Healing Love: Saints Protection & Investigation (9 page)

Cam looked quickly down at his dirty body and knew it would take more than five minutes to get rid of the dirt on him. Jerking his boots and cargo pants off, he pulled on the drawstring cotton pants. Pouring water into the plastic bowl, he pulled off his grimy t-shirt and dipped the cloth into the tepid water. Washing the dust from his arms and face first, he then tried to scrub his hands. Bending over, he dunked his head into the water, soaking his hair to rinse off the dust as well. Standing back up, he gave his head a shake, sending water droplets scattering in every direction. Senses alert, he knew when the whisper-soft sound of the tent flap opened again and heard the sharp intake of breath behind him.

Miriam had stepped inside but halted immediately. She had seen her brother and his friends shirtless many times over the years, but nothing had prepared her for the sight of pure masculinity in its perfection. The driver’s dark hair was now wet and tousled. His thick neck was clean and led down to a back that was all defined muscle and sinew. Tapering to a narrow waist, the drawstring pants did nothing to hide the tight ass and the material stretched over his thighs. At the bottom, his lower legs and bare feet peeked out from the too-short material. And his feet were directly in front of hers.

Jumping out of her stupor, she blushed furiously as her gaze lifted and saw he was staring at her, a smile working on his mouth. Caught ogling, she looked away unwilling to allow her eyes to continue to roam over the front of him, which at a glance had appeared to be even more magnificent than the back view.

Cam saw her perusal and while he was accustomed to the provocative glances from women, her blush and gaze aversion was even more interesting.
Got to get her closer.
Pretending to sway slightly, he stumbled toward the bed.

That did the trick, as she rushed to his side and assisted him to sit on the cot. Her assessing gaze noted that his complexion was clear and so were his eyes. Placing her hand on his forehead, she also realized that he was neither clammy nor feverish.

She grabbed the dropped t-shirt and held it up to him. His eyes seemed to be watching carefully. As she started to stand, his hand reached out lightning fast and he clamped down on her wrist. She started to call out to the guards, but his next word had the scream halt in her throat.

“Jobe,” he whispered.

Her eyes widened as her knees buckled. Gasping, her mouth formed an “O” but no words came forth.

Cam grabbed her other wrist in a tight, but painless grip. “Keep cool,” he whispered. “You gotta be strong.”

She continued to stare, her heart pounding in her chest.

“Can you do that for me, Miriam?” he mouthed, not knowing who might be listening outside. Seeing her shock, he gave her wrists a little shake forcing her to blink and focus. He repeated, “Can you do that? Be strong?”

Her head jerked in a nod as her breath was still caught in her chest. She watched as his gaze roamed over her face and then watched as he leaned in.

“Breathe.”

Gulping in a gasp, she felt lightheaded and swayed momentarily.

“Can’t take a chance letting you sit down. Someone could come in. You gotta pull it together,” he ordered gently. Then as a last ditch effort to get through her daze, he added, “For Jobe.”

She blinked and he watched her take another deep breath as her eyes cleared. She said nothing, but he knew she understood that he was sent to help her. Letting go of her wrists, he watched as she stood, solid and back in control.

Her eyes glanced to the door flap but there was no one around. Looking back down at him, her thoughts were a tangled mess.
Jobe sent someone. Someone who looks and sounds as though he belongs here in this hell-hole so he fits in perfectly. What do I need to do? What does he want me to—

“Stop,” he said. “Still your mind and let me take it from here. My name is Cam. I’m a friend of your brother.”

Sucking in her lips, she gave a slight nod again, and then said, “If you’re not really ill, you won’t be able to stay here.”

He answered by reaching down to grab his dirty cargoes off of the floor, digging into one of the pockets and pulling out a small pill. Breaking it in half, he swallowed it quickly before she could stop him.

Her eyes widened again in question, but he said, “It’ll just give a man my size some cramps and a little vomiting. Just enough to keep me here till you and I can figure a way out.”

Out…he’s going to help me get out.
Even knowing they had a herculean task in front of them, she gifted him with a blinding smile that had him catching his breath.

Shot straight to the heart, her smile pierced him.
Beautiful. Fuckin’ beautiful.
Even in the middle of hell, she was offering him a piece of her—trust. And he vowed to never break that gift.

*

Within the hour,
the nausea had set in and Cam retched into a pan next to the bed. Thankfully, his symptoms were not very strong and he played them up to be worse than they were.

For Miriam, his plan worked to her advantage. With her busy with Cam, Dr. Villogas had not reappeared and the last she saw, he was leaving and Sharon was with him. Sister Genovia came into the tent to check on her and Miriam wanted to confide that the driver was actually someone sent by her brother to rescue them. But Cam had warned her to say nothing and so she kept silent.

“I’ll be to dinner soon,” she promised the nun.

Nodding, the older woman left the tent and Miriam let out a huge sigh. Turning back to Cam, she wiped his brow, a worried look on her face. “I hate that you had to do this,” she whispered.

“I need to stay here long enough to find a way to be assigned to some kind of duty here,” he replied. “I need you to tell me everything you can about what you’ve seen around this place.”

While continuing to care for him, she gave him a quick run-down on what she knew. She was able to tell him how often the guards changed, where the nurses stayed, what her schedule was like, who was here with her, and then she told of the events of the previous night when they had been taken to dinner at one of the cartel members’ home.

Up until that fact he had been listening, pleased with all of the information she had been able to relate. Hearing that detail and Sister Genovia’s opinion of the events, his blood began to boil.
Fuckin’ hell
.
She’s now been noticed by someone that can make this even more difficult.

“Your face scares me,” she whispered, seeing his features set in granite.

His eyes sought hers as he replied, “We’re not gonna waltz right outta here. I gotta get the lay of the land, then make a plan. My contact’s gotta be ready. But what that nun said, you’ve got the eye of someone who can make this even more difficult.”

“What do I need to do?” she asked, her face a mask of fear.

“Play it cool with me. Don’t give me any more attention than anyone else. You speak to me in English and I’ll act like I don’t understand you. I’ll try to work a way to be able to stay here and keep an eye on you. For now, sounds like the other nurse is gettin’ in bed with the cartel. Miriam, just sayin’, I’m not putting you at risk to save her ass if that’s how she’s playing it.”

“I think Sharon’s just trying to stay safe the only way she knows.”

“Bullshit. From what you said, the dollar signs flashed through her eyes the minute you all showed up at Guzman’s mansion.”

Sucking her lips in again, her mind in a whirl, she nodded. “We gotta get Sister Genovia and Lorainne out as well. I can’t leave them behind.”

“Working on a plan, sweetheart.”

He peered at her face, seeing the signs of stress and fatigue. In spite of his nausea, he lifted his hand and placed it on her small shoulder. “You need to get outta here. Go eat something and rest. Come check on me in the morning. I’ll be safe until then.” Seeing doubt in her face, he chuckled, “I’ll keep retching enough to keep everyone out.”

Answering him with a smile, she followed his instructions. She slept fitfully again that night, but this time her rescuer had a face. One that stayed with her all night.

*

Sharon wondered where
Ernesto’s wife was, but did not ask. If he did not care what Consuella thought about his activities then she refused to worry about it.

While his foreplay had been caring, once she was naked, he became a very selfish lover. Pounding into her for a few minutes, he pulled out and flipped her over giving her ass a slap. It stung but before she could process this new play, he slapped her hard several more times.

“Ouch, that hurts,” she protested, trying to turn around. Used to lovers acquiescing to her every whim, Ernesto’s dominance was painful.

“Shut up,” he ordered as he continued to thrust into her. Within a few minutes, he pushed deep one more time as his orgasm overtook him. Rolling to the side, catching his breath, he lay panting.

Sharon, not having reached an orgasm, moved toward him in frustration. “That was our first time, honey, but I’ve got to tell you that I need a little more to get me going.”

The look he gave her would have incinerated other women, but she seemed oblivious. “You seem to misunderstand your position here,” he replied. “You come when I call. You service my needs when I say. And if you please me, then and only then will I consider your pleasure.”

Those words sunk in and she wisely kept quiet. With a false smile, she just said, “Sure baby.”

Thirty minutes later she found herself back in the nurses’ dorm, tiptoeing in trying to not wake the others. The evening was not what she had hoped for, but she had every confidence that she could talk him around to whatever she wanted.

Miriam lay quiet in her bunk, hearing Sharon moving around. She had wondered if the other nurse would be gone all night, staying in the luxury of wherever Ernesto took her. Hearing her curse as she stubbed her toe, Miriam guessed that sex with the doctor was not all that Sharon had hoped for.

And even though she was still in the middle of this hell-hole, she could not help but think that sex with Cam would be life changing.

T
he next morning,
Miriam wanted to rush in to check on Cam but knew that she needed to see to her other duties first. Once completed she headed to the tent behind the infirmary, her heart pounding in her chest.

Pulling back the tent flap, she saw him sitting on the edge of the cot, his wan expression telling her that he had spent the night continuing to be sick. Quickly moving to him, she reached out to touch his forehead, finding it only slightly clammy.

“How are you? Are you still sick?”

He lifted his hand and gently clasped it around hers. “I’m fine, Miriam. I was careful with what I took. I made sure to retch a little this morning in case someone came in here before you.”

He continued to hold her hand as she lowered it from his face. Licking her lips, she glanced nervously toward the tent flap.

“I don’t think anyone will come in, since this is quarantined,” she said.

Nodding, he asked, “How are you doing today?”

“I’m…I…,” she stammered. “I don’t really know. I couldn’t sleep last night. I’m anxious and scared and excited, all at the same time.”

“That’s normal,” he promised.

“I know they’re not going to let you stay much longer in here. They’re pretty rough on the workers.”

“Yeah, I figured that. I really wanted to make sure I got to see you today, though, so I’m glad you came.”

Her eyes darted to his in surprise. “Oh, you couldn’t have kept me away,” she gushed. “Just the thought that you are here—” Her voice broke as she attempted to regain control over her emotions. She felt his hand rubbing circles on hers as she took a deep breath.

“I’m here for you, Miriam. I told you yesterday that I’m working on a plan. That’s true. But I’ll need your cooperation as well.”

“Anything!” she promised.

“Chances are, when the opportunity presents itself for us to be able to leave, I’ll need you to be ready to go at the drop of a hat. Don’t know when or how right now, but I’m working on our escape.”

“I can do that,” she promised again, nodding her head enthusiastically while squeezing his hand.