Bad Men

by Stone, Piper

  There was no need for them to know.

  I snapped my hand around Diego’s throat, my fingers adding the perfect pressure point to his carotid artery. A small amount of additional pressure and he’d pass out. A bit more and he’d be dead.

  When he shoved the heel of his hand under my chin, I gave him credit for chutzpa as well as the fact he’d remain an asshole.

  “With a small pop of my hand, your neck will be broken,” he said through clenched teeth.

  “And one more squeeze and I’ll be able to keep the entire two million all to myself.”

  While I appreciated the game of standoff, that wasn’t getting us anywhere. “Why the fuck did the Specialists hire you?”

  “Because I’m damn good at my job,” Diego answered. “What’s your excuse?”

  We remained in the same position, pushing the boundary for a full minute. When I let go, I shook my head. “What’s your claim to fame, Diego? Killing druggies for your boss? What happened? Did you get bored being second in command to one of the most ruthless drug lords in the United States?”

  I’d searched my own contacts to find out everything I could on Diego Sanchez. Perhaps the Specialists only wanted him to his ability to kill without conscience, a pit bull when needed. He’d been forced to spend years in prison, accepting blame for a job I doubt he had much to do with. That should have proven his loyalty to the Miami Cartel. Something had happened after his release.

  While his eyes opened wide, he said nothing, merely dropped his hands and walked away. I’d obviously snagged a nerve. Oh, what a damn shame. Snickering, I remained in the doorway, my thoughts drifting to the doctor.

  I had to give her credit that she hadn’t fallen apart during the treacherous journey we’d gone through, her ability to keep up even surprising.

  She was also ballsy as well as beautiful, her attitude likely one of the things that the Serpent had found attractive. From the reports I’d read, while he collected women like fine pieces of art, they almost never offered any form of resistance. They didn’t care about his sick proclivities as long as they had their fancy dresses and expensive jewels. Lindsey didn’t fall into that category in the least.

  But where had he met her in the first place? Why would he target her specifically?

  That was one of the many aspects of information I was determined to secure. The more I knew, the better off we’d be if the shit hit the fan.

  And I knew it would be sooner versus later.

  My cock twitched just thinking about her, the taste of her sweet pussy as unexpected as my actions. Damn, I’d wanted to do more. I’d been in the field too long, the assignments all keeping me in the darkest corners of the world while other agents worked within the confines of glitz and glamour. A snicker left my lips. As if I would know what the world of glamour was all about.

  “Luis Diaz picked me up off the streets when I was twelve years old and barely spoke any English. He thought he could make something of me since I’d insisted that I wasn’t going home. Cuba was a powder keg, my father an asshole, and I wanted nothing to do with the country. I had my sights set on a better life in order to bring my sister to such a fabulous country as America. Things never seem to work out the way you want them to.”

  The look on his face was cold, his eyes burning with a fire I hadn’t seen before. I accepted the cold bottle of beer, twisting the cap and watching him intently.

  “I knew from minute one that Luis was a dangerous fuck who couldn’t care less about anyone else in his life, but I had few choices. Miami might be a learning ground, but I would likely have ended up dead if I hadn’t been taken under his wing. For his tutelage, he demanded loyalty and I gave it to him, including spending years in a wretched prison, treated like an animal. And still, I remained loyal, never talking to anyone about the organization. I remained his devoted dog right up until the day he betrayed me.”

  My eyes opened up wide. It wasn’t my place to pick apart the story, but I heard the anger as well as a hint of remorse in his voice. What the fuck had the man in charge of the Cartel done to him? I rolled my eyes, refusing to get dragged into his drama. As I’d already told him, we weren’t friends. “And the Specialists?” I asked. We all had our own stories of how we were selected.

  “You might be surprised just how far-reaching their web is. They found me within two days of leaving Miami. I didn’t give a shit where I went or who I worked for at that point. I simply wanted to kill as many assholes as possible. They offered a lucrative wage. I actually like what I do.”

  “So, I guess you got your wish.” I walked into the room, studying him intently.

  He took several gulps of beer. “I’ve had difficult assignments, Jack, over the course of eighteen months. Funny thing is I was going to take a few weeks off until Dante called. Guess I’m indebted to the Specialists in the same way as to the Cartel.”

  “You and me both.” We both remained quiet for a few minutes.

  “What the fuck. I gotta ask. What are you, CIA, disgruntled with the way the country was going?”

  I laughed for the first time in what had been ages. “Hell, no. I wouldn’t take that kind of shit job for any amount of money.”

  “I know you were Black Ops,” Diego pressed. “I also know that you suddenly disappeared, almost as if you didn’t exist.”

  Well, the man had done his homework.

  “Yeah, several years. Unlike you, I worked with some good men, my superior taking the time to make certain the men serving under him were prepared for anything.” I hadn’t said the words in so long, they felt awkward.

  “Then you disappeared off the grid. That has me curious. For a decorated hero to vanish means someone fucked with you, or that you did something terribly wrong. Which is it?”

  “I suggest you stop pressing me, Diego. I don’t like being backed into a corner. I tend to shoot first and ask questions later.”

  He held up his hands, his lip curling. “Have it your way. One hard-ass man. Just remember our package doesn’t deserve to be treated like an enemy.”

  I took several pulls on the beer, angry with myself for almost exploding. Even though I didn’t like the man, he didn’t deserve the wrath of what had occurred years before. While he was right about the beautiful doctor, I remained on edge about the entire mission. I’d learned a long time ago to follow my instincts and they were screaming that we’d been set up in some manner. “Now, I’m going to check on our package then we’re going to make certain she understands what to expect.”

  “Did you hear from Dante?”

  Chuckling, I imagined the Italian was enjoying a fancy dinner right about now, his work done for the day. I’d also wondered how he’d gotten the job of being a handler. He was far too refined for the brutal operations we were tasked. It was a question I knew wouldn’t be answered. There were dozens of secrets within the Specialist organization. “He’ll communicate when the traffic has died down. We’re to keep our communications limited.”

  “I hope he has enough intel on Calderone. One mistake and no one will ever be able to get to the doctor again.”

  I shifted my gaze toward the open door, watching as the sun continued to fall. “Yeah, I know.” I moved toward the hallway, finding the room where Lindsey was resting.

  Only she wasn’t there.

  “Fuck. Lindsey. Where are you?” The bathroom door was closed but I didn’t bother knocking, bursting in as a combination of anger and frustration boiled into me. “Goddamn it.” Taking long strides, I moved toward where Diego had dropped the keys to the Jeep the contact had provided. They were fucking gone.

  “What the hell is going on?” Diego demanded.

  I rushed toward the door, tossing the words over my shoulder. “I told you not to trust her. She’s gone and so are the keys.”

  “Oh, Christ.”

  As I rushed down the stairs leading to the outside, I heard the roar of the engine, a jerk of the gears. If Lindsey managed to get away, there was no chance we would find he
r. None. Where in the hell did she think she was going to go? Night was approaching rapidly, but from what I’d seen on the drive here, there was little in the way of other people in close proximity.

  Damn it. This was getting out of hand.

  “Corner her!” I yelled, heading around the side of the house, able to see her figure sitting in the driver’s seat.

  She looked over her shoulder then slammed down on the accelerator, the engine almost immediately sputtering as the Jeep jerked forward. Seconds later, it shut down. “No!” she screeched out of frustration, immediately turning over the key.

  I no longer had to run, although I was glad to see Diego as a reinforcement flanking the other side of the carport. She obviously wasn’t used to driving a stick shift. I was furious, scanning the area around the house. The last thing we needed was to be caught outside. While there was no one around, my instincts remained on high alert.

  “Get out of the Jeep, Lindsey,” I commanded.

  She ignored me, turning the key once again.

  As she flooded the engine in her attempt to get away, we moved easily to collect our ballsy but very naughty package.

  I stood just outside the driver’s door, glaring down at her. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

  “Let me go!” she hissed, still trying. “I’m not staying here. I’ll find my own way to get back to the States.”

  Diego cursed under his breath as he closed the distance. “We need to get her inside. I don’t like being out in the open like this.”

  I reached over her, wrapping my hand around hers. “And you will get home eventually, but not like this.” As I forced her to remove the key, she slunk further in the seat, unable to look either one of us in the eyes.

  “What exactly did you think you were going to do, Doctor?” Diego asked.

  “Barter my way back to the States.” Her answer was as haughty as it was ridiculous, and she knew it.

  “Uh-huh. Not unless you can figure out how to operate a manual transmission,” I countered, taking a deep breath. I was shocked that a real pang of worry had entered my system. I hadn’t given a damn about anybody in years. Why her? Why was it suddenly important to me that we make certain she remained safe? An image floated into my mind, a past that I’d tried desperately to shove under a rock. The memories had surfaced with a vengeance. I was forced to shove aside the feelings, realizing that we’d have to get even tougher on her. She was taking the situation far too lightly.

  “I would have figured out how to operate the Jeep,” she snapped. “If I can repair a human heart, I can certainly figure out how to drive a bucket of rust.”

  And somehow, I almost believed she could.

  I hissed as I heard her cursing under her breath. While I was furious that she’d made the attempt, I was also more enthralled by the lady than I had been before, admiring her more than I could say. It had taken balls for her to attempt something so brazen after having been abducted twice, shot at countless times, and almost eaten alive by insects.

  Let alone what the bastard had done to her during her captivity.

  I could tell Diego was waiting to see what I would do, his hand on his weapon as he continued to scan the horizon.

  “It would appear that we failed at a portion of our initial discussion with you, Doctor,” I stated with no inflection, darting a glance in Diego’s direction while sliding the key into my pocket. “That doesn’t bode well and will not stand any longer.”

  “He’s right. We’re going to have to correct that once and for all,” Diego said as he opened the Jeep door.

  “What the hell does that mean?” Lindsey asked as she gave both of us a hateful gaze. “You have me. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Nope. You’re right about that,” Diego chuckled darkly.

  I yanked her out of the car, keeping one hand wrapped around her wrist as I dragged her against me. “We’re going to have to teach you another lesson. I thought you’d learned it before, but I guess I was wrong.”

  Even when she smashed her hand against my chest, struggling in my hold, I was able to gather a sense of excitement surging through her. “Take your hands off me.”

  “Not going to happen.” I continued to scan the area as I pulled her up the stairs and back into the house.

  Diego closed the door behind us, making certain the lock was engaged. As he switched on a light, the soft glow did little other than highlight the trepidation on her face.

  The feel of her against me was entirely different than before, as if some barrier had been broken down between us. She was so damn beautiful, more vulnerable than her actions would suggest.

  As her lower lip trembled, she stood tall and defiant, darting her eyes from Diego back to me. “What are you going to do?” she whispered, her breath skipping.

  I’d let go of my past a hell of a long time ago, shutting down every other emotion but anger. The rush of desire was unlike before. I wanted her as I hadn’t any other woman, my cock throbbing as fast as my heart was beating.

  She flinched at first when I slipped the hair from her face, rubbing my fingers down the long strands. Still damp from the shower she’d taken after we’d arrived, the easy style gave her an angelic appearance. While she was still wearing the combat-style boots I’d found for her, she’d discovered shorts and a tank top somewhere inside the house. She could never know how beautiful she was at this very moment, unassuming and innocent.

  I wanted to laugh at the thought, the barbaric side of me rearing its ugly head.

  Clinging to me, she dug her fingers into my shirt, clawing the fabric as her eyes darted back and forth.

  My breathing ragged, I slipped my hand behind her neck, squeezing slightly as I lowered my head. Her scent was fresh, fueling the vile sins that I hungered to perform.

  Tasting her.

  Fucking her.

  I was an evil man.

  Dragging her closer, my impulses took over. I crushed her mouth, grinding my hips against hers. There was no doubt she felt the thickness of my throbbing cock, could easily tell how much I wanted to devour every inch of her.

  While she continued pushing hard against me, whimpering into the kiss, her body responded quickly. She arched her back, undulating back and forth as I thrust my tongue inside. The taste of her was what I’d expected, sweet with a hint of tang.

  Just like her personality.

  I held her close as the kiss became more passionate, my tongue dominating hers. It had been so damn long since I’d tasted a woman’s lips that I wanted the moment to last. Almost instantly I was drunk on her nectar, intoxicated by her scent.

  When I felt her stiffening, trying once again to push me away, I eased back, instantly smiling. “You are one bad girl. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were determined to get yourself killed.”

  “And if I didn’t know better, I’d say you didn’t give a shit about anyone but yourself,” she retorted. With a quick snap of her hand, she came to within centimeters of being able to strike me across the face. What she didn’t know was that her actions continually aroused me, her feistiness only adding rocket fuel to the already blazing fire.

  She grimaced when I twisted her hand, shaking my head back and forth.

  “Nice try, Doctor, but you’ve met your match.”

  “I really hate you,” she choked out, her nostrils flaring from the range of emotions.

  “Take a number, sweetheart. A hell of a lot of people feel that way.” I let her go and she backed away quickly, even racing down the hallway toward the bedroom she’d been assigned.

  I shot Diego a look; he chuckled before taking long strides down the hallway. The girl never had a chance, the large man pushing open the door before she had a chance to close it.

  A rush of adrenaline infused every cell and muscle. I waited for a few seconds, double checking the lock on the door then taking my weapon into my hands before walking down the hallway.

  By the time I entered the room, Diego had her over his lap
on the bed, bringing his hand down rapidly on her bottom. The light by the bed offered a similar glow as before, the ornate lamps creating an almost romantic ambiance. Romance. That was fucking insane.

  A snarl roared up from my gut, prepared to launch from my mouth. Why? Because I didn’t like seeing her with Diego? Likely. The man would continue rubbing me the wrong way. He seemed to be enjoying himself far too much, his lips pursed, twisting every time he brought his hand down against her backside.

  Her squeals only added to the intensity of my desire as I placed the gun on the dresser, trying to keep my cool while he spanked her.

  Lindsey continued wiggling, managing twice to almost get out of his hold.

  A growl slipped past Diego’s lips as he glared at me. “I think we’re going to need to go to more extreme measures.”

  “I agree,” I said, my voice rumbling in the small room. Yeah, we were damn lucky to have several beds to sleep in and clothes to wear. This certainly wasn’t paradise, nor could we let our guard down. However, I suspected we had at least two days before we had to pay very close attention to our surroundings.

  I walked closer as he rubbed his hand across the small of her back. “I think she needs to feel the sharp sting of a thick leather strap.”

  “That would work,” Diego breathed. “And she needs to be completely naked.”

  “Naked? Belt? Wait a minute,” she argued, able to scramble off his lap. She backed against the closet door, folding her arms across her chest. “I didn’t do anything that either one of you wouldn’t have done. You know that.”

  Diego laughed as he got to his feet, yanking first one then the second pillow from the bed. “She’s right about that.”

  I watched as he positioned one on top of the other in the middle of the bed, even patting his hand down in the middle before walking away. “Maybe so, Doctor, but you know the rules and you are well aware of who’s in charge. And that ain’t you. I suggest you discontinue fighting what is going to happen and undress.”

  She continually darted her eyes from the bed to the way I was taking my time unfastening the belt. “Fat chance in hell,” she snorted, holding her head high.