Page 8 of Protecting Olivia

“We need to go,” I called out when I heard the blades of the helicopter approach.

Breeze had the rest of the drywall pulled away exposing the plastic-wrapped body. Blue cut through the duct tape that was holding the body upright in between the two-by-four studs. We had not planned on cutting bodies out of walls. This was supposed to be a quick in and out mission. We needed to hurry the hell up and get the fuck gone.

“The package ready?” My comms came to life, and Viper’s voice crackled in my ear.

“Roger,” I replied. “Time to move, our ride is here.”

Blue already had the body over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold and was out the door. Breeze stayed behind as my cover.

“Time to move, Olivia.” I waited for her to open her eyes. “I am gonna pick you up and carry you out of here. Remember to keep your eyes closed until I tell you.”

“Okay,” she whispered.

I lifted her in my arms and turned toward Breeze. With a nod of his head, he pulled his weapon up and started for the hallway.

“Package is on the move. I repeat the package is on the move,” Breeze called in.

Fresh air hit my face, and I took in a deep breath. “You’re doing great. We’re almost to our ride.”

No sooner had I reassured Olivia, we were airborne. The blast from behind us was so powerful it took us off our feet. The heat at my back made me wince, and I tried to roll in midair so I would take the brunt of the fall. We hit the ground and rolled. Olivia’s head crushing my hand into the gravel as I tried to protect her head. We came to a sliding stop with her on top of me. I quickly rolled her under me trying to offer as much protection as I could.

“Get her to the helicopter,” Viper yelled.

I had never been more grateful for my ear pro. Some guys don’t wear hearing protection, I always did. There was a dull roar in my ears from the explosion, but nothing like what it would’ve been without it. I looked up at what was left of the burning house. Debris scattered over the yard, burning pieces of wood lay nearby.

“Now, now, now,” Viper yelled again, jolting me into action.

Wordlessly, I scooped Olivia up. Viper, Blue, and Breeze all gave us cover as I ran to the helicopter.

The pilot was already throttling up the engine and had engaged the rotors preparing for lift off. Breeze was in behind us, Blue not far behind still carrying the body we had found in the wall. Viper, who was always the first in and the last to leave, jumped in behind Blue.

“Go,” Viper yelled over the blades.

Viper angrily ripped his black balaclava from his head. It was a toss-up if he was vibrating from irritation or if the vibration was from the helo. He was fucking pissed. Not that I wasn’t – that was a clusterfuck.

“What in the fuck was that?” Viper roared.

I think that was probably a rhetorical question, but Blue still answered. “That was fucked is what that was!”

“You think? Jesus Christ,” Viper returned.

Olivia hadn’t moved, hadn’t said a word. She was so slight in my arms I had almost forgotten she was there. I didn’t bother trying to speak to her between the loud cabin and the explosion – she wouldn’t have been able to hear me anyway. When I looked down at her, I was surprised to see she was staring up at me. Deep brown eyes that were so dark I couldn’t make out her pupils.

I gave her what I hoped was a reassuring smile. Comforting a woman was not something I was used to. Yet, as foreign as it was to me, I wanted to comfort this woman. I knew I should’ve passed Olivia off to Blue, he was the one that all the frog hogs called sweet. Women basically threw themselves at him the moment he opened his mouth. The man had rap, no doubt. But as much as I knew I should pass her off, I couldn’t. There was something about her, something in the way she looked at me that tied me to her.

Maybe I had misjudged the girl, maybe she wasn’t the spoiled party girl I thought she was. Or maybe she was just in shock and what I saw in her captivating chocolate eyes was nothing more than hero worship, because I was the one that was point. If it had been any of the other guys, she would be on their lap looking at them the same way.

The barn was only about a hundred kilometers north of our location; we’d have Olivia on the ground, cleaned up, and back with her ma within the hour.

I caught Viper’s attention and pointed to a bottle of water at his feet. He passed me the water. I cracked the top and carefully nudged Olivia to sit up.

“Drink,” I mouthed.

She started to gulp the water down, but I shook my head and pulled the water away. “Slowly.”

I put the bottle back to her lips, and she took small sips. When she was done she pushed the bottle away and closed her eyes. Poor girl had to be exhausted. Not only had she been held against her will, but the adrenaline dump was coming.

“Prepare. Wheels down in two…one…touchdown,” the pilot's voice came over my earpiece.