She limply lay in a man’s arms as he carried her out into the cool night. Someone else was cutting her wrists and ankles free. Were these more bad guys? The police? But no, someone had called her Butterfly. She started shaking, trying to gulp in the fresh air.
“Caitlyn. Caitlyn,” a voice murmured as the man held her. “Butterfly.” It felt like Troy, like his arms around her, but she knew he wasn’t here. The only man was that tall guy who’d cased her office. Who’d knocked her out after tying her up. Who’d kidnapped her right from the freeway.
“Damn it, what’s taking them so long?” a voice yelled.
“We took him out,” another man said. “His body is on the floor in one of the bedrooms.”
She slumped against the man holding her, hearing the sounds of sirens in the distance. It felt like she fell asleep again, but then there was an entire crew of EMS personnel and fire fighters gathering around her. Someone strapped an oxygen mask to her face, and suddenly she began to feel better.
“We almost lost her,” Troy muttered. “We were almost too fucking late.”
Looking over from where they lifted her onto the stretcher, she realized Troy really was here. With Logan. And some of the other guys on his SEAL team. Some of them held guns and knives, and all of them looked pissed off. How had they found her?
Whimpering, she reached out for him. Troy squeezed her hand and jumped into the back of the ambulance as the EMS guys lifted her onboard. “I’m coming with her,” he said. His blues eyes met hers, and she blinked.
“Don’t cry,” he said roughly.
“You’re here,” she mouthed. She wasn’t sure if he could understand her because of the oxygen mask, and other people were climbing into the ambulance and attaching various things to her. A blood pressure cuff was wrapped around her bicep. Someone else shined a bright light in her eyes.
The sound of the siren being turned on caused her to jump.
“It’s okay,” Troy soothed. “And yes, I’m really here, Butterfly. I promised I’d keep you safe, and my team and I wouldn’t rest until we found you.”
He took her hand again, gentle as always with her. They began to move, heading toward the hospital, but he leaned closer, even as the EMS workers talked around them. “I thought I lost you, sweetheart.”
Tears smarted her eyes again, and then she couldn’t stop them from streaming down her cheeks. Troy just leaned even closer, wiping them away. Someone had gotten out a reflective blanket, and he helped to wrap it around her, holding her as the ambulance sped down the road. Troy had come for her. He’d kept her safe. She closed her eyes again, knowing he’d watch over her until she woke up once more.
Epilogue
Troy took Caitlyn’s hand and tugged her back from the front door two weeks later. She looked at him questioningly. “We’re going to be late to Blake and Clarissa’s BBQ.”
He grinned down at her, those blue eyes shining, and put his keys back in his pocket. “I know. But seeing you in that dress? Hell, Butterfly. I won’t be able to keep my hands to myself all night.” She giggled as Troy swept her up into his arms, moving toward the bedroom. Their bedroom.
She’d moved in with him a week ago after being released from the hospital. Although he’d offered to move into his guest room while she took over the master bedroom, she knew there was no place she wanted to be more than right by his side. She’d fallen hard and fast for him, but after almost dying from carbon monoxide poisoning and after nearly everything in her apartment had been destroyed, she’d been thrilled that he wanted her to move in with him. It might have been fast, but it also felt right. There was no place she’d rather be than safe in his arms.
Troy playfully growled as he looked down at her and the long blue and white halter dress she had on. “Damn, Butterfly. Is that dress new?”
“Well, yeah. Half my clothes were ruined, remember?”
He frowned for a beat but kept moving, completely focused on taking her to bed. The dress she’d worn tonight was sexy, the halter top hugging her breasts. She’d known Troy liked it when she first put it on earlier, his eyes heating as soon as he’d seen her in it. But with the way he was looking at her now? She felt like she might spontaneously combust.
Troy set her down in front of the bed, and she was taller than usual in front of him in the strappy heeled sandals she’d worn. Yes, they were headed to a somewhat casual BBQ, but she loved dressing up just to see Troy’s reaction. He seemed to love her in dresses, ever since they’d first met on the beach. And now that her ankle was doing so much better, she enjoyed putting on sexy heels sometimes.
He ducked down and kissed her, the scent of his soap and cologne causing her stomach to flutter. His large hands gripped her hips, and then Troy was moving lower, kissing his way from her neck down to her breasts. She inhaled sharply as his mouth moved over her cleavage. Troy seemed to always know exactly what to do to drive her wild. He fumbled with the knot behind her neck and then undid the halter top, tugging it down. His hands immediately went to her breasts—massaging, kneading, and driving her crazy. His thumbs grazed her nipples, and then his mouth soon followed. He lightly nipped at her, finally sucking her nipples into his eager mouth.
“Troy, please!” she panted. How this man could work her up so quickly she’d never know. At the moment,
