Page 9 of SEAL's Resolve

She jerked, sucking in a ragged breath.

Oh, man. Not good. “You okay?”

“Spooked. You must have incredible eyesight to navigate through this pitch-black maze. I can’t see my hand in front of my face.”

Rafe chuckled. “My eyesight is 20/20, but I have the advantage of spending a lot of time in this cave.”

“Can’t imagine why,” she muttered. “It’s cold, musty, and smells like ammonia.”

He decided not to mention the bats inhabiting another part of the cave. No need to push Kristi harder toward a panic attack. From the sound of her voice, she was skating close to a meltdown.

The best thing he could do for her was leave the cave and head for the extraction point. Once she was safe, he could hand her over to one of the other operatives and return to his solitude.

Rafe ignored the guilt spearing his conscience. Solitude was best for his peace of mind. Why didn’t he believe his own argument?

He slowed at the bend in the tunnel. “Turning right,” he murmured. “Two hundred feet to go.”

“Thank God.”

Frowning at her shaky voice, Rafe drew her to his side and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Better?”

She sighed. “Yes. Thanks.”

“You’re doing great. Just a little bit longer.”

“Easy for you to say. You’re not having a screaming meltdown inside your head.”

Rafe tucked her tighter against him. “I understand.”

“Not buying it. You’re a Navy SEAL, a legitimate American hero. I can’t see you screaming even on your worst day.”

Memories threatened to resurface. He shoved them back down. Now wasn’t the time to deal with his personal baggage. “You’d be wrong.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“Nope. Might tarnish my macho image.” And send him down a rabbit hole of nightmares when Kristi’s safety depended on his vigilance.

When Rafe estimated they were about one hundred yards from the exit, he stopped and nudged her until her back was pressed against the cave wall. “Stay right here. I won’t be long.”

“Wait.” A small hand clamped around his forearm. “Where are you going?”

“To make sure the coast is clear before we leave the cave. I don’t want to lead you into an ambush.” He pressed his hand on top of hers. “I won’t be long,” he repeated, and waited for her to make the next move. If he had to, he’d knock her out, but Rafe didn’t want to do that. She’d been through enough trauma tonight.

A long minute later, Kristi let go of his arm. “Please, be careful.” Her breathing was quick and shallow.

“Kristi.” Rafe laid his hand on her shoulder. “You can handle this.”

“Sure. Go.”

He hated to leave her in the darkness, especially knowing she wasn’t comfortable, but he didn’t have a choice. “Close your eyes.”

“What good will that do? It’s dark with my eyes closed, too.”

He smiled at the snark in her voice. She was still with him. “Trust me.”

A moment later, she said, “This is much better. I’m not so disoriented.”

“Your brain associates closed eyes with darkness. When your eyes are open and you still see nothing but darkness, your equilibrium can go haywire.” He squeezed her shoulder lightly. “Can you handle the darkness for two minutes?”