Diego didn’t have to wonder at his father’s response. He understood the meaning. “I see. Well, it will take longer, but will no doubt provide a firm, unquestionable statement to those who consider challenging us. And we won’t start a war by focusing on his family.” He had no interest in taking out their vengeance on innocent women and children. “What about Zahir?”
His father lifted a brow. “He’s a means to an end, Diego.”
“Zahir will betray us. It may take months, but the man cannot be trusted. And his plans do not match ours.” Diego’s voice began to rise as his hostility toward the terrorist gripped him. “He intends to destroy massive numbers of Americans. The same people who purchase millions of dollars of our merchandise every year. And don’t forget Juliana and Victoria.”
Armando’s features turned to stone. “What do you mean?”
“They live in the States. What if he decides to target them? He’s not stupid, Father. Zahir knows all about us, including the names of our sisters and where they live.”
Stilling, Armando refused to argue with his son. He’d been uncomfortable partnering with a man who held life in so little esteem. Especially the lives of those he considered infidels. Antonio had been the one to provide sound reasons to do business with Zahir. They no longer held the same logic.
“We’ve done what was agreed. Nothing more has been decided.”
“But, Father—”
Armando held up a hand, halting whatever else Antonio meant to say. “Enough about Zahir. We will talk of him no longer today.”
Standing, Diego straightened his coat. “I will leave you to your business, Father.”
“Not yet.” He waited until his son’s attention was again focused on him and Antonio had left them alone. Picking up an envelope from his desk, he handed it to Diego. “We leave in two days to visit Juliana and Victoria. I expect you to clear your schedule and accompany me.”
Liberty Lake
Several days had passed since the night of Julia’s talk with Tracker. He’d driven her back to her car, then followed her to the hotel. She knew he’d been worried about her—what she’d learned about her family and how she’d process it over the next days and weeks.
Julia always considered herself a calm, controlled woman. Those qualities were requisites for being a good doctor, and she was an excellent pediatrician. The only time she’d felt her life spiraling out of control, as if a black hole had opened to swallow her, had been when Nate betrayed her. It had taken a long time to recover, although she’d never quite moved on.
What she’d learned after dinner at Rosario’s had rocked her. An unexpected double punch to her gut. First, Julia learned she’d been wrong about Nate’s involvement in Delphine’s duplicity in Coronado. Six years of pain because she’d never returned his calls. If she had, their lives would’ve been different. They’d still be together. Possibly married.
The second punch had been as damaging. Julia still couldn’t quite accept her father and brothers were criminals, dealing in illegal drugs and who knew what else. The family who’d provided her and Tori with a loving home, everything two girls could ever want, weren’t as they appeared. At least that was what Nate wanted her to believe. Did she trust the family who’d nurtured her for over twenty-five years, or the man who’d so deeply hurt her, no matter how unintentional? She didn’t know and didn’t want to choose between the two.
Placing a hand on her stomach, she forced herself to take several reassuring breaths before turning back to the work in front of her. Julia emptied the last packing box, unwrapping the dishes before setting them on shelves. Between signing the final escrow documents and work, it had taken three days to move out of the storage unit and into her new house. Since Tori had been interviewing for jobs and finalizing her own purchase, there’d been little time to help each other.
When Nate, Moses, and a few of their friends showed up that morning, Julia and Tori welcomed their help. The men accomplished in two hours what would’ve taken them four times as long.
“What else?”
She looked over her shoulder to where Nate stood in the doorway. “You and your friends have done enough. There’s no way I’ll be able to repay your kindness.”
Stepping closer, he slipped an arm around her waist, tugging her to him. “Don’t you know repayment isn’t necessary?” Looking at her solemn features, he noticed lines of stress he hadn’t seen the night at Rosario’s. It bothered him to know he’d been the one to cause them.
Brushing strands of hair from her face, he leaned down to press his lips against hers. Hearing her moan, he deepened the kiss, tightening his arms around her. They had yet to make love. She needed time and he’d give it to her, no matter how hard it was for him.
Wishing he could lift her into his arms and carry her to the new bed, he hesitated, raising his head and stepping away at the sound of laughter. A moment later, Moses, Raider, and Banner joined them in the kitchen.
Leaning closer, he lowered his voice. “We aren’t finished with this, Jules.”
“Everything is inside and your new furniture for the office assembled.” Moses grabbed a glass from the counter and filled it with water, gulping it down. “We’re going to head over to Tori’s. You two okay here?”
“We’re good. Do you need me there?”
“Nah. We got this handled, Tracker. You stay here in case Julia finds something we missed.”
“When you’re finished at Tori’s, I’d like to buy everyone lunch. If you have time, that is,” Julia said.
“Sounds great,” Moses replied for the group. He looked at Tracker. “I’ll call when we’re finished.” The three didn’t wait for a reply before heading out.
When certain they were gone, he placed an arm over her shoulders. “You’ve gotten a lot done in here, sweetheart. All but your office is together and ready to use. What else do you need?”
Julia could guess what he wanted her to say and it had nothing to do with her new house. The new bed? Yeah, that was where his mind had gone.
She struggled with what to do about Nate Kincaid. Deep love and longing didn’t make up for the trust Julia didn’t know if she could ever reclaim.
She believed what he’d told her about Delphine. How he’d double-crossed Nate. From the moment the agent had approached her, she’d felt warning bells, and not because she had anything to hide. There was something off with the man, something sinister and uncaring. A man who’d do whatever it took to get what he wanted, even if it meant shredding friendships and alliances.
According to Nate, the agent was back at it, doing all he could to put her family in prison. The thought brought back a whole other list of questions, such as why was Nate on the team? He’d left the Navy, hadn’t he?
In her logical, orderly mind, she couldn’t reconcile a decorated SEAL crossing the line to such an extreme degree. She had little knowledge of the outlaw MC world. Most of it came from documentaries on cable TV and the occasional online article about another altercation between two clubs. She recalled seeing footage of a fight between the Hells Angels and Mongols at a casino in Laughlin. It had been explosive and brutal.
Nate snapped his fingers in front of her face. “Julia? Are you with me?”
Blinking, she shook her head. “Sorry. I was just thinking about everything I need to accomplish before going to the clinic tomorrow.”
Tracker studied her face, sighing at what he saw. “You’re a terrible liar, Jules. What’s bothering you?”
Leaning against the kitchen counter, she stared down at her tennis shoes. She’d forgotten how well he’d always been able to read her. It was both impressive and frustrating.
Taking her hand, he led her into the living room, motioning her to take a seat on the sofa. Nate sat down on the coffee table in front of her.
“You’ve been through a lot in the last week. Learning about your father and brothers, me asking you to accept what happened in Coronado, moving into your home.”
“That was the
easy part.”
“I’m sure,” he chuckled. “Tell me what bothers you the most, Jules. Getting it out might help.”
Lowering her face into her hands, she fought the conflicting emotions ripping through her. She wanted to reach out, ask him to hold her, help her feel less alone and vulnerable. What Nate told her couldn’t be shared with Tori or anyone else.
Flying to Monterrey to confront her father would achieve nothing. He’d profess his innocence, provide excuses, and dismiss her questions. Underneath, he’d boil with rage at his daughter for confronting him with her doubts. He’d see it as disloyalty to the family, placing her in an untenable position.
Dropping her hands, she leaned against the back of the sofa. “I’m trying to reconcile the man who raised me with the one you’ve presented. Yes, there are damaging pictures. Still, it’s hard to see him as the leader of a large, criminal organization, not the loving man who raised Tori and me.” Pressing her palms against her eyes, she groaned. “I don’t know what to believe.”
Standing, he leaned down, lifting her into his arms before sitting on the sofa and placing her on his lap. Saying nothing, he rubbed his broad, calloused hand along her back, soothing her. She’d held it together well.
Another woman might’ve raged at him, been in complete denial as she accused him of lying. Julia had been calm on the outside while quaking on the inside. She tended to bury her emotions inside, not allowing herself to lose control.
“Ask me anything, Jules. I’ll answer what I can, but I won’t lie to you.”
“I don’t know where to start.”
“Start anywhere. The questions don’t have to be in any kind of order. Just bust them out.”
Tracker could feel the warm breath of her chuckle, the way her fingers clenched his t-shirt. “As long as you don’t mind me jumping around.”
“I don’t.”
“All right. I want to know about the Eternal Brethren. Whatever you can tell me.”
He’d expected it, already spoken with Wrath, who’d contacted Grayson. There were limits, but he could give her something.
“Under no circumstances can you speak to anyone about what I’m going to tell you. Not even Tori. Understand, it may not be as much as you want, but I’ll provide what I can.”
He waited for her nod before beginning. “First, we aren’t what you and most everyone else believes. Not one of the members has a criminal record. Each one of us believes in neutralizing the bad guys and protecting the country. We train as hard as in Coronado for the same purposes. There’s a man sitting behind a desk who is the true leader.”
“There’s still a chain of command.” It wasn’t a question.
“Understand, Jules, even outlaw gangs have a chain of command. With us, it’s the same as before we arrived in Liberty Lake.” He placed a finger under her chin, lifting her face to brush his mouth across hers. “Little has changed. Except now I wear a cut.”
Chapter Fourteen
Julia hadn’t been sure about having lunch with the group. Not after what Nate had told her, which triggered more questions than answers. She was smart, intuitive, able to sort through a lot of bullshit to get to the real answers. It had been her last question before leaving the house which confirmed her suspicions. It had been asked in a conversational manner, and she hadn’t expected him to answer.
“So, what’s your rank?”
Stopping next to his truck, studying her, he weighed the peril of being honest. “O-3.”
The answer had been a huge risk for him. A great relief to her.
A lieutenant, she thought. “You’ve moved up.”
Tracker hadn’t commented, just opened the door for her to slide inside. They’d ridden to the restaurant in silence, but there’d been a great deal going on inside Julia’s head. The pieces had finally begun to make sense.
Thirty minutes into lunch, Julia was glad she came along. After all, she was the host. But she’d been wavering until he’d answered her question about rank.
Tori shared her excitement about a job offer at a veterinary clinic a few miles from her new house. It had been a top choice of the three places where she interviewed, and the salary was close to twice the amount she’d earned in San Diego.
In contrast, Julia had been quiet as they ate, saying no more than a couple dozen words.
Listening to the banter between Nate, Moses, Raider, and Banner kept her and Tori laughing. They had an easy comraderie as if they’d been friends for years. The first three had been. It surprised her to learn Banner hadn’t joined the Brethren until recently.
Anyone could see how much they trusted each other, would have each other’s backs under any circumstances.
Taking the last bite of her burger, a slam of understanding rocked her. She hadn’t expected it to come this soon. Maybe hadn’t expected it at all. After today, it shouldn’t have shaken her so much.
Julia trusted him. The pain of the past had fallen away, leaving an odd sense of comprehension. She trusted and loved him. The knowledge frightened and excited her.
At one point, she’d shot a look at Tori, only to see a knowing grin on her face. Julia had never been able to hide anything from her sister. And she’d tried many times.
Not long before they’d left, Nate had reached under the table, placing his hand on her thigh. Instant warmth flowed through her, a need she hadn’t felt in years rising quickly.
Tracker’s teammates left for the clubhouse, but not before Moses secured a promise from Tori to take her on a tour of the area the following Saturday.
Tracker dropped Tori off at her place before heading to Julia’s. Getting out, he jogged around the truck to her side and opened the door, waiting as she slid off the seat. Standing on the sidewalk, she looked up at him.
“Would you like to come inside?”
Brushing the back of his hand down her cheek, he shook his head. “You’re exhausted. I’ll walk you to the door, then head back to the clubhouse.”
Reaching the front door, he took the keys from her. When he pushed the door open, motioning her to enter, she stopped.
“Please stay for a while, Nate.” Reaching out, she threaded her fingers through his.
Her words and actions were the opposite of what he expected. “If I come inside, I won’t be staying for just a while. Are you sure that’s what you want, Jules?”
“Yes.”
Drawing her inside, he closed the door, wrapping his arms around her. The feel of Julia against him brought back incredible memories of when they’d been together. He wanted nothing more than to stay, make slow love to her for hours before falling asleep together, her arm draped across his chest.
Kissing the top of her head, he pulled her closer. “Me staying would be a bad idea for many reasons, sweetheart.”
“Name one,” she murmured against his shirt.
Chuckling, he stroked her hair. “For one, you don’t trust me.” Feeling her stiffen, he bent down, nibbling at her ear before feathering kisses along her jaw. “When you’re one hundred percent certain of me, I’ll stay, but not before.”
Heart pounding in her chest, Julia wrapped her arms around his waist. “I don’t want to be alone tonight, Nate.” Slipping her hands under his t-shirt, she splayed them across the knotted muscles of his back. “And you’re wrong. I do trust you. I’ll understand if you’re not ready.”
Sonofabitch. What could he say to that? He loved this woman more than his own life, understood her better than he did himself.
“Do you even know what you’re asking of me, Jules?”
Pulling back, she searched his chocolate brown eyes. “Yes. I’m asking you to make love to me.”
Rising onto her toes, she kissed his chin, letting her lips drift down his neck to the slight hollow, sucking lightly.
Clenching his jaw, Tracker closed his eyes. Opening them, he bent down, brushing her mouth with his. “You’ve got to be certain you’ll have no regrets. I need to know you’re ready with both your mind and your h
eart.”
She considered his words, letting out a relieved sigh. “I am.” Pulling away, she grabbed his hand and tugged him down the hall.
He was so screwed.
“He’s inside her house.”
“Tracker’s been with her most of the day,” Jaeger responded through his earpiece. He sat in his car a few houses from Tori’s, wanting to be the one outside Julia’s home.
The debacle in Coronado still haunted Delphine and held a prominent place in his file, making his superiors jumpy about having him too close to Armando’s daughter. Few people knew of the retaliation ordered by the leader of the Nuevo León Cartel after he heard of what happened with his daughter. He’d seen it as a personal affront, a sign of disrespect. No one cared about Armando’s personal feelings. They did care about how he’d reacted.
Two DEA agents had disappeared within a week. One body was found off the highway between Tijuana and Rosarito Beach in Baja, California. The other man turned up several weeks later on the U.S. side of the border crossing at Otay Mesa, disoriented and dehydrated with one eye missing. Delphine’s career had taken a major hit because of bringing Juliana in for questioning.
It had been a hard sell to get his superiors to approve the current mission which, once again, included her in an attempt to snare Armando. No one believed Julia knew anything about the cartel or her father’s part in it. She was the link for Tracker to get close to Armando.
This time, she’d know what was happening, hold a part in it without being under suspicion by the DEA.
“I’m guessing he’s going to be in the house a long time,” the agent said.
“Overnight,” Jaeger added. “Might as well get comfortable and prepare for a long night.”
Tracker looked out the glass door in Julia’s bedroom to the yard in back, hands shoved in his pockets to hide the moisture on his palms. Heart hammering, chest squeezing, he felt like a teenager on his first date. Or at least his first experience with someone of the opposite sex.
But he was nowhere close to being a teenager, and it certainly wasn’t his first time. There’d been women before and a few after Julia, yet not one had ever touched his heart the way she had. Not one he’d wanted to marry. Only Julia.
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