A SEAL to Save Her Read Free Page A

sure she was ready. “I will.”
    Bagram Airfield,
Parwan Province, Afghanistan
    Fourteen and a half hours later, hot, hungry and achy, Piper walked off the military transport onto Bagram Airfield, the largest US military base in Afghanistan, named for an ancient city nearby. She was still dressed in her blue power suit and her kick-butt heels.
    Her brother was at the Heathe N. Craig Joint Theater Hospital, a fifty-bed hospital. Flanked by her DS detail, she headed toward the main entrance. The two men in dark blue suits followed. After a call from the DS office to alert her the detail was there to pick her up and take her to the airport, they had boarded the military transport with her. She was assured both Agents Hatch and Markam had combat experience. Two agents she hadn’t met before, but worked for Diplomatic Security, as evidenced by their badges. As soon as she got inside, a nurse was waiting to take her to her brother, who was in intensive care.
    â€œHow is he?” she asked as the dark-haired nurse indicated she should follow her.
    â€œHe’s holding his own. There was significant internal bleeding, a fractured leg and arm, abrasions, contusions, concussion. You’ll need to brace yourself for his condition, ma’am. He’s scheduled to be shipped out to Germany in two hours. The doctor can give you more details.”
    As they walked into the room, Piper rushed over to the tan bed. Her brother was hooked up to both an IV and other health-monitoring machinery. His eyes were closed and his breathing was even. She gasped as she took in the cuts and abrasions on his face and the heavy bandages on his arm and leg. She’d been scared out of her mind that he would... A wall of emotion slammed into her and she was caught up in keeping her composure. After losing Brad and her unborn child, she’d never wanted to feel that kind of pain again...but to lose her brother—it would be unbearable, especially on the heels of her father’s fatal heart attack a year ago. And her mother had died several years ago from pneumonia.
    The nurse squeezed her arm. “He’s doing very well, considering what trauma his body has been through. He’s tough.”
    Piper swallowed her tears and pain and turned toward the nurse. “Thank you.”
    â€œI’m Christina Davis, if you need me.” She nodded to a man with salt-and-pepper hair, who stood next to the bed reading a chart. He looked up as Piper reached out and touched Tyler’s bare arm. He was warm and alive, and something cold and tight loosened up inside her.
    â€œSenator Jones? Dr. Abraham.”
    â€œYes, how is my brother?”
    â€œHe’s made it through surgery. He’s a fighter. Lost a lot of blood, but those medevac boys know their job. If it wasn’t for his team member Lieutenant Dexter Kaczewski’s quick actions, he might not have made it.”
    â€œThey’re very close,” she whispered, pulling up a chair and sitting down.
    â€œLieutenant Kaczewski is here, too. Injured, but not as severely.”
    â€œThank God for that.”
    â€œIt’s been a tough day. Team Three lost three SEALs in that battle.”
    Tyler groaned and Piper’s attention went to her brother’s face. His eyes opened slowly, his pupils unfocused and dazed.
    â€œHe’s heavily medicated,” the doctor said.
    â€œTyler,” she said, bending down.
    He looked at her as if he was trying to assimilate the image of her with being in a combat zone, as if he might be dreaming.
    â€œYes, I’m here. You’re going to be fine,” she said, smoothing back his beautiful, caramel-brown hair.
    He closed his whiskey-colored eyes and groaned. “LT. Find out about LT.” His deep voice was filled with pain, his speech slurred. He started to get agitated and she soothed him.
    â€œHe’s fine.”
    â€œDid you see him?” Tyler demanded, trying to push up, but