Remember Jamie Baker (Jamie Baker #3)(114)
The warmth traveled through my body, making me feel rested and energized in a way I’d never felt before. It slowly made its way to my head and wrapped around my brain like a warm blanket. I staggered a little, and Natalia whispered, “Almost finished.”
It was then that I figured out what she was doing. My disbelieving eyes found Betty’s and she smiled. No one but us PACs knows that Natalia has the gift to heal others. Even Donovan never discovered that fact. He believed she could only regenerate her own body. We told her she could never reveal her gifts to anyone. They are exhausting on her, and too many people would use her up until there was nothing left. You are special to her, Jamie, if she’s chosen to share this talent with you.
After she pulled her hands away, I could see the fatigue it had caused her to heal me. Betty was right. No one could ever know about this—not even Major Wilks. It would be far too dangerous. People’s intentions would always be good, but her power was too tempting. She would be taken advantage of.
Swallowing back a new fear and need to keep an eye on the girl, I mentally vowed I’d protect her and hugged her fiercely. “Thank you, Natalia,” I whispered. “I will take your secret to the grave.”
Her cheeks flushed, giving her some color for the first time since I’d met her. It was a good look for her. I couldn’t wait until she gained some of her strength back. I doubted it would take her long now that no one was stealing her bone marrow on a weekly basis. Superhealing, and all.
“You can tell Ryan,” she muttered, glancing up at him and blushing even deeper. “He’ll figure it out soon enough anyway.”
I laughed. “I’m sure you’re right.” Tears sprang into my eyes. “Thank you, Natalia.”
“Thank you. You saved us, Jamie. You saved all of us.”
I rose to my feet and squeezed her hand. “Take care of my parents for me. And my room.”
I was rewarded with another smile before she skipped back over to my parents and took both of their hands in hers. She was a strong kid. She was going to be fine, too. Probably sooner than I would be.
Still feeling choked up at the sight of the happy child grinning adoringly up at my parents, I took a deep breath and turned to Ryan. The moment I looked into his eyes, a flood of memories came rushing to the front of my mind—memories so beautiful and powerful that I gasped. It was all there. Every moment, every touch, every kiss, every smile. Every time I wanted to strangle him. Every time he broke me down and I gave him his way. Every. Single. Memory.
“Jamie?” His face fell with concern as my eyes welled up and I started to tremble. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
I couldn’t speak. I was still too overwhelmed. I needed to get out of there before I broke down and gave away Natalia’s secret to the ACEs behind me. Clamping down on my emotions, I forced my tears back and flashed Ryan a smile. He seemed shocked by the joy in it, but it was the first real smile I’d ever given him. He’d seen just about every emotion from me in the short time we’d been reunited, but he hadn’t ever seen joy. I’d never felt true joy before now. “Come on, Goldilocks; let’s get out of here.”
My smile quelled his concerns, and he took my hand without pushing me for answers. We waved good-bye, and less than ten minutes later we reached my desert home. The couch was still sitting out front and we stopped in front of it, and no doubt, a number of creatures had ventured inside the house through the busted wall. I sighed at all the damage that had been done. Teddy may be a sore spot for me, but I still loved this house—so quaint and secluded in the peaceful desert I loved.
“We can fix this,” Ryan insisted, seeing my disappointment. “A few DIY videos on YouTube and I’ll have this place like new in no time.”
I snorted. Ryan was a lot of things, but handy with tools was not one of them. Though, I had no doubt he’d get the job done if he decided he was going to. “We’ll get to it eventually,” I told him. “Right now we’re only making a stop to grab my swimsuit.”
Ryan’s head whipped away from the damaged house to my face comically fast. “You know,” I teased, “the white one with the pink polka dots that you love so much.”
Ryan sucked in a sharp breath and pulled me to him. “And why would we need that?” he rasped, his hands roaming over my arms and my back. He found the hem of my shirt and slipped his fingers beneath the fabric, setting my skin on fire at the contact.
Goose bumps rose all over me, and I shivered. I wanted to return the favor and let my fingers do some exploring of their own, but I forced myself to stay focused just a little longer. “That was the plan, wasn’t it?” I asked. “You. Me. Elvis and a crusty old lady playing an organ, and then we escape to our own desert island?”
That had been our plan before I left him at the Grand Canyon to go save Carter. It was a plan that Ryan had not told me about since I’d returned to him. I wasn’t sure if he didn’t remember or if maybe it had just been too painful for him to think about. I was guessing the latter, because when the words left my lips, he stumbled back in shock. “But—I—you—how—”
“Natalia. Right before we left. Seems she’s been holding out on the extent of her healing abilities.”
I never realized how much Ryan wished I remembered him until he knew that I could. He seemed to lock up, frozen stiff, while he experienced every emotion on the spectrum. And then, suddenly, without warning, he attacked me. He grabbed my mouth and pulled it to his, wasting no time. One second he was blinking at me in shock, and the next he was devouring me. He crashed into me with so much force that I stumbled back and fell onto the sofa.