I’m in place. Go.
Two heartbeats later, a flurry of movement on the other side of the room from the staircase caught his eye. “FBI! Drop your weapons!” Ashley’s scream sent goosebumps over his skin.
His stomach twisted into a tight knot. Carlos’s hands raised in the air, as did the other man’s. Hector backed up.
“Let her go!” Dylan came up beside Ashley, his gun trained on Hector. Nate’s lungs burned with the need to breathe, but he couldn’t for the life of him suck in a breath. Hector’s hand slid around his back. Nate stiffened and stepped around the corner. Before he could form a course of action, Hector pressed the muzzle of the gun to Maddie’s temple.
Ashley and Dylan yelled simultaneously, but their words didn’t register. All sound fell away from him, their screams miles away, as if he were in a wind tunnel. A white mist clouded his vision, blocking everything out except Hector’s form. Hector already knew he was going to prison. He’d shoot her without a second thought.
He had to take a chance.
Only milliseconds slipped by, but they seemed like minutes. He closed one eye, steadied his automatic, and hovered over the trigger. Sweat rolled over his brow and dropped into his eyes, but he didn’t blink. He couldn’t move, couldn’t be off by a millimeter. He wet his lips and pulled the trigger.
Maddie’s scream tore through him and he broke into a dead run. His fists pumped through the air as he watched the bullet rip through the back of Hector’s pants, hitting him in the hamstring. He collapsed like a house of cards.
Nate’s knees connected with the floor as he slid to Hector’s side, tearing the gun from his fingers. Dylan charged at them, tackling Hector, while Ashley cuffed Carlos and the other man. Maddie sat on the floor, her blue eyes wide. A trickle of blood ran down her temple. Nate dropped beside her. He ached to pull her into his arms, but he needed to see for himself that she was okay… that she hadn’t been shot.
His hands closed over her shoulders and he brought his face an inch from hers. “Baby, are you all right? Are you hurt?”
She shook her head wildly, but her chin trembled, belying her tough front. He pulled her against him, crushing her into his chest. Her arms circled around his waist and she breathed into his throat.
“How did you find me?” Her voice shook. He ran his hands in a slow, constant stroke down her back. She was so slim, yet so fit and strong. Pride expanded in his chest. She hadn’t broken under the pressure, hadn’t wavered when she’d been seconds from death. Instead, she’d fought. She’d kept them talking and stayed strong.
His fingers found the silky strands at her scalp, reveling in the scent of her coconut shampoo.
“We found a small lead with the club’s name at Carlos’s yacht company.”
She pulled away and tilted her chin. “When Ashley and Dylan came in… I thought…”
His jaw hardened. “You thought I didn’t come?”
She shook her head. “No. I knew you were here.” Tears misted her eyes and she pressed her lips together. “All I could think about is that if I died, you would think I had slept with Carlos.”
Nate snorted a laugh. Somehow, all that seemed so damn insignificant now. Despite that, hope soared through him. Later, he’d get more answers. For now, it didn’t matter. He was barely aware of Ashley and Dylan leading Carlos, Hector, and the other man out of the building. He moved his palm to cup her cheek. A thick black ring circled under her eyes, her makeup smudged across her cheekbones, and her hair tangled. Her left cheek bore a hint of purple, and her bottom lip swelled.
Rage shot through him. He’d heard the smack, but seeing the damage sent a fire blazing in his guts. He slid his thumb over her bottom lip.
“I’ll fucking kill them for that,” he breathed.
Maddie’s eyes lit with amusement and the corner of her mouth split into a grin, revealing her white teeth. “Don’t sweat it. They hit like girls.”
A deep laugh rumbled in his throat. God, she was amazing. “Do you know how much I love you?” His voice pitched with emotion, but he didn’t give a shit.
She tapped the tip of her finger to her chin. “Mmm. Maybe half as much as I love you.”
His smile wilted. “Not even close.”
Her eyes widened and the humor fell away from her face. He swept a tendril of hair out of her face and closed his mouth over hers. Her warm lips moved against his and relief washed through him. Nate pulled away, pressed one last kiss to her full mouth, and helped her to her feet. She tucked her shoulder under his and he led her toward the stairs. It was over. She was here, in his arms, and he’d be damned if she ever left.
He’d never let anything get in the way of his love for her.
Chapter 26
“Yeah, I’ll be sure to call when I get in. We’re flying out tomorrow morning.” The gentle cadence of Nate’s voice floated through the hotel room. Maddie stretched her arms over her head and glanced at the clock. Six a.m. Of course Nate would be working at the crack of dawn. A squeak split the air as Nate turned in the leather chair at the small office desk near the window. His eyes landed on her and he smiled. Two cups of coffee sat on the desk beside him and she stretched her hand out and wriggled her fingers. The events of last night came tumbling back at warp speed, and she needed caffeine to bring her senses in sync.
“Call me if anything else comes to mind.” He clicked off and got to his feet.
“Well, what happened?” Maddie pushed herself up into a seated position and reached for the steaming mug he passed her. The crisp white duvet slid to pool at her waist and she didn’t bother hoisting it back up. After Nate’s exploration of her body last night there was nothing left to conceal from him.
“Carlos and Hector are being escorted back to the US today. Almost twenty kilos of cocaine were recovered from the club by the FBI last night. Not to mention the three million in cash in duffel bags in the trunk of Carlos’s rental car.”
Maddie’s jaw went slack and she slowly lifted the mug and sipped. Dear god. Had they not stopped him, all of that cocaine would have flooded the streets of Miami.
“What about Diego and Hector?”
Nate snorted. “Hector was tight lipped and for that he won’t be granted any leniency. Diego sang like a canary, leaving no loophole for Carlos. Even the crew on the cruise ship that had been working under Carlos to assist bringing the drugs into the US talked to save their own asses.”
“It doesn’t surprise me that Hector wouldn’t talk. Nothing short of torture would make him turn his back on Carlos. Besides, Carlos would have him skinned if he did. What about the murders?”
“Our boys in Miami raided his club and residence. The security camera from the garage where they interrogated Fabian has been confiscated. Tony is the one who did the dirty work, but Carlos clearly ordered it. There’s more footage as well from other interrogations, but that will take some time for the team to dig through.”
“What will his sentence be?”
Nate guffawed. “Drug trafficking, possession of drugs, first degree murder, kidnapping… he’ll be facing twenty years to life.”
She nodded slowly. “That’s what I figured.” He deserved all that he would get… and more. She curled her fingers around the warmth of the cup and lowered her gaze to the butterscotch colored brew. “I can’t wait to tell Zoe. It won’t bring Leila back, but at least her death has been avenged and her family will have closure.”
Nate’s hand cupped her knee and he slid his thumb back and forth. “You avenged her death. Hell, you put one of the biggest drug lords of the decade behind bars. Lieutenant Davis sounded like he was jumping up and down when I talked to him—and I don’t think that’s something he does often.”
The image brought a smile to her face and she chuckled.
Nate’s face turned somber. “You’re going to make one hell of an agent.”
His words s
ettled around her heart, lifting it several notches. He was right, not only had she helped to get justice for Leila, but she had built an impenetrable wall of expertise that even Ethan wouldn’t be able to muscle his way through. “The case will sound good in an interview.” Her shoulder lifted and dropped. “Plus, I had good help.”
He laughed, took the coffee from her hand and set it on the nightstand beside his. “Do you know how much I love you?”
She tapped her finger to her cheek. “Well, the way you were screaming my name last night…”
A deep laugh rumbled from him. He hooked his arm through her knees and her back flopped onto the mattress. “There’s that,” he said. A smile reached his eyes, making the hazel orbs dance mischievously at her.
His mouth came down on hers, hot and demanding. She slipped her hands through the strands of his hair and pulled him down on top of her. All thoughts of Carlos left her mind as her body pulsed with need. He broke contact; her tongue tingled in protest. Heat radiated from his stare as he slowly made his way down, shoving the tangled sheets from her body and exposing her.
Maddie curled her fists into the sheets at her sides. Her breath came out in hot, fast pants. Nate settled his warm hands to the insides of her thighs, and his thumbs parted her. Her toes curled as he pressed kisses to the inside of her thigh, driving her mad. She needed his mouth on her now. She opened her mouth to protest against his gentle kisses, when his tongue licked into her again.
The back of her head burrowed deep into the pillow and wetness rushed to the demanding flesh. A tight, delicious coil of pleasure curled in her loins; she teetered at the edge of insanity. A cry tore from her throat as he licked over her clit, surrounding her with his heat.
“Oh, god,” she cried. Her orgasm rushed through her like a dam breaking, her body convulsing into harsh spasms. Nate flicked his tongue leisurely over her folds as she came crashing back down to earth.
Nate’s shoulders knocked against the back of her thighs, shaking her body. Her eyes narrowed, but he crawled over her and settled himself on top of her. His hazel eyes sparked, and with the soft glow of morning light through the window, gold flecks shone in them.
“You’re so fucking amazing.” He rested his palms on her cheeks, his laughter diminishing. Every inch of his rock hard body covered hers and the hard press of his dick against her belly made her shift her knees, wanting him closer.
Her cheeks warmed. “No, I’m not. But I find it amazing that you’ve had me up twice during the night, and now you’re doing insanely good things to my body again.” The memory of waking to him entering her from behind seared through her.
After leaving the club, they’d found a nice hotel on the ocean, ordered food, showered, made love, and crashed. They still had to book their flights out of San Juan, but at the moment she didn’t want to return to normal life.
Nate lowered his mouth and sucked her bottom lip between his teeth, making desire spiral through her once again. Her back arched against him and her fingertips curled into his shoulders. The nightstand beside Nate vibrated. She frowned and Nate pulled away.
“Shit. I have to get that,” he said.
She sighed as he rolled off her and lifted his phone. He let out a curse and his thumbs tapped against the screen. She had to tell him now. Last night, they’d both been too shaken and exhausted to talk about everything. But now, she needed to get it off her chest.
“Nate, I have to talk to you.”
He set the device back on the nightstand and came back to her. He fit easily into her arms… he fit everywhere. He nuzzled her neck and the coarse bristles on his jaw tickled her throat. She giggled and squirmed. “What about, babe?” he growled.
She squeezed his shoulder, stilling him. “It’s important.”
His brow creased and he shifted off her, bracing his head on his fist, his elbow bent on the pillow next to hers. He stared down at her and her heart stalled. She hated that he didn’t know what had happened with Carlos the other night. That he’d had to suffer through listening to them and have his imagination run wild.
“I didn’t get to finish telling you yesterday, but I never slept with Carlos.”
His knuckles dragged across her cheek and he smiled. “I never thought you did.”
“You listened to the whole thing?”
“Dylan called me down as soon as he realized what you guys were going to do.” His eyebrow rose skeptically.
Heat crept up her cheeks. “Dylan heard?”
He shrugged, his lips dipped nonchalantly. “Not really. I got there and took over once you got started. I didn’t listen long. But it sure sounded like things were getting carried away.”
She pushed the embarrassment from her mind and turned to face him. “It wasn’t, I promise. I slipped him the roofies and the rest was just kissing. He got pretty sloppy and tried to grope me, but with the drinks he’d already had, he passed out pretty quick.”
Nate snorted.
Maddie laughed, relief washed over her. “It was gross, but better than any other alternative. Still, I hope I can forget that night.”
A dark shadow crossed his face. He coasted his fingertips down her arm, stopping at her wrist where he lifted her hand, and brought her palm to his shaft. “I can help with that,” he ground out. She smiled and welcomed him into her hold, squeezing tightly and dragging on him until his eyes rolled back.
“Jesus,” he breathed softly. He fit himself over top of her, hooked his arm in the crook of her knee, and pressed into her, filling her in one stroke. Her breath caught and her legs fell open, begging for more. He closed the distance between their mouths, his wet, slick tongue moved past her teeth. He rocked against her, spreading her heat. He pulled away from her lips and buried his face in her neck, his tongue flicking over the sensitive flesh, mimicking his act only moments before.
She needed more. “Harder,” she gasped. A low rumble sounded in his throat as he gave her three long strokes, bringing her higher and higher. He drove deep, pressing against her clitoris. Her cries were rough and ragged as she clung to him, hanging on for dear life as her body pulsed violently.
“Maddie,” he rasped in her ear. He pumped harder into her and his own release came, shaking them both.
Her muscles turned lax and her head throbbed deliciously as blood flow returned. She stroked her hand over his back and gave a soft chuckle. “This was the best morning I’ve had in a long time.”
He pushed up on his arms and stared down at her, his eyes shone with golden heat, warming her core. “It’d better be the best morning, period.”
She laughed and pleasure spread through her stronger than every orgasm he’d given her. Just being with him, being free, and not having to give a damn what anyone thought was the most liberating moment in her life.
Buzzz, buzzz, buzz...
Her eyebrows snapped down but before she could protest, he catapulted off her.
“Shit!” He half rolled off the bed, grabbed his phone, and yanked on his pants. Anxiety creased the lines of his face and worry clouded his eyes. He picked up her clothes from the floor and threw them at her. “Hurry, get dressed, he’s here.”
Her heart thundered in her ears as she scampered out of the bed. “Who’s here?” She stepped into her sweatpants and ran her hand through her hair. Where the hell was her bra?
Thump, thump, thump!
The hotel room door shook with each bang, the metal chain rattled against the wood. Nate roughly pulled his shirt on, her bra tumbled out of it, and he tossed it to her.
“Ethan.” A dark shadow crossed his face and her stomach flipped over.
“He’s here? How did he find us?” She squeaked.
He dragged a hand through his hair as she hooked her bra and fed her arms through the straps. “I called him yesterday when I couldn’t find you and confessed everything.”
Maddie rose to her
toes and tugged a T-shirt on. “You what? Are you insane?”
He pressed his fingers to his temple. “I didn’t know he was going to come here right now. He messaged me before we—” His voice broke as if he couldn’t say the words.
Thump, thump, thump. Thump, thump!
She glared at him and made her way to the door. He’d cursed when he’d looked at his phone but then she’d insisted on telling him about Carlos. Then they’d lost track of everything. She extended her hand for the door, but Nate stepped in front of her.
“I got it.” A muscle jumped in his throat, but she stepped back. So much for her wonderful morning. He undid the chain, and pulled the door open.
Ethan brushed past him and into the room. His eyes landed on her and a deep red stain colored his neck. Dark circles lined his eyes and his hair darted around as if he’d been in a wind tunnel. His mouth tensed and he shifted his gaze to Nate. His hands closed into fists. He took two long strides and grabbed Nate by the shirt.
Maddie cringed and her hands twisted together. The urge to step in almost overtook her, but she had to give them a chance to work things out. She’d already come between their friendship.
“You dirty sonofabitch,” Ethan growled. He slammed Nate’s back against the wall. Nate held his hands up in surrender. With the men this close, Ethan’s build seemed to swell. He was easily an inch and a half taller than Nate, but right now he grew bigger with every passing second.
“Dude, calm down. Let’s talk about this, okay?”
Ethan let out a loose laugh. “You want to talk? All right, sure. I’ve only been travelling sixteen fucking hours.” He let Nate go and took a step back, but his voice pitched with his wavering temper. “Let’s talk about when you started fucking my sister? I should have expected that from you,” he snorted. Then he turned to Maddie, pinning her with his ice-blue stare. “But you should have known better. He’ll be done with you in a week.”
Rage surged through her and she crossed the room, her finger stabbed in his chest. “Don’t talk to me like that,” she hissed. It fell miles short from what she wanted to say, but her brain couldn’t think through the fog of fury. She took a deep breath and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ll have you know this started at Dana’s wedding. We almost slept together, but he walked away because of his friendship to you.”
Exposed Page 23