Protecting Fiona (2014)

## Series

SEAL of Protection, Book 3

Originally published on November 23, 2014

## Official Blurb

> **Sweat clung to every inch of her body and her legs were aching.**
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> **But after the hell she'd been through, she welcomed the pain.**
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> Cookie “Hunter” Knox was good at his job, infiltrating behind enemy lines was one of his specialties. His SEAL team relied on him to do his job, just as he relied on them to do theirs. Ever since two of his teammates found a woman that completed them, their dangerous Ops seemed a bit more intense. Cookie knew if he had a woman who belonged to him, he’d never let her go. Little did he know the SEAL team’s latest mission to Mexico would change his life forever.
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> Fiona Storm resigned herself to the fact that it was highly unlikely she would make it out of the jungle alive. Kidnapped by human traffickers, abused, and without family or friends looking for her, Fiona knew wishing for rescue was as realistic as having a big, juicy hamburger fall from the sky. Unbeknownst to Fiona, the SEAL team, including Cookie, were on the way, but their assignment didn't consist of rescuing her.
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## Characters

### Main Character(s)

* Hunter "Cookie" Knox
* Fiona Storme

### All Characters (in order of appearance)

* Hunter "Cookie" Knox
* Julie Lytle
* Fiona Storme
* Matthew "Wolf" Steel
* Faulkner "Dude" Cooper
* Christopher "Abe" Powers
* Sam "Mozart" Reed
* Kason "Benny" Sawyer
* Senator Lytle
* Caroline "Ice" Martin
* Alabama Smith
* Jessyka Allen
* John "Tex" Keegan
* Dr. Hancock

### Characters Mentioned (but not appearing)

* Patrick Hurt
* (Fiona's mother)
* (Fiona's maternal grandfather)
* (Fiona's maternal grandmother)
* Ben Hurst
* Avery Reed

## Synopsis

### Prologue

The SEAL of Protection team (Wolf, Abe, Cookie, Mozart, Dude, and Benny) study a map while getting transported to a remote Mexican location. They have been tasked with locating and recovering Julie Lytle, a senator's daughter who went missing while out with friends. Tex, a SEAL no longer on the teams, is at home in Virginia, using his technical prowess to gain information about Julie's kidnappers. Wolf lays out the plan for the team: Wolf and Abe will head to a nearby village to obtain information from locals; Cookie and Mozart will look for Julie at two possible locations; and Benny and Dude will be ready to extract everyone. Cookie mentally prepares for his task as the plane begins to descend.

### Chapter 1

Cookie walks through the jungle, headed toward one of the possible locations. He hears members of the camp partying. Cookie hunkers down and waits for the camp to grow silent before continuing.

Fiona, a woman held captive, sits in the dark in the middle of the night. An hour earlier, she heard the last traces of her captors partying, but she heard an unusual sound. A moment later, she sees a light in the corner. She mentally prepares herself to again fight for her life.

Cookie makes his way to the building where he believes Julie is held. Without a sound, he removes two boards from the corner of the hut, easing himself inside. Without turning on his flashlight again, he allows his eyes to adjust to the dark room, soon noticing someone on the floor. He creeps toward her, waking her and assuring her that he's a SEAL tasked with taking her home. Julie starts to cry as Cookie unchains her from the shackle on her ankle. He digs through his pack and pulls out clothes for her to change into, which she balks at doing with him in the room. Cookie quiets her angry huff, offering to turn around but that she needs to wear long pants and sleeves in the jungle. When she's done, they head to the corner to slip out of the hut, but something catches Cookie's eye across the room.

### Chapter 2

Fiona watches as a man enters the hut and heads for Julie, gives her a change of clothes, and prepares her for escape. Fiona wants nothing more than to call out to him and beg him to take her, too, but she doesn't want to ruin Julie's chances of leaving, so she remains quiet.

Cookie orders Julie to wait while he checks out the other side of the hut, but Julie begs him to take her away immediately. Cookie quiets her and slowly moves toward the other side of the cabin, where the smell of human waste is stronger. To his shock, he realizes there is another occupant, who sits, chained to the floor, with large, watchful eyes. He leans toward her, attempting to hide his revulsion at her body odor.

Fiona is embarrassed by her smell, but stares at the man and waits for him to say something. He leans down and asks for her name. Fiona responds in what Cookie surmises is a Midwestern accent. He starts to figure out how to unchain her when she stops him, saying that she knows he isn't there for Fiona and likely doesn't have the time or resources to save her, but that she would appreciate it if he could tell someone she was there later. Stunned, Cookie assures her he's taking her, too, and starts to examine the chain around her neck. Fiona apologizes for her smell, but Cookie brushes her off.

Cookie realizes that he can't remove the metal collar from her neck, but breaks the chain holding it and lowers it to the floor. He digs through his pack and retrieves an extra shirt for her to wear, which she graciously accepts. Fiona promises not to make too much noise and to do everything he tells her, and tells him it's okay if he needs to go ahead of her and leave her behind. He promises to get all three of them out of the jungle and to safety.

Cookie slips out of the hut first, to make sure the coast is clear. Julie warns Fiona not to ruin the escape, as she's only an afterthought. Cookie reappears and helps the women escape the hut.

### Chapter 3

Fiona, Cookie, and Julie march through the jungle. Fiona suffers through countless bug bites, stubbed toes, and a steady pace, but she refuses to complain about getting rescued. However, she considers the drug withdrawal she knows is imminent. Her captors had been injecting various drugs into her system, creating a dependence on their effects. Fiona has not received injections in days, and fears that her pain is only just beginning. Fiona focuses on counting down from 1,000 to occupy her mind.

When Cookie stops the group for a break, Julie asks for food. He pulls out some granola bars, which Julie angrily but begrudgingly accepts. He warns her that her stomach won't be used to food or water, so they both need to go slow. Cookie crosses to Fiona and offers her a wet wipe to clean her hands. Cookie notices her shaking hands, which she brushes off. He attempts to give her a granola bar, and though she stares at it with obvious longing, she declines the offer. Cookie insists she needs to eat. Julie offers to take the bar from Julie, which Fiona accepts.

Cookie pulls Fiona aside, asking her what her problem is. She insists that she doesn't want to be a burden on Cookie or ruin his plans to recover Julie. "You only planned for two, you didn't plan for me." Cookie realizes Fiona's selflessness and assures her he has enough supplies for all three of them. He informs her that he's a SEAL, and that they are headed to an extraction point to be picked up by his team. He insists that she take the granola bar and gain the strength.

> "I swear to you, Fiona, you are *not* extra baggage. Yes, we were sent here for Julie, but I would've come by myself if I had known you were there. I would have come for *you*."
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Fiona tears up at his kind words. Cookie thinks of how much he admires the strength of this woman, and again offers her the granola bar. Cookie watches as Fiona savors the bar far more than a person should. He nearly shakes with anger, upset at how long it's been since Fiona has eaten. After a few minutes, they continue forward.

### Chapter 4

Fiona still savors the granola bar, trying to make it last as long as possible. She also appreciates the clean water she has to sip. She tries not to think about her increasing withdrawal symptoms.

Cookie stops his group, hunkering down as he examines the extraction point. After Julie complains about waiting, Cookie sighs and informs the women that since his team didn't arrive, they need to go to a back-up extraction point, which should take them a few days. Julie screeches at the length of time, but Cookie quickly quiets her, informing her that they are still in danger in the jungle, and they must remain as quiet as possible. He lays out the new plan before they start their new trek. Cookie hasn't been able to reach Mozart on his satellite radio, but isn't too concerned about his team. This is why they make multiple plans and back-ups.

Eventually Cookie stops the group for the night. Fiona asks Cookie if she can help, but he assures her he can handle making the lean-tos on his own. He also gives the women more granola bars as he prepares two MREs for them to share.

Cookie examines Fiona, realizing that she was held captive for far longer than Julie. He wonders if she had been assaulted; the thought alone makes him feel sick. He considers the additional ten miles they need to walk, and how Julie may be physically in better shape than Fiona, but her attitude was piss-poor. Cookie heads toward Fiona, who sits against a tree, and finally introduces himself by his nickname.

Fiona questions Cookie as to the origin of his nick, and he jokingly challenges her: "You'd never guess, Fee." Fiona starts at this nickname, but brushes it off and begins guessing as to Cookie's name. First, she suggests that his mom baked him cookies and sent them to him every week while he was in basic training. Cookie corrects that he went to boot camp, and that no, she isn't correct. Second, Fiona guesses that Cookie ate too many of his namesake one Christmas and "puked [his] guts out." Again, Cookie laughs and denies. Finally, and with great humor, she suggests that Cookie had an 80-year-old sex worker named Cookie "deflower" him while he was in boot camp. Cookie quietly laughs at Fiona's joke, explaining that new team members are sometimes called "cookies." Fiona asks Cookie for his real name, which he gives without hesitation. Fiona is shocked, saying that "Hunter Knox" is "the kind of name a stripper or superhero would have." Embarrassed by her statement, she claims to be thrilled to meet him, and he returns the compliment.

After a few moments, Cookie asks Fiona to tell him what she's going through. He can tell she's not doing well physically, and convinces her that he won't leave her behind, but that they'll both get through the situation together. In a low voice, Fiona admits that she's "going through withdrawal."

### Chapter 5

Cookie is shocked by Fiona's admission. She explains that she had been drugged with something "to keep [her] complacent." She apologizes for her condition and reiterates that he doesn't need to stay behind to help her, if he needs to go ahead. Cookie takes a moment to calm himself, then asks Fiona to show him her track marks. Holding her hands, he apologizes that she was in that situation, and tells her how strong she is. Cookie explains that since he can't tell what exactly she was given, he doesn't want to give her any painkillers that will exacerbate her condition. He promises to do what he can to distract her or help her through the next couple of days of hiking. He also offers to talk to her about being abused, but she cuts him off, not wanting to discuss it with him. Soon Fiona settles down in her lean-to.

The group starts out again early the next morning, before sunrise. Cookie notes that Fiona isn't looking much better. He doles out granola bars and ensures they have water as they continued trudging through the jungle. Julie occasionally whines about the situation, but Fiona remains quiet.

When they take a quick break, Fiona lies down to rest. Julie makes a snide comment about Fiona, and Cookie admonishes her and suggests that she take a nap, as well. Fiona considers her symptoms, which, in addition to having shakes, includes delusional parasitosis. She attempts to distract herself by counting down from 2,000. Julie complains to Cookie about Fiona counting, claiming it "nearly drove [her] crazy" when they were in the hut together. Cookie glares at her until she backs down.

Too soon, Cookie tells the women it's time to continue. After a couple of hours, Fiona begins retching, much to Julie's disgust. Cookie goes to Fiona's side and holds her, offering her support as her body spasms. After a moment without dry heaving, Cookie kisses Fiona's head and asks her if she's ready to continue. They do so holding hands, trekking through the jungle until they stop for the night.

Cookie settles Fiona onto the ground to rest as he sets up camp. He remembers how she hasn't eaten anything, for fear of vomiting it back up. He considers Fiona's strength, remembering how he saw the same fortitude in Caroline after she had been kidnapped. Cookie had promised himself that if he found someone as strong as Caroline, he would "snatch her up and never let her go." Back in the present, he wants to offer Fiona support however he can. He joins her on the ground, holding her in his arms, despite their unhygienic states and Julie's open disdain. Cookie tells Fiona she's doing well, but she worries that she won't survive, and especially that she'll "freak out and get [Cookie] killed." Cookie, overcome with emotions at her selflessness, assures her they'll both be fine, and she'll never again be taken by her captors. Cookie asks Fiona about her counting, and kisses her head before whispering down from 2,000.

### Chapter 6

Cookie wakes with Fiona still in his arms, which he enjoys. He rises and begins preparations for the day before waking both women and feeding them. Julie is cranky, but Cookie ignores her and focuses on Fiona, who seems to be doing better. They continue on, only stopping for a quick lunch break. Cookie informs both women that they're in a dangerous area, known to have drug runners. He instructs them to be careful about where they step, and to try to be as quiet as possible.

After several hours, Cookie stops the group and lets them know the helicopter will arrive in about an hour, and to "be ready for anything." He makes them promise to make sure they make it onto the helicopter. Julie agrees immediately, but Fiona worries about Cookie being safe, too. She and Julie begin to fight, but Cookie overrules them and explains that he's the "professional" and can survive on his own until his team comes back. Fiona isn't happy about the prospect of Cookie getting left behind, but keeps quiet.

An hour later, they hear the helicopter approach. Cookie leads them through the final stretch to the extraction point, where they find not only the helicopter, but also curious drug runners. Cookie and his teammates on the helicopter return fire at the other group as Julie heads for the ladder. Without hesitation, Fiona reloads Cookie's ammo for him as they wait for Julie to be hauled onboard. When it's Fiona's turn, Cookie rises to send her forward when he's shot in the chest, collapsing to the ground. Fiona wakes an unconscious Cookie, begging him to help her make it to the ladder. As they run, Fiona shoots at the drug runners to help provide cover. Fiona convinces Cookie to step onto the ladder, and she straps him in before running back to their cover. Cookie, realizing what Fiona has done, curses at her to return and get on the ladder herself. Fiona watches Cookie being hauled onto the helicopter. She struggles to put his pack on, then waits to see if his teammates will drop the ladder for her. After several moments, the ladder drops, and Fiona runs to her salvation.

### Chapter 7

Fiona can't run in a straight line, as Cookie's pack is too heavy for her. She is also continuing to return fire to the drug runners. Finally she reaches the ladder and holds on as the helicopter takes off. She feels something hit the pack and her leg, but focuses all her strength on clinging to the ladder. Finally she is pulled onboard the helicopter, and one of Cookie's teammates directs her to a spot for her to sit. She notices Julie is with one of the team members, while others are taking care of Cookie's injuries.

After some time, they arrive at a small, dirt airstrip, where they board another plane. Julie sobs dramatically, but Fiona asks about the logistics of getting back into the U.S. without passports. Cookie's teammate assures her they won't need them. Fiona feels out of place on the plane, not wanting to be too close to others, due to their intimidating size and her unhygienic state. She realizes her withdrawal symptoms are going to return, and they do. She spends the three-hour plane ride retching into an airsickness bag, hoping that Cookie's teammates will just think she's airsick.

Cookie wakes to find himself in the back of a plane. Wolf and Dude reassure him he's safe, but he's focused more on making sure they protect Fiona. He passes out again, not hearing Dude's promise that they'll take care of her.

Finally the plane lands, and they pile into a large van. Eventually they reach a small house, where they switch to another van. Soon, Fiona sees signs of civilization returning. They arrive at another small airport, where everyone but Cookie and Wolf get out. A limo pulls up, and Julie's father emerges. She runs to him, followed by one of Cookie's teammates, who Julie's father thanks before they leave. Fiona wonders if she's going to have to go into the airport in her current state, but Wolf asks her to come back in the van, along with the other teammates, before they again head out. Confused, Fiona asks if they're going to take Cookie to the hospital. His teammates inform her they're headed to their "own medical facility" and will provide him care on their own. Wolf tries to put Fiona at ease, introducing her to the team members at telling her that she'll soon be at the safe house where she can eat, get clean, and rest.

### Chapter 8

They arrive at a large, gated house. As the rest of the team enters the home and starts to settle in, Wolf leads Fiona toward a bedroom, where he encourages her to take her time getting clean and changed into fresh clothes before they eat. Fiona looks at the room in awe, stunned by how "pristine" it is. She enters the attached bathroom and locks the door before collapsing on the floor.

Cookie wakes to Wolf watching over him. Mozart has already patched up Cookie's shoulder, which had a through-and-through wound. Cookie immediately demands information from Wolf, as he can't remember anything after Julie getting pulled into the helicopter. Wolf informs him that he was shot, Fiona dragged him to the ladder, the team pulled him onboard, then Fiona joined them. They already delivered Julie to her father, and now they're in a safe house. Wolf then asks Cookie what happened in the jungle, but they're interrupted by Benny, who reported that Fiona's in the restroom but not responding. Cookie insists on going to Fiona's room to investigate, and he, Wolf, and Benny meet Abe at Fiona's bathroom door.

Cookie calls out to Fiona, asking her to unlock the door. Inside, she thinks she must be hallucinating him, and weakly tells him she "can't come to the door right now." Benny picks the lock, where the team finds an unconscious Fiona lying on the floor. Wolf picks her up and carries her back to Cookie's room, ordering the team to gather warm water and scissors. Wolf pulls a seat toward the bed so Cookie, who is uneasy on his feet, can sit and watch over Fiona.

Wolf, Abe, and Benny begin wiping down Fiona's body with professional consideration. Benny has to cut her flip-flops off her blistered feet, which had been secured using duct tape. He then removes her shorts, while Abe and Wolf cut off her shirt. There they discover the metal collar still around Fiona's neck, which had rubbed some of her skin raw. Benny discovers that Fiona has a bullet wound on her leg, while Abe notes her track marks. Their cleaning also uncovers bruises of different sizes and time periods, showing that she had suffered great abuse at the hands of her captors.

When Wolf tries to put an IV in Fiona's arm, she suddenly regains consciousness, kicking, scratching, and yelling at them to leave her alone. Cookie leans in toward Fiona's ear, telling her she's safe and that they're back in the U.S., and asking her to trust him. Fiona comes out of her daze, making sure Cookie is okay, before apologizing to the other men. Abe brushes off her thanks as Wolf inserts the IV, and Fiona quickly goes to sleep.

Wolf demands Fiona's story from Cookie. Cookie surmises that Fiona was drugged for weeks with a combination of heroin and meth, and she's embarrassed about her new dependency. Wolf offers to call Tex and ask for a few more days in the safe house, and inform their commander of the situation. Benny offers for himself and Dude to stay with Cookie and help Fiona. Cookie mentions that he doesn't know anything about her, such as where she's from or if she's married. Wolf tells them to take it slowly and focus on getting Fiona better.

### Chapter 9

After the others leave, Cookie sits with Fiona and notices when she starts to thrash around. He calls for help, and Dude and Benny arrive and help keep her restrained. Cookie tries to comfort Fiona but she isn't responding. Eventually she opens her eyes and asks, "Why? Why are you doing this to me?" before losing consciousness again. This cycle repeats for the next three days. When she's lucid enough, they are able to feed Fiona and lead her to the bathroom. Otherwise, Cookie watches with concern as she battles through the worst of her symptoms.

One night, Fiona wakes to find Cookie at her bedside. He stirs and asks how she's feeling, and if she'd like to use the bathroom. Her bashful nod pleases Cookie, as previously she's been catatonic. He leads her and her IV pole to the bathroom, but Fiona doesn't let him enter and locks the door behind her. Cookie waits for her to finish up.

Inside the bathroom, Fiona, still in her delusional haze, rushes to the window, rips out her IV, and starts to climb outside. She clings to a drainpipe running down the wall and tries to lower herself to the ground. Meanwhile, Benny got an alert on his phone as soon as the window opened. He rushes to the security camera monitors, where he sees Fiona escaping. He runs out of the back of the house, his movements waking Dude. Fiona slips down the drainpipe, but Benny grabs her before she hits the ground. She fights to be free of him, but Benny holds her secure. Dude, having just arrived outside and sizing up the situation, calls for Cookie.

Inside the house, Cookie breaks down the bathroom door, seeing the discarded IV pole and open window. He looks outside to see his teammates with Fiona, then rushes downstairs to join them. Benny has Fiona restrained, but she doesn't give up her fight. She yells at the men, cursing them, begging them to let her go, and threatening them. Cookie is furious at her confessions of what she's been through. Dude helps Benny stand and they all return Fiona to her bed. The three men ruminate on Fiona's strength.

### Chapter 10

Fiona continues to fight for her life. One of her captors comes toward her with a syringe, and she continues threaten them all. She is again drugged and falls asleep.

The team relaxes slightly as Fiona's sedation takes hold, then get to work cleaning up. After Dude leaves the room, Benny and Cookie watch Fiona. Benny admits to Cookie that he almost shot Fiona and left her in the jungle, thinking that she was a threat against Cookie. They hadn't expected another person and Cookie was injured. He saw the hope in Fiona's eyes, though, and made the decision to lower the ladder for her. Cookie compares Benny's feelings to his own, when he almost left the hut without Fiona. They silently vow to always protect Fiona.

After two days, Fiona again wakes. She notices Cookie next to her side and waits for him to wake. When he does, he realizes that she is fully lucid but unaware of the events of the past few days. Cookie leads her to the bathroom, where she relieves herself. When done, she sees herself in the mirror and starts to panic. Cookie comes up behind her and embraces her. Fiona starts to cry without understanding why, until Cookie tells her "it's relief." When she finishes, he picks her up and leaves her on a chair in the room, changes the sheets, and leads her to the bed. She thanks him and falls asleep.

Later, Fiona wakes to find not only Cookie watching her, but Benny, as well. He asks how she's feeling, then announces that he's going to remove her IV. Dude arrives with a tray of food. Cookie introduces his teammates to Fiona, and they all watch as Fiona eats the meal of soup and bread. The room has been silent and Fiona can't help but notice a strange tension from the men, and she apologizes "for whatever it is that [she] did." She asks how long she's been there, and is surprised to find that five days have passed. Cookie tells her that she has nothing to be sorry about; "you were sick, we cared for you. That's it." Fiona asks if she can take a shower, prompting Benny and Dude to leave the room.

Cookie helps Fiona out of bed, and she notices that she's wearing a button down shirt. Cookie explains that it was easier to take care of her when she was wearing his shirt, and that they may have seen her but were focused on her health and not her body. He then assures her that she's "the most fucking beautiful woman [he's] ever seen," admitting that her strength, compassion, morality, and perseverance are stunning. He then leads her to the shower.

Fiona enjoys her shower, until the reality of her situation hits her and she cries for what she's been through. She leaves the bathroom wearing an oversized t-shirt and sweatpants, noticing Cookie waiting for her. He asks if she's hungry, and at her embarrassed confirmation, informs her that she'll want to have several small meals throughout the day as her body becomes reacquainted with food. Cookie takes her hand and leads her downstairs, thinking about how she feels like she belongs to him. He concedes that he doesn't know much about her, but that he wants to be with her forever, and hopefully he can convince her of that.

### Chapter 11

Cookie and Fiona enter the dining room, where Benny and Dude sit with a table full of food. Cookie notices when Fiona appears to be nervous about being in the room with all men, but he quickly assures her that he'll be by her side. Dude reveals that Benny was the head chef and they dig in. The group has a jovial meal, with Fiona observing more than participating. After they finish, she insists on helping to clean up. In the kitchen, Cookie continues to protect Fiona, making sure she doesn't make unwanted contact with his teammates.

The group retires to the library, where Fiona asks to watch the news. Soon a news report with Senator Lytle appears, where he holds a press conference thanking the SEALs who saved his daughter from sex trafficking. Benny turns the TV off before asking Fiona if she'd tell them her story. She informs the men that her name is Fiona Rain Storme. Her mother was 14 when she gave birth to Fiona, but she was never accepted by her mother's family. When Fiona was eight, her mother never picked her up from school, and Fiona ended up in foster care.

Fiona reveals that she lives in El Paso, but decided to take a vacation to Florida by herself, as she doesn't have a significant other or any close friends. She wasn't really enjoying herself, but went out to a club anyway. She put down her drink to dance with someone, then returned to it. The drink had obviously been drugged, as she woke up in the hut in Mexico. Fiona describes how she fought her captors, who had initially chained her by the ankle before they realized how dangerous she was. They continued to ply her with drugs, hoping to "domesticate" her, but that she refused. She assumed that Julie arrived as a replacement for her, considering the other woman was more willing to do what their captors demanded.

Benny asks Fiona why she didn't alert Cookie to her presence when he entered the hut. She replies to Cookie, explaining that since he wasn't there to save her, it wouldn't have been "fair of [her] to lower [his] chances" of rescuing Julie and making it to the extraction point. She realized that the captors hadn't fed her in a few days and stopped drugging her, so she assumed they were going to leave her in the hut to die. "I figured it was better if one of us got out, rather than neither of us."

Fiona attempts to continue, but a livid Cookie orders her to shut up while Dude paces the room. Cookie's anger grows as he asks Fiona how she managed to make it through the jungle and extraction, with everything she'd been through. Fiona stares at Cookie and responds that if it had just been her, she wouldn't have cared, since she doesn't have anyone in her life. When he arrived to save Julie and promised to save Fiona too, however, she realized that he wouldn't leave her behind, and she didn't want to let him down.

"So I trudged along behind you, mile after mile, thinking about how bad *you'd* feel if I just keeled over. That you'd think it was *your* fault. So I didn't. I couldn't. I ignored how crappy I felt. I ignored how much I hurt. I concentrated on making it, one step at a time, counting down one number at a time until we were either rescued or killed."

Cookie leaves the room. Fiona notices Benny and Dude staring at her, so she defends herself, claiming they would have done the same, had they been in her shoes. Benny reasons that they have proper training, but even he isn't sure they'd be able to do what she did. Fiona asks the men what happened during the past five days. Dude begrudgingly tells her the bare details of what happened, which makes Fiona feel embarrassed and apologize. Benny soothes her, admitting that they all admire her and her strength. He then offers to take her back to her room so she can get some sleep. Once alone, Fiona worries about Cookie's reaction to her story, but realizes that they both have their own lives and "that she was alone in the world."

### Chapter 12

Two hours later, Cookie sneaks into Fiona's room. He needed a break after he'd been consumed by anger toward her kidnappers. He ruminates on Fiona's resiliency. As he makes his way to the bed, Fiona turns over and greets him. He takes off his clothes and crawls into bed with her, kissing her forehead before surrounding her in an embrace. Cookie apologizes for leaving earlier, explaining how he'd been angry at her captors, but proud of her. He opens up about his feelings, telling her that he's never felt about someone the way he feels about her, and how much he wants to protect her. He claims her as his and wants to be by her side. He doesn't allow her to respond, instead asking her to think about it and only agree if that's how she feels. He warns that they'll be talking about some deep stuff the next day. She admits that she's scared, but he reiterates that she doesn't have to be scared of him. They settle in and Fiona goes to sleep, but Cookie can't for hours, soothing Fiona when she has nightmares and thinking about how much he loves her.

Fiona wakes alone the next morning. She showers, puts on fresh clothes, and goes downstairs, where the guys are waiting with breakfast. Once done, the men explain to Fiona that their friend Tex was able to look into Fiona's situation back home. Since she's been missing for 104 days, the university took her off the payroll, her landlord assumed she left and relet her apartment, and her auto-debits for bills wiped out her bank account. Cookie asks Fiona to move to California with him. Benny informs Fiona that Tex will take care of the financial part, making sure she doesn't owe any money and that she gets her money back. Cookie again asks Fiona to go to California, arguing that she doesn't have a life in El Paso anymore. Dude interrupts, letting Fiona know that if she wants to go back to her life in El Paso, Tex can make it happen. Cookie tells Fiona that even if she goes back to El Paso, he still wants to be in her life. Fiona considers her options and agrees to follow Cookie to California. Benny and Dude start putting their plans in motion as Cookie carries Fiona out of the room.

### Chapter 13

Cookie lays Fiona down on her bed and asks if he can touch her. He takes off his clothes and lies down next to her, offering himself up to whatever she wants. She pleasures him before they make out. Cookie vows to always protect Fiona, which causes her to cry. "She'd needed this kind of connection for so long." After a few moments, she confirms that she's Cookie's. They decide to nap before they have to leave.

### Chapter 14

The group arrives in California, where they are met by the rest of the team and their women. Before they join the welcoming committee, Cookie pulls Fiona aside and makes sure she's okay with meeting his team again, which she is. Caroline comes forward and makes introductions, using the team's given and nicknames. Abe announces that he and Alabama will take Cookie and Fiona home, and Caroline rushes to hug Fiona before they make their way to their cars.

Once they're on their way, Alabama turns around in her seat and welcomes Fiona. When they arrive at Cookie's house, Abe turns around and reiterates that they're her family now, and to call on any of them if she needs anything. He admits that he screwed up with Alabama, but that the team is there for her no matter what.

"Family supports and trusts each other unconditionally. You aren't alone anymore, Fiona."

Fiona thanks them both as they leave the car and head toward Cookie's apartment. He apologizes for how bare it is, but Fiona is only interested in the view from his balcony, where she can see "both the beach and the mountains at the same time in the distance." Fiona is overcome with emotions at the sight, and they stand together for a "long time" before retreating to bed.

### Chapter 15

The next morning, Caroline and Alabama appear on Cookie's doorstep, asking Fiona if she's ready to go shopping. Fiona realizes that she doesn't have any money, but Cookie pulls her aside and lets her know that part of taking care of her means doing so financially. Fiona balks at spending his money, but Cookie reminds her that Tex took care of her finances and replenished her account with the pay she *would* have received from work. Fiona worries about the legality of that, but eventually Cookie convinces her to take his credit card and get what she needs. They make out for a moment, before Caroline calls out to them from the other room. Cookie tells Fiona he'll get her a cell phone before they rejoin the other women.

Fiona arrives back at Cookie's place after a day full of shopping with Caroline and Alabama. They even had lunch at Aces Bar and Grill, where she met Jess. Fiona rests her eyes before she gets up to prepare dinner for Cookie. Later, Cookie arrives back at his apartment and finds Fiona on the couch. He gently wakes her up, asking if she'd had dinner yet. She apologizes, claiming she wanted to make dinner for him, but he offers for them both to prepare it.

That night, Fiona nervously joins Cookie in bed. He offers to take the lead and pleasure her, which in turn brings him pleasure. Cookie changes Fiona's clothes and they settle in for sleep. Fiona reveals how happy she is, and that she's even grateful she "was kidnapped, if only because it brought" Cookie into her life. Later, Cookie wakes Fiona from another nightmare, and considers that she needs to speak with someone to unpack her trauma.

### Chapter 16

A couple of weeks pass. Fiona has spent most of her time with Caroline and Alabama during the day, and Cookie at night. She's worried about her body's reaction to Cookie, who has encouraged her to speak with a doctor about her trauma.

Fiona is at Abe and Alabama's place when she receives a call from Cookie, telling her he's on his way to pick her up. Confused, Fiona looks to Alabama, who is just getting off the phone with Abe. Fiona questions her friend, who reveals that they're leaving that night on a mission. Alabama wanted to tell Fiona before Cookie mentioned anything because of her adverse experience on Abe's first mission, and how distracted he was in the field. She wanted Fiona to help reassure Cookie by knowing about it ahead of time. Fiona thanks her, as she doesn't want Cookie to worry. Alabama informs Fiona of their sleepover tradition, telling Fiona to meet her at Caroline's house after Cookie leaves.

Cookie arrives to pick up Fiona. She can tell Cookie is nervous about telling her that he's leaving. When they arrive back at his apartment, he leads them onto the balcony, where he offers to quit his job if she wants him to. Fiona is shocked, asking why he said that. Cookie reveals that he's getting called out on a mission. He can't tell her where he's going or when he'll be back, if he makes it back at all. Fiona tears up and tells him how proud she is of him, and how she would never ask him to quit his job. She will worry about him, but she knows he will come home to her. Fiona reassures him that she'll pass the time with Caroline and Alabama.

Cookie admits that he's surprised at how well Fiona is taking the news, and she reveals that Alabama already told her, and defends her friend by explaining why. Cookie tells Fiona he loves her. She goes to reply in kind, but he stops her, telling her to only say it when she feels it. He then demands a kiss before he leaves.

Later, Caroline, Alabama, and Fiona have their sleepover. The next morning, they continue their tradition by going shopping. At the mall, Fiona sees two Hispanic men looking at them, which sends her into a flashback. She worries that her captors are there to take her, Caroline, and Alabama. She yells at the men, who back away. Relieved, Fiona collapses to the ground with her friends. Alabama pulls her car around to the back entrance while Caroline convinces Fiona that they weren't kidnapped. The group returns to Caroline's house, where they settle Fiona into the guest bed in the basement. Caroline and Alabama help her count backwards from 1,000 until she goes to sleep. They retreat to the kitchen, where they worry about Fiona and wish the team was home.

### Chapter 17

The next morning, Fiona wakes and remembers her flashback. She quietly gathers her belongings before making her way upstairs. There she sees Caroline and Alabama asleep on the couch, with evidence that they had gotten drunk. Fiona tears up, afraid that her actions made them so embarrassed they had to get drunk, before she leaves.

Caroline wakes and nudges Alabama, telling her to get up so they can check on Fiona. They discover she's gone, so they hurry to Cookie's apartment to check on her. Fiona doesn't answer, and the women realize that Cookie's car is gone. They sit down, wondering what they should do next.

Fiona is tired, but continues to drive north, away from her kidnappers. She stops at a nice hotel outside San Francisco, where she uses Cookie's credit card to check into a room. She collapses on the bed, worries about the kidnappers after her, and falls into a fitful sleep.

Six hours later, Fiona wakes, confused as to her location. She can't tell if her captors are actually after her or not. She reasons to herself that she has to stay put for Cookie to find her.

Back in Riverton, Alabama convinces Caroline to call the commander and tell him that Fiona's mission. Alabama then realizes that they need to tell Tex. Caroline calls him and explains Fiona's flashback, telling him that she's already left a message for the commander. He promises to do what he can to find her. Caroline reveals that Cookie gave her his credit card before they disconnect.

Fiona startles when the phone in her hotel room rings. She hesitantly answers it, finding Cookie on the other line. She tells him the kidnappers are after her and that's she's scared. In Virginia, Tex sighs and decides to "cater to her delusion for the moment," convincing her that she's safe and that the kidnappers are still in Riverton. He tells Fiona to order room service and put it on the credit card; he's locked down the transactions so no one can find her. Fiona asks if Cookie is coming to get her. Tex informs her he's working on getting him back from his mission, and to stay there. He also promises to call her every four hours to check on her, and for her to drink plenty of water and food.

Cookie and Wolf arrive at Wolf and Caroline's house. Cookie heads straight for Caroline and Alabama, asking them what happened. He praises their actions and comforts them, before telling them his plan to get Fiona back. They watch as he gets into a car with Benny, who will travel with him and drive his car back.

### Chapter 18

Fiona answers the phone in her hotel room. For the past three days, Tex has called her every four hours. Fiona asks Tex if the kidnappers are really after her, but he deflects the question, instead informing her that Cookie will be there in a number of hours. After they hang up, Tex thinks back to the emotional turmoil Fiona has been through.

Cookie hangs up with Tex and waits outside Fiona's hotel room. Soon she opens the door and embraces him. He leads them back into the room, sitting on the bed and holding her. He asks if she can tell him what's going on, and she admits that she must have made a mistake. He promises to fix everything before he leaves again. Cookie turns and introduces Fiona to Dr. Hancock, who has traveled up to San Francisco with him. Fiona worries that she's delusional, but Dr. Hancock reassures her that her mind is behaving normally, in reaction to her situation. Fiona worries about Cookie leaving his mission, but he reassures her that she comes first. Together the three of them leave the hotel room.

The group arrives back at Cookie's apartment, where he leaves an asleep Fiona on the bed. Cookie meets with Dr. Hancock, where he asks what Fiona needs. She asks him to bring Fiona to her office in the morning, and assures him that Fiona will be fine. Cookie watches as the doctor gets into a vehicle with her husband, before heading back to Fiona's side.

### Chapter 19

A week later, after several sessions with Dr. Hancock, Fiona sits with Caroline and Alabama for a girls' night in Caroline's basement. They tearfully embrace and work through their feelings. Eventually their men join them. Wolf mentions how worried they were for Fiona, who tries to apologize for her actions. Abe again assures her that she's a part of their family, which means that they'll all be there for her. Fiona sobs at this emotional display before thanking them all for welcoming her into their lives. Cookie announces that he's taking Fiona home, while Abe and Alabama decide to stay in the basement room for the night.

After driving home, Cookie carries Fiona to his door. He undresses them both. Fiona thinks back on the past week, and how she and Cookie walked around the mall where she had her flashback. Cookie rewarded her "good behavior" by kissing her. In a session with Dr. Hancock, Fiona revealed to Cookie everything that happened to her when she was taken. Their bond has only grown stronger.

In bed, Fiona tells Cookie she loves him. He responds in kind and hugs her tighter.

### Epilogue

Fiona and Cookie lay in bed, exhausted from their activities. They flew to Las Vegas to get married without telling their friends, as Fiona requested. Now, a few days later, Fiona admits to Cookie that she's worried about Mozart and his obsession with catching a potential criminal. They quickly forget about Mozart when they kiss.

## Special Note From the Author

> Protecting Fiona is a made-up story about two women who have been kidnapped and brought to a foreign country with the intent to sell them for sex. While this is a fictional account, this same thing happens all over the world day in and day out. Sex trafficking exists, and there are millions of women and children who have no hope of being rescued.
>
>

> *The International Labor Organization estimates that there are 4.5 million people trapped in forced sexual exploitation globally.*
>
>

> *At least 20.9 million adults and children are bought and sold worldwide into commercial sexual servitude, forced labor and bonded labor*
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>

> *Women and girls make up 98% of victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation*
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> An estimated 80% of all trafficked persons are used and abused as sexual slaves.
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>

> These statistics are *not* okay.
>
>

> So while in this story, Julie and Fiona are rescued, there are millions of other women and children out there who are being sexually exploited and will never be rescued. Educate yourself and learn more. You might not feel as if you personally can do anything, but if everyone thought that, how would any of us live in a safe and lawful world?
>
>

> No matter what country you live in, sexual exploitation and trafficking exists around us. It's a horrifying fact with even more horrifying statistics like I've listed above.
>
>

> Below are a few websites where you can learn more information. No matter what country you live in, if you do an Internet search, you will find information about trafficking.
>
>

> https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/human\_trafficking
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>

> https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign
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>

> https://ctip.defense.gov/
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> https://www.equalitynow.org
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> www.sharedhope.org
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> https://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2014/index.htm
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>

> https://www.polarisproject.org/
>
>

> Warning: Recovering from a sexual assault is not something that happens overnight. It can take years of therapy and help and understanding from family and friends. While this book doesn't describe any kind of sexual assault or rape in detail, reading it might trigger some uncomfortable feelings and thoughts in some readers who have experienced sexual trauma.
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