Page 77 of Protecting Bree
And he’d left his pack in the vehicle they were using.
Her mouth watered at the thought of what he had in that backpack. Clothes. Socks. Shoes. Food. Water. Chapstick…all the things a girl who’d been kidnapped could ever want.
Instead, she was sitting on Smiley’s lap in a building that felt as if it was going to completely collapse on top of them at any second, still in the nasty slip—but at least now, also in the shirt Smiley had literally given her from his own back—and so hungry she thought she was going to pass out.
But she wasn’t in a cage. Wasn’t on her way tobecoming anyone’s sex slave. And Smiley’s team was going to find them hopefully sooner rather than later. She could hang on for a little while longer.
“At least it’s not the jungle,” Bree said out of the blue. She should be sleeping, but she was too keyed up. And sensing Smiley’s tension made her too nervous to close her eyes…er,eye. Every sound she heard made her wonder if that was it, if Mateo’s goons had found them. “I hate bugs. And snakes. And itchy plants. For the record…I’m not a camping girl.”
Smiley chuckled, and she felt it along every inch of her body. “Noted.”
“Smiley?”
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
“He’s not going to give up.”
His entire body went hard. She hadn’t meant to blurt that out, but she couldn’t stop thinking about it. Mateo Castillo had gone to extraordinary lengths to find and recapture her. Just because she’d gotten away a second time didn’t mean he was going to let her go. For some reason, he was determined to add her to his collection of women. She had no idea why. She wasn’t anything special. She was just…her.
“I know.”
Bree wasn’t expecting that response. She met his gaze and bit her lip.
“But he’s not going to win. He’s on the radar now. Mine, yours, the team’s, Tex, Wolf and his friends. A guy from Colorado named Rex. He’s going down, Bree. I guarantee you that.”
Bree believed him. It would be easy for her to blowhim off or get upset, becausehewasn’t the one Mateo was after. But he was in this as much as she was. His being here, right now, proved that. “Okay.”
“Okay?” he repeated, dipping his head so he could look into her good eye better.
“Yeah. I’m scared, Smiley. I won’t deny that. But I got away not once, but twice. I’m not the stupid, weak woman he obviously thinks I am. Of course, me getting away means he’ll be more careful next time, but whatever.”
“There won’t be a next time,” Smiley said gruffly.
“I hope you’re right.”
“There won’t,” he insisted. “This is gonna end. Sooner rather than later.”
Bree prayed that was the case.
“I need to talk to you about something else.”
She braced even as she nodded.
“I need to go out and find you something to eat and drink. Maybe get you something more appropriate to wear.”
Her first instinct was to say no.Hell no. But she seriously didn’t feel well. Was feeling sicker by the minute. If she wanted to be any kind of help, or just not have to be carried everywhere, Bree knew he was right.
It was one of the most difficult things she’d ever done, giving him a nod of agreement, but she did it anyway.
“Fuck, Bree. You amaze me.”
She shook her head firmly. “No. Don’t tell me how strong I am or how impressed you are. Everything within me is screaming to say no. To hold on and refuse to let you leave. But I’m not in good shape. I don’t know if I can even stand up on my own anymore. I feel like shit, and Iknow it’s because I’m hungry and dehydrated. And if you can find anything for my feet, I’d be extremely grateful. Even flip-flops.”
“Youarestrong, and Iamimpressed with you,” Smiley countered. “And the fact that you want to tell me to stay but aren’t, just solidifies your strength.”
Bree rolled her eyes and huffed out a breath. “Whatever,” she mumbled.
“I’m not going far. I’ll be back before you can miss me.”
