To make a private phone call on an untraceable phone seemed impossible. Fortunately, he had connections in the right places that got a clean burner cell to him, and he took a leisurely stroll in the Botanic Garden. The line was picked up after two rings, and he cringed at the sound of the voice of an older woman who had obviously smoked her entire life. “I’m calling for Barbados,” he said, using the code name he had given his contact. “Please let him know the Puppet Master is calling.”
There was the sound of the phone being handed over to someone else, and he could hear the woman coughing grotesquely as she walked away. He shuddered and had the inclination to touch his face to make sure no spittle had landed on him through the phone. At least she wasn’t the one he needed to talk to. He didn’t know if he’d be able to get through the conversation without gagging.
“This is Barbados.” The voice of a middle-aged man came over the line.
“I was beginning to wonder if something had happened to you,” the Congressman said, forcing cheerfulness into his voice that he didn’t feel. If anything, he had bypassed pissed and teetered on the edge of enraged.
“Yes, sir. I’m sorry. I know I’m supposed to check in with you frequently. It’s just that—”
“Do I strike you as the type of person who wants to hear excuses right now?” the Congressman asked, forcing his voice to remain light.
“No. No, of course not, sir. It’s just…I think we’re being watched.”
The Congressman nearly stumbled in his slow, leisurely walk, but quickly regained his composure. “What makes you think so?”
“The men have been getting increasingly uneasy. We’ve been in the same spot for days, and usually we’re on the move by now. I know you’re trying to get a larger shipment this time…” The man let his voice trail off, obviously hoping he was about to receive some answers.
“Have you seen anyone? Has anyone been acting odd? Are you keeping people stationed at all the key locations I told you about?”
“Sí, I mean, yes. Yes, we’ve done everything as you instructed. As far as I can tell, there aren’t any new faces hovering around, but you know how large the city is. People come and go so quickly.”
“You’re being paranoid. The location I found for you provides more than adequate coverage unless you’ve done something to warrant attention.”
“No! No, we’ve stayed inside unless there are others we need to get.”
“You are supposed to call me every other day with a status report. It’s why I gave you a burner phone, and why I text you a new message every few days with a new number for me. When I don’t hear from you, what am I supposed to think?”
“I’m sorry, sir. It won’t happen again.”
The Congressman sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He needed to find more competent workers. Too often lately he was disappointed by the men and women working for him. Only weeks ago, his major breadwinner, a drug cartel in Mexico, had been mysteriously gunned down, and its leader—someone he had at one time considered an ally, perhaps even a friend—had been killed on U.S. soil.
Even with all his connections, the Congressman couldn’t get much information on what had really happened to the drug lord, Benicio Davila. All he could find were documents indicating that a drug deal had gone terribly wrong. He knew Benicio didn’t involve himself with the day-to-day operations of selling the drugs. For some reason, an elaborate cover-up had been concocted, and he had yet to solve the mystery of why.
“What is the status, Barbados? Where do we stand in achieving our goals?”
“We have twenty women so far, fifteen young girls and a handful of boys, and about ten men that will do well for manual labor.”
The Congressman sighed heavily into the phone. “You still need to get me at least ten more women. The demand this time is high, and we’re going to capitalize on it.”
“Just give me some time, sir. I just need a little more time.”
“How much is a little more, Barbados? Do you need to broaden your search area?”
“I already have, and we’re having a lot more success. There are a lot of women refugees from Venezuela who are perfect to take. And they’re already so tired from fleeing their country, they put up very little fight.”
“Good. Keep getting them together, and I’ll let you know when we are ready to move them. It probably won’t be for another couple of weeks.”
“A couple of weeks? Sir, with all the respect in the world, we can’t afford to stay in hiding in the same location for so long. Someone is bound to find us.”
“Can the women or children be heard yelling or screaming outside the building?”
“No.”
“Are you or your men doing anything that draws attention to you?”
“No.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about. There’s a reason I chose this location. You aren’t directly in the city like you have been the last few times. It keeps your exposure minimized. If your men stick to the plan, all will be fine.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And Barbados?”
“Sir?”
“If I have to be the one to reach out to you for a status report again, it will be the last phone call you ever get.”
* * *
Elena had an incredibly hectic schedule. Too hectic, in Phantom’s opinion. She came out to the Bent Horseshoe Ranch three days a week—Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The other two days she set aside for the other ranches she supported. He knew she had two in Laredo, an hour away from the Bent Horseshoe, two more on ranches within thirty to forty-five minutes of Hebbronville, and one client in Corpus. He had no idea how she juggled it all.
Still, she seemed full of energy and enthusiasm whenever he saw her. And from the look in her eyes this time, she had plans for mischief today too. It was Friday and she had come out to the ranch early, grooming the horses, mucking their stalls, and then putting them on the lunge lines for warm-up.
“You want to do what now?” Phantom asked, trying to make sense of what she had said.
“I want to teach you how to ride for a western performance class.”
He shook his head. “I know how to ride. I think we already established that, didn’t we?”
It was the first time either of them had brought up their wild ride from a couple of days ago, and he could tell from the faint blush on her cheeks that she was remembering their kiss. Hell, he hadn’t been able to get it out of his mind. All he could seem to think about was the sweet flavor of fresh cherries. He wanted more.
“You may know how to ride fast, but riding for a western performance class is far different.”
“Why do I need to learn this? Don’t you do all the competitions?” He wasn’t opposed to learning something new. Elena tempted him like no other woman ever had, which put him in a difficult position. He wanted to keep their newly built professional relationship, but he also wanted to kiss her again. And from the way she acted around him, her eyes always on him and her smile warm, he felt fairly certain she wanted the same thing.
So then, what’s the problem? If she wants your touch, your kiss, then by word, who are you to keep it from her?
“Let me ask you this… What is your vision for your quarter horses? What do you want to do with this part of the business?”
No one had asked him that. When Stryker had asked him to join the special ops team, Phantom had agreed without hearing the perks. When he learned he would be in charge of the operations of their quarter-horse business, he had realized he could be living his dream. Working with horses again—while still serving his country—had been something he thought would be impossible.
“I want to make it a very lucrative business. We have an incredible black stallion and five brood mares that aren’t being used. I want to build up the breeding side of the business and make it so
that people start coming to us to get their high-quality show animals.” As the person in charge of the horse program of a thriving ranch, what he had listed were exactly the things people would expect him to want. As an undercover SEAL, he wanted whatever involvement was necessary to get him access to more intel. He couldn’t tell Elena those details, though.
“What’s your plan to bring in these customers?”
“I’ll advertise, I suppose. It was easy to get customers when we were racing.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Really? Why is that?”
“Because thousands of people saw our horses winning the races, and…” Light bulb. Damn. Her presence had a profound impact on him, sending his brain on temporary vacation whenever he heard her voice or caught the intoxicating scent of her skin. “I get where you’re going with this. But I still don’t see what that has to do with me learning a different way to ride.”
“As it is right now, I can only show one horse at a time. You have four incredible horses. Two of them came from those brood mares and that black stallion. If I had you showing the horses with me, we could at least double what we’re doing now. And if any of your friends here wanted to help, we could show all four. Think about the impact we could make!”
Her enthusiasm brought a smile to his face. “You think you can get me to show the horses? I’ll flub the whole thing.”
“Not if you let me train you.”
He took a step closer to her and she licked her lips, her cherry-flavored lips. He ached to taste her again, which told him he was treading in dangerous waters. “You’re going to train me as well as my horses? Is this going to cost me extra?”
Something flashed in her eyes as she looked at him, and she bit her lower lip, tilting her head to the side. “It might. Are you going to be a difficult student?”
She was teasing him. She was flirting with him. He moved even closer to her, so close that if she drew in a deep breath, her body would brush against his. He really wanted her to try it. “I’m always difficult.”
He saw the muscles in her delicate neck work as she swallowed. “Perhaps we can work out some type of arrangement.”
“Elena,” he whispered before his head dropped. He lightly brushed his lips over hers, barely tasting her sweetness. Her hands lifted to press against his chest, and for a moment he feared she would push him away. But she leaned against him instead, tilting her chin so that he could deepen the kiss, and he groaned with pleasure.
His arm slid around her narrow waist and he pulled her against him, his other hand sliding into her soft curls and cupping her head. His lips pressed tightly to hers, moving hungrily, gently demanding more. Her breath escaped her in a soft sigh and her lips parted, allowing him to slowly slide his tongue along her lower lip.
Her hands flexed against his chest, then slid up and around his neck. When her tongue tentatively touched his, a bolt of lightning rushed through him. How could such a little woman disrupt all his senses? She smelled as if she had just been rolling in Texas wildflowers, and her lips still tasted like fresh cherries. Everything about her seemed to call to him on a primal level. He wanted her more than he knew he should, yet he couldn’t deny the way his body reacted to the feeling of her curves pressed along him.
Worried she would run if she knew exactly what he wanted to do with her, he reluctantly pulled his head back. Her breasts rubbed against his chest, their bodies fitting together so perfectly. Looking down, he could see her nipples pressing against her work shirt, and he wanted to groan.
“Phantom?” she asked softly, her voice husky with desire. Good. At least she felt a little of the same passion he did.
He drew in a deep breath and realized his hand still held her long tresses. He had known her hair would be incredibly soft and enjoyed the way it seemed to wrap around his fingers in a lover’s embrace. “So…I think you were trying to suggest some sort of arrangement before we got a little distracted.” He struggled to draw in a deep breath.
“What makes you think this wasn’t the type of arrangement I was trying to suggest?”
“Elena…” He wondered if he could go insane with the desire pulsing through him. “Do you realize the way you tempt me? You’re playing with me.”
She leaned back against the stall behind her and watched him with eyes full of curiosity and desire. “Do you think I’m playing?”
“I think I may be losing my mind, that’s what I think. Either that or I’m asleep right now. Because you only look at me like that in my dreams.” His heart pounded so hard he felt certain she could hear it.
“Do you really dream about me? Because I dream about you. I’ve been wondering if the kiss we had a few days ago was just in my imagination. I’ve never had a kiss make me feel the things I felt when we kissed. It had to be my imagination working overtime. But now…” Her voice trailed off and the corners of her mouth lifted. “Now I know another kiss from you can be even more amazing than that first one.”
He still hadn’t pulled his hands away from her, and he stood close enough that he could still feel her enticing body pressed along his, something he knew would haunt him in future dreams of her. “Elena, you can’t realize the things you’re saying right now.” Oh, but he wanted her to mean every single one.
She blinked and swallowed hard. “You don’t feel the same way?”
Aw, hell. He couldn’t stay away from her even if he tried. And he wanted only to get closer. His lips fell to hers again as he crushed their bodies together, pushing her back against the stall wall. There was nothing gentle or coaxing about this kiss. It was demanding and urgent, and when her lips parted, his tongue slid inside, tasting her depths.
She responded to his urgency with her own, her tongue sliding against his, and he couldn’t contain his moan of pleasure. His hand slid from around her waist to cup her ass, lifting her slightly. She made a small sound of surprise and he smiled against her lips, then trailed kisses across her cheek until he reached her ear. “Do you have any idea what you do to me, Elena?” he whispered.
Her arms circled around his shoulders, and she flexed her hips. The air rushed out of him as her lithe body rubbed against him. Her lips brushed against his ear, just as his had brushed against hers. “I have a general idea,” she whispered back.
Phantom wanted nothing more than to take her right then and there, up against the stall. But he wouldn’t. She had suffered a terrible trauma in the barn where they stood, and that realization dampened his raging desire. He would make sure their time together would be memorable and special. If only his body would get the message and calm down.
Slowly, he let her slide down and freed his hand from her curls, settling both his hands on her waist. She looked up at him in confusion, her beautiful brown eyes full of questions. “Phantom?”
His eyes searched her face. This woman wanted him. And he was about to tell her no. He was either the biggest fool in the world or deserved to be granted sainthood for the strength of his resolve. “You deserve…” His brows pulled together as he heard his own words. She deserved a man far better than him. She deserved a man who would be there for her all the time, someone who wouldn’t vanish on her at a moment’s notice.
An ache he had never felt before settled in his chest. He wanted her to have everything she deserved, and he couldn’t offer any guarantees. He clenched his jaw, his muscles tightening as he fought what his body craved. “You deserve far better. I’m sorry, Elena, I never should have taken advantage—”
This time she did shove him, her hands pushing against his chest. Where there had been confusion and lingering desire a moment before, fury had taken over. “You didn’t take advantage of anything. I took what I wanted. And I would’ve taken more.” She shook her head. “I thought what just happened between us was…” She drew a deep breath and ran her trembling fingers through her curls. She schooled her features as she lifted her eyes to his face. “I thoug
ht what just happened was absolutely incredible, and I’d do it over again in a heartbeat if I had the chance. But not if it’s going to leave you making lame excuses about what you think I need or attempting to protect me from you. I started it. And you can certainly consider it finished.”
Chapter 8
Phantom rarely craved alcohol, but after his run-in with Elena the day before, he wondered if a good shot of Texas moonshine would help his wayward emotions. He wiped at the sweat on his forehead with his forearm. Instead of burying his head in a bottle of Texas Jalapeño Spirits, his favorite from the Hill Country Distillers located southwest of Austin, he had thrown himself into work in the barn.
The plan had backfired on him. He thought he would be so invested in his work—mucking out stalls and doing minor repairs that had been needed for a long time—that he wouldn’t be concerned with Elena. He hadn’t counted on the way his memories of their passionate embrace would consume him every time he walked past the stall where he had held her.
Phantom had no doubt in his mind that he had hurt her, which had been the last thing he intended. His actions had been purely for the sake of protecting her from a situation that could only lead to heartache. He had seen the flash of pain in her eyes, though, and knew he had approached it all wrong. He wondered if he had hurt the fragile trust he had started to build with her.
They needed to keep things professional. He had been telling himself that since Elena left the night before. It still didn’t sit well with him. He couldn’t deny any longer that he felt something for her, more than he could afford to feel. Ever since she had left, his mind had kept yelling all the reasons a relationship with Elena could hold her back from pursuing her dreams and, worse, expose her to heartache if one day he didn’t return alive from a mission.
He finished hammering in a board to replace one a horse had kicked out of the stall while hyped up on the sweet feed Phantom had given all the quarter horses when he first joined the ranch. Elena had pointed out the error of his ways, and he had dismissed her as his trainer. He smiled to himself. He had convinced her to take him back, and he had to stay on as her client. She was his direct connection to information about the human trafficking.
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