Borderline

by Chase, T. A.

  “That’s why,” Tanner said softly.

  “Did you say something?” Mac stuck his head around the shower curtain.

  “No. Finish washing up. I put out a new toothbrush for you. Do you want some briefs to wear to bed?”

  “Nah. I’m good.”

  Tanner left Mac in the bathroom while he went back to his bed. After stripping off his sweats and climbing under the covers, he stared at the ceiling.

  Victor’s cutting ties with Juan explained why his brother had given the man up without more of a fight. Tanner knew Victor would do anything for him, yet Tanner had never asked before this. Their mother had taught him well. Anything Victor gave him was blood money tainted by the drugs Victor sold. While it was tainted, it didn’t matter since innocent lives had been at stake. He’d accept it without a twinge of guilt.

  Tanner sighed and rolled over to grab his personal cell phone from the nightstand.

  Thank you.

  “You get a call?”

  He set his phone back down and shook his head. “Just setting a reminder for an appointment I have tomorrow.”

  Mac grunted as he climbed into bed. Tanner waited to see what he did. Mac reached out and tugged Tanner to him until they were spooning, Tanner’s chest to Mac’s back.

  Tanner pressed a kiss to the nape of Mac’s neck. “Sleep, love. Everything will be okay.”

  Mac patted Tanner’s hand before falling asleep. Tanner stayed awake a little longer, wondering where everything would lead.

  Chapter Twelve

  “The defendant will stand while the verdict’s read.”

  Tanner tensed, even having an idea of what the jury’s decision would be. He worried Juan’s lawyer would find a loophole or something. Mac brushed his hand over Tanner’s.

  It’d been a year since they’d arrested Juan for murdering Mac’s foster sister and five other women. Juan confessed to everything, showing no remorse for what he’d done. He also confessed to sending the letters to Tanner. Those had meant nothing, just an attempt to distract Tanner from the case. The intriguing issue was Juan never once mentioned Victor or having been Victor’s enforcer. Tanner wondered if the threat of death he was sure Victor had given Juan was enough to keep the man’s mouth shut.

  “We find Juan Mencia guilty of first-degree murder.”

  Tanner blocked out the rest as Mac took his hand and squeezed. Relief ripped through him.

  “It’s over,” he murmured, and Mac nodded.

  “I need to get back to headquarters,” Mac said as they made their way out of the courthouse.

  “Hey, Mac,” Billingsley called from where he stood with Sam. “Come here.”

  “I’m going to head toward the car.”

  He nodded toward Sam, and the agent grinned at him.

  “Okay. I’ll catch up with you.” Mac jogged over to the other men.

  The parking lot was relatively empty as he strolled along on his own.

  “Pablo?”

  Tanner turned when a familiar voice called out his name. Perez strolled up to him, and Tanner smiled.

  “Are you back for a while?”

  “A month or two. Walk with me.”

  Tanner nodded, knowing his brother’s second in command wouldn’t have approached him if it wasn’t safe for either of them.

  “He wishes for me to convey congratulations on the conviction, and he wants you to know that if he had known about Juan sooner, he would have taken care of it himself.”

  “I know, Perez.”

  Perez’s smile grew warmer. “Congratulations on your boyfriend. He’s a man you can trust and is very loyal.”

  Chuckling, Tanner shook his head. “I should’ve known he’d check out Mac.”

  “He loves you, Pablo, and wants only the best for you.” Perez rested his hand on Tanner’s arm. “I believe he wishes every day things were different, so that you could be a family.”

  “I wish the same thing.”

  And it was true. Every day he wished the past had been different and his family never broke up, but he didn’t dwell on it.

  “There’s your man. I will leave you. Oh, he also wanted you to know it’s white roses now.”

  Perez gave him a quick, hard hug before strolling away, nodding to Mac as they passed. Tanner watched as his lover’s eyes widened when he realized who Perez was. Mac stopped and started to pull his gun. Tanner placed his hand on Mac’s shoulder.

  “Today, we let him go,” he spoke softly.

  “But that’s…”

  “Yes, it is, and next time you see him, you can arrest him, but not today, love.”

  “Billingsley gave me the rest of the day off. Do you need to get back?” Mac shot him a narrow-eyed glare. “He hugged you.”

  Tanner gestured for Mac to follow him. “Let’s get some takeout, and I’ll tell you about my family. This is something I’ll only speak about once; then it’ll never be brought up again.”

  “Okay.”

  They headed to their favorite Thai restaurant. Tanner had planned on telling Mac everything about his family because he loved the Texas Ranger and didn’t want secrets between them anymore.

  All the questions Mac had crossed his face, but he refrained from asking them and Tanner appreciated it. He wasn’t looking forward to spilling his guts to his lover.

  They picked up their food, and Mac drove them to Tanner’s house.

  After they finished eating, Mac cleaned up while Tanner grabbed two more beers from the refrigerator. They sat close together on the couch.

  “Congratulations, Tanner.”

  He sent Mac a puzzled look. “What?”

  “If you hadn’t discovered and connected the J with Mencia, we might not have been able to build a case against him.”

  Tanner shook his head. “I just connected a few dots. Your informant came up with the warehouse.”

  Mac frowned. “Now that the trial is over, I can admit the man wasn’t one of my informants. Or I should say, he rarely gave me anything.”

  “Then why did you believe him?”

  Mac pursed his lips, and Tanner fought back the urge to kiss him.

  “He described Mencia like the man stood right in front of him. My gut told me his tip was good.”

  “What’s your informant’s drug of choice?” Tanner worked on the edge of his bottle’s label.

  “Heroin. Why?”

  “My older brother is the head of the Delarosa cartel.”

  He kept his gaze pinned on his bottle. Fear raced through his body as the silence grew until he thought his heart would shatter.

  “Victor Delarosa is your brother.” Mac’s voice was soft.

  “Yes.”

  “Why isn’t your name the same?”

  Sighing, Tanner leaned back and closed his eyes. “My mother left my father when I was three. We moved to the United States legally, and she changed our names. After that I’ve only seen Victor twice. The first time was when our mother died. He came to the funeral.”

  Mac shifted but didn’t move away from him. Tanner took it as a good sign.

  “And the second time?”

  He took a deep breath. “When I spotted the initial carved into the women’s flesh, I knew who did it. Juan worked as an enforcer for Victor over several years.”

  “How did you know that if you’ve never seen him?”

  “I talked to a lieutenant out in Arizona who let me know about Mencia’s connection to Victor.”

  He pushed to his feet and paced. “I’m a profiler for the bureau. I have nothing to do with the drug war or anything. I can’t hurt my brother, but I won’t help him either.”

  Mac stood and stepped into his path. His lover lifted his chin so their eyes met. Mac’s hazel eyes held confusion and a struggle to understand.

  “You never gave any information you heard to your brother?”

  Tanner shook his head. “I’d never do that. Trust me, I thought long and hard before applying to the bureau. I wasn’t applying to any department that
would give me access to information like that.”

  “I believe you, but what does Delarosa have to do with my informant?”

  “I went to Victor and asked him if he knew where Juan was. Victor had cut Juan loose about six months earlier. I’m not sure why. Victor is cold and calculating. I’m not excusing the fact that he has no problem killing men. I know the kind of person he is.”

  Tanner closed his eyes, blocking out Mac’s gaze for a second.

  “The only thing I’ve noticed about Delarosa is he doesn’t kill women or children. Families seem to be off-limits to him.”

  Mac’s quiet observation eased something in Tanner.

  “I showed Victor and Perez the crime scene photos, and they recognized Juan’s calling card.”

  “Your brother handed me the information through my snitch,” Mac commented.

  Tanner nodded. “I think so. Victor knew about you and me. To keep me from any scrutiny, you were the logical person to contact. He wouldn’t risk either of our careers by contacting us personally.”

  “He gave Mencia up without being forced. Isn’t he worried Mencia might try to lessen his sentence by rolling on him?”

  Tanner eased away and started to pace again, drinking from his bottle. “It certainly doesn’t seem so, does it? Juan could have done it before we went to trial. I wouldn’t be surprised if Victor threatened him, and I don’t doubt if it came down to it, Victor could reach him, no matter where he ended up.”

  Stopping, he stared out his front window. Not caring what was happening outside, he studied Mac’s reflection in the glass. His lover’s head lowered, and Mac tucked his hands in his pockets.

  “I know you’ll need to think about all this. I want you to believe me. Once Mama and I got here, we cut all ties to my father and Victor. She worked two jobs to support us. When I was old enough, I worked. I paid my own way through college. I haven’t taken any money or anything else from Victor.” He shoved his hands through his hair. “I wish it was different. I wish I could visit my brother. I want to be able to admit I have a brother. It’s lonely not having any family.”

  Mac approached him and embraced him, wrapping him tight to his chest. Mac nuzzled his hair.

  “I do need to think about all this, Tanner, but never doubt you have family. There are people who care deeply for you, and I get the feeling Victor cares for you as well or he could have made your life hell.”

  Tanner leaned back and let Mac support him for a moment. After a few seconds, he stepped away.

  “You should probably go before I start begging you to stay.” Tanner tried to smile but failed. “You have my number. Call me when you reach a decision.”

  “I will.”

  Tanner watched Mac walk away. He kept the tears at bay for the rest of the day until he climbed in bed alone that night. Curled around the pillow still smelling like Mac, he cried.

  Tanner’d never felt so alone, not even when his mother died. All he could do was have faith Mac believed him and still loved him, even after finding out who Tanner’s brother was.

  He fell asleep, tears still falling from his eyes.

  * * * *

  Mac sat in his apartment, no lights on, allowing his thoughts to wander. How did he reconcile everything he knew about Tanner with the knowledge that Tanner’s brother was one of the most powerful drug lords in the Americas?

  He’d run across Victor Delarosa and Victor’s second in command, Perez. Both men were handsome in a cold, snakelike way. Power and self-confidence rolled off Delarosa. The man thought he was invincible, and so far it’d been true. Neither the rangers nor any federal agency had been able to pin anything on the man.

  If Mac had been more suspicious, he’d believe Tanner spied for his brother, but he trusted his lover. Tanner had said he never gave Delarosa any tips or information. Tanner’s inability to lie made Mac fairly certain Tanner knew nothing about Delarosa’s network. Of course, Tanner had spent most of their time together lying about not having any other family besides his mother and done it so convincingly, Mac had never doubted him. Yet had Tanner really lied to him or simply not told him the entire truth? Was omitting the whole truth a lie? Could he reconcile it with his love for Tanner?

  Would he be able to love Tanner and not try to use the man’s connection to snare Delarosa? That became the most important question. Taking down a drug cartel should be top on Mac’s list of professional goals. Yet he knew how betrayed Tanner would be if he used him like that.

  A sharp knock brought him out of his thoughts. He climbed to his feet and went to the door. Checking the peephole first, he stiffened at the sight of Perez, Delarosa’s man, standing in the hallway.

  “Fuck,” he whispered.

  “Detective Guzman, I know you’re in there. Please open the door. I mean you no harm.”

  Something in Perez’s voice commanded Mac to obey. They knew he and Tanner were lovers. Neither Perez nor Delarosa would kill him, if only to spare Tanner pain.

  Wishing he still wore his gun, he unlocked the door and swung it open. Perez pushed in, followed closely by Victor Delarosa. Mac fell back, giving ground to the two men.

  “Mac Guzman, I’m Perez, and this is my boss, Victor Delarosa.”

  Perez’s rather formal introduction surprised Mac. He nodded to them.

  “Please, I only wish to speak to you. Nothing more.” Delarosa motioned between Perez and himself. “That is why Perez alone accompanies me.”

  “I didn’t think you were in Houston.” Strange comment, but his mind processed the situation slowly.

  “I’ve been in Houston for several months now, though it’s getting close to migration time for us. I’m not fond of Houston in the summer.”

  Delarosa glanced around the dimly lit living room. He spied the couch and took a seat. Perez stood behind him, silently guarding his boss.

  “Would you like something to drink?”

  “I would enjoy a glass of water.”

  “Mr. Perez?” Mac asked.

  “Water would be fine as well.”

  After going into the kitchen, Mac marveled at the surrealism he was in the middle of right then. He should be calling for backup to come and arrest Delarosa, but he couldn’t. The man had come in good faith, wanting nothing more than to talk.

  He got three bottles of water out of the refrigerator and two glasses from the cupboard. Somehow he couldn’t see the elegant Delarosa swigging water from a plastic bottle. Mac played the good host, making sure Delarosa and his man were taken care of. When done, he sat and stared at the drug lord, wondering what would happen now.

  “You know who I am,” Delarosa said.

  “Yes, sir. Tanner told me earlier today.”

  “Ah, Pablo is an honest man. So refreshing in today’s world.” Delarosa’s grin held fondness for his younger brother.

  “Pablo?” Mac couldn’t help but ask.

  “Tanner’s real name. Or maybe I should say his original name. When our mother brought him here, she changed their names. She wanted nothing to tie them to our father.”

  This time Delarosa’s smile was sad.

  “She sounds like a strong woman,” Mac muttered, not sure what he was supposed to say.

  “Mama was. After she had Pablo, she began to wish for a different life. The mansions and clothes were all well and good, but they were bought with blood money. She hated the bodyguards and not being able to trust anyone.”

  Mac imagined it might have been trying at times.

  “She didn’t know what my father did until after they were married. She loved him very much, yet she couldn’t accept how he made his money. When Pablo turned three, a rival cartel tried to kidnap him. That is when she said no more. She couldn’t justify risking her sons’ lives for the money the drugs brought in.”

  Mac shifted slightly in his chair. “I’m surprised your father let her go. From what I’ve heard, he didn’t take kindly to people leaving.”

  Delarosa chuckled coldly. “My father was psychotic and qui
te happy to kill whenever the mood struck him. Yet as odd as it might seem, he loved my mother. Seeing her unhappy broke his heart. He let her go with Pablo, with the only stipulation being I had to stay with him.”

  “I imagine it hurt your mother terribly to leave you behind.”

  Delarosa didn’t speak for a moment. Eventually he nodded. “You’re right. Pablo told me she was never the same after they left Mexico.”

  “Why tell me this?” Mac gestured vaguely between them. “What does that have to do with us?”

  “Everything, Detective Guzman. I came to tell you Pablo is loyal and steadfast. He’s always known when I’m in Houston. He’s never told his fellow agents. Yet I’m sure there have been times when he’s come across information that would help me. He’s never called or done anything to give me a heads-up.” Delarosa paused. “He has called after the fact to make sure I’m okay.”

  Unable to sit any longer, Mac stood and paced in front of Delarosa, who watched him with understanding eyes. That was something Mac never thought he’d say about Victor Delarosa, that he had kind eyes. Perez stayed silent, a quiet observer.

  “I keep an eye on Pablo, merely to make sure he’s okay. I don’t interfere usually. I thought this time it might be necessary.”

  “Why would it be necessary?”

  Mac stopped and glanced at Delarosa, who snorted.

  “I told you I keep an eye on my brother. He cares about you very much. So much in fact, that he came to me for help with Juan. If he hadn’t been worried about you, he would’ve never risked everything to see me.”

  “My foster sister was one of Mencia’s victims,” Mac confessed.

  “I know. Because Pablo has never asked me for anything, I chose to help him.”

  “By throwing Mencia to the wolves.”

  It was Perez’s turn to snort. Mac met the man’s gaze. He was surprised to see the humor shining in them.

  “Juan was a problem I no longer felt like dealing with. Admittedly I would have gotten more mileage out of him if I had him killed, but sometimes what’s good for business might not be good for other people.” Delarosa picked a piece of lint off his slacks.