by Shauna Allen
I shrugged. “That’s what she said.”
“You smell a trap?”
“I’m not sure.” I ran a hand down my scraggly face. “I don’t think so. Who fucking knows? Do I have a choice?”
“How’d she get your number, bro?”
I flinched and looked away, mumbling under my breath about the note I’d left.
“You left her a note?” He sounded incredulous. “What the hell, Lucky?”
I shoved to stand. “Yeah. Whatever. Dumb move. But I was pissed, and I let it get the best of me.”
He studied me with thoughtful eyes.
“What?”
“That doesn’t explain how she knew who you were, does it?”
I tilted my head. Come to think of it, no, it didn’t. Her phone call didn’t tell me much, but it was clear she knew I wasn’t a part of her world. How much she knew was still in question.
“So, you’re going to meet her?”
“Hell, yeah, I’m gonna meet her.”
“And if it’s a trap?”
“That’s what I have you for, you big dope.”
He just laughed.
Two
Grace
I wasn’t sure what I expected when I snuck out of my house a little after eleven o’ clock that night. Maybe to be followed, ambushed, abducted, and taken to Esteban. But it was silent and still as I made my way through the night, dressed in black, toward the office. On foot, I was an open target, but I stayed hidden in the shadows and kept my pace slow and methodical, making sure I was alone all the way there. I didn’t think anyone was watching me, but I couldn’t be sure Esteban didn’t have someone on me since our little video chat where he told me of my wedding plans.
The thought still gave me violent chills.
I had obsessed about it all that day, wondering how I could fix the situation and rescue Brianne, short of chaining myself in unholy matrimony. The thought of Juan’s slimy claws on my skin make me physically ill, and I found myself in the bathroom, vomiting up what little I had in my stomach.
Then I found myself staring at that note again.
Driven by desperation, I found myself dusting off my long-hidden skill set and perusing the dark web to find the source of the name Lucky and that phone number. It didn’t take me long to link it to the American military.
I had no idea why the Americans would be snooping around my office . . . but then again, maybe I did. The real question was, could they—would they—help Bri? Did I have any other options?
Love will make you do stupidly reckless things, and I was about to do the stupidest thing I could think of by offering myself up to the people I’d been taught my entire life were the enemy. But tonight, I was no longer sure who the enemy was.
I tiptoed around the corner near my office, peeking into the alleyway.
Empty.
My heart sank.
He hadn’t come.
Any hope I might’ve had, no matter how small, was dead.
I sagged against the stucco, tears burning my eyes.
Suddenly, a gloved hand slammed over my mouth, making me gasp. The distinctly cold metal of a gun barrel pressed into my side. Hot breath fanned across my cheek as he spoke low and gritty into my ear. “Move. Slow and easy.”
He guided me from behind, his body heat menacing as we made our way down the alleyway to a waiting car and he shoved me inside.
Another man waited behind the wheel. He glanced back at me when I landed on the seat, his eyes hard, but not evil as he assessed me in one quick sweep. “No one tailing her?”
The man who’d grabbed me pushed me to the middle of the back seat, slid in beside me, and slammed the door. “Doesn’t look like it.”
The other man nodded once, put the car in gear, and pulled away from my office building.
As we drove, the car was eerily quiet, only the sound of my breathing and the pounding of my heart to keep me company as I tried to gain my bearings. I’d put myself in this situation by asking this man to meet me, and now he could kill me and nobody would ever know. God, I was so stupid.
I chanced a glance at the man next to me, his eyes trained out the window, his long, blunt fingers tapping restlessly on his muscular thighs. I’d been around dangerous men all my life. He was no different, only his energy was more refined, restrained. He appeared to have trained his killer instincts and honed them into something altogether different than what I was used to.
Tall and sculpted, he was not bulky. The hair that peeked out from beneath his skull cap and that painted his unshaven face was dark blonde. His eyes, even in the dark confines of the car, were a light shade I couldn’t make out, but I could ascertain the intensity in them, the accuracy with which he catalogued the world around him.
His gaze suddenly zipped to mine. “Do you know who I am?”
I frowned. “No.”
“Don’t lie to me.” His glare was stony.
“American military. That’s all I know.”
“How do you know that?”
I felt the driver’s eyes on me from the rearview mirror. “Your phone number. I searched its source.”
He narrowed his gaze, obviously not believing me. “Do you know Marco Esteban?”
He seemed to already know the answer. This was a test. “Yes.”
“How?”
“My father worked for him many years ago.”
We stared each other down for several long beats as the scenery outside changed from the lights of city streets to the darkness of country. “You said you wanted my help.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
I swallowed, fighting the urge to look away. “I know too many of the cartel’s secrets. To ensure that I keep quiet, Mr. Esteban has ordered me to marry his brother, Juan, in one week.” I blinked away the threat of tears. “I would happily die rather than let that disgusting pig touch me, but they have my best friend, Brianne, and they will kill her if I don’t do it.” I searched his gaze for a shred of human decency, an ounce of compassion for my plight. “That’s why I need your help. Not for me. For Brianne.”
~ ~
I’m not sure if the strange man with the haunted eyes believed me. He didn’t say a word as he and his friend exchanged stony glances and we kept driving, seemingly without a particular destination. We finally pulled over behind a deserted fruit stand near the Texas border.
The driver killed the engine and lights. Silence descended all around and we were swallowed whole in the black Mexican night. It was as if we were the only three people in the world, and I suddenly felt very, very vulnerable. I squirmed closer to the door, my palms sweaty, my heart racing behind my ribcage like a runaway thoroughbred horse.
“Don’t move,” the man next to me commanded before slipping outside.
The driver got out as well, locking me in and pocketing the keys.
They met near the hood, where I could barely make out their outlines in the dim moonlight as they spoke in hushed tones. I wondered what they were talking about and I was suddenly acutely aware that my fate lay as much in their hands as it ever did in Marco Esteban’s. But I was desperate, and I had to pray that, in this case, the devil I didn’t know was actually better than the one I did, because that was my only hope of saving both myself and Brianne.
The driver folded his arms across his chest and paced, a slight limp evident in his movement. He listened intently to the other man’s deep, rumbly voice then shot me a quick look before saying something himself.
After several minutes of back and forth debate, they pulled out a phone and made a call. My mouth went dry. Panic seized my body. Were they calling Esteban to come get me?
I frantically searched the door for a handle to escape, but it wouldn’t budge. I scrambled across the seat to check the other doors. Nothing.
The door finally swung open and I met my captor’s steely gaze. “Miss me?”
I opened my mouth to tell him to go to hell, but he just barked out a harsh laugh. “Relax, sweethea
rt. Sit down. We’re not gonna hurt you. Not yet, anyway.”
That did not make me feel any better, but I took what reassurances I could get and did as I was told since I didn’t have much of a choice anyway. As I settled down, both men slid back inside the car, their masculine scents nearly overwhelming.
“What’s your name?” I blurted, not sure why I was being so ballsy, but having nothing to lose at this point.
He studied me with the eyes of a predator, taking inventory of his prey. “I’m Lucky.” He tipped his head to the man up front. “That’s Tex.”
I lifted a brow. “Lucky?”
“That’s what they call me.”
“But that’s not your name.”
“No, it’s not, but it’s all you’re getting for now.” He shifted in his seat, reminding me of the gun he’d held to me earlier. “So, here’s how this is gonna go down, Miss Trevino. We’re going to take you home—”
“No!”
He ignored my outburst, the tick of his jaw the only indication that he’d heard me. “We’re going to take you home. You’re going to dig up any and everything you have on Marco Esteban and bring it to us at the same time tomorrow to prove you’re serious. Then, and only then, will we consider your request.”
“But that’s twenty-four hours of wasted time.” I hated that it sounded like I was whining. I didn’t even bother to ask him how he knew where I lived. It didn’t matter. I knew he had his resources, just as I had mine.
“Guess you’d better make your information good then.” The man he’d introduced as Tex started the car and began driving again. “Show us this isn’t all bullshit.”
I gaped. He didn’t believe me. But, I supposed, in his shoes, I wouldn’t believe me either. “Fine.” I slammed my arms across my chest and stared out the window as we made our way back into town. Still, the closer we got to my house, the more desperate I began to feel. Time was ticking away, and I wasn’t sure I could trust Marco or Juan to not hurt Brianne before the wedding.
I felt his scrutiny like a fine chill coating my skin, though he said nothing. He’d made his feelings very clear. He didn’t trust me, and I would have to offer up something to earn it. My mind cycled through possibilities of what I could give him that would satisfy his demand. What I might be able to easily give up without tipping off Mr. Esteban . . .
The car slowed to a crawl. Something buzzed through the atmosphere like electricity. My gaze shot over to Lucky, but his eyes were trained out the front windshield.
“Tango?” Tex mumbled under his breath.
“Affirmative.” He spared me a glance, as if to question if I’d done something, then turned back. “Go!”
Suddenly, we were speeding past my house, but not before I caught sight of the two black SUVs parked in front, one of them circling to speed after us.
Lucky lasered me with a glare full of venom. “Did you honestly think you could trap us?”
“What? No!” I spun in my seat to watch Esteban’s crew give chase. “I didn’t know anything about this. I swear!”
Suddenly, bullets were flying, sending shards of glass through the air. My eardrums rang so hard it felt like they might burst, and a scream erupted from my lips.
Lucky threw his body over mine as Tex weaved us through the streets. Tears streamed down my face. I began to shake violently.
I don’t know how long we drove or even what was happening in that moment. All I knew was that I felt safer than I had in a long time trapped under Lucky’s strong body and that was all kinds of wrong.
After what felt like an eternity, my shaking stopped, and the car slowed. Lucky rolled off of me and helped me to sit up. I wiped the tears from my eyes, only to realize we’d stopped in front of my office building. I turned confused eyes to him.
“Change of plans. Go inside with Tex. Get whatever files you can on Esteban or the cartel. You have ten minutes.”
“Then what?”
He lifted a brow at my question. “Then you’re coming with us, sweetheart.”
Three
Lucas
I still didn’t trust Grace Trevino any further than I could throw her gorgeous ass, but we didn’t have many options with Esteban’s crew hot on our tails, so Tex and I were working on the fly. Grabbing whatever intel she might be good for then getting back to base seemed like the best option at this point. Then we could regroup and determine just how much of a threat Miss Trevino was when she was on our home turf.
I watched her slip inside with Tex, doing my damnedest to ignore the feminine sway of her generous hips. I had to keep my head in the game and my eyes peeled for threats while they were exposed.
I checked my watch then shot Tito a text to let him know we were heading out tonight. I knew he wouldn’t bother with stupid questions.
OK brother, was his simple reply. Be safe.
I tucked my phone away then did a visual sweep of the street again. Still quiet, though I knew enough about Marco Esteban to know it wouldn’t stay that way for much longer. When they couldn’t track us, they’d come looking here.
Nine minutes and forty-three seconds later, Tex and Grace ducked out of her office and made a beeline for the car. We slid away from the curb without a word and headed straight for our motel.
I led her inside and deposited her in a chair so we could pack. Tex began to methodically load up his computer gear while I stuffed the rest of our shit into duffels.
“What about my things?” she squeaked.
I glanced up into huge, dark eyes. “What about them?”
“I . . .” Her gaze darted down to the pistol on the bed. “Where are you taking me? For how long?”
“California.” I went back to packing. “And for however long it takes to sort this shit out.”
“Cali—?” She paused, seeming to lose her words, which was fine with me. I had other things on my mind. “I can’t go to California with you. My life is here.”
I shoved some more clothes into the bag. “Not anymore.” I looked up. “Did you miss the fact that those guys want to kill you? Probably rape and torture you first?” I didn’t bother sugarcoating it for her, though surely, she knew how this cartel operated.
She swallowed. “No.”
She was either in severe shock, a fucking liar, or a phenomenal actress. I couldn’t tell which. “So, we go back to California. Tonight.”
“But I have nothing. No clothes, no personal items, no passport, no . . . nothing.”
I almost felt sorry for her. “At least you’re alive. I’ll take care of the rest.” She glanced away, and I went back to packing as Tex moved to start taking bags to the car. As tears began streaking down her face, I steeled myself against them. I had no idea if she was the enemy or not yet, but I’d always been a sucker for women’s tears. Shit. “Look . . . it’s not safe to go back to your place, but we’ll get you whatever stuff you need when we get there.”
I shoved out the door with my duffel before she could even think about thanking me.
~ ~
We were on a flight back to Camp Pendleton before dawn, and I did everything in my power to ignore Grace Trevino’s dark, haunted eyes. I refused to believe she was as innocent as she seemed, no matter how good she might’ve looked in that tight, black getup.
“You hungry?” I finally took pity on her and tossed her a granola bar from my pack just before we touched down in Cali.
She caught it, her gaze sliding to Tex, who dozed beside us. “Thank you.”
I nodded. “Sorry, it’s the best I’ve got. It’ll probably be a while until we can get a proper meal.”
She opened the wrapper and took a small bite. “It’s okay.”
I studied her in the soft light of the rising sun as it painted the cabin of the plane, trying to reconcile the beautiful woman in front of me having anything to do with Marco Esteban. And that damn white wolf painting. I was haunted by that image in her office. She obviously knew her way around computers. Was that why Esteban wanted to ensure her place in
his organization? If so, why did she so readily come to us? Something just wasn’t adding up, but I was determined to figure her out if it was the last thing I did.
She caught my stare, her eyes as dark as the bottom of an ink well. “You don’t trust me.” She stated it as a fact. Which it was.
“I don’t trust anyone but my brothers.” Another fact.
Her head dipped in acknowledgment. “As long as you help Brianne, that’s all that matters to me.”
I leaned forward, my elbows on my thighs, lacing my fingers together. “Why is she so important to you?”
“I told you she’s my best friend, but she’s more than that.” Her hand with the granola bar dropped to her lap as her expression became lost in memory. “She’s the sister I never had. We grew up together.” Her gaze met mine, full of defiance. “I didn’t ask to be brought into this world, Lucky. I didn’t ask to be surrounded by monsters and violence. Neither did she. But it’s what we were forced into and we do what we have to in order to survive.” She sucked in a breath. “It’s a bond we share that few understand. I’d do anything to keep her safe. She’d do the same for me.”
She seemed sincere. Everything about her felt real. Still, I couldn’t buy into her story one-hundred percent. Not yet. Not until we’d fact-checked every single thing. But I could still understand her sentiment. I hadn’t been raised in a cartel, but I felt just as strongly about my brothers in arms, and I knew a little something about being willing to lay down my life for another man. And as tears collected in her big, dark eyes, I wanted to believe her. I wanted to so fucking bad. My hands itched to hold her and comfort her and feel if her skin was truly as soft as it looked. And I cursed myself an idiot for it. She was the enemy until I knew otherwise.
“Your English is perfect,” I said instead, changing the subject.
She blinked her tears away. “Yes. One perk of having cartel money. Expensive tutors. We lived too close to the American border to not be able to communicate.” She took another bite of her granola bar. “Plus, Brianne is American, so she taught me some English when we were young. Especially cuss words.” This made her smile, but I sat up taller.