Page 18 of Her Tempting Protector

“Yes,” Cullen answered.

Some of the tension left her shoulders. She hadn’t realized just how panicked she’d been about the whole situation. Without a car and with little Farida’s injuries, she hadn’t been sure what to do next.

“Dr. Adams?” Faizah called from the door. “Is everything all right?”

“Yes, they’re friends. They’re going to help us. Give me a few more minutes and then I will have you meet them,” she assured the nurse.

Even knowing that they were allies, she was cautious as she proceeded forward. It was her nature. The man named Cullen must have sensed it because his smile was kind when he gently teased her. “We’re ‘SEAL’s’, Carys, we don’t bite. We don’t have tusks like walruses.”

She rolled her eyes and walked faster. These men were really a breed of their own, how could she have forgotten?

“Don’t mind him, his mouth is always running,” Raiden said as he held out his hand. Carys took it and appreciated his firm handshake.

“Don’t forget me,” Cullen said as he held out his hand. Carys eyed it suspiciously.

“You might be a SEAL, but your name is Lyons, so I still have to be worried about your teeth, right?”

“She’s got you there,” Raiden said with a straight face.

Cullen ran his hand through his hair. “Smart. I like smart.” He gave her a grin out of the corner of her eye. Then he held out his hand again and she shook it. “So, Carys, how bad is it inside?”

She cleared her throat. “We have a woman who just had a cesarean section two hours ago. The newborn’s vitals are okay, but not ideal. Two other children, ages five and seven, are in pretty good shape, even though they have suffered from some physical abuse. But the toddler, aged two-and-a-half, is malnourished and has significant bruising on her abdomen. I’m worried about internal bleeding.”

“So, the mother, baby, and toddler need to be taken to the hospital at Khartoum immediately, correct?” Cullen asked briskly.

Carys shook her head. “The mother and newborn can’t be moved yet, but Farida, the toddler, I’m worried about her, she needs to go A.S.A.P.”

“Shit.” Carys’ eyes followed as he ran his hand through his raven black hair again.

“We’re going to need to split up,” Raiden said quietly.

“How upset are they going to be to see American soldiers?” Cullen asked.

“Let’s go see.” Carys motioned for them to follow her into the shack.