Page 28 of Landon

Landon watched them disappear into the jungle, the rain swallowing their retreating forms. Only when he was sure they were safely away did he turn his attention back to the man on the ground. The two younger kidnappers inside were either unaware or too afraid to venture out into the storm after hearing the gunfire.

Kneeling beside the fallen man, Landon took a grim breath. The wound was fatal— he’d seen enough battlefield injuries to know the man wouldn’t survive until dawn. And his demise would be prolonged and agonizing. The decision to hasten the man’s death was made in an instant, driven by necessity, the cold reality of their situation, and the knowledge that it would show mercy, more than what the man would have shown them.

With a swift, decisive motion, Landon grasped the man’s head and twisted sharply. The snap of the spine was quick and merciful. The man’s body gave a final shudder before falling still.

Rising to his feet, Landon cast a glance toward the trees where Noel and the kids had vanished. He hated that she’d been forced to shoot, hated even more that she might have had to witness what he’d just done on a mission.

Landon raced to the closest window and peered inside, seeing the two younger kidnappers standing, their gazes filled with surprise as they stared up at the staircase, probably expecting their compadre to come down. He spied another gun lying on the table. Darting to the door, he kicked it in, splintering the wood.

One was reaching for the gun, and Landon fired, dropping the man where he stood. The other threw his hands up into the air, his eyes wide and a wet stain now on the front of his pants. “No, no… I surrender,” he cried.

Landon kept his weapon on the young man while he stalked forward and snatched the gun off the table. A glance around gave no evidence of another weapon. “You stay here, and you’ll live.”

“Yes, yes! I’ll stay. I won’t leave!”

Backing out the door, Landon ran to the trees on the opposite side where Noel and the kids had disappeared. If he was watched, then the jungle hid which direction they came from. Now, circling the building under the foliage cover, he hastened to where the Jeep was parked.

“Got the kids out of the building,” he radioed. “Noel has them. Kidnappers are disarmed. One dead. One wounded. One scared shitless.”

“Copy that,” Todd said.

“Heading to vehicle. Will make contact when we are on the road. What is the status of the storm?”

“Still a tropical storm, but while it is centered to the north of Jamaica, it has stalled slightly, so heavy rain and sustained winds will be experienced. Hope to get Cole there tomorrow.”

Disconnecting the call, Landon swiped at his rain-soaked goggles, pushing through the last of the jungle’s thick undergrowth. The muddy lane stretched out before him, slick and treacherous underfoot. His eyes locked onto the Jeep parked farther up the road, the engine running.

Jogging toward it, he felt the weight of the storm pressing down, the rain drumming against his shoulders. As he reached the driver’s side, he called out above the noise, “It’s me. Move over.”

Noel jumped as she whipped her head around. Seeing him, she nodded as a relieved smile eased the furrow in her brow. Sheclambered over the stick shift, her ass in the air. Landon blinked, stunned that in the middle of a rescue, in the middle of a storm, in the middle of a Jamaican jungle, he was noticing a woman’s ass.Christ…He shook his head to dislodge the thoughts.

As soon as she was clear, Landon yanked the door open and climbed into the driver’s seat. The interior was a welcome relief from the pounding storm. He ripped the goggles off, tossing them onto the dashboard.

Twisting to look at Noel, he softened his sharp gaze momentarily as he took in her appearance. Her wet hair clung to her face, droplets of water trailing down her cheeks. Her eyes, wide and intense, seemed even larger against her pale, rain-slicked skin. For a brief, irrational moment, all he could think about was kissing her again, the memory of their earlier kiss flaring to life. But the sound of movement in the back seat slammed him back to reality.

His attention snapped back to Noel, and the words came out harsher than he intended. “You didn’t stay in the vehicle.”

Her eyes widened in surprise at his tone, but the flash of relief quickly turned to defiance. She narrowed her gaze, the soft vulnerability replaced by a sharp glare. “And if I hadn’t come out, you might be lying in the mud with a bullet in you,” she retorted, her voice low but fierce.

Landon clenched his jaw, the truth of her words settling heavily between them. He couldn’t deny it. She had saved him.

14

Noel started shaking as soon as Landon left the vehicle, leaving her with a weapon and minimum instructions on how to fire it. He hadn’t been gone long when panic overcame her, and she’d slipped from the dry warmth of the Jeep. Staying at the edge of the road where the low, overhanging foliage hid her, she’d headed in the direction he’d taken.

When she spotted the building ahead, her breath caught in her lungs. Landon was on the flat rooftop of the lower structure, moving swiftly. Tad was dropping several feet from the drainpipe to the ground below. Penny climbed onto Landon’s back, and he swung over the side of the building. Tad’s arms were raised to assist if needed. Noel had started moving toward them when a figure appeared on the roof—a man, his weapon raised.

Her mind blanked with fear, and instincts kicked in. Raising the gun in the direction of the man, she pulled the trigger. The shot rang out louder than she’d expected, and the recoil jarred her arms.

The man’s cries were real as he pitched over the side of the building. He clutched his stomach when he hit the ground. She couldn’t believe that her gunshot startled him enough to fall offthe roof. She was afraid to get closer, but Landon sent the kids to her with the order she was to take them to the Jeep.

Grabbing the kids by the hands, she led them quickly toward the road, the jungle’s dense foliage making it hard to navigate. The rain didn’t let up, blinding her as it poured down in relentless sheets. “Come on!” she urged, wiping her face, only for the rain to soak her again instantly. They stumbled onto the muddy road, and her heart lifted slightly when the Jeep appeared.

Noel made sure Tad and Penny were close. Tad seemed strong and determined to push through, but Penny struggled, her small frame weakened by fear and exhaustion. Her brother reached over and grabbed Penny’s hand, helping her to keep their pace. At the Jeep, Noel threw open the back door, helping Penny inside first. Tad stopped for a moment, swiping at the rain on his face. “Th... thank you for?—”

“Get in, honey,” she said gently but firmly, giving him a small, encouraging smile.

Once the kids were safely inside, Noel slid into the front passenger seat. She turned to check on them, finding them huddled together, eyes wide with lingering fear. Her heart clenched, and she softened her tone. “Tad, Penny, my name is Noel Lennox. I’m a social worker from Montana.”

---