Page 53 of Her Mercenary
My jaw dropped. This time, his lips actually curved.
“Did you say coffee?” I said much too eagerly.
“So, you do drink ...”
I lunged forward, grabbing the cup from his hand. “No. I chug.”
Cupping the mug with both hands, I downed the contents in one go, uncaring that it was tepid, obviously instant, and tasted a bit like dirt. My body surged to life like a superhero being recharged.
I licked my lips, then smiled somewhat maniacally. I got a full, legitimate smile back, and even a bit of a chuckle.
“So you can smile,” I teased.
“I can when I see that.”
“You’re welcome.” I swiped my lips with the back of my hand.
“Come on, Juan Valdez. We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”
We started out just before daybreak, after Roman erased any sign of our presence in the cave and then sprayed every inch of my body—including my hair—with bug spray. It stank, but I was thankful for this, hoping the strong scent masked the smell of my unwashed skin.
The morning was cool, the air ripe with the scent of dawn—fresh, earthy, floral. To my surprise, the bandages on my feet worked almost as well as shoes, padding and protecting my cuts from the rough terrain.
As the sun rose, the jungle was slowly illuminated in muted golden light. Dewdrops shimmered on large banana leaves, and birds sang loudly as if greeting the morning. Life was all around us, even in the trees and bushes, a steady white noise of energy humming through the jungle.
Color was also all around us, bright pops of pink and red exotic flowers, luminescent shades of shimmering green, yellow, and orange birds, hopping from branch to branch. I even saw a blue frog—yes, bright blue, like the sky above.
It truly was beautiful, and I made a promise to myself that I would never take another morning for granted.
Roman, on the other hand, was entirely focused, following a path he seemed to know by heart. There was a sense of urgency in his step, one that kept me checking over my shoulder every few minutes.
We hiked silently through the rugged terrain, him leading with me exactly one foot from his side, as he’d demanded. He carried me over the terrain when it got too rocky for my injured feet, held my hand through the rushing streams of cool water, and guided me down steep valleys and narrow gorges. When I needed a break, he let me rest; when I was hungry, eat. The only thing he wouldn’t do was speak.
His mind constantly raced. I could see it in the crease of his brow, the way he held his jaw. Internally tormented, fighting a war inside his head. And oh how I wanted a peek inside the mind of Roman Thieves.
We stopped exactly once an hour, Roman instructing me where to stand. Usually on a tree root, with my back against the thick base of the tree. I figured this was some sort of safety measure. Meanwhile, he retraced our steps and covered our tracks. Then we continued on.
The temperature rose quickly, the comfortable morning air quickly replaced with thick and sticky humidity. Even under the shade of the trees, the air was stifling, and my skin was wet with sweat before the sun fully rose.
Bugs buzzed around us. I’d never seen so many swarms of flying insects in my life.
Roman swatted through the swarms of bugs, clearing a path for me. Still, they targeted my eyes, nose, and mouth. Eventually, I gave up on trying to swat them away. We were in their territory, after all.
The jungle was alive with activity, ignoring, or perhaps laughing at us there in its territory. I felt so small in its presence. Vulnerable.
Growing up near the Ouachita Mountains, I’d hiked many times, but never like this. There was a feeling of true isolation in the jungle. We were nothing but insignificant specks in this wild, untamed wilderness.
My feet throbbed with pain. My stomach growled with hunger. The protein bar Roman had given me during one of our breaks had quickly metabolized in my malnourished, fatigued, overheated body. I knew we had very little food and water, so I didn’t ask for more than I was allotted.
I grew weak and weary but was too proud to ask him to stop.
The hours dragged on and on, the temperature and humidity rising to suffocating levels. I was drenched in sweat. At one point, I actually considered telling him to go on without me. I’d find my way or die trying. At least then I would die on my own terms instead of in a dog cage next to other slaves.
My knees began to shake, my vision suddenly wavering. I stumbled on a tree root, my body lurching forward like dead weight.
Roman spun like lightning. Two arms wrapped around me as I began to tip. He lowered me to the ground.
The words don’t vomit, don’t vomit, don’t vomit all over this guy swirled through my dazed mind.