“The father is doing better. I worry for Lydia’s mom. Gloria internalizes things. She is so busy taking care of Ricardo she is a nervous wreck.”
“Are they safe enough to leave the house? Do things?”
“That’s another problem, Ricardo never wants to leave. So Gloria is stuck inside with him. He just watches TV. I play cards with her. I talk to her. We’re BFF’s. There’s parts of her that remind me of my mom.”
“What about the US Marshall’s?”
“They’re really standoffish. I talked to them, and they told me it was a bad idea to get emotionally attached. I said it was a bad idea for them to be dicks. We’re at an impasse.” Clint laughed.
“I did manage to find her Achilles heel, she loves romances, so I found a used bookstore with a stash of really juicy stories all in Spanish. That seems to have really made her happy.”
“Hmmm, I wonder if it would make Lydia happy.”
“You mean she’s not living a romance?”
“Asshole.”
“So I’ve been reading through your e-mails. It looks like you’re trying to bring down the Guzman organization.”
“Yeah. The reason the Hidalgo’s have to go into Witness Protection after Ricardo testifies is retribution from Guzman. If Guzman is no longer a threat, then they won’t need to go into hiding.”
“You don’t want Lydia to disappear, do you?”
“Would you?”
“Nope.”
“How’s Beth doing? Have you heard from Jack?”
“She’s doing well. She seems to be slowly coming out of her shell.”
“Good.”
The timer buzzed.
“Hey, I have to go, dinner’s ready.”
He plated the noodles and sauce and called Lydia. She set the table, and poured wine.
“My God Clint, this smells divine.”
“Hopefully you’ll like how it tastes too.” She got up and brought a grater and a block of parmesan cheese.
“You forgot the cheese.” She leaned over his shoulder. “How much would you like?” He leaned backwards into her breasts and looked up.
“Just keep grating until I say stop.” She grated at least a half a cup and finally made an exasperated sound and stilled.
“I didn’t tell you to stop.”
“I figured you out, you just want to rub up against me.”
“Yep.” He lifted his shoulder so it brushed the inside of her breast. She moaned. He took the grater and cheese from her hand, and toppled her into his lap.
“The food will get cold,” she protested. He kissed her, his tongue licking across the seam of her lips.
“To hell with the food, we can nuke it later.”
“Need you. Want you. I can’t live my life without you.”
“Take me to bed.”
“You’re not hearing me, Baby.” He stayed her hand as it crept up around his neck, and brought it to his cheek instead. “I need you in my life. Forever.” She went still.
“You can’t mean that.”
“Clint, as soon as Papa testifies, all of us are going into the Witness Protection Program with him.”
“Is that really what you want?” She melted closer and slid her fingers through the opening between the buttons to touch his chest.
“No Clint. I don’t even want to go back to Mexico City anymore. But maybe I’m hoping for too much.”
“Hell no! I want everything.” He tilted her chin up so he could look into the eyes holding his future. “Lydia Rose Hidalgo, please stay with me. Make a life with me. Marry me.” She looked stunned. So was he. He couldn’t believe he actually proposed without a plan, without a ring. He was an asshole.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I’m sorry Lydia, I didn’t mean for it to come out like that.”
“You don’t want to marry me?”
“Of course I do. With every part of me I want you to be my wife. I just should never have blurted it out. I should have waited to propose to you with hearts and flowers, but I needed you to know now. I want you in my life forever.”
“Do you really mean this?”
Clint couldn’t find any more words. Just the look of her was music, was poetry. She wasn’t just his future, she was his comfort, his solace, and his hope.
“I mean it, Lydia. I love you more than my life.”
“I’ve wanted to tell you how much I love you for so long. But I didn’t want you to feel pity for me. You’ve been so kind. I want to be your wife, but I don’t know how it would work.”
“We’re going to make it fucking work. There is no way you’re going into Witness Protection and leaving me.” It was a vow.
Chapter Nine
“Don’t make a sound.”
Lydia barely heard Clint’s words as he whispered in her ear. He grabbed her by the waist and helped her slip out and under the bed.
“Stay here and don’t move.” Again he used some freaky sub-vocal way of speaking.
The nylon carpet felt prickly against her naked body. She felt so exposed, even though there was a dust ruffle around the bed and she could barely see the floor of the bedroom.
SPLAT.
SPLAT.
What was that sound?
Oh God, it was a gun! It had a silencer.
She heard a man grunt, and then another SPLAT.
She heard a scream and she covered her mouth. It didn’t sound like Clint. Something crashed, she heard grunts. She couldn’t stand it. She scooched over to the side of the side of the bed near the door and peered under the dust ruffle. She saw boots and bare feet. She saw another body on the ground lying in a pool of blood.
One more thud, and then another clothed body hit the floor.
“Clint?”
He pulled up the ruffle and was there, looking at her. His hand grazed her face.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Stay where you are. There are probably more outside. Just give me a minute.”
A minute? Was he out of his mind?
She watched as he picked up his jeans from the side of the bed and pulled them on. Then he went to the dresser and wrenched it open, pulling out his gun and his knife.
She started to count. Uno, Dos, Tres… She clawed at the carpet, her toes curled. After she reached sixty she started to pray. She prayed to the Virgin Mary. She would understand the beauty of Clint’s soul. Mary would not allow harm to come to someone so good. She would protect him.
Lydia heard pounding feet.
“Lydia. We’re leaving.” Clint reached under the bed, and despite the urgency she felt from him, he was gentle as he helped her up.
“Get dressed and pack up. Whatever you do, don’t use the cell phones. I think they were traced when you talked to your family. I’m getting our computers and getting anything that will be useful.”
She focused on the dresser as she saw him pull the gun out of one of the dead men’s hands. She was not going to throw up.
He came up and ran his hand down her arm. “Are you going to be all right in here while I go downstairs?”
“I’m fine. Do what you need to do so we can get the hell out of here.” She went to the closet and pulled out the suitcase she unpacked that morning and started throwing clothes into it. One of the dead men was between her and the bathroom. She decided to skip the toiletries. They could buy anything they needed on the road. Sidestepping the other dead man she went downstairs and saw Clint with his laptop open.
“Mason, we were made.” Lydia went and stood behind Clint’s shoulder so she could see his screen. Mason looked like he had been wakened from a dead sleep.
“Tell me.”
“There were four of them. We’ve got to get out of here now.”
“Authorities?”
“I’m not staying around for them. I need to get Lydia to safety. Tell Finn this house has been compromised.”
“Don’t worry about it. Get the hell out of there, and report as soon as you’re someplace safe. Do yo
u have any idea how you got made?”
“Lydia talked to both Beth and her parents today. Coordinate with Jack and Finn. My guess is we have a problem in Chicago since the Marshalls are involved. I’m ditching the cell phones and getting some burners. I’ll contact you again on this secure video connection.”
“How are you going to be travelling, are you taking the RV?”
“Nope. Look, we’ve got to go. We’ll contact you in twenty-four hours. Fuck, I should never have believed those fucking Marshalls when they said the connection on their end was secure.”
“You still don’t know it was the phone call with her parents that caused this.”
“That’s bullshit, you know it didn’t happen because of Jack Preston. He’s too damn cautious. This is because of the fucking Marshalls. You tell Finn to throw away all of their shit and take care of the Hidalgo’s security personally, otherwise Lydia isn’t going to talk to them again.”
Mason gave a grim nod.
“Gotta go.” Clint shut the laptop. He turned to look at her.
“Fuck, I’m so fucking sorry. I fucked up.” She couldn’t believe her ears. She had just watched him save her life by killing two men, and apparently there were two more outside and he was apologizing for fucking up?!
“Are you out of your mind?”
“Somebody tried to kill you,” he growled as he pushed up from the table and loomed over her. “It’s my job to keep you safe.”
“Which you did!” She shoved her finger in his chest. “My God man, let’s get the hell out of here, and then we can discuss how you managed to hear shadows and save my life.” He stood there for just a moment and slowly grinned.
“So you’re not going to let me feel guilty?”
“Not for a second.” She grinned back as she picked up the computer and shoved it at him.
“Did I tell you I want to marry you?”
“Yep, and I agreed. But if you keep trying to take the blame for shit that’s not your fault, I might reconsider.” She breathed a silent sigh of relief when she saw the guilt finally change to resolve.
“Wouldn’t want you to change your mind.” He swooped in for a hard kiss she matched. God it was like a spark to kerosene. They broke apart and he picked up the suitcase. She grabbed her laptop case and followed him out of the house. She wasn’t surprised when he guided her towards a black SUV. She averted her eyes from another body.
She waited until they were on the interstate before she asked him where they were going.
“Ever wanted to go to Disney World?”
“When I was a little girl.” Lydia thought back to her dreams of being a princess.
“We’re going to hide near the Magic Kingdom.”
“Why?”
“Orlando has a huge airport. It has Universal Studios and Epcot. We’ll be invisible.” It made perfect sense.
“But why does the airport matter?”
“Some of the team is going to be here eventually. We always knew you were going to be a target, but I thought it was going to be something we could arrange. This came as a total fucking surprise. The next time will be on our terms.”
Despite the smile he had thrown at her as he talked about Disney World, Lydia felt him vibrating with rage. It made sense since she was beginning to tremble with the after effects.
Oh God.
“Pull over.” He looked at her, and maneuvered the vehicle to the shoulder. By the time she had her seatbelt undone and the door open, he was by her side.
“I’ve got you.” He helped her to the foliage, and had her hair pulled back as she threw up. She tried to stay upright, but it was a losing battle. When she was close to hitting her knees, he held her up, her back to his front.
Finally there was nothing left in her stomach she hung in his arms shuddering. It was then his tender words worked their way through to her consciousness.
“My warrior. So fierce. I have you. You’re safe.”
She wiped her mouth. “I’m done,” she whispered weakly.
He picked her up and she was soon buckled into the passenger seat. He leaned in to kiss her, and she dodged him.
“Vomit breath.”
He stole his kiss anyway.
“Always Lydia to me.” She gave a watery giggle, as he probably hoped would happen. He went to his backpack and scrounged up a bottle of water and gave it to her. She sucked down a mouthful, and then motioned him out of the way so she could spit.
“Really Clint, you couldn’t have waited until now to kiss me? You are such a goof.”
“I’m your goof.” He shut the door and they were soon back on the road. She felt better.
“Lydia, why don’t you see if you can take a nap?”
“No, I want to stay up with you.” That was the last thing she remembered before she fell asleep.
****
Lydia didn’t even wake up when he pulled over in a strip mall to buy two throw-a-way cell phones at an electronics store. He contacted Mason, and soon was getting a call from Finn.
“So how bad is it, Finn?” Clint asked quietly. He was using his newly acquired earbud so Lydia wouldn’t hear anything his team mate would have to say.
“Jesus, Clint it was a blood bath up here.”
“Her parents?”
“Fine. Scared to fucking death. Beth is fine too. No attempt was made on her. Her location is secure.”
“Thank God. Before you tell me what happened. Have you moved locations?”
“That’s a stupid question.”
“So where are you?”
“On our way to Minneapolis. Damn it’s going to be cold.”
“Are the US Marshalls still with you?” He pulled down the visor as the sun glinted off the tractor trailer truck in front of him.
“Nope. In all of the confusion I took the Hidalgo’s and left. Those dumb shits.”
“Did you tell Mason?”
“Yeah, I left it up to him and our Captain to smooth things over. Mike, the guy I told you about tried to kill me tonight. I’m not going to risk the Hidalgos with them anymore. Obviously their screening system is a problem.”
“Ya think?” Clint was appalled. It was like hearing a SEAL turned rogue.
“They are staying with me, and with me only, until the trial.”
“Don’t tell me where you are exactly.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“Finn, what the hell happened?” Clint looked over at Lydia. She was still sleeping soundly.
“We have two Marshalls who patrol the house outside and two who are inside. I’m upstairs with Lydia’s parents. I’m the last line of defense. It always came down to how well they’ve kept things under wraps. What the Marshalls didn’t know is that I had put motion sensors on all of the entry points around the house, as well as one at the bottom of the stairs, since the Hidalgos and I stayed upstairs.”
“Trust issues much?” Clint asked.
“Grogan seemed like a decent guy, but his organization is too big for him to know for sure he still didn’t have bad apples.”
“Okay, so you have the motion sensors. Then what?”
“I have the alarm set up on my phone. I knew as soon as we were breached. I got the Hidalgos into the bathroom tub. Two men were on their way upstairs by the time I got them secure. One was Mike, I didn’t recognize the other. I dispatched them. When I got downstairs, I saw the other Marshall, Law Henson, were dead. I went outside. There was a van waiting. I took those motherfuckers out. They had already killed the other two Marshalls who patrolled outside.”
Clint heard the fatigue in Finn’s voice.
“Are you going to be able to rest?”
“Soon. Where are you headed?”
“Orlando.”
“Okay, I’ll text you with your accommodations.”
“Bullshit. I’ll figure it out. You just rest.”
“Hey, you figure out the computer shit, I arrange things. We all have our strengths, me I’m the team’s version of Hotels.com. Afte
r I’m done I’ll get back on the road, and then when we get to Minneapolis I’ll get some shut eye.”
Clint relaxed. Letting Finn take care of these types of things made life better.
“Hey, Clint? Let’s wait for a couple of days for Lydia to talk to her folks, okay?”
“I agree. Thanks Buddy.”
****
Clint paced the floor of the suite at the Four Seasons in Orlando when a soft knock finally came. He glanced at the closed door where Lydia was sleeping before he answered the knock.
Darius and Drake nodded as he ushered them in.
“Nice digs. Who did you have to rob?” Drake went to the window and pushed back the curtain so he could look down at the view below.
“You have to ask? This is definitely Finn’s doing.” Darius opened the suitcase he brought in.
“Finn had to spend some time assuring me he wasn’t compromised and this reservation was secure.” Clint hated to question his team mate, but after the shit that went down in Tampa, he couldn’t be too careful.
“Where’s Lydia?” Drake asked as he peered over Darius’ shoulder.
“She’s sleeping.” Clint pointed towards one of the closed doors in the suite.
“Are you sleeping double?” Drake asked as he took out one of the guns from the suitcase.
“Jesus, Drake, is nothing sacred?” Darius exclaimed. Then he lowered his voice and looked at Clint. “So are you?”
“You two are nothing but gossipy old ladies.”
“Inquiring minds want to know.”
“I asked her to marry me and she said yes.”
Drake pulled out his phone and tapped on it. “Fuck!”
“What?” Clint asked.
Darius laughed. “Drake just realized he lost. Mason won the pool, right?”
“Yep. He called it.”
“You guys were betting on my love life?” Clint looked at his laughing team mates as they checked out the guns and ammunition they were pulling out of the suitcase.
“Yep, it was Drake’s idea,” Darius said.
“You bet I was going to propose?”
“Fuck yeah. There wasn’t a doubt in any of our minds, it was just a matter of when.” Drake put the Beretta in the holster he was wearing.
Clint shook his head in wonder. “Where did you get the hardware?”
Her Loyal Seal Page 12