“Melene.” His voice was husky and full of her. His bag dropped to the floor and his arms wrapped around her.
She threw her arms around his neck and rushed out, “I’m sorry if I caused you trouble with those boys.” She stared into his brilliantly blue eyes, wanting to know his deepest feelings. He cared for her, but was it enough to risk an uncertain, difficult and probably doomed to failure long-distance relationship?
“It’ll be okay,” he said. He hugged her close. She wasn’t sure if it was to reassure her or because it felt as incredible to him as it did to her to be entangled in each other’s arms. “Papa is sending Thor and Greer on a chartered jet. A man he trusts is coming for us in about an hour and will take us to meet them. Can you grab anything you need? I’ll find a bag to put it in.”
“I’m putting more of the Deltas out. I’m so sorry.” She clung to him, praying he wouldn’t let her go. She needed his protection, but most of all, she needed him. “What if Thor misses his wedding?”
He cracked a smile at that. “Somebody will come take his place with us if we get close to that. I’m not risking Shelly’s wrath for stealing her man.”
She smiled. “A Delta man isn’t one you want to lose.” Sadly, she didn’t have this Delta man and probably never would. “Especially Aquaman,” she said softly, though she should’ve left it alone.
“Ah, Melene.” Her name came out as a rough breath.
Their gazes caught and she could see the longing deep in his eyes. She suddenly couldn’t stand the ache for him one second longer. Before he could remind her they could never be together, before she could stew about all the reasons she needed to be strong, before she could allow fear to override faith, she arched up and pressed her lips to his.
If he was startled by her boldness, Aiden didn’t show it. He didn’t miss a beat. His mouth returned the pressure she’d initiated. They were instantly entangled in the most incredible kiss of her life. He maneuvered her mouth in a firm but tender kiss that had her tingling from head to toe. His hands ran up her back and he framed her face, tilting her head and deepening the kiss. Melene moaned and happily encouraged him to take the kiss to the next level.
She’d known kissing Aiden would be off the charts, but even her longings and visions hadn’t created this.
A beep sounded from somewhere far too close.
Aiden jerked away from her and yanked out his phone. He looked at something for a few seconds. His brow furrowed and his body tightened reflexively. He pressed another couple of buttons on his phone and slung his bag over his shoulder, saying in a rush into his phone when it connected, “They’re here. We’re moving out now.” He paused, then told whoever was on the line, “We can’t wait, and circling around the resort is too risky. I’ll be in contact with our location.”
Horror rushed through Melene. Her gut tightened and her pulse raced. “Who’s here?” she whispered back.
Aiden shoved his phone in an inside pocket of his bag without saying goodbye, zipped the top, cinched the straps, and took her hand. “Heat signatures approaching from the front.”
“How many?”
“Dozens.”
Melene’s eyes widened. Had her little buddies ratted her out? More importantly, how on earth could she and Aiden escape?
Aiden said nothing as he hurried her through the main area and out the rear patio door, sliding it quietly shut behind them. They rushed across the pool area and down the trail. She had no shoes on and hadn’t grabbed her stuff. No toothbrush. Again. She almost laughed at that errant thought. What did her breath matter if dozens of men were going to gun them down?
Aiden hadn’t pulled the pistol off his hip. Did he have more guns in his bag? Would they set up resistance down at the beach or somehow hide out until Papa Delta’s guy or Thor and Greer came? No way would that work. They couldn’t hold off dozens of men.
Her heart beat so fast and her throat was so dry she couldn’t even swallow to ask. She didn’t dare say anything and risk giving away their position. As it was, she feared their quiet footsteps would lead the men to them.
She prayed desperately in her head as she and Aiden reached the beach. Had she signed this amazing man’s death warrant? Would she soon be the property of the depraved General Phillip? No matter how tough, brave, and experienced Aiden was she saw no way to escape and no hope of rescue.
ChapterEleven
Chills filled Melene and she trembled with fear. Aiden gave her a reassuring squeeze of the hand. She hated that he could see how terrified she was. She didn’t want him to worry about her when he needed to be focused on their escape.
He released her and slid off his shoes, socks, and shirt, hiding them under some bushes. He sorted through the scuba gear resting on the beach chair. He handed her the face mask she’d worn today, shoved the other face mask on top of his head, and then picked up both air tanks and regulators, hefting one in each hand. His muscles bulged, and he truly looked like Aquaman right now. He slipped one pair of flippers through a couple of his fingers.
He sped across the beach, but slowed his steps as he entered the water. Melene followed close behind, knowing it was her only option. Aiden was her safe spot, and he would protect her from whatever was coming. Had those darling boys truly shared her location for a million dollars? It seemed unfathomable, but they had to be the source, even if they’d told someone about her and Aiden innocently. There wasn’t any other option that she could see.
The lukewarm water closed over her ankles and then her calves. She stayed right close to Aiden, fear coating her in an icy sweat. It was obvious he was planning to use the scuba gear to escape. He’d helped her do a few very short dives in shallow water earlier today. She was by no means accomplished at using the gear or confident in her abilities. There had been some moments when she’d breathed easily under the water and enjoyed the view under the sea of fish and plants. She hadn’t told him earlier, but water had leaked in the side of her mask and filled her nose the third time they’d gone under. It had scared her. She’d been relieved when he’d brought her up and wasn’t sure if scuba was for her.
As fast as she was breathing, she’d probably hyperventilate one foot into the ocean. She prayed desperately for their safety from whoever was coming and for her to please, please calm down. She was going to give away their location, get them both captured, or drown. She wasn’t sure which option was worst at the moment, but she didn’t want to endanger Aiden and she trusted him completely. Somehow, he’d help her through this.
She was waist deep in the water when Aiden turned to her. He took off his bag and set it in the water, then slid into the flippers and eased one of the oxygen tanks onto his back before loosening the straps on his bag and securing it over the tank. It barely fit.
Listening for someone pursuing them, she thought she heard footsteps but wasn’t certain. Her pulse raced far too fast. Fear of so many things—being caught and taken to that awful General Phillip; Aiden being hurt or killed; her drowning as they tried to scuba dive to safety—made her muscles tense up.
She watched as Aiden lifted the other tank and started sliding it onto her back. It was much, much heavier than she remembered. Had he put it on her while she was deeper in the water last time? Earlier, she’d been pretty focused on Aiden’s fingers and palms brushing her bare skin. Right now, even that sensation couldn’t distract her.