Heated Pursuit (Alpha Security #1)(49)
“That’s it. Slow and steady. Easy. You’re doing great, Red.” The second her fingertips made contact with the knife’s handle, the damn snake tightened its body into an offensive position. Rafe urged her still with a touch. “Don’t move.”
Every muscle in Penny’s body froze. The staccato huffs of her breathing were the only thing he could hear above the pounding of his heart.
“Where’s that commando s-superhero cape?” she joked in a stutter.
“I must’ve left it in my other tree.”
“Too bad you didn’t leave your snake there, too.” Her voice shook. Hell, he was scared, too. A venomous bite was one thing they didn’t need tallied onto their list of f*cking obstacles.
Rafe slid his leg over hers, ignoring the ten names of stupid she mumbled at him from under her breath. The viper rose, body tensed. Rafe swung his booted foot just as it struck. Both speed and luck knocked it off course before a second well-aimed kick dropped it fifteen feet to the jungle floor.
He felt the hitch in Penny’s breathing before he heard the first quiet sob. Damn if his own hands didn’t shake as he wrapped his arms around her trembling body. “It’s okay. It’s over. Where’s my badass bail enforcement agent, huh? The woman who can wear six-inch stilettos and still kick a man’s ass to the curb?”
From out of nowhere, a string of soft giggles shook her shoulders. Laughter definitely wasn’t the response he’d been expecting, but the sound of it pulled a smile to his lips.
With a deep sigh, she dropped her head back onto his shoulder. “Yeah, I left that woman somewhere in the helicopter, or in that dark alley. She may have even stayed in the States, because she sure as hell isn’t here.”
Sarcasm laced Penny’s words, making Rafe frown. This beautiful, courageous, force of a woman thinking she wasn’t the epitome of bravery didn’t make the least damn bit of sense. He knew grown men who didn’t have the balls to go through everything she’d dealt with over the last week.
Hell, traveling to a foreign country would’ve deterred most people. She’d not only navigated the streets of one of the most notorious South American cities, but had had no intention of leaving even when they’d threatened to put her ass on a plane. And there hadn’t been the slightest bit of hesitation when Fuentes suggested their little trip into seclusion.
Fuckin’ A. She jumped off a goddamned cliff!
Penny doubting herself pissed him off. But what infuriated him even more was knowing that she wouldn’t believe him even if he listed off each of her accomplishments in a f*cking PowerPoint presentation.
*
Six hours, four blisters, and a precarious hike later, each breath took more effort than Penny would’ve liked. The stagnant jungle air invited insects to buzz around her body as if she were a walking buffet, and the cloud of bugs worsened the closer they got to the river.
She didn’t care. Let them eat her alive. She’d suffer through a lot worse if it meant feeling even a degree cleaner.
They stepped through the edge of the tree line, and there it was. The river. Murky brown jungle water never looked so damn good. Rafe’s hand landed on her arm before she could dive in face-first. After twenty-four hours without a drop to drink, she seriously contemplated pushing him in.
He chuckled when she shot him a murderous glare. “Just let me take a look around the area. We wouldn’t want any surprises popping out, okay?”
“Yeah, I’ve had about all the popping and dangling I can handle for a while.” She shooed him away. “Go. Inspect. And then I’m diving into that river like an Olympian.”
Penny understood his caution. Even though the river meant they were on the right track, it also made them more vulnerable. It didn’t stop her from giving the water a longing look as Rafe disappeared back into the jungle.
Her leg was bouncing like a pogo stick by the time he reemerged from the trees after what felt like eons. “We’re all clear. If you want to wash up, now’s the time.” Rafe gave the river a side eye. “Only wish our Fuentes buddy had been hospitable enough to pack us some iodine tabs.”
About to slurp a handful of water, Penny stopped. “Iodine tabs?”
“A survivalist’s friend for staving off a parasitic invasion, because chances are that if the water didn’t immediately fall from the sky, it’ll make us sick. But I guess that’s the least of our worries right now.”
Penny could’ve smacked herself as she dug out Logan’s bug-out bag from her pocket. “And I suppose that would be something a commando type would make sure to pack in one of these things?”
Rafe’s mouth formed into a dimple-inducing grin as he reached for the clutch. Wrapping one palm around her nape, he hauled her in for a fierce kiss. “Goddamn, Red. You’re a f*cking beautiful genius.”
“It was Logan who stuck it into our things. I just thought to grab it. Does that mean you’re going to kiss him when we get back, too?” Penny teased.
Rafe chuckled. “I just damn well might.”
Penny accepted his hand as they navigated the slick rocks. River water sprayed up, misting any inch of skin that wasn’t already damp with sweat. She took a seat and watched him pull out two brown pills from the bug-out bag and drop them into their procured canteen.
He caught her watching him and winked. “It’ll have a metallic taste, but it’s a hell of a lot better than the other option. Looks like Logan also thought to load us up with the necessities, because there’s dried jerky and antibiotic ointment in there, too.”