Free Warrior's Heart (SEAL of Fortune) by Laura Day Page B

Ryker then turns to Ronnie and Corporal Londergan. “Dr. Baker. You stay with his Marine. You do what he says, when he says, and nothing else. Clear? We’ll get your father secured then he will bring you in. Londergan, keep her safe.”
     
    Ronnie can feel herself wanting to pout. Yes, she had told Ryker to call her Dr. Baker, and yes she had told him to stay away, but he seems so formal around her now. Like she was never anything to him… the bastard. “Whatever you say, Petty Officer,” she snaps, her voice cool.
     
    Ryker hears Ronnie’s jab but keeps his face neutral, focusing on the mission. He just needs find her father and get him out. Then he can wash his hands of this whole fucking affair and get some normalcy back into his life. He takes his radio and attaches the thumb-size box to his belt, threading the cord for the small earpiece under his shirt as all the Marines do the same. “Hand me a radio for Dr. Baker,” he says, taking another unit from the private passing out equipment. Without asking permission he mounts the radio to Ronnie in the same fashion. “I’m putting you on push to talk. There is a small button on the ear bud. Press it with you finger…” he says, demonstrating on his own ear bud, “…if you want to talk. But keep quiet and just listen unless it is damned important. Got it?”
     
    “Yes.”
     
    “Comm check.” Ryker says.
     
    Each Marine speaks one at a time, Ryker hearing their voice in his ear as well as normally. “You too Dr. Baker.”
     
    Ronnie reaches up and pushes the ear bud. “Uhh… comm check.”
     
    He nods. “Now, without pressing the button.”
     
    “Comm check,” Ronnie says again.
     
    “Alright people. Mount up and get ready to come out swinging,” Ryker orders, then takes Ronnie by the arm as she begins to turn, pulling her back to face him. “We’ll get him out safe, Ronnie. I promise.”
     
    Her eyes are welling with tears as she nods and she stays silent, afraid that her voice might crack if she tries to speak.
     
    In that brief moment she sees the old Ryker, the man that is willing to die to protect those under his care, not the cold-blooded killer she has made him out to be.
     

 
    CHAPTER FIFTEEN
     
    Ronne and Corporal Londergan ride in uncomfortable silence. Ronnie is suffering from a serious case of butterflies, remembering how badly it all went horribly wrong the last time she was out of the compound to inspect a “secured” lab. Londergan isn’t nervous, but he is having impure thoughts about the stunning woman riding next to him and has to force himself to pay attention to his driving. 
     
    “Dr. Baker? May I ask you something?” Londergan finally asks to break the silence.
     
    “Sure. Londergan, isn’t it?”
     
    “You can call me Jason, ma’am. The rumor is that Evans jumped off a three-story building after you were taken. Is that true?”
     
    “I guess. There was no other way down that I know of. He jumped down to another roof, but there were no ladders or stairs that I saw. So I guess he jumped off at least a two-story roof to the ground. Why?”
     
    Jason shakes his head as he grins. “Those fucking SEALs. They are the baddest of the bad asses. I saw the car he was driving when he was ambushed. That thing is beat all to shit. I have no idea how he managed to get away in that thing.”
     
    “It wasn’t easy.”
     
    “You were there?” Jason asks in surprise.
     
    “Yeah.”
     
    “No shit? What happened?”
     
    “We were just sitting in the car when someone started shooting at us. Ryker, he used that poor car like a battering ram. He destroyed three other cars before we got away. Then, when the SUV died, we hid in a store until help arrived. I was never so scared in my life. Ryker shot a guy just as I ran out of the store to get in the SUV the embassy sent.”
     
    Londergan looks at Ronnie with new respect. Hot as shit and tough too! “I saw him get away with you after he took out your