Page 46 of Her Tempting Protector

How could he say that with so much confidence?

Cullen got Adam settled, and Carys made sure that Shada was modestly covered, and that her sandals were on. She groaned as Carys got her sitting in an upright position. Cullen came up behind her.

“Can I be of help? Perhaps I can lift you out of your seat?” he suggested.

Shada tried to push up first, instead of taking his suggestion, and let out a muffled shriek. She sank back down on the mattress. “Yes please, I need some assistance.”

Cullen carefully lifted her out of the backseat. “Where do you want me to take her?” he asked Carys. “Over to those trees?”

“No, we are going to have Shada walk between us, she can hold onto our shoulders. You can do that, can’t you Honey?” she asked the woman.

She nodded. Cullen looked horrified.

“I can carry her.”

“She needs to walk. It’s good for her circulation. This is important.”

“I’m fine, Mr. Lyons,” Shada assured him in a hoarse voice. He set her down, ready to catch her if she crumpled. He held onto her right arm, and Shada wrapped her arm around Carys’ shoulders for support. Slowly, very slowly, they made their way to the trees.

“I will go back and see how Adam is doing. You call me when you need me,” Cullen said when they finally had Shada leaning against a tree.

“Thank you, Mr. Lyons,” she gasped.

“You are welcome, ma’am.”

Carys assisted Shada to urinate and was really worried when there was very little output. With all the saline she’d administered, there should have been more output.

Dammit, was Shada bleeding internally?

Carys took a moment to take care of her own personal needs, then she shouted out for Cullen to come help Shada back to the truck.

Cullen was gritting his teeth as he witnessed Shada’s silent pain during she walked back. He helped her to settle into the backseat, then went to administer to Adam who was crying as well.

Carys rebandaged Shada and repacked her kits. Then she backed out of the backseat and followed the sounds of Cullen’s singing and Adam crying.

“Your friend Kane, does he know if there is a hospital in Wad Gala?”

Cullen was shaking his head before she even finished her question. “That’s out, Carys, I’m so sorry. But we have to wait until we get to Khartoum.”

“We don’t have the time to wait. Her blood pressure is dropping. I’ve run out of saline. I need to get her help.”

“If we’re spotted, we’re done for. We can’t risk it.”

“That’s not an acceptable answer. We’re close to a town, they must have a clinic. I’m in a damned hijab, I’ll walk in and buy some saline.”

“Yeah, with your green eyes and white skin, that’s going to work,” Cullen’s eyes flashed at her.

“Not everybody is black in Africa.”

“I realize that, Dr. Adams. I also realize that we have killers who are on the lookout for us, you in particular. You have to remember that a bunch of these people are scared and in the pocket of the RSF. They will put the drop on you. You are not going to be wandering around Wad Gala. Got it?”

The deadlier his voice got, the louder Adam cried. The baby could feel the tension in the air.

“Give me the baby.” Carys held out her arms.

“At least if you’re holding Adam, I know you’re not going off half-cocked.” He gently placed the newborn into her arms, stroking his finger along his cheek.

“Let’s get something straight right now, Chief Petty Officer, I would never just leave. I already told you I trust you implicitly with our safety. I will always defer to you, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to argue with you. But me countermanding your directive is just plain stupid.”

He looked at her with a stunned expression on his face. “Did you just say that?”

“Huh?”

“You are a Goddess.”

She frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“You are straight up logical. I’m totally taking you home with me when we get out of this mess.”

“Cullen Lyons, you are really getting on my last nerve, and we don’t have time for this. What are you talking about?”

“My sisters would never be this logical, they would always insist that their way was right, and be thinking of a way to go around me, over me, or under me.”

“Well, they need to grow up,” she said succinctly. “Now figure out a way for me to get saline, and us to get to Khartoum.”

“Abso-fucking-lutely. Your wish is my command.”

How could she possibly feel like smiling at a time like this, she wondered as she stared into the bluest eyes known to mankind.