Three Courageous Words. Elle James
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have a clue we came this way.”
“If the dust settles,” T-Mac said.
Angela glanced back at the cloud of dust rising up behind them.
Buck touched her arm. “It’ll settle.”
She gave him a hint of a smile and turned away. So many forgotten emotions welled up inside her. Why did he have to come back into her life? Why now? But if he hadn’t, she might be dead. The protest she’d staged against the local government could have ended a lot worse. She prayed the women who’d gone along with her had made it back to safety.
Leaving behind the refugees she’d grown to care for was killing her. But like Brenda had said, she couldn’t help people if she was dead.
Soon, they came to the little village tucked into the side of a hill. Shacks and huts lined the road, with barely clothed children playing outside.
“Let me out,” Angela said. “I’ll speak to Abu Hanafi. He might not want us in his village if we bring trouble with us.”
“Tell him we won’t stay any longer than it takes to get airlifted out,” Big Jake said. “And we’ll arrange pickup away from his village so as not to draw too much attention to it.”
Angela nodded and hopped out of the van. Buck followed.
“It might be better if I go alone,” Angela said.
“Not happening.” He gripped her elbow and marched forward.
Angela shrugged free of his hand. Every time he touched her, that same jolt, like an electrical current, ran through her, reminding her of the connection they’d had when they were much younger.
She tightened her jaw. That was the past. “I got along fine without you for six months in this country. I can do this on my own.”
“Then do it on your own, just with me. I won’t say a word. You’ll barely know I’m there.”
She snorted. “You’re over six feet tall. Much taller than many of the people in this village. I think I’ll notice you. And I won’t be the only one.” As much as she protested, she did feel protected when he was around.
Angela led the way to the mud-and-stick building at the center of the little village. A woman wearing a faded red-and-gold dress with a red scarf draped over her head and shoulders stood in the doorway with a toddler on her hip.
With a smile, Angela addressed the daughter of the village elder. “Uluru, how are you and your children?”
She knew from the last time she’d been here that Uluru spoke perfect English she’d learned at a missionary school when she was much younger. At twenty-one years old, she had three children, the youngest of which she was holding.
“They are well. I am teaching Kamal his letters. He will go to school one day.”
Angela nodded. “Your children will be smart as well as beautiful, like their mother.”
She snorted softly. “If they live that long and are not stolen away by Koku’s army.” Uluru moved out of the doorway. “You are here to see my father?”
“Yes,” Angela said.
“And this man with you, who dresses like one of our men?”
“He is my...” Angela almost said boyfriend, but that was so many years ago.
“I’m her fiancé,” Buck said and cupped Angela’s elbow. “We are to be married soon.”
Angela swallowed hard to keep from disagreeing out loud. Now that he’d said it, she couldn’t deny it without appearing wishy-washy in front of Uluru and her father.
Uluru’s gaze swept over Buck from head to toe before she nodded. “As the doctor’s betrothed, you are welcome in our home.”
Inside, the structure was cast in shadow, with no electrical lighting in use.
Uluru passed through the house and out into a small courtyard where an old man, dressed all in white much like Buck, sat cross-legged on the ground in the shade of a tree.
Angela waited for the man to invite her forward.
When he did, she sat cross-legged across from him, and Buck sat beside her.
Uluru joined them, setting the toddler on his feet. The child wandered off to play with a stick.
Angela studied the man, searching his face for any signs of illness. “You are well?” she asked.
Abu Hanafi nodded, his gaze going to Buck and back to Angela. “Who is this white man who dresses like one of our people?”
Buck sat up straight, meeting the man’s gaze with a strength and confidence Angela had to admire. “I am Dr. Vega’s fiancé.”
The elder continued to stare at Buck for a long moment, as if sizing him up. Finally, he gave a single nod. “Why are you here?”
Angela realized the elder wasn’t speaking to her, but to Buck. In deference, she let Buck respond.
“There was an attack on the government building in Bentiu. We believe it was Koku. Then his men attacked the refugee camp,” Buck said. “My men and I got Dr. Vega and her nurse out before they could be harmed. We all need a place to hide until after the sun sets, at which time we will leave.”
Abu Hanafi’s brow furrowed. “You have brought danger to my village?”
“We hope not,” Buck said. “But we will leave as soon as we can.”
“Or we could leave now, if you think we have endangered your people,” Angela said softly.
A long silence stretched between the elder, Angela and Buck. Finally, Abu Hanafi nodded. “You will stay until dark. However, if trouble follows you, you will leave sooner. Too many of our children have been stolen by Koku and his men.”
“Koku has taken children from your village?” Buck questioned.
“He takes our young boys to fill his army,” the elder said. “We are forced to hide them in the bushes when Koku is in the area.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Angela said. “I wish we could do something to stop him.”
“You have to know where to find him,” Buck said, “in order to do anything to stop him.”
Once again, Abu Hanafi studied Buck. “You are not a doctor.”
Buck shook his head. “No, sir.”
“You are an American soldier?”
Buck tensed beside Angela. “No, sir.”
That penetrating gaze pinned Buck to his spot. But Buck wasn’t giving the man any more than he already had. “Sir, we should move our vehicle before Koku’s people see it and report back to him.”
Abu Hanafi waved his hand. “Go.”
When Angela rose to her feet, he touched her arm. “My people owe you a debt we cannot repay.”
“You owe me nothing,” Angela assured him.
The elder dipped his head. “I can only repay you in friendship.”
“Which is the most important payment of all.” She held out her hand to the man. He took it in both of his. “Thank you for saving my life.”
“You’re welcome.”
Uluru led them through the house and back to the van. “You can park in the trees at the base of the bluff,” she said.
“Thank you.” Angela strode back to the van, anxious to get away from Buck and the chemistry he seemed to be stirring up inside her. The faster they resolved the issue with Koku, the quicker she could get back to helping others.
She hoped it happened sooner rather