Delta Force Die Hard. Carol Ericson

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       Chapter Three

      His words chipped off a piece of her heart, but she squared her shoulders and stepped back from him. “We have to go through these woods and down a steep hill. Can you make it dressed like that?”

      “I could make it naked with one arm tied behind my back to get out of here. Lead the way.”

      “Let’s go. You should’ve kept that jacket though.”

      “That jacket might buy me some time if someone happens to look out the window at the drugged-out invalid to make sure he’s still drooling in his chair.”

      “You’re not drugged?”

      “I’ve been spitting them out—and pretending.”

      She held a branch to the side for him. “They still didn’t trust you enough to give you clothes.”

      “They underestimated me.” He charged after her. “Don’t worry about clearing a path for me. Just go. I’ll follow you.”

      “Your physical health is okay?”

      “Strong as an ox.” He nudged her back. “Stop talking. You’re wasting energy.”

      She scrabbled and stumbled her way to the forest’s edge. When they reached the path down to the access road, she made a half turn. “You can make it down?”

      “I survived a tumble off a mountain in Afghanistan. I can traverse a wooded hill in Vermont.”

      He didn’t need her to show him the way anymore, and he barreled past her into the descent, reaching back with one hand. “Keep up now.”

      As his gown gaped open in the back, her eyebrows shot up. “You’re naked under that thing.”

      “Their way of keeping me tame. Like I said. They underestimated me.” He craned his head over his shoulder. “If you’re really my fiancée like you said, my bare backside shouldn’t shock you.”

      “I’m not shocked.” She twisted her fingers out of his grasp. “And stop dragging me or we’ll both end up in a freefall to the bottom of this hill.”

      They had no words left as they negotiated their way down. When they hit the access road, Asher peeled off his socks, now decorated with dirt, small pebbles and pine needles.

      He bunched them in his hand and stuffed them into the pack on her back. “I don’t want to leave any evidence.”

      He hung back as the access road spilled onto the main drag. “It’s too exposed here.”

      “The car’s less than half a mile away. Wait here and I’ll pick you up.”

      As she started to turn away, he grabbed her hand. “You’ll be back?”

      “I didn’t come all the way out here to leave you behind, Asher Knight...even if you don’t know who the hell I am.”

      Paige ran to the car, the pack jostling on her back. She wished she had some clothes in there for Asher. She never would’ve imagined she’d be rescuing him in a hospital gown and nothing else.

      When she reached the car, she lunged at the door and threw it open. She gunned the engine and swung into a wide U-turn.

      The empty road in front of the access entrance stretched before her, and a wave of panic washed through her body. When Asher stepped out from behind a bush, a sob escaped from Paige’s lips.

      “Get hold of yourself, girl.” She flipped a U-turn again and pulled over.

      Before she even stopped the car, Asher had yanked at the door and jumped inside. “Go!”

      She didn’t have to be told twice—or even once. Her foot punched the accelerator and the little rental roared in protest before switching gears and lurching forward.

      The tires ate up the road, and Asher put a hand on her arm. “Slow down. We don’t want to get a ticket.”

      Glancing in the rearview mirror, she eased off the gas. “But if we do get pulled over, we can tell the police what’s going on. You’re not a prisoner. You haven’t been committed.”

      “Really?” He cocked an eyebrow at her. “I don’t know what the hell is going on right now. That’s the US Army, the United States government. They can tell the cops whatever they want and, I guarantee you, I’ll be back in their clutches.”

      Paige’s heart flip-flopped, and she tried to swallow her fear. She was the daughter of a police officer, had always trusted law enforcement, had always trusted authority. Now she had to rely on herself.

      Asher jerked his head toward her and braced his hands against the dashboard. “Unless that’s what you want? Where are you taking me?”

      Paige drew in her bottom lip. Great. Now she had to deal with Asher’s paranoia. Was it real or imagined? She slid a sideways gaze at him. Maybe his mental issues involved more than amnesia. Maybe he’d been kept naked and drugged because he did pose a threat to himself...and others.

      She could feel his hard stare СКАЧАТЬ