No way would Xavier fail to reach out if Audrey had been stranded at the lodge. He’d know Jae would worry.
The lack of contact meant something had gone terribly wrong. For Audrey, and maybe even for Xavier.
There was a lengthy debate on what do to with Audrey while the team moved in on the lodge, and Xavier knew she was ticked that absolutely no one considered her opinion on the matter. Not even him. But in the end, she’d accepted their decision and agreed to the plan.
Much as he wanted to leave her safe in the deep woods, it was safer to stick as close together as possible. Leaving her by the donkey sled hideout would mean having to send someone back for her after the lodge was secured, and that only invited more risk.
So she made her way toward the lodge with the team and would take cover in the post office that was attached to the museum across the street from the lodge, where she’d wait out the battle alone.
They couldn’t spare a man to protect her, not even injured Xavier. They were thirteen strong, moving in to rescue their fellow SEALs—five trainers and, they hoped, four SEALs.
They had to be ready to strike when George set off his lightbulbs.
Audrey insisted a SEAL take her Glock. They needed bullets more than she did. She had a paintball gun and a Molotov cocktail to defend herself should she be spotted by one of the mercs.
Xavier felt sick at the plan, but it was the only option. She couldn’t storm the lodge with the team. That would be far riskier.
He accompanied her to the back door of the post office. With a SEAL watching his six, he quickly picked the lock and pushed the door open.
He followed her into the small back room and did a fast search of the mail bins and under the tables, ensuring the space was empty. He didn’t have time for more.
“I’ll come for you once we have the lodge.”
“Watch out for George.”
He nodded and turned to leave, then stopped. He faced her and placed a hand at the back of her neck. She was trembling.
It was a punch in the gut to feel the physical manifestation of her fear, but he understood it. This wasn’t her world.
Hell, it shouldn’t even be his anymore.
“When this is over…” He shook his head, unable to say the words.
If you’ll let me, I’m going to love you like you deserve. I’m going to do everything I can to be a man worthy of you.
Instead, he pressed his mouth to hers. She opened her lips, and he slid his tongue inside for a deep, intimate kiss that ended far too soon.
He released her and headed for the heavy wood door. “Bar the door behind me. You know the knock.”
If Xavier wasn’t able to retrieve her, Flyte or one of his men would. They all knew the knock pattern.
Without looking back, he left her in the tiny, musty post office and slipped into the woods to take his position with the team. In twenty minutes, the most important op of his life would begin, with nothing less than his future family at stake.