by Desiree Holt
The other man shook his head. “No. Sorry. Full up right now. Lots of people looking for work, you know.”
“Si. Si.” He heaved a sigh, still keeping an eye on the SUV. It had pulled onto a dirt turnaround at the edge of the jungle. “Maybe I will walk around some more and see if anyone’s house looks like it needs some loving care.”
The man snorted. “Good luck with that. We have to scrounge for these jobs as it is.”
Bruno nodded but hung around for a few more seconds, waiting to see what the SUV did. It sat there for a moment. Then—he could hardly believe it—it drove slowly into the thick overgrowth.
Hijo de perra!
He stood there watching for a few more seconds, doing his best not to be obvious. Good thing the landscapers had started their work and were not paying attention to him. He’d expected the people in the SUV to get out and start heading into the thick undergrowth and trees, so he was shocked when the vehicle just kept going into the jungle.
Well, damn. He certainly couldn’t follow it, not that he wanted to. That hellhole was too dangerous. But it was certainly a good place for the woman to hide. Who the fuck would go in there looking for her? Who would even think she was there?
He would have to report all this to El Presidente. But what if he was wrong? Maybe he should wait until the raid tonight on the Albado house. When it produced no results, he could end up being the hero. The woman would still be in La Jungla. Even if someone was helping her, how the hell would they get her out of there, anyway?
He headed back to his car, prepared to do some heavy thinking. He wasn’t going to put his foot in his mouth and get it chopped off.
Chapter Twelve
…like the feel of a soft leaf dusting the skin on his face. Then, as if picked up by a slow breeze, it slipped down his chest, danced over his nipples and skated down between his thighs. His cock twitched at the gentle touch of it, throbbing with need as the sensation spread through his body.
He slid his hand down his thigh, fingers curled, reaching for his swollen dick, ready to grasp it and pump it to completion. Except there was already…
Rocket’s eyes flew open and Mallory’s soft laugh filled his ears like music, and he realized what was happening. They’d eaten lunch, protected from the hot midday sun by the thatched roof of the hut, then stretched out on the pallet to try to rest.
They’d talked about her books and he’d told her how Galaxy had come to be. It was obvious they were talking around their crisis, waiting for Rocket’s sat phone to ring with updates from Blaze or one of his other partners.
“I don’t know what kind of extraction the guys have planned,” Rocket told her, “but we need to be rested when they give us the signal.”
Eventually they’d fallen asleep, where he’d dreamed of a naked Mallory, stroking his body, teasing his cock.
And woken up to discover the touch was real.
He dropped his hands to his sides and reached for his control. This was too good to have it end before he could blink. He loved the soft stroke of her fingers and the feel of them curled around his hot, aching dick.
“You been doing that long?” He had to work to steady his voice.
“Not really.” She grinned and slowly ran her tongue over her lower lip. “But I figured it was a good way to wake you up.”
He barked a hoarse laugh. “No kidding. I’m awake now. Don’t stop.”
“Don’t worry. I wasn’t planning to.”
It was late afternoon, and the sun that managed to penetrate the thick canopy of branches and leaves cast soft shadows in the hut. If not for the situation they were in, he’d have believed they were on vacation at a resort, spending the day in the most enjoyable manner possible.
Her fingers were soft and firm at the same time. As she moved them up and down in a gentle rhythm, his cock swelled even more. When she slipped her other hand between his thighs and lightly squeezed his balls, heat speared through him.
“Jesus!”
He clenched his fists, seeking control, as Mallory’s hand continued to stroke up and down and her fingers continue to manipulate his balls in the same rhythm. He coasted his hand down her back to the sweet curve of her ass, realizing she was wearing only her thong. As if it was the most natural thing, he slipped his fingers into the hot crease, tugging the little bit of fabric aside and stroking the wet opening there.
Her fingers tightened reflexively on his cock and a tiny moan slipped from her throat.
“Like that?” he asked in a husky voice.
“Mmmm.”
“One of these days, when we’re in a real bed and have all the stuff we need, I’m going to fuck you there until you scream with pleasure.”
“I can’t wait.” She whispered the words.
The mental image of him with his cock inside her ass sent a jolt of pleasure straight to his balls. He closed his eyes to give himself over to it, but then he felt the soft sweep of her tongue over the velvet head and shit! He reached a hand to her head, threading his fingers through the silk of her hair and winding it around his fingers. When she slid her mouth along the length of his shaft, he used his grip to move her head up and down, setting a steady rhythm.
This was more than just sex. He didn’t have a name for it, but he wanted this connection to go on forever. Everything else faded except for Mallory’s strong fingers, her soft mouth, her magic tongue., His balls tightened even more and he clenched his hand in her hair as he held her head in place. He tried to urge her to move her mouth faster, but she was just as determined as he was to make it last. Her soft lips slid up and down, her teeth grazing the sensitive skin and sending heat to every part of his body.
As if she could tell when he was close to the edge, she sped up the movement of her mouth and her hands, pushing him higher and higher, the explosion curling inside him and finally bursting forth. The orgasm gripped him, shaking him, sending his pulse into orbit. With his fingers still wound in her hair, holding her head in place, she swallowed each pulse of cum as it hit her tongue, until finally he was depleted. His heart hammered, seeking to slow its pace from its frenetic beating.
Mallory kept her mouth on him, swallowing every last drop, licking the sensitive head of his dick, stroking up and down its length and gently squeezing his balls. Finally, finally, finally, his heartbeat returned to normal, his dick softened and his body relaxed. He eased his grip on Mallory’s hair and brought her head close to his face.
“How did I ever stay away from you for five years?”
“Let’s not discuss that. Let’s talk about the next five, and all the years beyond that.”
“Sounds good to me.” She brushed her mouth over his. “But first we have to—”
Whatever she would have said was cut off by the sound of Rocket’s sat phone indicating an incoming call.
“Hand me that, would you, honey?” He hoped he had the strength left to hold it.
She grabbed the phone from where he’d set it on the counter and brought it over to him.
“Here you go. Maybe they figured out how to get us away from here.”
He pressed the button that connected to Blaze’s phone. “You got us a ticket out of here?”
“Yeah, we do.” Blaze’s voice was harsh, not a good sign. “In fact, it’s a ticket for all of us. We need to split, and fast.”
“Well, let’s have ’em. Whatever it is, we’ll make it work. Better than hanging out here, that’s for sure.”
“Anyway, we’re about three minutes away from you. We just wanted to give you a heads-up we were coming.”
And so was I, just seconds ago. Good thing you called before storming in here.
“The guys are on their way here,” he told Mallory. “In fact, almost at our door.”
“Good thing they didn’t show up five minutes earlier,” she teased.
“No shit. I’d better put some clothes on.”
Mallory was already on her feet, smoothing out her shorts and T-shirt. They hadn’t been able to bring any luggage
with them, obviously, and she certainly hoped before long she’d be able to weather wash these clothes or throw them out for fresh ones. Rocket pieced himself back together and checked to make sure the hut was respectable, then stood in the doorway watching for the SUV. It wasn’t too long before he caught the sound of the engine as the vehicle slowly made its way through the jungle. Moments later, it crunched over dead leaves and other botanical debris and came to a stop right by the ladder.
Everyone piled out then walked around to the rear of the vehicle. He looked on in astonishment—although why he should be surprised was a good question—and followed Ed to the rear of the vehicle. Ed lifted the tailgate, fiddled with something to push the rear seat forward and twisted something else to removed what looked like flooring. Then he began handing out weapons to everyone, keeping two for himself, and went for the ladder.
Eagle looked up at him and grinned. “Do I know how to pick my friends or do I know how?”
Rocket just shook his head and stepped back as they all headed for the ladder.
Blaze looked up at him before he stepped on the first rung. “Will that thing hold all of us?”
Ed, right behind him, laughed. “Count on it. I watched it being built. Anyway, it’s better than sitting on the ground with the zillion bugs crawling around here. Come on, guys.”
As soon as they were all inside, Ed passed one of his weapons to Rocket, who studied it with curiosity.
“Looks like a miniature AK47.”
Ed nodded. “That’s exactly what it is. It’s a Draco AK 47 pistol. The Glocks you guys like pack a big punch, but I keep these just in case. And tonight might be one of those ‘in case’.”
“Because?”
“Because if somehow Barrera gets wind of what we’re doing, he might bring his patrol boats into that area, and handguns aren’t going to be a lot of good against their weapons.”
“Okay, then. Let’s have it. Getting out of here is good, but I’m guessing by these weapons, the rest of it is bad.”
Blaze nodded. “It’s not pretty, that’s for sure. Ed, you want to fill him in?”
“Barrera set up a checkpoint at every exit road from the city, originally to make sure Mallory hadn’t found a way to sneak out,” Ed told him. “Oh, no one’s lined up with guns, or anything like that. But every car that approaches a checkpoint gets a looksee. Mallory, Barrera pulled your picture off the internet and all his men have a copy of it. If they see anyone in a vehicle who even resembles you, they have orders to pull it over and bring the people in.”
Mallory frowned at him. “How did you get this information?”
“You can easily see the checkpoints, plus I have a line into Barrera’s goings-on.”
Rocket snickered. “Of course you do.”
“Anyway, we had to be careful not to approach the setups too closely or be too obvious when we turned away from them. They also had guards at the marina and the access road to where we landed is blocked off. So getting you to anyplace where a boat could pick you up is out. Period.”
“And Ed has resources he taps into,” Eagle added. “Like the guy whose house we brought you through when we got you out of the Albados. He’s the one who’s getting feedback for us on the checkpoints.”
“Speaking of the Albados.” Mallory took a step forward. “Where are they? I thought Barrera was planning to raid their house. And where’s Inez?”
Blaze held up a hand. “All taken care of. They’re both on their way to a little place in Baja California, where there are people who will give them a place to hide out until we can make them legal. Rocket, we need you to call Senator Kane and tell her part of the fee for fetching her sister is to take care of this situation with Inez and her family.”
“Inez is okay,” Mallory told them. “She was in the United States for so long between college and her work that she was able to become a citizen. It’s her parents who need the help.”
“I’ll take care of it just as soon as we’re finished here,” Rocket assured them. It was certainly the least he could do. “Okay, let’s have the rest of the bad news.”
“Since water access is cut off,” Blaze told him, “we’re going with option two.”
“The helo,” Viper added. “Trouble is, it’s a long walk from here to the cliff where Saint will pick us up. Ed figures about four hours. Can you handle that, Mallory?”
“I can handle anything,” she told him, “except not getting out of here.”
“She did fine in Afghanistan,” Rocket put in. “She’s a trooper.”
“There’s a possibility Saint might not be able to land. He might only be able to hover and you’d have to be hauled in?”
“Like I said, she’s fine with whatever,” Rocket confirmed.
“She is right here,” Mallory snapped, “and she can do whatever it takes to get the hell out of here. Let’s move along, okay?”
Rocket had to smother a grin.
“We just leaving the car here?” Viper wanted to know. “Isn’t that a giveaway?”
“It’s outlived its usefulness. So has this hut. And we won’t be coming back here, anyway.”
“So where is the chopper picking us up?” he asked. “La Jungla is thicker and more overgrown than most jungles. Is Saint good with this?”
“He’s on board,” Blaze assured them. “Where the jungle ends, there’s a strip of rocky land that ends at a steep cliff. That’s where he’ll extract us.”
“We called him,” Viper added, “and he’s ready to rock the second we give the go-ahead. So let’s get going here. But the rest of this hellhole is too overgrown to drive the SUV through it. We’d need some kind of ATV, which we don’t have. That’s why the exfil is at the rocky area at the top of a steep cliff. Which, as I say, is about a four-hour walk from here. So.” He looked around. “Everyone ready for a stroll through the jungle?”
* * * *
“I want to hit that house right now.”
Barrera was pacing back and forth in his office at the presidential palace. When none of his men had turned up any of the Albados anywhere in town, his anger reached the boiling point. Where the fuck had that bitch nurse and her parents disappeared to?
“I thought you wanted to wait until nighttime,” Ruben reminded him. “You said the dark was more effective.”
“I’ve changed my mind. It’s Saturday. People will be home and they will see the shame.”
Ruben sighed. “Jefe. What if they aren’t there? What if somehow they’ve managed to disappear? We haven’t been able to find these people. You don’t want people to see you raid an empty house. Do you still want to do this?”
What he wanted was to line up everyone who had given him a hard time and shoot them. Painfully.
He should have done this the night before. He knew it. But he couldn’t do it while entertaining Gerard Moreau. All because he wanted to run the show himself. To receive the glory for frightening and punishing people who had challenged him by bringing a destructive influence into his country. He had trouble admitting that his own vanity was at fault here.
But now he had a decision to make.
“Jefe, what are your thoughts?”
Maybe if he put on a show, someone would come forward with the information he needed about where the woman was hiding.
He turned to Ruben. “Here’s what I want to do.”
At seven o’clock that evening, when people were returning from the open market and getting ready for Saturday night festivities, six Santa Marita Army vehicles, lights flashing, pulled up in front of the house where the Albado family lived. Five uniforms headed to the rear of the building while the rest marched up to the front door. One of the men knocked three times. Hard. When the door did not open, a man in uniform and carrying a battering ram climbed the three steps and smacked the ram into the door. One more try and it slammed open.
The soldiers moved into the house, guns drawn as if they were seeking a criminal.
Barrera watched from his vehicle until they
’d moved inside and one of them motioned him forward. As he moved from his vehicle to the house, he took in the crowd beginning to gather in the street and on the sidewalk. He pulled himself up to his full six-foot-four height and looked around.
“You neighbors, the Albados, have committed crimes against the state. In addition, they have smuggled an enemy agent into the country, who is attempting to do us much harm. We will search every inch of this house, but as you can see, most likely they have fled. However, every exit from the island is controlled by our well-trained army and they will not escape. When the search is finished, we will confiscate all their possessions.”
Preening, he strode into the house and followed Ruben as the man moved from room to room.
The house was much the same as others in this area of Santa Marita, constructed of adobe with arched doorways. The furnishings were a combination of old and new, the decorations very colorful, much like the ones in the home where he’d grown up in Mexico.
But as he moved through the house and it became obvious there was no one here, his simmering anger grew hotter and hotter. Then Ruben called him to come into one of the bedrooms and what he saw made that anger erupt.
“Look at the ceiling.” Ruben pointed to a carefully painted Mayan sun.
“A painting.” Barrera shrugged. “So what?”
“Watch.”
There was a small wooden chair in the room that someone had dragged close to the bed. Ruben stood up on it and pressed one of the black dots in the painting. A large square of the ceiling in the center of the painting dropped down, hanging on its hinges. Ruben reached into it and pulled down a little four-rung ladder.
“God damn it.” Barrera exploded. “That bitch was hiding here all this time.”
Ruben nodded. “So it seems. I’m going to hoist myself up there and take a look.”
Barrera paced, grinding his teeth as he struggled to get a grip on his temper while he waited for Vidal to finish his exploration. Three of his soldiers stood silently in the small room with him, rigidly at attention. He knew they wouldn’t say or do anything to turn the heat of his wrath on them. They watched as he paced the floor, cursing steadily under his breath.