Sirens sounded in the distance, the sound jarring and unwelcome.
Walker kept one arm around her shoulders, but turned her so she was facing him. “Are you hurt?”
“Not really. I mean, I’m alive, I can’t ask for much more. What just happened?”
“The hijackers were obviously never planning on leaving via the jet.”
Gillian nodded. “The fuel was a decoy.” The look of admiration in Walker’s eyes was gratifying. She felt raw and off-kilter, but she also felt as if she could do anything if he kept looking at her like she was something special.
“Exactly. They let the hostages go in pairs as a distraction. Since no one had seen what they looked like, we didn’t know who was a hijacker and who was an innocent civilian. It was smart. But after Lefty and Brain got the hostages rerouted, it was easy to distinguish who was running for the Beechcraft and who was simply trying to get away.”
Gillian nodded.
“The other three made it to their escape plane and let go of the women and children they were using as shields. Looked like Luis was trying to pull Andrea into the plane with him when you and that asshole,” he kicked at Alberto at their feet, “ran into them and tripped everyone. It gave us enough time to get to them before they could get inside. Grover killed the pilot, shot him through the window, and Oz went inside and took out the others. And now…here we are.”
Gillian’s head spun. She was more sure than ever before that Walker and his friends were some sort of special forces operatives. Everything had seemed to happen so fast after three of the longest days of her life. They’d just acted. Thank God.
“Where did Leyton go?”
“Who?”
“Leyton. He was one of the hostages. He followed us to the plane, then he just disappeared.”
“I don’t know, and right now I don’t care. All I care about is that they’re dead and you’re not,” Walker said.
“I think they were going to take me with them,” she whispered. “Thank you for making sure that didn’t happen.”
“No way in hell was I going to let them do that,” Walker told her. Then he slowly pulled her into him once again.
Gillian rested her cheek on his chest. He was taller than she was, but they still fit together perfectly. She knew she needed a shower, and she had Alberto’s blood in her hair and on her clothes, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. All she could focus on was the man holding her.
She’d never felt for anyone the way she felt about Walker at this moment.
She was well aware it was because she’d almost died. She was shaking with the adrenaline still coursing through her veins. But some distant, stubborn part of her whispered that this was real. That Walker felt something for her, and not just because he was doing his job.
“We need to get gone,” one of his friends said gently from next to them.
For a second, Gillian gripped Walker tighter, then she took a deep breath and picked her head up off his chest. He didn’t immediately loosen his hold. They stared at each other for a long moment before he reluctantly—at least, she thought it was reluctantly—dropped his arms.
Gillian swayed, and Walker immediately reached out and steadied her with a hand on her biceps. She flinched, and he frowned.
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt after all? Let me see.”
“I’m okay,” Gillian reassured him. “That’s just the same place those assholes liked to grab me and haul me around. It’s just bruises. They’ll heal.”
She thought he mumbled something about how he should’ve killed them slowly, but then he brought his hand up to her face. His thumb rubbed her cheek, and she watched him taking her in slowly. His gaze flicked from the top of her head to her eyes, then her cheeks, and finally her mouth.
She couldn’t help but wipe her tongue over her suddenly dry lips, and she loved that his pupils seemed to dilate at seeing the movement.
“What happens now?” she asked quietly.
“The US government has chartered a flight to get you and the other Americans back home as quickly as possible. Venezuela is not a country you want to spend any more time in than necessary right now. Much of the government is corrupt and it’s dangerous as hell.”
“Yeah, I think I found that out the hard way,” Gillian quipped.
His lips quirked up into a smile, but he quickly got serious again. “I’m sure you’ll be interviewed about what happened. You should see a doctor to make sure you’re all right physically, as well.”
“I will,” she told him. “What should I say about you and your friends?”
“What do you mean?” he asked with a frown.
“I just…I guess I assumed you’d want your role in what happened here to be downplayed.”
“Why would you think that?” Walker asked.
Feeling awkward, like maybe she’d misread the entire situation, Gillian said, “You said you were stationed in Texas, which means you’re in the military. And since it’s just you guys, and not a whole platoon of men, I’m also guessing you’re special forces of some kind? And because of the relationship between the US and Venezuela, I’m further assuming what you did today should be downplayed.”
When no one said anything, Gillian looked down at her feet. “Or I’m just a girl who reads too much. Never mind, forget I said anything.”
She felt a finger under her chin and looked up into Walker’s eyes. “I knew you were a smart cookie. I’m sure the people who interview you will know who we are and what our role was, so you can be honest with them. But once you’re home…yeah, it would be good if you didn’t talk about us with the media or anyone else.”
“What about my best friends? Ann, Wendy, Clarissa, and I tell each other everything. We’re more like sisters than friends. I can keep most of the details secret, but they’ll know I’m lying if I don’t tell them something.”
“Use your best judgement,” Walker said.
“I like her,” one of his friends said from behind them.
“Me too,” someone else chimed in.
She saw Walker shake his head in bemusement at his friends, but he didn’t take his eyes from hers. He leaned forward and said softly, “You’re amazing, Gillian Romano. I’m in awe of your strength.”
Then he straightened and took a step away from her.
Gillian shivered, even though it wasn’t close to being cold.
She heard yelling, and turned her head to see at least a dozen men headed toward them wearing camouflage uniforms. She looked back at Walker and saw a mask had fallen across his features. He was back in business mode.
“Will I see you again?” she blurted. When he didn’t immediately respond, she awkwardly said, “I mean, I live in Austin, and I’m assuming you’re stationed at Fort Hood because, you know…it’s Army, and really big.”
She couldn’t interpret the look on his face, but she was relieved to see his expression change. Get softer.
“Go with the Venezuelan officials,” he urged. “Be safe, Di. You never know who might just show up on your doorstep someday.”
Everything inside Gillian relaxed. He didn’t come right out and say that he’d see her again, but he’d insinuated it. She’d take that.