CADEN DIDN’T MOVE when the van came to a stop. He wanted to give Marco a false sense of security. The second they opened the side door, he’d spring up and take down whoever stood in his way. Whatever it took, he’d get Mia out of this alive and unharmed.
He’d tried so hard to make this date special. For a moment, when they kissed and something inside him snapped into place, everything felt better than right. He’d pulled off the perfect date, because he’d met the right woman.
For all her sweet caresses and tending to the back of his head, he still might have lost her before he ever had her because the second Marco bested him, he’d put Mia in harm’s way and probably ruined any chance of another date even if this all turned out right.
Marco and the driver with the broken nose got out and slammed the front doors. Caden’s blood rushed with adrenaline and anticipation as he waited for them to open the sliding van door.
The second it opened, Mia’s grip on his chest under his coat went tight. “Seven against one, fellas. Calling in reinforcements after I busted your ugly face,” she taunted.
Caden fought to hide the smile that wanted to creep across his lips. Her bravery stunned him. The strength in her voice, the bravado in her words. She had guts to stand up to seven thugs and a brilliant mind to think of a way to warn him without letting on that was what she was doing. Protecting him. He should be protecting her.
With limited options and no good plan, the best he could do right now was stall for time by playing possum until Beck and the DEA showed up and put Marco and his friends in prison where they belonged.
One of the guys let out a gruff growl. Mia got yanked out from under him. Caden rolled toward the open door just as Mia went through it, kneeing the guy with the broken nose as she fell into him. The guy let loose Mia’s arms and dropped to the floor with his hands over his junk. Mia’s feet hit the ground and she steadied herself, drew one foot back, and kicked the guy in the nuts again like some last-ditch-effort, this-is-for-the-winning-points field-goal kick.
The guy bellowed. Caden smiled then caught the guy on the way up to go after Mia again. Caden shoved him back to the floor so hard, he slid several feet away. The other men closed in on him and Mia.
Caden reached out to pull Mia behind him, but a dark-haired Hispanic with a pitchfork tattoo on his neck wrapped his arms around Mia and dragged her out of reach. Caden fought off two other dark-haired men who tried to subdue him.
“Let her go,” he shouted, decking the guy on his left before the guy on his right grabbed his arm and pulled it behind his back, yanking until it felt like it might pop out of the socket.
Mia stomped the point of her high heel into her subduer’s foot. He grit his teeth and held on tighter as she struggled to get free, then she crashed her head back into his face, busting his nose. Instinct made him release her and grab his bloody face. Mia spun and slammed her hands into his shoulders, pushing him away. Another guy moved in on her. There were too many for them to fight off at once. Mia jumped back out of the guy’s reach just as an ominous shot rang out. Caden fought against the two men holding him back to get to Mia, but she wasn’t the one hit. The bullet whizzed right past her and slammed into the pitchfork-tatted dude she’d escaped.
Everyone froze as the gunfire echoed in the cavernous warehouse.
“Move again, bitch, and I put a bullet in your head.”
“Marco, no!” Caden pleaded. “You’re not that guy. You’re smart. Shooting her would be the stupidest thing you could do. She doesn’t have anything to do with this.” Caden talked fast, hoping to wipe away the murderous look in Marco’s eyes. “You’ve never hurt anyone. Don’t start now.”
Marco kept the gun pointed right at Mia’s head. “You are partly responsible for Paula’s death. I will have my revenge. And I will use your girlfriend to get it if I have to.”
Mia stared down Marco. Her tangled mass of long hair hung down her back as her chest rose and fell as she panted from all the exertion of fighting off her attackers. She’d done a damn fine job, no thanks to Caden. He fought off the woozy waves of dizziness and nausea from his head injury. Marco had cracked him good with the butt of the gun he held pointed directly at Mia.
She didn’t even flinch.
Marco had lost his mind in grief over Paula’s death, but this had gone too far.
The guy with the gunshot wound wailed in pain on the floor, his hands covering the bleeding injury. “Marco, man, you shot me, you fuck.”
“You better get him some help before he bleeds out,” Caden warned, hoping Marco’s impulsive mistake played in Caden and Mia’s favor.
Marco turned to the guy with the broken nose and still holding his bashed balls. “Load him in the van. You know where to take him. And take care of your face while you’re at it.” Marco’s words sounded more like an insult that the guy got beat up by a woman.
The guy took a menacing step toward Mia to intimidate her, then shifted to pick up his bleeding buddy off the floor.
Mia glared but didn’t move or show any sign of fear. God, he liked her. A lot.
Another man helped get the wounded man to the van. They laid him out inside, then climbed into the front and drove out of the warehouse as another man opened one of the large bay doors, then shut it after them.
Three men gone. Four remaining, including the most dangerous one, Marco.
High windows showed the starry sky but didn’t allow for a sniper to see in. Caden didn’t see any taller buildings to give the DEA a vantage point. Shit. When the team arrived, they’d have to breach the building to save him and Mia. Extremely dangerous, considering they’d be walking in blind, not knowing how many men were inside. Hell, Caden didn’t know how many of the four men left were armed or if they had more guns stashed in this place. He’d bet with the amount of drugs and supplies stacked on shelves and pallets there had to be a cache of weapons here somewhere. Another good bust for the DEA but a potential death trap for him, Mia, and the agents coming to help.
Mia reached up and rubbed her hand over the back of her head. The bruising on her hand showed dark on her palm in the weak overhead lights. She had to be hurting, her head, her hand, but the anger and determination lighting her eyes blotted out any show of weakness.
Mia dropped her hand and notched her chin up. “Caden is never going to tell you what you want to know, no matter what you do to me.”
“You think so?” A menacing smile spread across Marco’s face. “I think he’ll do and say anything to keep me from touching you.” Marco raked his eyes over Mia’s beautiful body, not even flinching at the blood all over her dress, implying that he’d rape her to get Caden to talk.
Caden fought to get free of the guys holding him. “You fucking touch her and I’ll kill you.”
Marco’s face contorted into pure rage. “Tell me what I want to know. Is Trigger working for you?”
“No.” Caden didn’t hesitate to spit out the lie. “You’re wasting your time. I want that asshole behind bars as much as I’d like to see you back there.”
Marco narrowed his eyes and accused, “You staged it to look like he escaped the hospital.”
Caden dismissed that with a shake of his head. “He took advantage of a lapse in security and did the smart thing and disappeared.”
Marco pointed the gun at him, shaking it up and down with his words. “You got him out. You’re hiding him because he’s your snitch.”
Caden held Marco’s menacing gaze. “If the fucking sheriff’s department was doing their job, he’d be in custody and you’d still be behind bars, too.”
Marco moved toward Mia, the gun trained on her. “What is Trigger’s real name?”
Caden struggled against the men holding him back. He hated the quiet intensity masking the plea in Mia’s eyes for this to be over. She held it together, but the tremble in her hands gave away the fear she hid well from Marco and the others.
“John Fletcher.” Beck had a solid background. One that would hold up to any deep background check or internet search. “Open warrants in Wyoming and Montana for a string of crimes ranging from assault to drug trafficking. He’s wanted for questioning in two murders.” A long rap sheet that gave Trigger the street cred he needed to infiltrate big drug operations like Guzman’s and take down key players like Marco.
“All that off the top of your head.”
“I was in charge of the operation to take you down. I know the players.”
Marco pointed to Caden with the gun. “You ordered the takedown at the barn.” Marco’s eyes squinted with suspicion.
Caden didn’t like where this was going but nodded to confirm Marco’s statement.
“If Trigger wasn’t working for you, then why did he shoot at me and kill Paula?”
“How the fuck should I know? The dude’s name is Trigger. Based on his history, pulling the trigger is his thing. We surrounded the building. Maybe he thought you turned on him.”
“Why the hell would I do that at my own lab?”
“Hey, I didn’t say it made perfect sense. He’s a wanted man. Cops show up, it’s everyone for themselves. Right? No honor among thieves and drug dealers.” Caden eyed Marco and the others. “What’s the plan here, Marco? Your getaway van just left. I can’t tell you how to find a man who has become an expert at evading the cops, unlike you. If you kill me, there will be nowhere you can hide that the DEA and US government won’t hunt you down. Not to mention the fact that once I’m discovered missing, the DEA will swarm all over every one of Guzman’s drug dealers, drivers, labs, up his ass if necessary to find me. What’s he going to say when he finds out you kidnapped a DEA agent?”
A wave of fear washed through Marco’s dark eyes. “Shut the fuck up.”
“Shoot them, and let’s get out of here,” one of the guys holding Caden snapped. “You shot José, Miguel’s a mess thanks to that bitch, this guy can’t tell you shit, and we’re supposed to be on a plane out of here.”
Caden joined in, trying to convince Marco to do the only thing that made sense for him at this point. “Guzman went to a lot of trouble to get you out of jail, but you didn’t leave the country like he ordered. In fact, you made things worse for yourself and him. You really want to piss him off? What happens if he turns his back on you? You’re fucked.”
“Shut up!” Marco’s cell rang. He pulled it out and checked the screen, swearing.
Looks like Guzman got word Marco had gone off the rails.
“You should have gotten on that plane,” Caden bit out.
Frustrated and furious, Marco bashed the butt of the gun into the side of Mia’s head. She crumpled to the ground, her hair fanned out around her bleeding head.
Caden went with the tide of rage that swept through him and fought off the two men holding him, then fell to his knees next to Mia. He picked her up and held her to his chest. “What the hell is wrong with you? She’s got nothing to do with this.”
Marco didn’t even look at him, just swiped the screen and said, “I can explain,” to his cousin. He turned to his men and ordered, “Secure them in the other room until I come back for him.”
Marco walked away, talking fast into his phone to appease his cousin.
Caden wanted to fight the three guys left but opted to take care of Mia. She needed him thinking straight and coming up with a plan to get them out of this without anyone else getting hurt.
He stood with her in his arms, his hand over the phone at her side to conceal it. The guy took his arm and pulled him toward a door off to the right. Caden went through it willingly, buying time to check on Mia and figure out what to do next. Beck had to have his location. The DEA team should be in place, if not now, then soon.
The small room had a wide window with a metal mesh cover bolted to the outside to deter thieves from breaking in. It would keep Caden from breaking out if he couldn’t find a tool of some sort to bust out of here. Racks along one wall held cleaning and office supplies. Caden would check it out once they were alone and he made sure Mia was okay.
She had to be okay.
He moved into the room without a word, turned his back to the wall, and slid down it to sit on the floor with Mia on his lap, cradled in his arms. He hugged her close, staring at the three men in the doorway.
“You have no idea what he’s gotten you into, taking me, her, going against Guzman, and bringing down the DEA on your heads.” Caden shook his head, his mouth drawn into a tight line.
The three men’s eyes held a world of worry and fear. They knew. They got it. But they weren’t about to go against Marco if it meant going against Guzman’s original order, which was to secure Marco’s escape.
The door slammed, leaving him in silence and mostly darkness if not for the bare bulb over the door that barely spread light this far into the room.
Caden pressed his forehead to Mia’s. “Wake up, Mia. Come on, baby. Wake up for me.” His voice cracked. She lay limp in his arms, blood running down the side of her head, staining her golden hair dark red.
“I’m going to kill that fucker.”
Caden didn’t like taking advantage of Mia while she was out, but he slipped his hand inside her dress. Her full, round breast pressed to his palm.
“One kiss and he’s already going in for second base,” Mia mumbled.
His fingers grasped the phone, which he slipped free with the relieved sigh that whooshed out of his chest. He pulled her close and hugged her tight. Her lips pressed to his neck in a soft kiss that spread warmth through his entire body.
“I’m okay.” Her assurance didn’t exactly ease his mind when she held him so tight he couldn’t take a full breath.
“Your head . . . ”
“Probably aches as much as yours. Where are we?” She tried to pull free, but he held her close.
“I’m not done convincing myself you’re okay.”
She hugged him again and settled in his arms.
“We’re in some sort of storage room. We have a reprieve while Marco talks to Guzman. Let’s hope he doesn’t get the order to cut his losses, kill us, and get the hell on that plane to Mexico.”
“Call Beck. Let him know we’re okay.”
Caden brushed his hand over Mia’s face. “You’re not okay. You’re so brave and strong, but I see the pain in your eyes.”
“I got a little rattled. A few more minutes to get my head straight, and I’ll be good to go.”
“Where the hell did you learn to fight dirty like that?”
Her soft smile eased his heart even more. “Late one night after work, I got jumped in the parking lot getting into my car. You’ll have to tell my aunt Nancy the three-part self-defense class she sent me to worked.”
“Three classes? Are you kidding me?”
“Well, I piggybacked those classes with kickboxing at the gym where I used to do aerobics and the treadmill. While being able to run is a good thing, if you can’t get free of the guy with his arm around your throat, you’re still screwed.”
“You are the most unexpected woman I’ve ever met.”
“Yeah, well, your aunt has been sleeping with mine for almost a year now. You’d think we would have crossed paths at some point.”
“Wait. What? My aunt and yours are . . . ”
Mia leaned back in his arms. “You didn’t know?”
Caden shook his head. “No. But it does explain a few weird things I overheard as a kid and saw that didn’t make sense at the time. Why would she and my mother hide this?”
“My aunt’s life hasn’t been that easy. Not everyone is accepting. You hide for a long time, it’s kind of hard to tell the truth and not make it seem like a bad thing or a betrayal to those closest to you.”
“Well, she could have at least told me.”
“I’m sure she wanted to. I expect that she knew when we met you’d find out.”
“Is she happy with your aunt?”
“Very. I caught them making out on my couch earlier tonight. Last night. What time is it anyway?”
Caden checked his phone. “After midnight.
“So, date two starts with you copping a feel and us discussing same-sex couples and agreeing it’s no big deal. We’re off to a really good start.”
Caden actually found a smile for her. “Date three you’re supposed to cook.”
“You get me out of here in one piece, and I’ll make you anything you want.”
“Breakfast in bed,” he suggested, teasing, but not.
“Just going to fast-track this thing, huh?”
“I know what I want. How about you?”
She snuggled into him. “This is a good place to start.”
He leaned down and kissed her softly. He needed the simple, sweet contact as much as she needed his reassurances this would all work out. Everything. Getting out of this and them.
Mia’s hand rested against the side of his face. She pressed her cheek to his and whispered, “You’re not what I expected either, but I am glad I met you.”
He held her close for another few seconds, then got to work getting them out of this mess. They shared a really nice moment, but if he wanted a hell of a lot more with her, he needed to save them first.
CADEN: Four men in warehouse
CADEN: Both hurt but still good to go
CADEN: Locked in storage room single window with metal grate
CADEN: How long until you’re in????
BECK: Sniper at ready
CADEN: Who???
Caden hoped King was outside in some perch with Marco in his crosshairs. The guy was cool and calm under pressure. Ex-military, the guy knew how to be a sneaky bastard when it came to surveillance, but with a rifle, he killed with surgical precision.
BECK: I’ve got your back
Shit. Caden didn’t want to drag Beck into this. He especially didn’t want to put him in the position of staring down a scope at a target he had to eliminate. The last thing Caden wanted to ask of Beck was to pull the trigger and kill someone again. Then again, Beck bested King five to one in their ongoing target-shooting game. With Beck outside, Caden breathed easier. Almost. He’d feel a hell of a lot better once he got Mia to safety.
BECK: No shot
BECK: Team in place setting up breach plan
BECK: Hold tight
Caden handed the phone back to Mia to stuff back down the side of her dress. He held her close, waiting, hoping the team got them out and no one got hurt.