Shea, my God. You have to stop this.
Get the hell away from me, Grace. You’re distracting me.
At once warmth and strength poured into Shea, bolstering her when she so badly needed the reinforcement.
Don’t bother trying to hold our link. I’ll do what I can. Focus on your guy. I need to stop your bleeding.
Shea didn’t argue. She didn’t have the strength and she couldn’t afford even the tiniest slip where Nathan was concerned.
“Make your shots count, Swanny. When we run through this ammo, we’re SOL.”
Swanson nodded, a fierce scowl etched across his face. “Bring it on, motherfuckers.”
More bullets slapped the trees and ground around them. Nathan ducked behind the broad tree and looked over at Swanson. “They’re still a good distance away. Don’t shoot until you’re sure you’ve got a good shot.”
Swanson nodded.
The valley went quiet. Wind whistled eerily through the trees. Leaves rustled. Chills raced down Shea’s arms. She was Nathan’s only barrier to the cold. His only protection from pain that should have had him unconscious on the ground.
In the distance, the bastards crept forward, drawing closer to Nathan’s position. He held a finger up to tell Swanson to hold off.
“Wait,” he mouthed.
Swanson nodded and tightened his grip around the rifle.
They were about four hundred yards away when the world exploded in a series of gunfire. Several of the men who’d been pursuing Nathan and Swanson hit the ground. Others broke and ran, shooting wildly left and right, completely away from where Nathan and Swanson stood.
“What the f**k?” Swanson demanded.
As Nathan stared, mystified, the valley swarmed with soldiers. Holy f**king hell. American goddamn soldiers.
His heart raced and damn near beat out of his chest.
“Oh my God,” Swanson breathed. “They’ve come for us.”
CHAPTER 8
NATHAN had never been so happy to see someone in his entire life. It was all he could do not to run out, waving his arms, but he remained in his position and told Swanny to do the same.
It was clear by the number of Tangos hitting the ground that snipers were picking them off on either side. What was left was taking heavy fire from the swarm of soldiers coming at them from all sides.
A few Tangos got close enough for Nathan and Swanson to squeeze off shots. In a matter of minutes, what few remained turned tail and hauled ass back the way they’d come.
Swanson let out a whoop and hoisted his rifle into the air.
Jubilation filled Nathan as well. We did it, Shea!
Nathan waited for the reassuring response from Shea but she was silent. Dread gripped him until finally he felt her stir and warmth traveled through his body again.
I knew you’d do it.
Her confidence imbued him with the strength to walk out from behind the tree. He staggered from cover just as Swanson started out as well. The two men helped each other as they went to meet the approaching soldiers.
As they drew closer, Nathan’s pulse ratcheted up and tears blurred his vision. Donovan? Sam? Ethan? Garrett? Holy shit. It was KGI, not the army.
“It’s my brothers,” Nathan croaked.
“I don’t give a f**k if they’re your sisters,” Swanson said as he hoisted Nathan’s sagging body. “I’ll kiss them just the same.”
Adrenaline left him. Even Shea’s unwavering support couldn’t hold him up any longer. Nathan sagged, going down to his knees.
It was like a breaking dam. Pain flooded him. Fire burned through his limbs, his muscles, even his veins.
He realized that Shea’s strength was gone. She could no longer shield him. She’d shielded him far too long already.
He glanced up to see horror written on his brothers’ faces as they ran toward him. Then he looked down, realizing what they saw. He was gaunt, completely naked, and blood ran in rivulets down his body from all the cuts. It streamed down his leg where he’d taken a bullet.
He looked like he’d been to hell and back. He could feel the fires of hell licking up his body until he was consumed in agony.
He pitched forward, bracing his palms against the cold earth as his brothers surrounded him.
You’re safe now, Nathan.
Shea’s weak voice reached him just as he sensed her withdrawal. Only it felt final this time. Not like the others when she’d always promised to come back.
Please, please don’t tell anyone about me. Please keep my secret safe. My safety depends on it.
And then she was gone, leaving a giant, yawning hole in the pit of his soul. His fingers curled into the dirt. “No! Don’t leave! Goddamn it, don’t leave!”
“Nathan, my God. It’s me, Donovan. You’re okay now, man. We’re here. We’re not going to leave you. We’re going to take you home.”
As his brothers tried to roll him over, Nathan went ballistic. Here, when he was surrounded by his brothers, he’d never felt so alone in his life.
“Don’t go! Oh God, don’t go. Please don’t leave me,” he whispered brokenly.
Garrett palmed Nathan’s face with both hands and lowered his face until they were mere inches apart. “Nathan, we’re here. We’re taking you home. Everything’s okay now. We’re going to get you out of here.”
“Swanny. Take care of Swanny,” he managed to gasp out.
“I’ve got him,” Ethan said. “Don’t worry. We’ve got him.”