I'm disoriented, and when I come back to reality, I'm crouched on the ground, and Hunter is next to me, rubbing my back, taking deep breaths with me.
"There you are." The browns and golds flicker in his eyes, and the line between his brows deepens.
Julieta hands me a bottle of water. "Have a sip."
I drink, and several more minutes pass where Hunter guides my breathing.
When we finally return to the vehicle and get back on the road, I sit with my hand covering my face for quite a while.
Why is this happening to me?
I need to get this under control.
Someone turns the radio on and music fills the air. I slowly lift my head.
Hunter tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear.
"I'm—"
"Shh. Don't." He puts his arm around me and hums to the song then kisses my head.
We approach the coast, and Hunter tugs me closer to him. "Nice view. Almost as gorgeous as you, Flower." He pecks my lips. "I've not seen the Honduran coast before. Good idea, Julieta."
She turns. "It's nice, isn't it?"
"You've driven it before?"
Her eyes darken and her face falls. "Yes. Several times." She turns back, and Ryker covers her hand and squeezes it.
Hunter's body stiffens.
I sit up straighter, but he drags me onto his lap and cradles my head to his chest so I face the ocean and sparkling turquoise water. The smell of the salt mixes with the scent of Hunter's skin, and it flares in my nostrils, calming me.
The rest of the ride through Guatemala, I cuddle with Hunter, safe in his arms, listening to his heartbeat and him hum reggae music. We steal kisses and take in the scenery. Once again, I forget about the prisons haunting me and lose myself in the world of being free with Hunter.
14
Hunter
We stop at a gas station for a bathroom break. The restrooms are around the corner of the building, and Ryker and I escort the women. One of us stays outside at all times, and we quickly do our business.
The ladies are both inside the restroom, and I ask Ryker, "What's the situation at the border?"
"If Julieta says it's safe and she can get us through, then she will."
I cross my arms.
"Don't look at me like that." he snarls.
"You know something, and you aren't telling me."
His face hardens. "Not my story to tell."
"Since when do we not have each other's back?"
"Just because I'm not disclosing confidential information to you that I promised I wouldn't, doesn't mean I don't have your back."
I snort.
Ryker's eyes turn to slits. "So, you've told me everything Vanessa has told you?"
I wish I could deny it, but I can't.
"That's what I thought."
"Fine. But whatever Julieta has planned isn't going to put Vanessa in harm?"
"Of course not," Ryker angrily barks. "Man, what do you have against Julieta?"
"Nothing."
"You're full of shit, Hunter. Whatever it is, get over it. I'm tired of it. Everything Julieta's done has helped us so far. She even made your favorite breakfast this morning, trying to be nice to you."
"Glad she told me not to eat it before the hill of death," I grumble.
"Since when do you back down from a challenge?"
My blood pulses hard. "When my woman's safety is involved, that's when."
Ryker steps closer. "This is what we do. We don't have a lot of options right now, and none of our choices are sunshine and rainbows. The other guys are all on their own and hiking in the jungle, doing who knows what. We're the luckiest of them all. We have each other and the Jeep. And we got to stay under a roof last night, thanks to Julieta. Let's not forget that."
I hold my hands in the air. "You're right. I just..." I sigh and lower my voice. "Vanessa's panic attacks scare me. I'm not sure what to do so she doesn't have them."
He sighs and his voice calms. "You can't do anything besides what you're doing. You know that."
I clench my jaw and stare at the sky.
"You're doing a good job. Don't second-guess yourself. That won't help her."
Am I really helping her?
It doesn't feel like it.
"Don't," Ryker reiterates.
The door opens and Vanessa and Julieta appear.
"Did you enjoy powdering your noses?" I tease.
Vanessa bats her eyes.
I peer at her closer. "Did you put makeup on?"
"Little bit. Julieta had some from her house. Now we aren't a total embarrassment for you two."
"You look nice, but neither of you needs it." I mean it, too. They both, including Julieta, are smoking-hot women.
"Agreed," Ryker backs me up. "You're natural beauties."
Vanessa pats my cheek. "Aww. Aren't you sweet."
"You, too," Julieta tells Ryker.
He grunts but has his perma-grin back on his face. But who am I to judge? I'm sure I'm wearing mine. "Better get back on the road."
We drive for another few hours. When we get closer to the border, Julieta has us veer away from the water and go more inland.
Vanessa's breathing becomes shallower.
Crap. It's not safe for us to stop here. The gas station alone was a risk. She can't have another attack right now.
I breathe with her and rub the knots out of her neck and back. I even attempt to sing a song that comes on the radio.
Anything to try to keep her mind off wherever it's going, I'll do.
Morning turns into the afternoon. We eat lunch on the road. Julieta made sandwiches and also packed fruit and snacks before we left.
We arrive at a banana farm. "Go through that track," Julieta instructs Ryker.
He turns and after several feet stops. "This is pretty narrow."
"Yeah. It's the only place to get the Jeep across the river. We can't cross the border without getting over it."
"All right. Sit on the console and pull my blanket out of my bag. I don't want the branches scraping you."
She obeys, and I move to the middle and put Vanessa on my lap and take out our blanket. I cover her body, including her face.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm not letting your face get hurt."
"I need air. I can't stay under there."
"Put your cheek on my chest, then."
Vanessa does, and I position my body, so it's in front of her.
"Isn't this a little overkill?"
"No, it's not. Those sticks are going to hurt if they touch you."
Ryker circles his arm around Julieta so her head is on his chest as well. He drives slowly, and the bang and scrape of the wood against the car remind me of someone running their nails down a chalkboard. A bunch of bananas catch under the roof and separate from the tree, but I catch it before it hits Vanessa's body.
It's a slow and painful ten minutes. Vanessa and Julieta both cover their ears and are visibly shaking. Ryker and I keep constant surveillance of what's coming inside the car and ensuring the women are covered. At the end of the journey, Ryker's and my arms are bleeding from the damage. Ryker's forehead has a gash, and my cheek has blood oozing from it.