Page 87 of Beast

The three of us had spent so many hours together in silence, watching targets, waiting for action. They knew me better than I knew myself. I couldn’t deny the connection I had with Annie, the sense we were meant to find each other. I wasn’t talking about some crappy, romantic movie insta-love, just this intense feeling we were destined to be in each other’s lives. I saved her and her son. That was enough for me.

The gentle waves rocked beneath me. I lay down under the stars and drifted to sleep.

20

Annie

TONIGHT WAS OUR LAST NIGHT together. Tomorrow, he would drive me to my parents’ house, and then vanish from my life. Move on to his next mission. Would I ever see him again?

For our last night, we ported in Ensenada, Mexico, though Pat wouldn’t let me get off the yacht and risk being seen. Kyle, Dave, and Vic had gone into town and taken Gabriel. I was grateful they all loved my little boy and were taking him somewhere fun before the inevitable media circus would make us prisoners in my own home. They’d be back later, but for the first time since this ordeal had begun, Pat and I were completely alone.

We sat at the tiny table in the corner of the room. Pat plugged in his phone so we had some music—classic rock not classical. I didn’t think he was trying to set a seduction scene, but it felt like a romantic date. He was so handsome and rugged. I saw him with fresh eyes—not the man who’d hired me to blow him, not the SEAL who rescued me, just this strong, sensitive, masculine man. A man who would kill to protect me—and he already had.

Pat had snuck out into town before the others left and brought in food from a local restaurant. He’d been raving this entire trip about how he couldn’t wait for me to try the lobster. Pretty sweet of him. Nearby Puerto Nuevo was a fishing village, which was famous for its lobster, so we had lobster, fresh homemade tortillas, and all the fixings. My taste buds were alive. It was the best food I’d had in years: the plump flesh of the lobster, the buttery tortillas, and the creamy guacamole. I was craving a strawberry margarita, but Pat didn’t think it was a good idea—he felt it was too soon for me to drink alcohol since I was recovering. But, all in all, it was a perfect meal. I guess it was kind of a celebration. A toast to getting my life back.

He poured me a glass of Mexican cola. “What’s the first thing you’re going to do when you get home?”

I lifted the glass and pressed my lips onto it. I felt his eyes watching me, watching my lips. “Oh, I don’t know. Sounds weird, but I don’t want to see my friends for a while. I’m sure they’re all going to act weird around me, or ask me all sorts of crazy questions that I don’t want to answer. Nicole used to joke that if we ever got rescued, it would be like winning the Super Bowl. You know, ‘You’ve just won the Super Bowl. What are you going to do next? I’m going to Disneyland.’ But that’s not really my thing. I’d love to take Gabriel to Lake Tahoe, walk around the lake. Something outside. I’ve been locked up for so long; I’m desperate to just get out, walk, hike, and bike on the trails. Be free.”

His mouth widened into a smile. “That’s exactly what I like to do in my free time. Anything out in nature, hiking, camping, exploring. I grew up going to Lake Tahoe every summer.”

“Oh? Really? Maybe we ran into each other? My parents have a vacation home in Incline Village.”

Pat shook his head. “They have a place in Incline? Sure they do. I doubt you ever saw me on your private beach. My mom made sure that even though money was always tight, she would save up enough for us to spend a week in a crappy motel in Lake Tahoe every summer. You know, the kind across the street from Denny’s with an above-ground pool.”

I started biting my nails. What an idiot I was, talking about my summer home. Pat clearly didn’t grow up with money. I never had considered myself a snob before I’d been taken, but I was quite aware my parents were pretentious. They expected me to marry a man from a stable two-parent home, the son of doctors or lawyers. I shivered; how would they ever accept Gabriel?

Pat’s eyes watched me. He was so in tune with my emotions. Was this from his training? I felt like he could read my mind.

He changed the subject. “I have a week in San Diego before we leave again. I’m just going to spend time with my dog, Trigger. He was one of our military dogs in Iraq. He’s a German Shepherd. Retired. Great dog. One of the SEAL BUD/S instructors takes care of him when I’m gone. Here’s a pic of him.”

He took out his iPhone and showed me a pic of a huge dog.

“He’s gorgeous. I want to meet him. Are you going home to visit your mom? Where are you from anyway?” I realized I didn’t know anything about Pat, except, of course, he was a SEAL.

“Sacramento. I was going to, but I don’t have any time. Have to get my life in order before we go. I’ve been gone for six months, then this one month leave, and we’re heading out for another three months.”

I pushed my food around my plate. “I’m sorry I took up all your vacation time.”

“Don’t be.” He took my hand across the table, shivers radiated through my body. I knew rationally that I was having feelings for him because he saved me, nothing more. But I couldn’t help the fact I’d dreamt of this beautiful man every night since I met him. I was sure he was destined to save me, destined to choose me. But the way he treated me during the boat ride, with kid gloves, also made me confident his only feelings toward me were those of protection, compassion, and pity.

“Pat, I’m scared of going home. I wish I could stay here on this yacht. With you.”

“Why are you scared? Your parents are going to be thrilled to see you. I can’t imagine their pain.” He paused and released my hand. “And your boyfriend has given interviews about how he’s still in love with you. I’m sure you two will run off and get married. Live happily ever after and have two point five kids with a minivan.”

“Chris? Please. I mean he’s a good guy. He’s a surfer, used to get high all the time. I feel really bad about everything he’s been through, people thinking he killed me and all. But I’m so different now. He’s not the type of man I can see myself with. I want to be with someone strong, caring, and brave.” I paused and took Pat all in. I wanted to know everything about this man. What he felt, what he thought, what made him tick? “You’re incredible, you know that, right? Not many men would’ve returned to save me.”

“You’re a job to me, Annie. A mission. An American. I’m a SEAL, this is what I do. Any of the other guys on the Teams would do the same thing. It doesn’t make me special.”

He saw me as nothing more than a mission. And his mission was almost over. “Have you ever been in love?”

He looked away. “Yup. Once. She cheated. End of story.”

No matter how hard I tried, he wouldn’t open up to me. “Whatever. There’s always more to the story. Maybe she cheated on you because you’re so closed off. I mean, I’ve been living with you for two weeks and you know everything about me. But I don’t know a thing about you. Except that you’re a SEAL. You never fail to remind me of that.”

“So, that’s an excuse to cheat on me? While I’m out getting shot at by the Taliban?”

“No, of course not. Not all girls cheat. I never cheated on Chris. But if you never let your ex in, she probably felt lonely. Like I feel now.”