Hunter would love to just take the shot and be done with it, but there were at least fifteen gang members downstairs. Nope, they needed to stick to the plan. It rested with Zed. He hadn’t been spotted outside Mrs. J’s house. He could definitely come in as a player who needed to talk to San Marcos. It would be a stretch for Aiden or Dalton to pull it off. The one hitch in the plan would be if anyone remembered him from years ago.
Meanwhile, Dalton and Aiden were getting into position. There was a closed beauty salon to the right of the tattoo parlor, and Dalton was going in through the back. Aiden occasionally enjoyed heights, so he was doing some second story work in the accountant’s office to the left of the tattoo parlor. Hunter wasn’t thrilled being relegated to conductor. But, on the upside, thanks to Aiden, he had a rifle, so he might get to have some fun.
“Can you three hear me?” Hunter whispered into his mic. When he got affirmatives, he explained what he saw going on with San Marcos. “Lorenzo is LL’s seventeen-year-old son.”
“Is he a traitor to his dad or working undercover?” Aiden asked.
“He’s not bright enough for undercover,” Hunter sighed. Shit, this was going to kill LL.
“This doesn’t impact the plan, does it?” Zed asked.
“Nope,” Hunter responded. “Go for it.”
He watched as Zed drove Aiden’s Audi up the street to the parlor and double parked. He couldn’t hear clearly through all the commotion, but he knew people were telling him he couldn’t park there. Zed, in his normal friendly manner, said something that had everyone backing away with their hands up and ushering him into the parlor.
When he got into the parlor, it was easier to hear what he was saying.
“My business is with San Marcos,” Zed said in Spanish.
“I’m Esteban, tonight you talk to me.” Esteban looked like he had served thirty years in Attica and had scared even the warden.
Zed took four steps forward until they were nose-to-nose. “Esteban, you seem like a really nice guy, but I didn’t drive all the way from San Diego to talk to the help. I can make this operation a million dollars in a weeks time, but if getting his dick sucked is too important to San Marcos, I’ll just take this deal to LL.”
Hunter believed him, hook line and sinker. Zed shouldn’t be in the Navy, he should be in the movies. Esteban believed him too. He didn’t say a word, he just turned around and sauntered through a door that led to the back stairs.
Hunter could see San Marcos was pissed to be interrupted. It wasn’t that bad, he had the woman continue with what she was doing the entire time Esteban talked to him. Both Esteban and San Marcos seemed to realize at the same moment they were discussing something they shouldn’t in front of Lorenzo because they looked over at him. San Marcos tilted his head toward the kid, and Esteban got the message. Before Hunter had a chance to react, Esteban took out his gun and shot Lorenzo in the head.
The two young women started screaming. It was the perfect diversion.
“Aiden, Dalton, Go.”
Esteban dragged the two girls away from the couch by their hair and threw them down onto the floor, close to where Lottie was tied. San Marcos was up and zipped. Esteban was out the door first, then shots started. In an instant, San Marcos’ entire demeanor changed. He looked around the room, saw Lorenzo’s body, the two crying women, and Lottie who was totally zoned out. He cocked his head and listened to the shots. He shook his head and pulled out his gun and aimed it at the woman tied to the chair.
Hunter pulled the rifle’s trigger and watched San Marco’s head explode. Lottie was safe.
“Lottie’s upstairs on the second floor. Make sure nobody goes upstairs,” Hunter said into the mic. He grabbed his gear and headed off the roof.
When he hit the pavement, he saw two black Escalades pulling up behind the Audi. LL was one of the first ones out of the SUV. He ran into the tattoo parlor as Dalton came out carrying Lottie, Aiden followed him, with Zed in the rear.
“Zed, take the Audi and get Lottie to a hospital. All hell is really about to break loose inside. We need to be gone.”
Dalton gently placed Lottie into the passenger seat and buckled her in. Yelling, screaming, and automatic gunfire was heard from inside. As soon as the door was closed, Zed sped down the street. Hunter and his teammates hauled ass down one block and over three to Zed’s piece of shit rental.
Hunter couldn’t get back to Aliana fast enough.
***
“Cariña, wake up.”
Aliana hurt. It took a moment to realize she had been sleeping in a chair beside her best friend’s hospital bed. She looked up and there was Hunter. He looked ragged.
“Are you okay?” she asked in a whisper.
“Can you come with me?” He held out his hand, helped her up, and took her to the corner of the room, away from Lottie.
“What’s going on?”
“Nicolas’ family is all sorts of fucked up at the moment, and Ana Garcia is in a lot of pain. I was hoping you could work some of your magic.”
“What’s going on?”
“As much of a monster as he was, Mateo was still her son, and he died last night. There are complications with Darla’s pregnancy, so she has to stay in the hospital longer, and Nicolas is peppering her with questions about his real mom, and she seems to be at her breaking point.”
Aliana listened to what he said, but that didn’t explain why he looked as though he’d gone through the ringer.
“Mi Amor, I asked you if you were okay,” she repeated quietly.
“Dex warned me about getting a smart one, said if I did, I’d never get away with shit.”
He was scaring her. She grabbed his big hand in hers and held it against her chest.
“Just tell me what’s wrong.”
“I’ve been called away on a mission. We go wheels up tonight. I just found out. I’ve got to leave in the next twenty minutes.” He looked like he was in pain. There were lines of stress on his forehead and his dimples were nowhere to be found.
“When are you going to be back?”
“I don’t know, Alia. We’re going in blind. I should be able to call in a week. Maybe send an email.” His voice trailed off. What wasn’t he saying?
“Hunter, what does going in blind mean?”
“It means I won’t know where we’re headed until we get on the plane. Then we’ll find out the location and mission parameters. That means it’s hot. Sometimes those are fast and to the point, but sometimes they can be protracted.”
“Hunter, what’s the longest mission you’ve ever been on?”
“Five months.” He put his arm around her waist and bent closer so they could see each other’s eyes better in the dim light of the hospital room. “But Alia, that was only one time. They’re mostly two to three weeks, but if I’m laying my cards on the table, there was another one that lasted three months. And I know that Zed’s team had one that lasted almost a year.”
That was her Hunter, honest to a fault.
“Honey, it’s okay. This is your job. You serve our country. I respect that.”
“Yeah, but can you live with it?”
“We’re going to find out, now aren’t we?” She smiled the best she could. “Now that we’ve wasted five minutes, could I please get my goodbye kiss?”
Despite her teasing, he was still concerned. It was time to take matters into her own hands. She grabbed his ears and pulled his head down to hers. He broke out into a grin.
“I love it when you get all bossy, Ms. Novak.”
“Shut up and kiss me.”
***
“Is he gone?” Lottie asked.
Aliana turned to her friend and saw her looking at her through swollen eyelids. She had been beaten while under the tender mercies of San Marcos. She had two broken ribs and a broken wrist.
“Yes, he’s gone.”
“You seem to have come out of your shell,” she teased. Aliana glanced sharply at Lottie, unable to believe that she was making jokes
at a time like this. Not because Hunter was leaving but because of Ernie. She got close to her bedside and saw the tears running down her face.
“Ah, Girlfriend, you don’t have to be the life of the party for me,” Aliana whispered. She touched the splint on Lottie’s arm that showed up so white against her caramel colored skin. “Let me be here for you like you’ve always been there for me.”
“There’s no need,” Lottie’s voice was toneless.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that it’s over. I don’t need any consolation, I’m so far past that point, that I’m not even going to look for any.”
“It hasn’t even been a day. You’ll feel differently tomorrow.”
Lottie’s eyes met hers. “Honey, I have the piece of paper on the wall. I know things. Here’s what I know. A heart can only hold so much sorrow before it shuts down.”
Aliana knew better than to try to change her mind. Time would be the only thing that could heal the pain. Even now, despite all the inroads Hunter had made, she still found it hard to believe there might be a future for the two of them. The fact that he had to go so suddenly seemed to be a harbinger of things to come. Maybe it would be for the best if―
“Stop it!” Lottie commanded from her hospital bed.
“Stop what?”
“Stop setting things up for failure before they’ve even started.”
“Is that what your piece of paper tells you?” Aliana let the sarcasm fly. “Lucky for you, I happen to agree with you. I’m sick and tired of letting old tapes run my life. But you better watch out my friend because that also means I’m not going to put up with your happy horseshit for very long.”
Aliana leaned in and carefully hugged her friend so she didn’t hurt her injuries. “I love you. Of course, you get time to grieve. But in no way shape or form do you get to spout some nonsense about your heart being out of business for good. That’s just not going to happen. Not on my watch.”
“Back off Aliana.”
“You’ve had my back for years, Lottie. I’m going to return the favor. I love you.”
“If you do this, I will never let you give up on Hunter,” Lottie threatened.
“I’m counting on that.”
Chapter Fifteen
It was four o’clock. Their SKYPE call was supposed to have taken place between one and four o’clock. Please say he would still be calling. This would be her seventh chance to see him since he’d left last month, and she needed these calls like she needed air to breathe.
Aliana refused to leave the new computer that was on top of the new desk in her new apartment. That was just one more bit of information she wanted to share with Hunter, she’d taken a lease on an apartment. It was month-to-month. It was a little more money that way, but it allowed her the flexibility to easily leave when she found the right place.
She checked her internet connection for the sixty-third time and then sat back in her office chair.
“Come on, please call.”
Sakra! She was getting on her own damn nerves. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and blew it out for a count of three. She did it five more times before checking her internet connection for the sixty-fourth time.
“Get it together,” she said out loud in Czech. She reached for her purse and pulled out her wallet. She rifled through it until she found what she was looking for. She unfolded the old lined piece of paper and stopped for a moment to admire Hunter’s bold printing.
Dear Aliana,
This letter closes one chapter for us, but starts another. For ten years you have given me your smiles. You made me feel better about myself, and whenever I wavered, I always chose a righteous path because I wanted you to be proud of me. Your friendship saved me.
I know you’re sad I’m leaving. I know you’re probably even angry, but you won’t show it because you’re too kind. There is no way I would ever leave you behind. You are always part of my heart. Always. But I want more. I know we each have lives to live, but I want our futures to always be connected.
Alia, I know how hellish it can be in school, but you are the strongest girl I know. Please hold on. Please continue to be my friend as our next chapter starts.
Now I’ll tell you a secret, I’ve always needed you more than you ever needed me.
-Love
Hunter Diaz
She checked the internet connection…again. Aliana wiped away a tear. She wasn’t going to get to talk to Hunter today, and she’d had so much to tell him. She folded up the letter and carefully put it back into her wallet. She thought about all of her news.
Shorinda had gotten Ana Garcia a job at the nursing home, and now, the woman only needed to work one job instead of two and a half. She had been doing a great job with Aliana’s mother. As a result, the last two times she had visited, Maminka had recognized her.
Ana was also acting like a lioness around her two children, and she made it absolutely clear to Nicolas she considered him hers. Darla’s pregnancy was progressing well, and Lottie was her birth coach. It seemed to be helping both of them heal.
But the thing that she knew would tickle the hell out of Hunter was last Saturday’s upset. She’d been dying to tell him about that. Hunter had been looking kind of ragged the last time they talked. He couldn’t really say anything about what was going on in his world, so she worked hard to try to be entertaining, and by God, she’d struck gold with this latest event.
They’d had to postpone the book club meeting for a month, which was just as well since Aliana had so much to get done. But when they did have it, it was a doozy. They were due to discuss Fifty Shades of Gray. Everybody was gathered, except for the lady in pink. Florence showed up to the book club fifteen minutes late. This time she wasn’t wearing pink, she was wearing a black trench coat and red lipstick. Her hair was no longer pink, it was blonde.
“I can’t stay long,” she said. “I did want to talk about the book, though. It was transformative.”
Esther gave her a long considering look.
“How so?” Velma asked.
“It occurred to me that I wasn’t living my life to its fullest.”
Aliana’s grandmother nudged her and gave her a questioning glance. “I’ll explain later,” Aliana said in Czech. She was just thankful she hadn’t been able to find a translation of the book in Czech for Babička like she had wanted. Aliana didn’t think she could have handled having those discussions.
“Are you living your life better now?” Velma asked.
“Oh yes.”
The doorbell to Mamie’s apartment rang.
“That’s probably my ride. Raoul is very punctual.” Florence got up from the couch and swayed across the room. That was when Aliana noticed that the woman’s stockings had seams running up the back.
Florence let in a man who had to be twenty years younger. “Everyone, this is Raoul Delacroix, he and I have a lunch and dinner date.”
“My dear, it’s going to last much longer than that,” the man said as he kissed the side of her neck. “It was lovely meeting you.” He gave a wave to the crowd and escorted Florence out the door.
“She’s paying for that,” Esther said.
“I don’t think so,” Mamie disagreed.
“Who gives a damn. If she is, he’s worth every dime,” Velma said.
“I need a drink,” another woman chimed in.
She had been holding onto this nugget for a week, picturing Hunter’s face when she told him. Why wasn’t he calling?
“Dammit, I just wanted to see him, was that too much to ask?” she yelled in Czech. She went to the closet and pulled out her yoga mat and guitar and sat down so she could calm herself in music. For just the slightest moment as she looked at her guitar pick, she thought of using it for other things, but then she gave a relieved grin as the feeling passed.
She was in the middle of her fourth song when there was a knock on the door. She looked through the peephole and all she saw were sunflowers and daisies. It couldn�
�t be.
“Who is it?”
“Open the door, Alia.”
She’d only been in the apartment for a week, so she fumbled with the lock. She kept twisting it the wrong way. Her hands were getting sweaty.
“Cariña, if you don’t hurry, I’m just going to break down the door,” Hunter laughed.
She yanked the door open and looked up into a mound of flowers. She wanted them gone. She wanted to see him.
“Easy,” he said as she shoved the flowers out of her way.
There he was. He had dimples. “Hunter, thank God you’re home.” He swept them both inside the apartment.
“Cariña, this is really nice,” he said as he made his way straight to the kitchen. What was he doing? She watched him dump the flowers in the sink. Then he turned back to her, and the smile changed from happy to hungry. She thanked God again.
He pulled her into his arms. Fire exploded as their lips collided. Every pent-up feeling, every unsaid word, every lost day was set free. The lush burst of passion sent her reeling, Aliana felt like she was on a merry-go-round. The world was literally spinning around her. When she realized Hunter was carrying her, she broke free of their kiss and laughed out loud.
“Having fun?”
“I’d have more if you aimed for the bedroom, and not the couch.” She swung her left arm out wide like she was literally on a carnival ride and wanted to wave it in the wind as she was whisked through the air.
Happiness radiated through her yellow bedroom as Hunter laid down beside her on top of her sunflower comforter. “I’m picking up on a theme here, mi Amor.”
“The theme is centered around you. It always has been, it just took me a decade to realize it.”
He frowned. “Seriously Aliana, I don’t want to rush you.”
She shoved at his shoulders so that she was leaning over him. For just a moment her brain went a little fuzzy as she took in his broad shoulders in his white t-shirt and those dimples with just the right amount of scruff. When she looked into his eyes, they were dancing. Dammit, she was so busted.
Her Passionate Hero Page 20