Navy Seal Captive. Elle James
conscience couldn’t let him sacrifice an expensive machine for her. Besides, she was wasting time. The expense was the least of his worries. She stopped swimming and trod water. “Okay. But we need to bring it in at a different location. If you know you have a sniper gunning for you, you can’t just present yourself as a target. I would have presumed they’d taught you that in SEAL training.”
Sawyer chuckled. “They did. I promise to bring it in to a different location.” He didn’t make a move. “Are you coming with me?”
She glanced at the shore, admitting to herself, even if not aloud, that it was farther than she really had the strength or stamina to achieve. “Yes.”
“Can you make it to the WaveRunner? Or do you want to wait here and let me come back and pick you up?”
“I can swim,” she said, refusing to show any weakness to this man.
“Okay, then.” He struck out.
Jenna followed, barely able to keep up with his stronger strokes. By the time she reached the WaveRunner, Sawyer had climbed aboard and revved the engine.
When he reached out a hand, she took it.
With very little effort, he pulled her out of the water, and she settled on the machine behind him. Her arms aching, she wrapped them around his waist and held on while he set the watercraft on a path toward the shore, but not toward the resort where he’d entered the water. He aimed toward her resort hotel.
“I’m not sure this is a good idea, either. Apparently the gunman is staying at this hotel.”
“Well, where would you have me stop?”
She sighed. “You might as well stop here. You need to see for yourself what I’m talking about. But you can’t stand still long. He could be targeting you as we speak.”
Sawyer pulled up on the sand and shut off the engine.
“We’d better get inside. It’s not safe to be out in the open.” Jenna glanced at the sun starting its descent toward the horizon. “There are only a few hours until nine o’clock. If the gunman wants to make his deadline, he’ll be coming after you.”
Jenna scanned the beach, searching beneath the umbrellas. Then she faced the multistoried hotels, looking for anyone positioned on a balcony, aiming a rifle at Sawyer.
“You’ll have to come to my hotel room. I can show you the case, the gun and the note. Hell, you can have them, for that matter. I don’t want the Mexican police to catch me in possession of a weapon.”
Sawyer frowned. “You say you mistook the case for yours. Where exactly is your case now?”
Jenna shook her head. “It was supposed to arrive by the time I got back from zip-lining. That’s why I grabbed the one I found.”
“If you mistook the case with the gun for yours—” Sawyer’s jaw tightened “—is it possible the gunman took your case instead?”
Jenna nodded. “I suppose it’s possible.” She grabbed his arm and started toward the hotel. “The main thing right now is to get you out of rifle range.” She marched ahead, holding on to his arm until he brought her to an abrupt stop. Jenna faced him. “Do you have a death wish?”
Sawyer shook his head. “Sweetheart, you realize that if this man finds out he has the wrong case, he’ll come looking for the right one.”
“Yeah. So?”
“Did you leave any identification on or inside your case?”
“Of course. How else was the airline going to know who it belonged to?” Jenna bit her lip, dread filling her belly. She’d been so concerned about warning Sawyer, she hadn’t thought about herself.
Sawyer’s glance shot left, right and forward as if he now was searching for the gunman. “You could be in as much danger as I’m supposed to be, if that gunman finds out where you’re staying.”
“Then we’d better get back to my room before he finds his case.”
Sawyer shook his head. “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea, either. He could already be there.”
Jenna’s heart slipped to the pit of her belly. “We have to get there. Fast.”
“Why?”
“I have a roommate.”
“Isn’t she the one Quentin is with right now?”
“Yes. But I don’t know when she’ll be back.” Jenna walked with purpose toward the hotel, digging her bare feet into the sand. Should the gunman come looking for his case... Holy hell...
Sawyer kept pace.
Jenna shot a glance toward Sawyer. “Shouldn’t you be ducking your head or hiding your face?”
“I’ll grab a hat in the hotel’s gift shop on the way back to my hotel.” He held out his hand. “First let’s get that case. Give me your key. I’ll check your room.”
She dug the key out of her wrap pocket, amazed it hadn’t floated out when she’d gone swimming. Slapping it into his palm, she stepped into the elevator.
Sawyer entered behind her, his finger hovering over the keypad. “What floor?”
“The top,” she said and cringed. The last thing she wanted to tell Sawyer was that she was staying in the bridal suite. Hell, he’d find out soon enough.
As the elevator rose, Sawyer pulled a cell phone out of a waterproof bag.
“I doubt the police will be of much help,” Jenna commented.
“I’m not calling the police. I’m texting my friend I left back on the beach to let him know where I left the WaveRunner.” He finished his text and hit Send.
When the elevator stopped at the top floor, Sawyer held out a hand, stopping Jenna from exiting. “Wait until I clear the hallway.”
“My room’s at the end.” Jenna stood back, holding her finger on the door-open button while Sawyer disappeared down the corridor.
With her breath lodged in her throat, Jenna waited for Sawyer’s signal.
It wasn’t long before his voice echoed down the hallway. “What the hell?”
* * *
SAWYER HAD MADE a sweep of the hallway, checked the stairwell and tried the handles on the doors to the other penthouse suites. Each door had a fancy black placard with gold lettering naming the suite. When he’d come to the end of the corridor, he stopped and took a step backward.
“Seriously? You’re staying in the bridal suite?”
Jenna left the safety of the elevator and joined him in front of the door. “It’s a long story.”
“I’d love to hear it sometime.” He slid the key over the lock, and the light blinked green. “Soon.” Sawyer opened the door. “In the meantime, stay here.”
Again, he went ahead of her, stepping into the spacious living area with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean. With the sun angling toward the horizon, the beach-goers had thinned, leaving a few couples walking hand in hand along the shoreline.
He didn’t spend much time checking out the scenery. He was more concerned about who else might be occupying the room. Still not convinced he or Jenna had anything to worry about, he made a thorough sweep of the living area, bedroom, closets and bathroom. “All clear,” he called out and turned to find Jenna standing in the doorway of the bathroom. “You were supposed to wait.”
“Sorry. I can be impatient. It’s one of my flaws. Along with being boring.” She left the doorway and crossed to the closet.
Sawyer followed. “I can see the impatience, but you don’t really believe you’re boring,