SEALs of Honor: Shadow by Dale Mayer

Then she understood how he’d lifted her into his arms. With her injured leg crossed over her healthy one. So as to not hurt it more. And he couldn’t grab it accidentally this way either.
    As in he’d done everything he could to keep her safe and out of harm.
    She sighed and relaxed against him yet again. “Thanks,” she muttered.
    “You’re welcome.”
    She smiled and closed her eyes.
    Damn, he was fine.
    *
    Damn, she was fine.
    And he was an idiot. But he kept remembering his panic when he’d seen her spirited away in the group of terrorists. They’d swooped down onto the beach sending out a hail of fire covering their movements and snatched her up. His heart had damn near stopped, but his feet were already on the move.
    He’d raced into the trees following the beach to get her before they could take her out of the area and be lost forever. He’d seen too many people disappear in this life. And that wasn’t something he was willing to let happen to Arianna. She was his. No, she wasn’t his, but she was his. He rescued her once, or was it twice by now? Maybe three times. Who was counting?
    He didn’t dare lose her to these assholes. Who knew what they’d do to her now they’d lost the rest of the family. He remembered the look on her face when she saw the plane taking off in the opposite direction. To know she’d been left behind. It would haunt him forever. Then screaming in pain, her body twisted in agony as her leg was gripped to keep her under control. Did she give in? Hell, no. She managed to get that gun and kill three men all on her own. It was at the end when she just kept shooting he’d felt his heart break. She’d been doing her damnedest to maintain some control and then lost it.
    He was so proud of her.
    Now she lay curled up lightly sleeping in his arms. Like hell he was going to hand her off to the others.
    Swede walked up beside him. “Do you want me to carry her for a spell?”
    Sensing the humor in his voice and seeing the grin on his friend’s face, Shadow shot him a look. “No. I’m fine,” he said calmly.
    “Better than fine from the way I see it,” Cooper said cheerfully. “Look at that. The one man I didn’t think would ever fall – has not only fallen but done an all-out tumble in front of us.”
    Shadow refused to answer.
    Arianna shifted uneasily in his arms as if disturbed by the men’s voices. Shadow glared at his friends for waking her.
    Swede smirked and stepped in front to lead the way. Cooper, a huge grin covering his face fell in behind to bring up the rear. Their radio whispered in his ear. Mason and Dane were still at the camp looking for an update. Only half listening Shadow keep watch on the surrounding woods as Swede reported that the plane had left with the senator, wife and son. That Arianna was injured and had been taken again. That she was back with them and four more of the enemy were dead.
    There was going to be a hell of a cleanup done here. The bodies all had to be collected and dealt with. He hoped the Canadians would handle that part. Mop up was a bitch. He needed IDs of the dead men, but that was the only thing he wanted from these men now.
    They had just under a mile to go. Without breaking stride and on guard they trekked through the woods toward the rest of their team. As they came to a half mile out, Hawk joined them, his sharp look going from one face to the other then dropping to Arianna’s wan features in Shadow’s arm. “How badly is she hurt?”
    “Gunshot through the thigh.”
    Hawk asked, “Not bleeding out?”
    “No. It’s stopped or had stopped until the bastards grabbed her.”
    Hawk didn’t waste any time. He led the way into camp, letting the others know they were approaching. At the edge, Shadow stopped and stared, using the time to study what was going on ahead of him. He had no intention of entering if she wasn’t safe here.
    Mason walked over. Shadow clarified, “Gunshot to the thigh, missed the bone.”
    “Good.