Page 8 of Finding Lexie
Lexie faced him. “That’s kind of sad,” she said quietly.
It was. But it had kept them alive, so Midas didn’t mind. He knew he was somewhat jaded. He didn’t trust easily, except for the men on his team. He tended to see trouble around every corner. In contrast, Lexie was the opposite. She trusted first, and probably found out the hard way when someone wasn’t as genuine as they appeared.
It made him want to protect her from all the assholes in the world.
Which was ridiculous, as she was a mission. Nothing more.
Sure, things had worked out for Mustang and Elodie—a woman his teammate had fallen for on a previous mission—but that had been a fluke. A miracle. Once Dagmar saw his physician and they made it to the Navy ship safely, he’d never see Lexie again. She intrigued him, but in a few hours, she’d be just a memory once again.
The wait for Aleck, Pid, and the Jaeger Corps members seemed to take forever. By the time they returned, the sun was creeping higher in the sky and the heat was starting to make the inside of the chopper uncomfortable.
The fact that they’d been rescued seemed to finally be sinking in for Lexie. She didn’t seem as shell-shocked as she had earlier. And the panic she’d felt when she’d learned she and Dag might be separated seemed to have dissipated. Though it was obvious Dagmar wasn’t doing well, and she continued to watch him, a worried expression on her face.
The rumble of two trucks arriving was a welcome sound, and Midas helped to get Dagmar ready for transporting. Lexie hung back, not getting in the way and pitching in where she could.
When they’d gotten Dagmar settled in the back of a truck, Midas motioned to Lexie.
She immediately came toward him.
“Sit there,” he told her, indicating a spot in the back of the truck, away from the tailgate.
Without complaint, she climbed up and scooted down the bench-style seats until she was tucked into a back corner. Nodding in satisfaction, Midas turned to Mustang—only to find his friend smirking at him.
“What?” he asked quietly before following Lexie inside.
“Nothing. Just noticing that you’ve got her completely protected, don’t you?”
“Don’t start with me,” Midas grumbled.
“What?” Mustang echoed not so innocently.
Deciding to ignore his friend’s teasing, Midas hopped into the back of the truck and sat close to Lexie. Putting her in the back made sense. He and Mustang would be between her and the tailgate…and anyone who might want to hurt them.
Driving through town had him on high alert. None of them would ever forget what happened in Mogadishu. And while Galkayo wasn’t nearly as big as the capital city, he’d never forgive himself if Lexie had been saved from a kidnapping, only to be killed after returning to the town she seemed to love.
Midas kept his eyes peeled for trouble as the trucks rumbled toward the hospital. It was a two-story concrete building in the middle of Galkayo. There was no emergency room, per se, just a large open space that was already packed with people. Slate and Jag carried the gurney holding Dagmar, and they were immediately led down a hall to a private room.
Midas gestured for Lexie to follow him, but she shook her head and walked toward the check-in desk instead.
“What are you doing?” he asked, coming up behind her.
“I’m not going to come in here and butt in front of all these people,” she protested.
“Lexie, you were kidnapped,” Midas said in exasperation. “You’re dehydrated, filthy, and need to be seen now, not a few hours from now.”
She straightened her shoulders and, once again, her nose wrinkled before she spoke. “And everyone else has been waiting for who knows how long. I’m okay, Midas. Yeah, I’m thirsty and would kill for a shower, but that doesn’t mean my needs are more important than anyone else’s.”
“We’re going to leave as soon as Dagmar gets looked at and you’ve had a chance to say goodbye,” Midas said. “And since we’re here, you’re going to at least get a cursory exam before we leave.”
“I think we both know that Dagmar isn’t doing well. He might even need surgery. I don’t know if that’s possible here, but he’s not going to be leaving in the next hour,” Lexie insisted. “We’ve got time.”
Midas sighed. She was right, but that didn’t mean he liked it. “Have you always been this stubborn?” he asked.
She smiled then, and it literally lit up her face. “No. I think you bring it out in me.”
Midas chuckled. She was lying through her teeth, and they both knew it. “Fine. Put your name on the list. But I’m sticking by your side until we leave.”
Her smile turned into a frown. “Why?”
