage?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“The distance and I’m not just talking about being deployed. That took its toll. She wanted something deeper and I couldn’t give it to her.”

“What did she want?”

“Children,” he said his voice subdued, strained. “I said no fucking way. I’m no poster boy for a great childhood, and the father I had was nothing but a bastard to me. How would I raise my own children? I failed her and I’ll fail you, Dana. It’s best we just leave it for what it was. A fight for survival where we needed to lean on each other to get the job done. I am truly sorry about your memory cards. Now you can go back to what you were doing. Giving everything you have to a cause.”

“Bowie, that’s not fair.”

“It’s fair, and you know it.” He cupped her face and smiled into her beautiful eyes. “Don’t waste your life trying to atone for what you think is your sin against your mom. Don’t let all this beauty, all that you are get wasted on being too damned selfless and noble. Find what you want and take it like a pirate. Somewhere along the way, don’t forget about me. Okay? I’ll keep that part inside me.”

He turned and walked back toward the waiting helicopter and she thought her heart was going to break and break and break.

“Bowie!” She screamed his name as if her heart was shattering. She ran across the deck into his arms. He wrapped her in a tight embrace. Kissing her like he would never stop. Then with one final intimate look from the blue depths of his eyes, he turned, mounted the running board of the chopper and disappeared inside. It lifted off, and she stood there until it disappeared into the distance.

She closed her eyes, filled up to the brim with everything that had happened, everything he’d said.

It was time to go home.

* * *

As he heard the hollow echo of the chopper’s blades revving for liftoff, he took one last look at her through the glass. He was in love with her. His heart ached to be the man she could depend on, it nearly took his breath. It surprised him after all this time, after all the hard lessons, that he could still be vulnerable. He should have been able to steel himself against it. He should have known enough to turn away from the very beginning. But Dana was the kind of woman who made it damned difficult not to want more, and more…and fucking more.

He had wanted her from the first. Desire he understood. It was simple, basic, elemental. But this…this was something he could never trust. Giving himself body and soul. He’d never done it. Wasn’t sure he was ever capable of handing over his heart. He was vigilant, but somewhere in that jungle, he’d lost it. Sweetness and courage had outdone him.

“You going to look her up when you get to San Diego?” Kid asked.

“I don’t have her address,” he murmured.

“I have it. It was part of the background check we ran. Some guys on the team know it, too. If you don’t make a move, I think some of them might steal her away.”

His jaw flexed. “No, it’s better this way.”

“For who, LT? Life is too short to not go for the gold.” Echo raised his head, his brown eyes on Ruckus as if he, too, agreed with Kid. His ears pricked forward.

“How do you know that, Kid? You’re still wet behind the ears.”

“Maybe so, but I know something’s there when I see it and, with all due respect, sir. I know a fool when I see one, too.”

“Shut up, Kid.”

“Yes, sir. Copy that.”

He couldn’t allow himself to be in love with Dana Sorenson. She deserved far better than him.

* * *

From the deck of the aircraft carrier, she was transported to the terminal, and she clutched her pack, her heart aching. She waited for her flight, staring out of the big glass windows and into the urban sprawl of Panama City.

The flight was uneventful, the soft conversations, the scents of people and civilization scattered around her seemed more foreign to her than the jungle had been. People stared at her just a little bit longer than usual, wondering at the bruises on her face and the gash on her forehead. Wondering what ill had befallen her. But those bruises and that gash had been to save Bowie, and she’d gladly wear them like a badge.

When she landed in San Diego, she took a cab home. She went up to her bedroom and stripped down to nothing, preoccupied with turbulent thoughts of Bowie and the time they had spent together, his refusal to take a chance on her. She’d wanted to tell him then that she loved him. Wanted him to know how much she was willing to sacrifice to be with him. It wouldn’t be a conventional relationship with the jobs they had, but it would have been so damned meaningful. She released a soft sob, letting the tears flow. He had taught her that life was worth living, worth finding happiness in everything that she did. Finally her suffering, her guilt could be released. There was no need for it. Bowie had been right, in his own realization about moms, he had discovered their capacity to love. She hoped he took his knowledge and went home, went home to finally heal his own heart.

She took a long, warm shower, wiped the condensation off the mirror over the sink and assessed her looks, seeing black and blue, an angry red slash and a woman with troubled eyes and damp, dark hair combed loosely back.

There should have been some external sign of the changes made inside her during the last three weeks—the strength she had regained fighting for her new friends, the humility that remained after she had realized her own emotions had been holding her back, that she had finally forgiven herself for not being there for her mom, starting to let herself grieve as Bowie had held her while she cried for her loss, cried for the woman who had nurtured her, molded her character and in the end become her best friend. The loss she recognized, the love she embraced, and the peace of knowing that even now, her love could not be diminished.

That could be said of Bowie as well. God, how she loved that man, his fierceness, his vulnerabilities, his courage and his strong and noble heart. He wore his trident proud and the Navy should feel damn lucky to have him in their ranks. They had chosen a lost, bruised and battered seventeen-year-old boy who had matured and come into his own. His accomplishments were varied and something he was modest about because his humility was also a part of him, the other side of that coin of confidence that was as natural on him as breathing.

She left the bathroom, dressed in a pair of gray shorts and a white tank top. She settled on her comfortable bed and picked up her phone. Settling back against the pillows, her exhaustion completely took her over. With heavy lids, she pulled up the pictures she’d taken of him. Her favorite had been right before the jaguar had crossed their path and she’d said all those naughty things to him to crack his focus. He’d been standing there, looking like he owned the jungle. Protective, so freaking gorgeous, exuding all that sexual magnetism. Her heart constricted, her throat tightened as her eyes closed and she drifted to sleep, her tears dropping onto her pillow, her heartbreak complete.