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“You look like this perfect, tough, manly, loving hero, and your kiss transports me to another world, even better than when I was young and dumb, but you’re still the jerk who ditched me for no reason and loathes my family. You only came to tag me for the game, not to rescue me because you love me from the bottom of your soul.”
He pushed out a breath. “You are the most infuriating woman I have ever met.”
Belinda harrumphed and turned away from him. She should be embarrassed about her outburst, but she feared everything she’d said was true. Jagger didn’t care about her. He wanted to make excuses and blame her parents for them blowing apart.
If she’d drop her pride, he’d probably mack-daddy with her the rest of the week then go on his merry way, back to being a great SEAL captain and saving the world, ignoring her texts and acting as if she didn’t exist. She honored his service, but she couldn’t let him break her heart again.
“I need to go help Paul.”
“Of course you do. You’re the hero, and I’m grateful for your rescue,” she conceded, softening her tone. “Please go do your hero job. Don’t worry about ever returning to your lady fair pining away for you at home.”
Did he have any clue how long she’d pined for him?
Jagger half-laughed. “Ah, Bee …” Her name came out in a husky groan.
Belinda’s gaze snapped to his, and she almost faltered at the pleading in his eyes, but there was too much pain and too many years of waiting and hoping he’d come and look at her like that. Now, with the lies he was telling about her parents… She couldn’t deal with any of it. Especially after just being held captive and watching those awful men die.
“Don’t,” she warned him, turning away again.
A few tense moments passed. She prayed he’d reach for her and decimate her resistance, but she’d probably slam her fist into his handsome face if he tried. No wonder her parents hadn’t wanted her with him. Not that they would lie to keep her away, but they’d both expressed concerns. She and Jagger were oil and water and would only fight and never mix. She wanted to be a Christian, not be stirred up and angry all the time.
The Lord is my strength. Please, give me strength to resist him.
Finally, Jagger said, “I’d like you to stay with the group until we secure the other convict.”
“Fine.” She hurried around him and to where Paul had the group moving tents together in a tight clump.
Her heart thumped sadly in her chest. A brilliant and brave rescue and then another beautiful kiss and connection with Jagger had ended in angry words and more hurt. She was probably to blame for overreacting, but them separating was for the best. She knew Jagger could be the hero and rescue her, but he could never be her other half and love her like she needed him to.
Chapter
Thirteen
Jagger had no idea how to get through to Belinda. How could they kiss so beautifully, her proclaiming he was her hero, and for one moment he thought he had everything he ever wanted in his arms … and then she got angry with him again?
Wolf in sheep’s clothing? He was a wolf, but he made no effort to hide it. At least it was better than being called Satan.
Focusing on what needed to be done, he and Paul organized the campers. They talked to the police and Hays on his satellite phone. Hays was close. The four policemen who’d started the Na Pali trail after Hays were only about halfway. Jagger and Paul told them they had it under control, to turn around and not risk crossing that dangerous trail in the rain and soon-to-be-dark. Thankfully they listened.
They hunkered down and waited to get through a miserable night, taking turns watching for the convict who’d escaped. All the campers and Belinda had tents to go into. That was good. He wouldn’t have to watch her and long for her while she threw daggers at him with her eyes. ‘Ever returning for your lady fair’? Did she have any idea how many times he’d wanted to return to her? But he’d promised her snake of a father he wouldn’t.
It hit him that she’d hurt just as much or more than he had. She didn’t know the truth; she’d waited and ‘pined’ for him and cried. That hurt him down deep, but he had no way to fix it, especially if she wouldn’t forgive him or even listen to him.
Paul was upset at himself for not tagging the sixth guy. Jagger wouldn’t let him go there. Without Paul protecting Belinda, risking his own life and fighting incredibly, she might have been raped or killed. Paul had taken out two of the convicts, one with only a knife in hand while the guy had a pistol on him, and chased off the third. He was every bit as accomplished as one of Aiden Porter’s men would be expected to be. Jagger would never stop being grateful to Paul for being there for Belinda.
They’d kept everyone here safe, Jagger’s half-hearted prayers as he’d sprinted here had been answered, and he now counted Paul as a teammate.
Hays made it to their camp later that evening. It was comforting to have his best friend close and great to have the help watching. Not that Jagger could’ve slept anyway, but at least he took a turn curled in the one-man tent, off his feet and out of the rain for a moment.
Unfortunately, his prayers that he and Bee would finally be together weren’t working out well. He should’ve known. God could help him protect others and even stay safe himself, but his Bee was a dream and a goal he’d never have in his life. Belinda would never believe him over her parents, and he couldn’t see a reason for her parents to own up to the truth now. That was sadly all he could think about as he tried for sleep and then gave up and kept a lookout while Hays and Paul each lay down for a bit.
The next morning, the rain and wind calmed enough that police helicopters were able to arrive and fly the wounded and dead criminals out. They thanked Jagger and Paul repeatedly, appreciative they’d rescued the hostages and that Jagger had kept the convicts’ leader Abe Sanderson alive for questioning.
The campers all opted to pack up and hike out with Jagger, Hays, Paul, and Belinda. Nobody wanted to stay. Jagger couldn’t say he blamed them. For a civilian, being a hostage of hardened escaped convicts and then seeing their captors killed would no doubt traumatize them for a while to come. Was Belinda okay emotionally? He wished he could help her, but she only got stirred up and angry whenever he tried to speak to her.
They packed up and started moving. Jagger was grateful the group was in good shape and nobody complained or lagged behind. Thankfully, some of the men in the group had given him, Paul, and Hays dry socks so they wouldn’t have blisters wearing wet socks the eleven-mile hike out. Belinda had dry socks and had changed into dry clothing. Hays insisted on carrying her larger backpack and she thankfully let him take it.
Hays led the group, Paul stayed in the middle, and Jagger took up the rear. They were all on the lookout for the missing convict but had seen nothing so far. As lush and thick as this jungle was, the guy could hide out for some time. Paul told the police that Abe Sanderson had said friends had helped them stash food, weapons, and gear. They planned to search through everyone the prisoners had contacted in the past year and question Abe. Jagger had chosen to tackle and fight him instead of shooting him so the police could have a witness to question. Hopefully it would lead to some information that could help them find who might be hiding the escaped convict.
