“No, but I have a hard time believing he suddenly wants everything a marriage entails.”
“You didn’t see how worried he was when you went missing. Tyler told me Ben struggled to hold it together.” Her sister’s smile was gentle. “Sometimes when we’re about to lose it all, we realize exactly what we have. Give him a chance and strike a new deal.”
“I love him.”
“I know you do, and that you want what’s best for him.” Lydia squeezed her hand. “He’s devoted to you. He always has been. You’ve been his for a very long time.”
She held her sister’s words close as the truth resonated deep within her. If she could have it all, she’d take it.
Ben lay low in the inflatable’s hull as Tyler steered them in a wide arc around the bay then out of sight toward the resort. Once certain they’d cruised far enough, Tyler beached the craft on a thin strip of sand and Ben jumped out and secured the weapons’ bag to his back. “Let’s catch this idiot.”
“I’ll go first. I’ve actually scaled this cliff before.” Tyler tipped his head toward the hundred foot high cliff. Bushes clung to its craggy sides.
“Lead the way then.” Ben set his cell phone to vibrate and pocketed it. He grabbed a handhold and scrambled up in Tyler’s wake. Breathing hard, they made the top and he foraged through the bag and loaded up while Tyler did the same. With his black cap on, he hiked it through the jungle, Tyler hot on his heels.
A mile or two in, the underbrush got thicker, denser. They kept up their pace, not slowing until they hit the first sensor placed within two hundred feet of the cove. Carefully, they zigzagged through the minefield of alarms then slithered onto their bellies and combat-crawled through the brush. Alert to any movement or noise, Ben tracked along the final stretch with Tyler on his right, his weapon firm in his hand.
Swift and precise, Ben eased in as close as he could to the tree Hyena had taken a sniper’s position in. His elbows were raw, his gun primed and ready to fire. This idiot had tried to take Saria from him and right now Hyena intended to end the girls’ lives the moment he could. It wasn’t happening.
Beside him, Tyler lifted his weapon, stroked the trigger. He must have a visual.
Ben raised his sight until he spotted Hyena’s left leg dangling over a branch. “Got him,” he whispered.
Tyler fired the same second he did.
Hyena toppled, crashed through the branches then hit the ground with a jaw-grinding thump. They raced the final few feet, snagged the man’s weapon hanging loose in his hand then patted him down and removed the rest of his haul.
“Is he still breathing?” Tyler asked. “My shot got him in the butt. That’ll make sure he can’t sit for a while. Nice leg shot by the way.”
He pressed two fingers to the pulse in Hyena’s neck. “He’s breathing, though he won’t be walking for some time either. Call Kupita for me.”
“Will do.” Tyler made the call while keeping his gaze on Hyena. “They’ll be here in five.”
“Great.” The cell in his pocket vibrated and he slid it out. “Hammers.”
“I saw Hyena fall. Everything okay?” Brigs.
“He’s down and not getting back up again for a while. Put Saria on the line.”
“Ben?” Her voice washed over him, like the most soothing of touches.
“I’m here, and we’ve got our man.” He cleared the tree line, but with the ship moored so far from shore, little was viewable without binoculars. “When I get back, I intend to court you properly, however that’s done.” He’d make sure she understood he was serious. He wanted nothing short of marriage, the most binding of commitments.
“Lydia told me I should strike a new deal with you, so if you’re serious about courting me, then I could be persuaded.” Her teasing tone spoke of so much more. His heart lifted.
“I’m up for offering as much persuasion as you need, and I won’t stop until you say yes. I need you, Saria. My life isn’t worth living if you’re not by my side.”
“Then ask me again when you’re buried deep inside me.”
“Is that how a man should propose?”
“It sounds like a done deal to me.”
“Ben, we’ve got company.” Tyler jerked a look over his shoulder.
Kupita had arrived along with three other men. All wore police clothing and RT’s clipped to their sides next to their weapons. Two of them knelt beside Tyler and checked Hyena over, while the third called the chopper in.
“I’ve got to go, Saria. The authorities have arrived.”
“I understand. I’ll see you soon.”
He hung up, hating he had to.
Kupita slid his cap off as he extended his hand to him. “Ben, good to see you caught him.”
“Yeah, but I’m sorry to have to dirty one of your pristine beaches in the process.”
“At least the threat is gone. I won’t have any tourists visiting our islands placed in any unnecessary danger. How’s your client?”