Ty drove to the motel wondering if the weary warrior realized he'd let his identity slip. He was Ana's adopted uncle. Ty admired the man and his dedication to fight for his country even while being hunted by criminals and the very law he defended. He'd come across as calm and dedicated. In fact, he was nothing like Ana. Her earlier hotheaded decision to sneak off might've been made out of love, but Ty wasn't sure he could trust her not to go off half-cocked again.
He waited until she was safely in her room before he went inside. The doors between their rooms were still open, so Ty closed the one on their side.
Marcus was on the phone, so Ty changed into a pair of sweats, not really paying attention to the one-sided conversation. Marcus covered the mouthpiece.
"This is your op. Jack Fury is finally here. He wants to know where we're staying."
Ty thought a minute. "Tell him. He can ride herd on Ana tomorrow while we're gone."
Marcus relayed the address, hung up, and then set the alarm clock. They'd meet their escort in the motel coffee shop. His face lit up with one of his rare smiles.
"What's funny?"
"I left out the part about the babysitting assignment."
****
Over coffee with complete strangers, it was agreed the pair of citizens group men would lead Ty and Marcus into range of Ortega's home, nothing more. The rest would be belly-crawling, observing, memorizing details, and identifying potential places that might house Lina and Pablo. There was no need to put anyone else in danger.
Jack Fury arrived at the coffee shop an hour later. By then, Ty and Marcus were in the booth eating fried eggs on a bed of rice and beans. Ty briefed Jack on the reconnaissance trip and then parked him in the room adjoining Ana's. He wasn't nearly as ticked off as she was going to be once she woke up and discovered she'd been left behind.
This morning wasn't about rescue. They had to know what to expect. Was her family even there? If so, were they alive? How many guards would he and Marcus have to deal with? If an extraction was needed, he preferred to perform the entire op undetected. Blowing up the entire place like he had the manufacturing compound probably wasn't going to be an option. Not that he had anything against fireworks. He loved lighting up the night, but in this instance, an innocent boy lived there.
Ty followed the old, weather-beaten pickup to the outskirts of town and down winding back roads. The houses grew larger and more secluded with each mile.
The taillights on the old pickup blinked twice, letting him know the house was just ahead and they were about to be on their own.
A tall, rock fence surrounded the unseen house and grounds. The only opening appeared to be an iron gate, which no doubt, was heavily guarded.
"I fuckin' love it." Marcus chuckled and scribbled something on a notepad. "Bastard protected himself right into becoming an easy target."
He was right, building a fortress in the middle of unimproved property with a thicket on three sides made penetrating fairly easy. Anyone with the training and skills he and Marcus had could get close, find a safe spot, and observe. He drove around to the far side of the thicket and parked behind some overgrown foliage. Ty felt the tide shift in their direction.
"Damn, I should've added NVGs to the list of things I needed you to bring."
"Be thankful the sun is coming up, and you have binoculars." Marcus dropped his notepad on the seat and pulled on a pair of leather gloves. "Ready?"
"I'm out." Ty exited the car, moved to the tree line, and focused the spyglasses on the rock wall.
Marcus gave a hand signal and then walked the opposite direction. He'd station himself where he could observe the front of the compound. It would be their last communication until they met at the car in a couple of hours. Having him along took a load off Ty's shoulders. He trusted Marcus. That trust had started the first day they'd collided on the University of Texas football field and had grown over the years.
Ty came to a place along the rock wall where thick vines covered the surface. He looked for trip wires and then tested his weight in a couple of places. He replaced the binoculars in his hand with a knife, just in case he ran into a guard. Then he started his climb.
Killing would be a last resort, but sometimes even the best plans turned to shit. He paused at the top, listening for any sounds of life. Hearing nothing, he pushed himself up. He exhaled a sigh of relief. A huge tree proved more than adequate coverage. He'd found the perfect observation point.
The house was massive. Two levels of opulence with balconies at most of the windows. Rock paths appeared to circle the house, no doubt for a patrol. He'd time the distance between the guards' rounds. One row of rocks came straight out into the landscaped yard, around the Olympic-size pool and two outbuildings. A second walk led to a three-car garage. Was no one allowed on the grass?
He scanned the perimeter with the binoculars, making mental notes and memorizing every tree, shrub and flower. The guards were easy to spot. Ty watched closely to learn their habits and mannerisms. He'd assess how they stood, walked, paid attention. Even the expression on their faces would indicate their quality and dedication. In his opinion, they were relaxed and at ease. Not at all alert and watchful.
Movement from the back door drew his gaze to an older woman who let a dog outside. Damn. A dog, even a medium-size one, added a layer of concern. The woman waited until he did his business. She cleaned up his mess and then walked to the smaller of the two outbuildings. She and the animal entered and stayed inside for ten minutes. Whatever was in there sure excited the dog. He barked his lungs out. Ten minutes passed before the woman took the mutt back to the main house.
Ty's curiosity rose to a new level. He'd already noticed the building's windows were black. Not the kind of darkness that came with no lights on, these had paint on them. It was the perfect place to hold hostages.
Two men in suits came out and entered the garage. Minutes later, they drove off in a limo the size of a rail car. Marcus would be watching closely.
There were still too many questions without answers. The whys ate at his gut. Like why would Ortega keep Ana's folks alive? He had to be planning to use them to get to her.
Two hours went by fast, and Ty returned to the car half-satisfied. Taking out Ortega wasn't going to be an issue, but based on his observations, if Lina and Pablo were there, getting them out alive would be a challenge.
Marcus waited at the car. Neither spoke until Ty drove onto the main highway. Marcus picked up the vibrating cell off the seat.
"You have messages." He put down the phone, pushing it toward Ty. "Six missed calls and three voice mails all from the same number."
"Probably Ana. Put it on speaker."
"Oh, hell no. My ears are too tender to listen to her rant." Marcus grabbed his notepad and started writing.
"Bullshit. You wouldn't have brought her either."
"You're right, but I wouldn't have left without telling her why."
"Talking to her wouldn't have done any good." Ty wasn't going to argue a moot point. "What did you see up front?"
"The most interesting thing was a man and teenage boy came out and got in the limo. Ana's uncle nailed the description of Ortega's son. There's no doubt who fathered that kid. I'm adding a diagram of the house to the route out here. And I took pictures."
Ty glanced at the phone when it vibrated a reminder. "Just play the voice mail."
Marcus grunted but did as asked.
"This is Jack. Call when you get this."
"Oh, shit. That can't be good." Marcus returned the call as requested then held the phone between them.
Ty's heart jumped to the back of his throat. All he needed was for Ana to have decided to take matters into her own hands. Gravel crunched under the tires. He steadied the wheel and steered the car back into his lane.
"Very fucking funny," Jack blurted out without saying hello. "When are you coming back?"
"We're thirty minutes out." Ty's pulse slowed closer to normal. "Why? Can't you handle one small fe
male?"
"Right. This is the same woman who pointed a gun at me. Just get your asses back here, so I can get a room of my own."
The line went silent. "He hung up on us?" Ty laughed at the stress in Jack's voice.
"Yes, he did. I'd wager a buck or two he's pissed at you." Marcus dropped the cell on the seat. "So it's true. She really did threaten him with a gun."
"Yeah." Something deep stirred as Ty remembered her standing over his hospital bed, her face damp with tears. "But they both came through. Saved my life."
"She's probably wishing she hadn't. It wouldn't have busted your ass to talk to her before we left."
"You don't know her," Ty said adamantly, driving his point home. "She would have tied herself to the hood."
"What I do know is you're in for a world of hurt. I may bunk in Fury's room tonight. He can tell me how she got the best of him while you slug it out with the lady."
"Good idea. See what you can learn about him."
"Why? Don't you trust him?"
Ty scrubbed a hand across his chin. "I don't distrust him. Supervisory Special Agent Dalton Murphy sent him, which means he has good credentials. But he's here as a liaison and only if we run into trouble with the Colombian government. He's not included in the physical part of the mission."
"Then somebody should tell him." Marcus leaned back, dropping an arm across the back of the seat.
"He knows. Use your time with him to punch up the fact he's here in liaison capacity."
Chapter Sixteen
Ana's effort at keeping her temper in check eroded with Ty's every word. She'd spent the day with her stomach in knots. Worry for his safety and hopes he'd return with news her parents were alive had exhausted her. She clung to the hope that maybe they were in the building with the blacked-out windows.
"Stop patronizing me before I take a lamp to your head." She glanced around the room, deciding which one to use.
"I didn't think you'd listen to reason." Ty folded his arms across his thick chest.
"That's a true statement." Marcus nodded his head and smiled.
Ana shot him a look intended to shut him up. His head had flipped back and forth like he was watching a tennis match.
"You're not helping," Ty muttered.
Marcus's grin spread further. "Really, I can't remember his exact words. It was something about you tying yourself to the hood."
"Jackass," Ty snarled at Marcus before turning back to face her. "My only thought was your safety."
"Liar." Why had she worried herself sick over him?
Marcus stood quickly. He motioned for Jack to follow. "We'll leave you two to argue. We're going to find somewhere to knock back a beer or two."
"Good idea." Jack stood and walked to the door.
"Cowards." Ty bent over a map Marcus had drawn.
The two men left a little too fast, in Ana's opinion. She took it as admission they knew a storm was brewing. Why else would they have both fled like thieves in the night?
"At least they understand you were wrong."
"I did what I thought was right." The set of his jaw tightened.
"You don't get it. It's not bad enough I'm worried sick about Lina and Pablo. I spent the day wondering why I'd been treated like a child."
"We weren't gone all day."
He lifted one shoulder as if it were no big deal. He sat on the one chair in the room, extending his long legs out in front of him. His casual dismissal of her feelings was like lighting a flamethrower in her stomach. His inflated ego refused to admit he'd made an error in judgment.
"Don't hedge with me." She stood over him with her hands fisted. At least while he was sitting he had to look up at her.
"Like it or not, we were safer with you here." He removed his boots and socks.
"That's not the point." Her blood pressure kept rising. He was so thickheaded. "I'm smart enough to know that. I'm not talking about how disrespectful and cowardly you are for sneaking off." He opened his mouth, but she shushed him. "I'm not finished."
Ty stood, forcing her to back up. He unbuttoned his shirt, shrugging it off his shoulders. "Can we do this after I shower?"
He started toward the bathroom without waiting for her answer. A day's worth of pressure exploded inside her head, and she stormed into her room, ready to slam the door.
But she had more to say, and he would damn well hear it. She clutched her churning stomach as tears flooded her eyes. "What if you'd been killed?"
He stopped but didn't turn to face her.
"Damn you. I spent the day sick with worry." Shocked at the emotion welling in her throat, she pushed the door closed. The realization slammed into her. Being left behind hadn't upset her. The terrifying thought Ty might not come back had crushed her heart.
Ana walked to the dusty window and pulled the curtain back. She stared out at nothing in particular. She admitted it. Ty meant too much to her. If something had happened to him, how could she have gone on?
Behind her, the door opened and closed. Seconds later, strong hands rested on her shoulders. He moved closer until his solid body touched every inch of hers. He'd showered, and his clean scent surrounded her. Heat from his bare upper body burned through her thin cotton T-shirt.
He turned her in his arms. His intense gaze searched her face. He cupped her jaw and gently stroked her cheek with the rough pads of his thumbs. Electric shocks roared through her system. She fought the urge to lean into him and just breathe in his scent.
"You were worried about me?" His eyebrow rose in a look of surprise.
His head tilted as he waited for her answer. She couldn't find her voice, so she looked away. Unable to face him with the truth, she nodded.
What would he do with the knowledge that she cared enough to be frightened out of her mind for his safety?
Still holding her head in his hands, he lifted until her eyes met his. "Tell me again."
Her stomach stirred at the intensity of his gaze. "Why?
"Because no one has ever told me that before."
Her heart constricted. Surely, somebody besides her had walked the floor while imagining horrible things had happened to him. She gripped his rock-hard biceps before sliding her hands up to his bare shoulders and down over the sprinkling of hair on his chest. His skin was an inferno, sending flames of need licking through her blood.
"I worried about you. I prayed you'd come back to me." Speaking the words out loud released a flood of emotions. Emotions she'd deal with after his mission was complete, and he'd returned to his country. Emotions that would remind her that everyone she cared about went away.
And wasn't that reason enough to live for now?
She stood on her tiptoes and touched her lips to his neck. Stubble abraded her tongue as she sampled the taste that was uniquely Ty. Straining to get higher, she reached his lips, covering the soft flesh, showing him what she wanted. Her body hummed with need. She held her breath, waiting to see if he'd reject her again.
He pulled back and stared down at her. His eyes searched her face. What was he looking for?
Moaning, he dragged her against him. He slowly lowered his head and took charge with a soul-searing kiss. His tongue swept inside, stroking hers. Hot, hungry, and primal, his mouth fed her craving.
She had to touch him, to commit his body to memory. Her hands roamed across his shoulders, mapping the taut muscles, down over his pectoral muscles to his waist. Her heart skipped a beat when he trembled under her fingers.
He pulled her tighter, pressing her aching breasts against his oven-hot flesh. Her stomach clenched.
This insatiable need ended tonight. She slipped her hands between them and pushed. Immediately, Ty's arms dropped to his sides. His body went rigid.
Ana stepped back. Her knees almost buckled at the heat pouring from his passion-filled black eyes. His breathing was ragged, but he'd stopped with the slightest pressure from her.
She trailed the tips of her fingers across his nipples, loving how they hardened.
He sighed.
"Hold that thought." She closed and locked her side of the adjoining rooms. As she turned, the desire behind his stare sent chills racing over her skin. He opened his arms, and she hurried to him.
The tips of his fingers caught the bottom of her T-shirt and slowly tugged upward. The past invaded the present, and she grabbed his hands, holding them still.
In her need for him, she'd forgotten. He'd touched her once before and had turned away. What if the sight of her scars repulsed him this time?
"Ana." His words were raspy. "I want to see you."
"You don't understand." She tried to move away, but he was too strong, too determined. "I have scars."
"You don't think I care about that scar on your thigh?"
She opened her mouth to question him, but he silenced her with his lips.
"I saw the tail of it in the jungle."
"There's another." She placed her hand over the scar. "You touched it the lake house. It repulsed you."
"No." His eyebrows dipped, and he shook his head. "I had no idea. I pulled away to keep from taking advantage of you. I thought I was doing the right thing." Pain and understanding clouded his face. "Believe me."
"Are you going to decide what is right for me again?"
"I want you. Right or wrong be damned."
She dug deep, searching for courage. If he shied away, it would destroy her. She caught the hem with her fingers, and in one motion pulled the shirt over her head. Shoulders back, she waited, watching to see if he flinched.
His gaze was steady, hot, and inviting. She unhooked her bra, pushed the straps off her shoulders, and then dropped it on top of her shirt.
"My God. You're more beautiful than I imagined."
"Stop." She bit down on her bottom lip to stop the quiver. "You don't have to lie."
"I'm not lying to you."
He sat on the edge of her bed and held out his hands. With trembling knees, she stepped between his legs. Ty leaned forward and kissed the bottom edge of the scar. No one had ever done that before.
"Don't." She tried to twist away, but his strong hands held her in place.
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