Dance With Me

by Kristin Leigh

  “SEALs,” Javier growled.

  She whimpered again and continued, “Yes, SEALs to convince in any way possible to tell me what information they have on my husband’s organization.”

  Major slid the blade along her eyebrow, lightly enough that the wicked edge didn’t cut. “And tell them what your husband calls himself within his little club.”

  “Naseem is the prophet.”

  Paulson froze and Javier glanced over at him. He was stiff and watching Amaya—Anam—with murder in his eyes.

  “Now tell dear old Javi what you planned to do before you left next week.”

  Javier died a little inside. He already knew. Dios, she didn’t have to say it.

  “I was supposed to return to my husband because someone was getting too close to finding me. Someone—I don’t know who or how—knew you were here. I was supposed to kill Javier before I left.”

  Javier squeezed his eyes closed against the agony those words caused. He’d fucking loved her and she’d been plotting his murder.

  Amaya pleaded with him, “Please, Javi, I couldn’t have done it. I…”

  “Enough,” he whispered, unable to stand it for another second. When her pleas continued his control snapped and he roared, “I said enough!”

  She stopped talking then and closed her eyes.

  “Where is your husband now?” Major slid the blade along her spine.

  “I don’t know,” she sobbed.

  “Guess.” He pressed against a spot at the base of her spine and Amaya screamed. Blood welled up, but not enough to signify a serious injury.

  Amaya screamed again into the pillow, her body shaking. Javier turned around. He couldn’t watch.

  She screamed again and he squeezed his eyes closed.

  “London!” She screamed, hysterical now. “South London! Brixton! He uses a Middle Eastern food store to hide when he’s there. It’s the only one there! When he leaves London he goes to Slovak! I don’t know where though! Please, no more! No more!”

  Javier jerked around to put a stop to it just as Major stood up and turned to him.

  “You know what has to happen now.”

  Javier swallowed and nodded. Black Ops meant one thing. Everyone knew that.

  “I’ll make it quick. Painless.” Major spoke softly, as though afraid Javier would snap.

  Javier nodded and closed his eyes again. “Fine.”

  Major put a hand on Javier’s shoulder and said, “Or you can do it. It’s up to you. But if you decide to take care of it, I still have to confirm.”

  Javier jerked his eyes open and stared at him, stunned to his toes. Could he do it? Could he kill the woman he’d loved for two years? Javier shook his head. The woman he loved was already dead. He couldn’t forget that. This woman lying in his bed with his semen still warm inside of her was a traitor. A terrorist. She’d sent him and his team straight into an ambush countless times, had even planned to kill him.

  “I understand.” The major had misunderstood the headshake.

  Major turned away and Javier said, “Wait.” He took a deep breath, walked over to Amaya and squatted down next to her. He kept his voice low, his words meant only for the two of them. “Was there ever a time when you loved me? Did you even once mean it?” When she opened her mouth to speak, Javier interrupted, “Whatever you tell me won’t make a difference. I just want to know.”

  Her eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed in a glare. “I could never feel anything but hate for such a vile, rutting animal like you.” She spit in his face and Javier wiped it away slowly.

  He nodded and stood, unable to look at her any longer. “El que de vosotros esté sin pecado, sea el primero en tirarle una piedra.” Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. It’s certainly not me. Javier met Major’s hard stare and said, “I’ll do it.”

  Major nodded and said, “Fine. But first, you need to know what to do afterward. You’re not going to be in a mood to listen once it’s done. You’ll need to try and file a missing-persons report tomorrow. They’ll tell you wait a few days, but all we need is the attempt. Make it seem like she disappeared and took nothing with her. Sulk. Brood. Mourn her like you still loved her and she’d really left you. If they knew I was here, there’s another leak very close, and I need whoever that is to let Javid know how distraught you are in case I don’t get there in time.” Major growled a little and said, “It also means I have a leak of my own to report.” He pulled a vial from his pocket and handed it to Javier. It contained what looked like a tiny Hershey’s Kiss. “Cyanide. Same thing they give astronauts. Fast, painless, and extremely effective. If you choose to go that route.”

  Paulson spoke up beside him, “I thought that was a myth.”

  Major looked over at him, his face expressionless and said, “Of course it is. Everyone knows Kill Pills don’t exist.”

  Javier took the tiny vial and turned it over and over in his hands. This was better than the gunshot he’d been picturing. Not quite so…messy. “I report her missing so when they find her…”

  “She won’t be found,” Major cut in. “It’s so Javid believes she left without killing you. He won’t know she’s dead. Intel will be loose while he scrambles to figure out where she is, who has her. His source will be missing, and it’ll give me the chance I need to take him down.”

  “No!” Amaya screamed from the bed.

  “Yes,” Major said, looking at her. “The man you wronged is going to kill you. But I’m going to kill your husband.”

  Amaya shot daggers at them with her eyes, and Javier turned away. He couldn’t look at her anymore.

  “So do we take her somewhere or…?” He swallowed, unable to finish.

  “Here. Easier cleanup.”

  Javi nodded and turned to look at the woman he thought he’d loved. Instead he saw a traitor.

  Amaya was silent and despite his years as a SEAL, Javier felt sick for the first time over the thought of killing a terrorist. Though it had more to do with the wide-eyed stranger he’d been sleeping with for two years than the blood on his hands. He could feel her staring at him and struggled to keep his eyes averted.

  Javier said a quick “Our Father,” crossed himself, and turned to Major.

  “It’s not too late to change your mind.” Major stared at him, his eyes hard and unblinking. Paulson remained quiet, staring out the window with a pained look on his face.

  “No,” Javier said. “I’ll clean up my own mess.” He turned to Amaya and pulled the gag out.

  “Javi, my love…”

  He grabbed her jaw in his hand and squeezed. He’d never in his life wanted to hurt a woman before. But Amaya wasn’t a woman; she was a monster.

  Major spoke from behind him, in that Arabic dialect that Javi couldn’t understand.

  Amaya hissed and tried to jerk her face away. Javi held tightly though, and she ground out a few words despite his grip.

  Major sighed and said, “She’s done. She doesn’t even want to clear her conscience. We’ve got all we’re going to.”

  Javier let go of her jaw and felt a hand grip his shoulder for a few seconds before Paulson said, “It’s time, Javier.”

  Paulson hadn’t called him by his first name in years. Not since Lt. Montgomery was killed and Lt. Paulson took over as team leader. The significance of the almost fatherly gesture from a man less than two years his senior didn’t escape Javier.

  He’d been clenching the vial in his hand the entire time, dreading the task before him. He tugged the cap off the tiny bottle and shook out the poison. Amaya turned her head away but he jerked it back and forced her mouth open. He pushed the tiny toxin as far back in her throat as he could, holding it down with his finger when she gagged. Then he forced her mouth closed and held it until she swallowed.

  “You always did give a lousy blowjob.” But he’d loved her anyway. Loved an illusion. A lie.

  Amaya seemed to struggle with tears, then suddenly laughed. Javier frowned. It wasn’t the tinkling laugh he�
�d cherished but a sinister, horrible sound. It really sunk in then, that he’d been literally sleeping with the enemy.

  “Your redheaded slut will die too. They were going to take her last night before you went to find her. Hasan probably has her now.”

  Redhead? Javier looked at Paulson in confusion. His fiancée was a busty brunette.

  “What the fuck do you know about her?” The hoarse words came from Major, and Javier jerked his head around to look at him.

  Paulson whispered, “Rebecca?”

  Major had gone pale, his eyes narrowed, and his hands fisted at his sides.

  But Amaya simply turned her head and said, “I’m done talking.” Sixty seconds later she was dead, having managed to remain silent despite Major’s attempts to force her to speak again.

  Major turned to Javier, el diablo in his eyes again.

  Paulson ground out furiously, “I told her to stay away from you. I shouldn’t have had to tell you.”

  Major nodded and said, “I know.”

  But the Lieutenant Commander wasn’t done. “If she dies, her blood is on your hands, not theirs.”

  Major croaked, “I know.”

  Javier heard the exchange, but wasn’t able to take his eyes from Amaya—Anam. Major had been right. He wasn’t in a good state of mind, couldn’t think straight, couldn’t stop looking at her body, paleness seeping in as the blood stopped pumping. Slowly going cold and stiff against the pale yellow sheets she’d bought just a few weeks ago.

  Javier was startled out of his trance when Major muffled a curse. A phone was glued to his ear and he spoke rapidly into it.

  “The stray has been put down. I need a cleanup at 3255 Marlin Drive.”

  Javier winced, and glanced back at Amaya. The code name they were using labeled her as nothing more than a stray dog. Just a few hours before, she’d been so much more to him.

  “…but I have a problem.” Javier glanced up when he caught the tail end of Major’s protestation.

  Major paused and looked down before saying, “I know that. I’ll take out the hive. But someone needs to find the kitten.” His eyes went wide and he choked out, “Understood,” then snapped the phone closed.

  Javier watched in fascination as Major fought back anger. He’d been a cool cucumber until Amaya mentioned the redhead. Major squeezed the phone in his hand and Javier heard it crunch as it crumbled like a soda can. Major turned to Paulson.

  “I need a favor. You have to get Rebecca. I have to go after Javid.”

  Javier spoke up then. It just wasn’t possible. “You know we can’t do that. We can’t go OFP the way you can.”

  Major nodded solemnly and said, “I know. This is a personal favor. And if you’re caught or killed, you’ll be branded a vigilante. But she’s innocent.”

  Paulson cursed under his breath and turned to Javier. “You don’t have to do anything Martinez. I’ll take care of it.” He looked back at Major and said, “Where are they taking her and why can’t you go get her?”

  Major squeezed his eyes closed again and whispered, “One life for many.” Javier glanced at Amaya for a split second, unable to keep from looking at her. He glanced quickly back at Major. Major looked as though he was in pain, his eyes still closed and his lips tight. Finally, he opened his eyes and explained, “In all likelihood they’ll take her somewhere secluded. Somewhere they can get to within a few hours. They have sleepers everywhere and that’s who they would have called. And there’s the second leak to consider. Javid is going to get information, and quick. I can’t get her because this is a very narrow window. I have less than twenty-four hours to get to Javid before he figures out I’m coming and goes underground again.”

  Javier watched as pieces of the tiny phone fell from Major’s hand. It was a basic phone, similar to his own, but not a brand he recognized. Amaya had told him to get a smart phone, but he’d joked that it would be smarter than he was. Javier frowned as a thought flitted across his mind. “Does she have a smartphone?”

  Major jerked his head around. “Yeah. Why?”

  Javier shrugged. “Most smartphones have a way to trace them if they’re lost or stolen. All you’d need to know is which app she has downloaded and her password.”

  Paulson spoke up, “Assuming she has her phone with her.”

  Major growled, “It’s with her. They’ll use it to call me if they can figure out how to contact me. They want me, not her.” He shook his head and muttered, “Why the hell didn’t I think of that?”

  Javier felt a wave of pity swamp him. She could already be dead. He knew how that felt. Sort of.

  Major dropped the crumbled phone he’d still been clutching and said, “I’ll trace it before I leave. You find her and bring her back.” He turned to Javier. “I’ll need a computer.”

  Javier silently nodded and led the way to his computer and entered his password. Major entered a website, typed in a whole bunch of nonsense, and finally said, “I have a general location. They’re traveling. I’ll have someone watch it and keep you updated as it changes.” With that, he stood and headed to the door. “It’s time to go. You can’t be here when my team arrives.”

  Javier took a look around and wondered if the "cleanup" was going to destroy the house. His landlord would be pissed. As he followed Paulson and Major out the door, he heard Major mutter, “I suppose I’ll have to get you weapons too.” Major stopped and turned to them and said, “I don’t need to tell you that there should be no survivors when you leave.”

  Paulson shook his head and they continued out of the house.

  Chapter 12

  Max had been gone about an hour when Rebecca’s doorbell rang. She brushed the tears from her eyes and stood to answer. She unlocked it and started to unlatch the chain when she remembered Max’s warning.

  “Do not open the door without checking to see who it is first.”

  Rebecca looked through the peephole, but it was too dark to see anyone. She reached over to flip on the light when the door exploded inward and slammed into her face. Shards of wood from the frame flew around her as she watched it happen, seemingly in slow motion. What the hell?

  Rebecca fell backward, and her hands flew to her face. Blood spurted from her nose and she moaned. She rolled over and got up on her hands and knees. That’s what I get for checking.

  Someone pinched her butt and Rebecca shouted, “Hey! What the…?”

  But the accented voices of two men interrupted her.

  “That’s her.”

  “Let’s get her to the car. Quick.”

  “We’ll both have to carry her.”

  Carry her? Hey, did they just call her fat? Rebecca tried to get her legs to move, tell them she wasn’t going anywhere, but nothing worked. She collapsed, her arms giving out beneath her, and her face slammed into the floor, causing her nose to throb even more.

  Are you fucking kidding me?

  Everything seemed to swirl and move and Rebecca felt someone grab hold of her. She tried to open her eyes, but they didn’t work either.

  Then, nothing.

  * * * *

  Rebecca opened her eyes and immediately squeezed them closed again. Did I hit the bottle again? Damn, my head hurts. She turned her head to the side and tried to moisten her parched lips, but her tongue was too dry. She smacked her lips and tried to call up some saliva. Worst. Hangover. Ever.

  “Good morning.”

  Rebecca jumped at the unfamiliar voice. Holy crap, did I bring someone home? No, surely not.

  “You may have water after you’ve answered a few questions.”

  Questions? Rebecca opened her eyes again and tried to locate the speaker. She looked around the unfamiliar room in confusion. It looked like a damn log cabin. Not her bedroom. Did I go home with someone? But no, this didn’t look like someone’s home. It looked like…a vacation cabin? That didn’t make sense. What the hell? She finally located the speaker, an unfamiliar man dressed in black slacks and a white dress shirt. His hair was black and long, and he ha
d a very neatly trimmed beard. He watched her in amusement.

  Rebecca tried to sit up, only to realize her hands were handcuffed to the headboard and her feet were tied to the footboard. Suddenly, everything made sense. Date-rape drug. Someone had drugged her and planned to rape her, if he hadn’t already. She bit back a scream and struggled to break free. He didn’t speak, just watched her. At least I still have my clothes on.

  Rebecca let loose the scream and fought against the bindings. She twisted and turned, pulling against the headboard to no avail. She struggled until she was soaked with sweat and her throat was sore. And then she fought more. The man remained silent, watching her, and that was scarier than if he’d been hitting her. Rebecca could have tolerated a beating; God knows she’d tolerated them enough when she was a child. But this silent observation was unnerving. Desperate, she began to fling insults at him.

  “You sick son of a bitch! Couldn’t get a date and had to drug someone? Or maybe you can’t get it up if she’s conscious. Or maybe it’s so small that no one hangs around once they see it. You sick, pathetic bastard!”

  He still watched her, silent.

  Rebecca let out a final hoarse scream and pulled against the restraints as hard as she could. Blood trickled down her arms where the metal handcuffs bit into her wrists. Exhausted and unable to move anymore, she collapsed.

  He watched her for a moment, then picked up a bottle of water and sipped. Rebecca licked her lips again. God, that water looked good. She was hoarse and covered in sweat and so tired.

  “Are you ready to begin?” The man put the water bottle down and looked back at her.

  Rebecca tried to speak but it came out raspy. “Begin what?”

  He stood and sauntered to the bed where she was bound. “Our interrogation, of course.”

  Rebecca just blinked at him. “You’re not going to rape me?”

  He laughed then, threw his head back and guffawed. It was a nice laugh and that wasn’t fair. Rebecca didn’t think evil people should have a nice laugh. It should sound evil, give you a clue about what was inside.

  “Don’t be stupid. I wouldn’t taint myself with you. I’m a bit more devout than most of my colleagues though. You’re very lucky they sent me.”