Delta Force Rescue - Elle James Page 0,37

back. He blacked out only to feel something warm and wet scraping across his skin. When he opened his eyes, Lucy lay beside him, licking his face.

“Hey, I thought you were dead.”

She continued licking, whining softly.

This time when Rafe rolled onto his back, he didn’t black out. He was able to sit up without falling again. Then he folded his legs beneath him and staggered to his feet, swaying. He thought he’d fall to the ground, but he managed to remain upright long enough to get to the cabin and through the door Briana had left open.

Once inside, he found a knife in the kitchen utensils and fumbled to get it into his hands behind his back. After several failed attempts, he finally sawed through the plastic and freed his wrists. He lunged for the satellite phone and dialed Hank.

“Briana?” Hank answered.

“No. Donovan.”

“Fuck,” Hank cursed. “They got her, didn’t they?”

Rafe had a lot more curses he wanted to say, but they would serve no purpose. “Yes.”

“You okay?” Hank asked.

“I will be,” Rafe said. “I hope they don’t hurt Briana. I should’ve been more prepared. They brought more than a dozen men to secure her.”

“I’ve gathered as many of my guys as I could. We’re on our way.”

The roar of rotor blades echoed off the hillside.

“I have a feeling it’s too late. Sounds like they’re taking her out by chopper.”

“Was she still wearing the necklace I gave her?” Hank asked.

Rafe squeezed his eyes shut against the throbbing in his head. “I think so.”

“I’ll get Swede monitoring her progress on the computer right away. I have the handheld device. We’ll be able to see where she’s going and hopefully intercept them.”

“God, I hope so. I can’t believe they sent so many men to get her. The other two times were one- or two-man jobs,” Rafe said.

“El Chefe must want Alejandra really bad to send a dozen mercenaries in to retrieve someone who might know where her and the baby are hidden. Seems like overkill.”

Rafe cringed. “Let’s hope they don’t kill her once they discover she has no idea where Alejandra is hidden.”

“Are you in any shape to meet me at the highway?” Hank asked. “Looks like the chopper is headed in the direction of Bozeman.”

Rafe fought back waves of nausea and pressed a hand against the growing lump on the side of his head. He didn’t have time to pass out. Briana needed him. “I’ll be at the highway when you get there.”

He shed his jacket, pulled on a T-shirt, slipped his shoulder holster over his arms and buckled it across his chest. Grabbing his AR15, he stowed it on the back seat of his truck and called to Lucy.

The border collie dragged herself up into the truck and settled in the passenger seat. She hadn’t run off when he’d released her leash. She seemed to have bonded with him and Briana in the few short days they’d been together. He was glad the blow she’d sustained hadn’t killed her. Briana would’ve been heartbroken.

Briana…

Sweet Jesus, he’d failed to protect her. Even with the surveillance monitors, he’d let them get past him to her. And she’d willingly stepped out of the cabin to save his sorry ass. She was amazing and courageous. By God, he’d bring her back safely, and then go after the man who’d taken her.

Rafe raced down the mountain road, fishtailing around curves, skidding on gravel. The men in Jeeps were long gone, as was the helicopter in which they’d airlifted Briana.

By the time he reached the highway leading into Eagle Rock in one direction and Bozeman in the other, Hank’s truck was slowing to a stop. Two more trucks pulled in behind him, and several men climbed out, carrying rifles or handguns.

Hank left his truck and joined Rafe next to his. “The chopper landed at a private airstrip on a ranch this side of Bozeman. I notified the sheriff, but by the time they got out to the ranch, a small jet had taken off. The helicopter was gone, and the jet was well on its way to wherever they’re flying her. I’m in contact with the ATC. They’re researching the flight now. So far, they don’t have a tail number to allow us to identify the owner. The ranch owner where the landing strip was located is an absentee owner. He flies in once a year during hunting season. He didn’t know someone was going to land on his property, and he didn’t authorize it.”

Rafe’s fists clenched. “So,