Page 40 of A SEAL's Protection
Marcus shakes his head. “You’re mistake,” he mutters.
The man’s words banish my last bit of self-doubt. All my life, people have underestimated me because of who I am. Fuck this guy.
I jerk the gun down his body and aim for the biggest target I can find. My hand grips the gun tight; I take a deep breath and pull the trigger.
The man howls, and his body jerks sideways as the bullet enters his left butt cheek. It’s enough to give Marcus the edge he needs. He swings his good arm and sends the man sprawling. The gun flies out of the perp’s hand and skitters across the rocky surface.
My hands tremble, and there’s ringing in my ears. Marcus is by my side in an instant. He gently pushes my hands down, and I release the gun. It clatters to the ground, and the enormity of what I’ve just done hits me.
“Did I kill him?”
Marcus shakes his head, and his good hand rests on my shoulder, firm and reassuring. “You did good, Allegra.”
The man lies moaning and holding his backside as crimson-colored blood seeps out of him. Fear and guilt tangle with relief. He’s still alive. I didn’t kill him.
Marcus produces a cable tie and binds the man’s hands behind his back. Then he slumps against a boulder. His arm hangs limp by his side, and there’s blood trickling down his temple. He clutches his shoulder.
He’s too pale. It looks like he’s going to pass out.
“Marcus.” I rush to his side, leaving my pack on the rocks. “Are you okay?”
He manages a jaunty smile. “I’ve been worse.” He tries to stand and stumbles back.
Panic spikes in my gut. “We need to get you out of here. You need an ambulance.”
“I need to check the perimeter.”
He pushes against the rock and pulls himself to his feet. He wobbles, and I wind my arm around his waist, taking some of his weight.
“I’ll come with you.”
He shakes his head, then winces. His good arm comes up to stroke my cheek and tuck a stray bit of hair behind my ear.
“Stay with your samples. Use the gun if you have to. I’ll be back as quick as I can.”
He pulls himself up to his full height. Pain flashes across his face before he grits his teeth and hides it. He’s hiding the pain, as he’s trained to, but seeing his arm hang uselessly by his side scares me. Marcus isn’t invincible. He’s just a man, and a man who needs taking care of.
“No.” My forcefulness surprises me. “We need to pop your shoulder back in, and you need to rest.”
I stand up and meet his gaze. “You can’t do anything with one useless arm.”
He hesitates, and his gaze flickers to the tree line.
“If there was anyone else here, they would have come for us by now.”
He squints at the tree line, frowning. Then he turns to me. “Okay. I’m going to need your help.”
He scans the area for a suitable spot and heads over to a flat boulder. “I’m going to lie down, and when I say, you’re going to rotate the arm until it slides back into place. Can you do that?”
I swallow hard and nod. It’s just a body, I tell myself. A collection of bones and muscles that needs putting back into place.
He lies face down on the boulder and winces as his arm hangs off the side, his hand dragging in the dirt.
I crouch beside him. “Tell me what to do.”
He turns his head, and his gaze meets mine. “The muscles need to relax. Then you’ll need to tug on the arm until the bone slips back into the socket.”
“Okay.” I take his arm in mine, and it’s more than a collection of bones. It’s solid and warm and belongs to the man I’ve come to have feelings for. I push those feelings back and focus on the task. I need to relax Marcus.
