Expecting the SEAL’s Baby by Katie Knight

Eighteen

It was still dark when Jeremy shook Gina awake and told her they needed to move out in ten minutes. She had just enough time to pack up her things and eat a quick breakfast before they were on the go. She wanted to talk with him and bring up what they’d discussed the evening before, but this wasn’t the right time.

She glanced at Jeremy as she came alongside him on the trail. He was completely unapproachable this morning. She knew he was concerned about what was ahead, but she thought their conversation must be weighing on him as well. At least, she hoped it was, hoped that he was considering how his life would be different with the baby. Hoped that that would make him rethink being a SEAL.

She stumbled over a root, and his hand on her arm steadied her, but he still said nothing. When this was over, they were going to have to talk. For now, she had to focus on what would happen that day.

“How close are we?” she asked in a low voice after they’d been walking for more than an hour. She felt desperate to get this over with and at the same time fearful of what might occur.

“Getting there.” He came to a pause on the edge of a clearing. The sun was barely up, but she could make out an outcropping of rock that seemed to have a small cave in it. “This looks like a good place for you to stay while I move forward.”

“I’ve been thinking more about that,” she said, unwilling to be left behind. “I could be useful to you. Extra eyes and ears plus my medical training.”

“No,” he said, appearing not to even hear her words as he walked farther into the clearing.

“I’ve come this far, Jeremy,” she argued, following him. “I can’t just sit around and wait. That’s not who I am. I’m wired to help others. It’s why I became a nurse practitioner.” She was always the first to volunteer at the free clinics in San Diego, and her desire to make people healthier was what had driven her to volunteer multiple times with Doctors Without Borders. She had to be useful, and Jeremy wanted to prevent her from doing that.

“Not a chance. This isn’t up for discussion. That cave will be a good place for you to hide. I’ll check it out before I go to make sure it’s safe.” He started forward, but she caught his arm.

“Will you listen to me? I can do this.” She knew she’d agreed to follow his lead on everything mission-related, but she was so frustrated with the situation and her lack of control that she couldn’t help pushing back.

“I can’t risk it.” His face was expressionless, suggesting to her that his mind was solely on the mission, not on their relationship. “You can help with medical after I get Blake out of there. Until then, you’ll have to wait.”

“So why bring me at all?” she demanded. “Why did I fly thousands of miles and traipse through the jungle if you are suddenly going to decide that I’m too weak to continue?” Her anger came to the surface at his dismissive attitude.

“You’re not weak,” he responded. “I never said that, but I’ll be able to work better if I don’t have to worry about you.”

“So now I’m a burden, is that it?” She stood within inches of him, challenging him.

Jeremy scrubbed his hand across the back of his neck. “Be reasonable, Gina. I can’t take a pregnant woman, who lacks combat skills, into a potential fight.” His eyes focused behind her. “Shit.”

She spun around in time to see five armed men in dark fatigues emerge from the jungle into the clearing.

* * *

If he hadn’t been arguing with Gina, the armed assailants wouldn’t have been able to get the jump on him, but they had. He was cornered. The rocky outcropping was behind him, cutting off the only possible escape route. He’d have to fight. He pushed Gina behind him and braced himself.

With one sweep, Jeremy took in the men advancing on them. They were seasoned combatants, no doubt about that judging from the confident way they carried themselves and handled their weapons. Their expressions held an almost smug satisfaction without a trace of surprise, which told him one thing. The men had been expecting him and Gina. How could that be?

The one in the lead spoke in rapid Spanish, gesturing with his gun.

“He said to put down our bags carefully,” Gina translated, her voice held only the slightest tremor, making him admire her tenacity. “He also wants us to raise our hands.”

Jeremy complied, getting rid of the burden of his bag was to his advantage. His only weapon, a machete, was hanging from his belt. The leader pointed to the long blade, and Jeremy tossed it to the side. He didn’t need it to defend himself, but it might have helped since he was outnumbered and had Gina to protect.

“Ask them what they want,” Jeremy said and waited for Gina to communicate and the leader to answer. He could guess, but he was stalling for time as he evaluated his opponents.

“To take us prisoner,” she said a moment later. “What should we do?” Her last words were whispered so the men couldn’t hear. She’d wisely guessed that one of the men might have been able to understand English.

Jeremy didn’t respond right away because his mind was moving too quickly in a different direction. Only Percy knew where they were, knew that they were approaching the compound from that direction, but these men had the confident attitude and stance of captors, of men who had caught something that had walked into their net.

And yesterday, Percy’s directions had led to them being shot at. What if…

Jeremy went back to Blake’s suspicion that someone was rotten on their team. Could it be Percy? Son of a bitch. It had to be. The fact was suddenly clear to Jeremy. Percy had been stringing them along with his intel and leading them straight into a trap.

Jeremy kicked himself for having trusted Percy so easily. Percy was a relative newcomer to the team, but he’d seemed to prove his worth. Obviously, he’d been a master at deception. Jeremy shouldn’t have trusted anyone. Blake clearly hadn’t.

The leader spoke again, his voice impatient now, as he pointed into the jungle.

“He wants us to get moving that way toward their compound,” Gina said.

“Sure, we can walk that way.” He caught Gina’s eye, trying to signal to her to keep to his right. She caught on quickly, and they moved in the direction indicated. Jeremy waited for his opening. He had no intention of being taken prisoner.

As he’d guessed they would, the men formed a semicircle behind him and Gina. He just had to time it right, wait for them to get close, to let their guard down. Two feet before they re-entered the jungle, he felt them closing in and knew this was his chance.

He spun around, targeting the center guys first, taking two out with one move. They hit the ground and lay still. Two more men rushed at him from the sides. He was fighting them off when he realized he’d lost visual on the fifth man.

A scream from Gina drew his attention, the man had knocked her to the ground and was trying to grab hold of her. Jeremy quickly finished his fight and rushed over, putting a sleeper hold on the attacker and dragging him away from Gina, who was on the ground.

With the fight over, Jeremy quickly removed the men’s weapons and secured their hands and feet. All the while, he wanted desperately to go to Gina, but he couldn’t risk that until he was sure they wouldn’t be attacked again.

As soon as he could, he rushed to where Gina lay curled in a ball. Had the man hit her? “Are you hurt?” Jeremy dropped to his knees alongside her.

“Cramps,” she gasped out. With a sickened feeling, he realized that she was clutching her stomach. “Bad cramps.”

He didn’t know what to say so he stayed next to her, stroking her hair back from her face. Was she going to lose the baby? Her face was pinched with pain and her breathing ragged. He didn’t know whether to pick her up or let her be. What was best?

The thought that the baby might be in jeopardy ripped through him. He wanted their child. He’d never expected to be a father, but the idea had taken root in him. He couldn’t face it if the baby didn’t survive.

And it would be his fault. He should never have brought Gina here, never exposed her to the danger.

“Is the baby okay?” he finally managed to get out. She’d taken his hand and was holding onto it tight.

“I don’t know,” her voice was a mere whisper, compounding his guilt.

He’d been the one to make her vulnerable. He’d been the one to walk into a trap—to trust the wrong man, putting them all in jeopardy. Keeping them safe had been his responsibility, and he’d failed completely.

“What can I do?” They were alone in the jungle with no one to help. Even on his toughest missions, he’d never felt so isolated and afraid. Had never felt so powerless.

“Just give me a few minutes,” she whispered. “Okay?”

He stayed with her, crouched on the ground, but conscious of their surroundings. He felt exposed there and wanted to move her, but he didn’t think he should. He was afraid to even touch her, but he held her hand and rubbed her back, hoping that it would bring her some comfort.

He wished he had more to offer her, but he’d failed her, maybe failed their child, and he was going to have to live with that somehow.