Colorado Connection (Colorado Heart Book 6) (8 page)

“Call, please. We need Zander back.”

“Oh shit.” Duff left his bedroom door open, and Grant stepped in, watching as Duff pulled up a list of contacts and found the current Commandant of the Marines. His name was Jack Sellers. Duff dialed him on speakerphone. Grant sat on the edge of the chair in the corner of Duff’s room, waiting for Duff to start talking. The line was picked up, and Grant held his breath.

“Sellers here.”

“It’s Duff. I have a favor to ask.”

“Duffy, it’s been a long time. I’m surprised to hear from you. Last I heard you’d had some medical issues.”

“I’m good. Listen, I have a man coming in on a plane at Lejeune. He’s with Marine, Matthew Miller. We need our man escorted to a base out west.”

Sellers tisked his tongue and paused. “Oh, Duffy, you lost someone. Really, I could just have him escorted to your house.”

“No dice. You aren’t going to come onto my property and into my house. I’m not that old.”

Grant wondered if it could be this easy. This was why Duff couldn’t leave them yet. He knew people who could make things happen. Grant and Marshal didn’t have the connections Duff did.

Sellers laughed then sobered a bit. “Okay, Duff. I owe you and I know it. The debt will never be repaid in this lifetime. How about you introduce me to the man who took over for you? I can hear him breathing in the background.”

“I will, later. Right now I need my man back and I don’t need any questions.”

“You’re asking for a lot. But okay, I’ll get him off the plane as soon as it lands, which I think is in about a minute. Where do you want him delivered to?”

“Fort Carson, if you would.”

“Okay, give me five minutes, and I’ll make sure he’s on a plane heading to Carson. Are you sure we can’t do anything at Lejeune to help him? We do have top notch hospitals at this end of the country.”

“Nice try, Sellers. No questions for our guy, no photos, nothing. I don’t even want you knowing his name. Got it?”

Sellers blew out a breath. “I’m on it. Stay on the line. I’ll report back to you in a few minutes.”

Grant caught Duff’s gaze and then glanced to the open door where the rest of the men from their crew stood. No doubt they all knew by now Zander was alive. Sellers didn’t need to know they had so many guys on the ranch or that they were all listening. He nodded to Duff and went to the door, stepping into the hall as the guys cleared out. He shut the door behind him and spoke in a near whisper.

“No noise. Roger, take everyone else into the control room. Marshal, we’ll stay in the hall with the door open so you can hear but you have to be silent. Sellers can’t hear us. Okay?”

Marshal nodded and leaned against the wall, sinking to the floor and wrapping his arms around his knees as the guys moved away and made room in the small space. Grant opened Duff’s door, staring at the old man as they waited for news on Zander.

Chapter Ten

Zander’s hands still shook and his head spun, but the kid who had hold of his arm never left his side. That was the one real thing in all of this. Everything else seemed to fade in and out. He was doing a good job fooling them, or so he thought. Maybe they knew he was out of his mind.

He half-expected to wake up and find the rescue had been a whiff of a dream. He’d had those dreams before, the ones where Marshal swooped in and saved the day. After a week in captivity, he'd realized the guys didn’t know he was still alive. Then two weeks went past, and he lost himself, hiding in his mind. Was this just another trick he was playing on himself?

The kid cupped his cheek and spoke, but Zander didn’t listen. It would be too much if this was another fantasy twisting his emotions to make him think everything would be okay. He didn’t want to deal with another letdown once he realized these guys, this rescue, didn’t exist.

The voice broke through, a harsh rub against his mind. “Hey, can you stand?”

He shook his head, blinking at the kid. Had he really just been asked a question? Could he trust this interaction? In his dreams, he’d never been jarred so much when someone visited him. This felt different, like this kid actually was standing right in front of him.

“I need a wheelchair,” the kid said.

“What’s your name again?” Zander asked as he stared up at the guy.

“Matthew Miller.” Matthew leaned over and looked in Zander’s eyes, smoothing his thumb over Zander’s cheek. “You don’t look too good after talking to your friends.”

“My friends? Did I really talk to them?”

“Yes, and we’re about to land. Once on the ground, I’m going to do everything I can to stay with you but I’m not sure how far they’re going to let me go.”

“I’m so dizzy. Is this another dream?”

Confusion clouded his thoughts and he shook his head, trying to clear the fog. He had talked to the guys. He’d heard Marshal’s voice. This was real.

Zander sucked in a breath and felt tears leak out of his eyes. Time and time again, he’d imagined talking to Marshal. He’d wake up with Marshal’s voice in his mind, swearing he’d just heard his lover speak, but this was different. Matthew pulled him into a hug and kissed the top of his head. Why was this kid being so nice to him?

Life jerked around him, and he must have let out a little yell. Matthew smoothed a hand over the top of Zander’s head and his shoulders. He tried to move but the rescue, these people, Matthew, it all seemed like too much now that he knew he wasn’t imagining the situation. He stayed planted in his seat, unable to move his legs and stand.

“We've landed. We’re back in the U.S.A. I just have to find a way to get you out of here and home.”

“Don’t worry, my friends will fix it.” Knowing he was back in the United States made him perk up. His brain was still a little fogged, but he felt better, almost like he could get through this.

The plane came to a stop, and Zander tried to stand but he was so tired. Matthew placed his hand on Zander’s shoulder and gave him a small smile.

“I’m going to help you. Don’t try to—”

“Corporal Matthew Miller?” A man in uniform, a colonel if Zander was reading his ranking correctly, stepped onto the plane and looked directly at him. Zander swallowed, wondering if the man had recognized him. He didn’t think he’d served with the colonel, but after the month he’d had, his past was a blur. Plus, he’d only been in the Marines for a short while before he'd joined the Navy to become a SEAL.

Matthew stumbled to standing, almost falling as he fought to get his seatbelt undone. “Sir, yes, sir.”

Zander tugged at his own seatbelt, barely getting it unbuckled as Matthew stood to attention.

“Bring the man with you and come with me. For now, you’re directly under my command. I’ll talk to your CO. You’re on a flight leaving out of here in just a few minutes. Follow me. We have a wheelchair on the tarmac, if you could carry him out.”

“Yes, sir.”

Zander tried to stand, but his legs wouldn’t support his weight. It had been weeks since he’d been allowed to do anything other than sit or crouch on the floor. Every time he'd tried to stand in the beginning, they’d beat him. He hadn’t broken any bones, at least he didn’t think he had, but he had bruises a plenty.

Matthew bent low and caught his gaze. “Are you ready for me to pick you up?”

He nodded then glanced away. It was embarrassing to have to rely on a stranger to carry him off the plane. “Wait, I want to walk.”

Matthew squared his shoulders and nodded once. “Okay, let me grab you under your arms and get you up. We’ll go slow, and you need to hang onto me. If you think you’re going to fall, tell me, and I’ll make sure you stay upright.”

With Matthew’s help, Zander stood on wobbly, tired legs that ached so bad he wondered if he would ever regain full use of them. He had to lean on Matthew with every step but he made it down the stairs, which was dicey at best, to the tarmac where he gratefully slipped into a wheelchair.

Matthew pushed the chair, placing his hand on Zander’s shoulder when the colonel stopped and turned to face them.

“I’m Colonel Walsh, and I—” the colonel paled and narrowed his eyes. Walsh dropped low right in front of Zander and reached up, moving Zander’s hair away from his forehead. “I swear you look like… someone.” Walsh stood and stepped back, nodding to Zander once before saluting. “You are both cleared to enter the plane. I don’t know who you know, but only generals get the chance to fly on this plane. Miller, I’m sure I’ll be told not to speak with you about this, but one day, I might find you and ask a few questions.”

Walsh stepped away, and Matthew bent low, scooping Zander into his arms, not even giving him a chance to stand. They loaded onto the plane, and Matthew settled him in a seat beside the window, hanging his IV bag from the ceiling before strapping him in. Matthew blew out a breath just as another older man stepped onto the plane. Matthew squeaked as he struggled to undo his seatbelt.

“Relax, corporal. I wanted to make sure our guest was well taken care of. I’m General Kuenzier. Do you need anything, son?”

Zander swallowed and shook his head. The man standing beside him was a general, and Zander knew this was Duff’s doing. No high-ranking general would come down to see him off without Duff pulling strings.

“I’m good, sir,” Zander said with a very scratchy, unused voice.

“I have food being brought aboard and a doctor who will be flying with you. He’s about to—”

Someone else stepped onto the plane, his breath coming in gasps as he stopped when his gaze landed on the general. The man saluted and stood at attention.

“This is Doctor Frasier. He would like to give you a quick exam before you take off. At ease, Frasier. Miller, let’s give them a little privacy,” Kuenzier said.

Matthew stood, and Zander reached out, holding onto his hand. Matthew turned to look at him, his brows lifted.

“Stay, please. I need you to stay while the doctor is here.” Zander couldn’t face anyone alone, at least not until he was really at home and in Marshal’s arms. He trusted Matthew, but he didn’t trust the other people.

“I’ll stay.” Matthew moved to the row of seats behind him and didn’t let go of Zander’s shoulder.

The doctor was quick with his exam, checking Zander’s pulse, blood pressure, and listening to his lungs. Frasier pulled a vial out of his bag and stuck a needle in.

“What are you giving me?” Zander asked.

“Antibiotics. Do you have any allergies?” the doctor asked.

“No, sir.”

“I’ll add the antibiotics to your IV line. I don’t think you have anything, but I want to be on the safe side. You’ll need to have a more thorough exam once you’re home. There could be long-term effects from starvation, but I think with time, you should be able to have a mostly normal life. If I could draw some blood—”

“No,” Zander said.

“Um, okay, whatever you say. Are you sure you don’t want me drawing your—”

“No, sir. I just want to go home.” The IV bag had helped, and he was feeling better, but hunger had begun to claw at him. “Can I eat something?”

“I don’t see why not. I’ll be taking the flight with you, just to monitor your health. Let’s start you off with something soft and bland and then we’ll go from there. If you feel good after you’ve eaten a little, we can have you eat some more.”

He nodded then looked over his shoulder to Matthew, glad to see a kind face. “Are you hungry?”

Matthew gave him a slight smile and nodded. “It’s been a while since I’ve eaten.”

General Kuenzier stepped forward and tapped the doctor on the shoulder. “You’re cleared for takeoff. I’ll see you when you get back to base.”

“Yes, sir.” Frasier saluted, and Kuenzier returned a quick salute before leaving the plane. The doctor sat beside him but Zander shook his head.

“I want Matthew with me.”

“Um, sure.”

Frasier moved, and Matthew strapped in beside Zander. The plane’s engines whirred to life, giving off a gentle buzz. Zander closed his eyes and smiled when Matthew took his hand, weaving their fingers together. He cracked one eyelid and turned to look at Matthew.

“You okay?” Matthew asked.

“Yes, thank you.”

“I don’t even know your name and I don’t need to. I noticed that both the doc and General Kuenzier haven’t called you by name either.”

He smiled at Matthew. “Yeah, probably best that no one knows who I am.”

The engines sped up, and he could feel the plane barreling down the runway before it bounced a few times then smoothed out. Zander closed his eyes for a minute then he smelled something that made his stomach ache. He opened his eyes to see Matthew taking a bite of a burger and he moaned.

“Did I fall asleep?”

Matthew nodded as he chewed then swallowed. “Yes, you did. I have some mashed potatoes here for you. Can I feed you a few bites?”

Zander looked at the guy and wondered if he really was going to feed him. “I can do it myself.”

Matthew’s lips turned down and he shook his head. “I’m sure you’re a very capable man, but you were held captive for too long. Let me help you a little until you get your strength back.”

The kid wasn’t going to give in, so Zander nodded as unease filled him. He didn’t like being so helpless and there was no way he could stand being the focus of this guy while he ate.

“One condition,” Zander said.

“Sure, whatever you want.”

“Talk to me.”

Matthew nodded before he glanced away. “Um, sure. What do you want to talk about?”

Zander’s brows bunched. “I don’t want to talk about me. Tell me about you. I need… I can’t think in my own head about my life anymore. I need something else.”

“Okay… um, I’m um in the Marines. I guess that much was obvious.”

“Girlfriend back home?” Zander’s heart squeezed as he thought of home. The memories almost overwhelming.

Matthew picked up a fork and turned it over before shaking his head. “No, no girlfriend. I’ve been in too long.” Matthew looked up, his lips twisting before he spoke again. “That’s a lie. I’m gay.”

“Oh.” Zander was a little surprised this guy was so open with Frasier sitting so close.

“I don’t…” Matthew shoveled a small amount of mashed potato onto the fork and lifted it. Their gazes met, and Zander saw despair and longing in Matthew’s eyes.

“Tell me about him,” Zander whispered before he took the first bite. The mashed potatoes sat on his tongue as he thought about swallowing. It was weird eating again but he moved his mouth, chewing and working his throat so he could swallow. They tasted smooth, a little salty, but like butter, and potatoes, and everything wonderful, sending pleasure through his body. His heart rate increased as he swallowed another bite.

“We were serving together. Our unit did patrols. I was the sniper.”

“He still in with you?” Zander saw Matthew pale and wished he could take the question back. Matthew fed him another bite that was just as delicious as the first.

“No, we were out on patrol, and for some stupid reason they had me on the ground. I can’t protect my guys on the ground.” Matthew’s voice had gotten a little louder with each word. He paused and shook his head, glancing over his shoulder before leaning in closer to continue his story as he gave Zander another bite of his potatoes. “I miss him so much. He was my best friend and now he won’t talk to me.”

“He doesn’t blame you, does he?” The food had started to make Zander feel better. He drew in a deep breath and let it go as he watched Matthew work through the emotions.

“I don’t think so. I’m not sure what his injuries are, but I think it’s bad. When I went to the hospital and tried to talk to him, he asked me to stay away.”

Zander reached out and took Matthew’s hand. “I’m really sorry. Tell me about him.”

Matthew closed his eyes and shook his head. “God, he was the best. Shy but very sexy at the same time. His kisses, damn, they could set the night on fire.” Matthew’s head shot up and his cheeks turned pink. “Oh my God, I’m sorry. You don’t want to hear about—”

He squeezed Matthew’s hand and smiled. “Actually, I do. Anything to keep my mind off what is happening. I can’t…” He closed his eyes and fought to keep it together as a shudder ripped through him.