Kidnapped by a SEAL - Makenna Jameison Page 0,4
total surprise since she was pregnant with his child and they’d moved in together practically the second she’d come here from England, but wow.
The first man on their SEAL team was finally getting hitched.
There was a round of whoops and hollers all around, and a moment later, Bailey was popping a bottle of champagne that she’d pulled out of the fridge.
Noah moved over toward her and said in a low voice, “When I propose, it sure the hell won’t be with my entire SEAL team here.”
Ryker shook his head and moved toward Hunter. “Congrats, man. That’s fantastic.”
“I’m a lucky bastard,” Hunter agreed, wrapping his arm around Emma’s shoulders as she stood beside him.
“Well how about you, Ryker?” she asked in her British accent. “Your entire SEAL team has a girlfriend—or fiancée,” she added, smiling up at Hunter. “Should we find you a woman or what?”
He chuckled. “Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t do relationships—not serious ones, anyway.”
Hunter smirked beside Emma.
“What the hell is so funny?” Ryker asked. “I mean, sure, I saw the same woman all summer. But that was with a mutual agreement to part ways after we had some fun.”
“Ryker,” Emma chastised. “Did you think Hunter would ever settle down?”
“Hell no,” Ryker said, his lips quirking as he looked between Hunter and Emma.
“Well there you bloody go,” Emma said as Hunter chuckled.
“There I ‘bloody go’ what?” Ryker asked, raising his eyebrows.
“The unbelievable can happen sometimes. Did I think I’d waltz into a pub, meet Hunter, move to the States, and get pregnant and engaged?”
“I sure didn’t,” Hunter said with a chuckle, brushing his lips over her flaming red hair. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Bailey and Noah handed out plastic cups of champagne to everyone, Bailey putting a cup of orange juice instead into Emma’s hand. “All right,” Noah called out, as everyone looked his way. He held his cup up in the air. “We’ve been waiting a damn long time for Hook to settle down. Emma, he’s all yours now,” he added, listening to the laughter throughout the room. “To Hunter and Emma!”
The others all toasted and sipped their champagne, and Jessica began to tell everyone to get some food.
Ryker grabbed an empty plate and sauntered over to the buffet table. He was reaching for some scrambled eggs and bacon when his phone buzzed in his pocket. Quirking his brow, he saw his teammates all reaching for their phones at the same time as well.
Shit.
It was go time.
Chapter 3
Emily awoke with a start, her eyes taking in the darkness around her. She blinked and shifted on the lumpy mattress, amazed she’d fallen asleep at all. Moonlight came in through the small window, and from the way the moon had shifted across the sky, she knew she’d been asleep a few hours.
Tears smarted her eyes as her stomach churned.
They hadn’t given her anything to eat last night. Did they think she’d give in to the asshole running the place based on hunger alone?
It had been a month since she’d been taken. At least.
She knew the U.S. government would be looking for her. The military. Other State Department officials.
But what if they had no leads?
As much as she hated her captors, they were smart. They were radio silent at all times, with no cell phones or other devices to track. They huddled together and whispered or called out commands in Arabic. They weren’t exactly typing away on laptops and texting.
Her mind drifted as she squeezed her eyes shut.
“Swenson! I’m going on patrol around base at twenty-three hundred,” Commander Williams called out. “Care to ride along? See what’s outside this compound from the ground?”
She nodded, grabbing her helmet and securing the strap beneath her chin. She’d ridden in an armored convoy from the airstrip when she’d arrived. But there was something to be said about driving around at night on patrol, getting a better feel for the lay of the land. “Do you run into trouble at night?” she asked.
“Negative. They don’t usually come this close to base—we’re too heavily fortified here. Nightly patrols are still conducted hourly though.”
“Understood.”
Emily fell in step beside the commander as they walked out of the building, climbing up into the Humvee. “How many vehicles are coming on patrol?”
“Just the two. The other guys will ride along in front. We’re bringing up the rear. Jacobs will be joining us as well.”
She nodded, eyeing the heavily armed Marines standing by the checkpoint to enter the base. Another young Marine hopped in the Humvee with