Page 60 of SEAL's Paradise
She screamed, kneeing him in the groin, and she thrust the heel of her fist against his nose.Blood spurted from his nostrils as he crouched down in pain, and Riley turned and ran toward the van again.She could still get in.She could stop them.
Riley never saw the second man coming, only heard the pounding of footsteps behind her before a large body tackled her to the ground.Sharp pain bit into her head as it hit the concrete, and her body filled with anguish as she took the full weight of her attacker in the fall.She was stunned, unable to move.For a split second, she thought she could roll away, but he was already incapacitating her completely, pinning her hands to the ground as she screamed and fought.Riley tried to kick, but he was straddling her, too big and too strong.
A hand closed round her throat, squeezing as her vision began to waver.
“Dumb bitches always get what they deserve,” the man sneered.
The last thing Riley heard was Sawyer’s roar echoing through the alley, and then everything faded to black.
***
“RILEY.RILEY!”SAWYER’Svoice was hushed but urgent.No.Maybe her hearing wasn’t right.Sawyer wasn’t there.She’d gone to the address alone, even though he’d literally run after Riley to try and stop her.
“Riley!”he cried out in anguish.
She couldn’t move, could hardly breathe, and she heard more commotion and the thumping of footsteps in the alley.“No,” she whimpered.
“It’s okay.You’re safe now, kitten.You’re safe.”Sawyer picked her up, carefully carrying her toward the flashing lights of the ambulance.
When had that arrived?There were more sirens and flashing lights, tires squealing, and police cars and other emergency vehicles arriving.
“I think he broke my ribs,” she gasped, tears filling her eyes.It hurt to breathe, to even look at Sawyer.White hot pain shot through her, immense and all-consuming.
“Shit.I’m hurting you,” he said, sounding pained himself.Sawyer eased her to the damp ground, gently lying her on soft grass.Her breaths were still coming in gasps, although the pain was slightly lessened now that she wasn’t being jostled.
“Over here!”Sawyer yelled, and she realized that several EMTs and police officers were rushing toward them.
“He’ll get away,” Riley said, panicked.“It’s in the van.The missile.He took it.Stop them.”
Sawyer brushed a hand over her forehead, soothing.“Hudson and Wyatt are following the vehicle.They’re radioing for additional backup right now.We got them, kitten.It’s over.It’s all over now,” he soothed, brushing her hair back from her face gently as Riley’s world faded to black.
***
SAWYER MUMBLED IN THEuncomfortable hospital chair, jostled awake by the insistent beeping of the machines hooked up to Riley.He’d sworn to himself that he’d stay awake and watch over her, but he’d been too exhausted.He thought his world had ended when he’d seen a man attack Riley, and he’d sworn his heart had stopped until Riley had ridden the ambulance to the ER and doctors had assured him that she’d be okay.
Her eyes opened at that moment, and he rose and went to her, taking her hand.
“Where am I?”she croaked, her voice no doubt hoarse from screaming.
“The hospital.I know you hate lying around doing nothing when there’s a job to be done, but you’re going to have to rest up for a while.”
“The missiles?”she asked, her voice urgent.
“Back where they should be on base.Bengal and Brown have both been arrested.The buyer is in the wind, but without missiles, he can’t attack the West Coast from Honolulu.We’ll get him eventually.”
“You saved me,” she said, her brown eyes searching his.
“Course I did.You’re it for me, Riley.It’s fast and quick and crazy as hell, but I want to be with you.I’m not sure when exactly it happened, but I’m falling in love with you, kitten.”
She smiled, tears smarting her eyes.“I’m falling in love with you, too, Sawyer Cole.”
