Maggie made it outside the kitchen only to find herself in a driveway that led around the side of the sprawling house. Dusk was settling in around the house, but the stars had yet to make their appearance in the sky to light her path. She clung to the shadows of the mansion, though the white stucco would probably silhouette her body against it. She bent low and moved close to the bushes and small trees planted close to the building.

Her heart hammered in her chest, but she couldn’t let fear rule her. She’d come this far; she wouldn’t let them recapture her and take her back to Delgado. He might grow tired of dealing with her and kill her outright. But then he wouldn’t have a bargaining chip to lure Chase to his assignation at La Casa Loca. Then again, Chase wouldn’t know she was dead and would show up anyway. He wouldn’t give up on her if he thought there was any chance of saving her from Delgado.

No, she had to stay alive, get the hell off the compound and find her way back to Cabo San Lucas to stop Chase from showing up at midnight.

As she approached a corner, she heard men’s voices. She dropped to her haunches beside a yucca plant and froze.

A shout sounded behind her, and a man burst through the door of the kitchen she’d come out of moments before.

Maggie swore beneath her breath. She recognized the man she’d hit over the head and locked in the cell below. She shrank lower in the shadows and prayed he wouldn’t see her.

Two other men rounded the corner she’d almost gone around and ran toward the shouting man. They spoke in rapid Spanish.

While they were occupied, Maggie crawled on her hands and knees to the corner of the building, took a deep breath and slipped around it. Then she scrambled to her feet and ran for the compound wall. Her pulse beat so hard against her eardrums, she could barely hear anything else. She’d made it to the wall, and no one was shouting. No footsteps sounded behind her. But there was nothing to climb to get over the top. She moved amongst the bushes along the wall until she reached a trellis covered in bougainvillea vines and blossoms.

Heart pounding and breathing ragged, she dug her feet into the trellis and climbed, her hands and face scraped by the branches. After she’d made it only four feet up the trellis, hands gripped her around her hips and jerked her from her perch and back to the ground.

Maggie dropped to her hands and knees, rolled onto her back and leveled a kick at the man’s groin.

He cursed in Spanish and doubled over, giving Maggie time to crab-crawl backward. She flipped over and launched herself away from the man, only to run headfirst into another. This one caught her around her middle and crushed her against him, pinning her arms to her sides. She couldn’t get enough leverage to kick him hard, and she couldn’t wiggle her way free. He held onto her so tight, she could barely breathe.

The man spoke in Spanish to someone else, and then carried her to the front of the house where he tossed her to the ground.

Maggie rolled and sprang to her feet, ready to run. One glance around made her freeze in place.

Lights shone down on her from the corners of the house. Four men pointed rifles at her, their fingers on the triggers, ready to shoot.

Raul Delgado emerged from the house and descended the steps to where she stood, a handgun pointed at her chest. “Go. Run for it. I have no use for you. You have caused enough trouble.”

“You want me to run so you can shoot me in the back.” She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “If you’re going to shoot me, do it now. I want you to look into the eyes of the woman you’re about to kill.”

Delgado’s eyes narrowed. He raised his handgun, pointing it at Maggie’s face. “It would be a shame to destroy such a pretty face.” He lowered the weapon, and his lips curled into a sneer. “I have much better use for one like you.” He nodded toward the man closest to him. “Tie her up and put her in my bedroom. And when I’m done with you,” he leaned close to Maggie’s face and sneered, “my men can have you to do with as they will.”

Maggie’s stomach roiled. These men were animals. She’d die before she let one of them rape her. Especially Delgado. As the man approached her, she bunched her muscles, ready to fight with every last breath.

Chase and Trevor positioned themselves at one side of the compound while Carson and Gina worked their way around to the back. Up until they were within a couple yards of the compound, Chase had kept an eye on the guard on the roof. That man’s attention seemed to be on the front of the house and the road leading up to the compound. The truck headlights were within a quarter of a mile of the gate and closing fast.

Chase’s cellphone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and read the text.

Ready

He texted back.

Go

A loud explosion erupted.

Trevor bent and cupped his hands.

Chase stepped into them and reached for the top of the wall. He dragged himself up to the top and lay low until he was sure all was clear. The guard on the roof had moved to the rear of the building to check out what had caused the explosion.

Chase reached down, grabbed Trevor’s hand and helped him scale the wall. Once they were both on top, Chase slipped over the side and dropped to the ground.

Men shouted nearby.

Chase focused on his main goal—find Maggie. “Go help Carson and Gina secure the gate. I’ll look for Maggie.”

“You need someone on your six.”

“I can move better alone. And they need the help. The sooner Hank and his guys get inside, the better off we’ll be.”

Trevor nodded. “On it.” He ducked into the shadows and moved around the side of the house toward the front.

Alone, Chase tried to think like Delgado. If he had Maggie here, where would he keep her? Chase was about to slip in through some French doors when his cellphone vibrated in his pocket.

He dug it out and hid in the shadow of a bush to read the message. His breath caught in his throat and his heart skipped several beats. The message was from Trevor.

She’s out front

His gut instinct was to run around to where Trevor was and confront whomever had Maggie. Thankfully, reason followed close behind instinct to give him pause. If Maggie was out front, someone held her prisoner or at gunpoint. He could do nothing to help her if they shot her in front of him. Delgado would know this and demand he throw down his weapons and give himself up.

Chase squelched his urge to confront Delgado and entered the house through the French doors. He hurried through what appeared to be a study with bookshelves lining the walls. As he came to the front foyer, he spied a man carrying a submachinegun heading up a staircase. Chase watched as he cleared the landing above and ran to the end of a what sounded like a hallway. Based on the pounding of footsteps, the man raced up more steps.

Chase checked all directions and then ran up the staircase to the second floor. He turned the direction the other man had gone and found another set of steps at the end of a hallway. These steps were narrower and appeared to lead to the roof.

Easing up the steps, he rose to the top of the building where the roof had been turned into a patio. Two men stood looking over the edge of stucco wall down to the ground in front of the house.

Chase emerged onto the patio, and crept forward, one quiet step at a time.

Shouts from below captured the guards’ attention and held it.

Walking stealthily, Chase closed the distance between him and the two men. When he reached them, he grabbed both of their heads and smashed them together as hard as he could. Neither man saw him coming and, apparently, didn’t expect to be attacked on the rooftop. Too stunned to fire, they staggered. One fell to his knees and toppled over. The other reeled and lifted his weapon. Before he could fire, Chase hit him in the side of his head with the butt of his weapon.

The second man dropped to the ground, out cold.

Chase peered over the side of the patio to the front of the house where Raul Delgado stood. He held Maggie in a headlock, a handgun pointed at her temple. Four of his men stood around him, weapons at the ready.

Beyond the front of the house, the driveway curved through manicured gardens to the gate, not visible from where Delgado stood. The delivery truck sat in the gateway with no guards in sight.

Shadows slipped along the inside wall of the compound.

Hope stirred inside Chase.

Hank and his team had arrived and successfully breached the walls of the compound.

Chase hoped they weren’t too late to keep Delgado from killing Maggie. His jaw set in a firm line, he balanced his rifle on the edge of the patio wall, aimed at Delgado’s head. The man was far too close to Maggie. If Chase got a clear shot, he’d take it. However, with Delgado’s other men lined up around him, he might only have time to kill Delgado. The others could turn their weapons on Maggie and take her down before Chase or the rest of the team could do anything about it.

Delgado spoke to his men in short, clipped tones. All but two of them turned outward, the others moved closer to Delgado, using their bodies as shields to protect their boss.

One of the two men at Chase’s feet stirred. Chase slammed the butt of his weapon onto the man’s head and returned his attention to the drama unfolding in front of him.

“What is your husband’s name?” Delgado demanded of Maggie.

“I’m not married,” she replied.

Delgado tightened his hold on her neck. “Tell me his name, or I’ll kill you now.”

Maggie’s cheeks turned red then purple.

Chase nearly climbed over the edge of the wall and dropped down onto Delgado. His body burned with the heat of his anger.

“Joe Smith,” Maggie choked out. “His name is Joe Smith.”

Delgado loosened his hold enough she could breathe again. “You are lying. But you better hope he comes.” Then he turned toward the gate. “Chase Flannigan,” he called out. “Come forward now, or I’ll kill your pretty wife.”

“He’s not here,” Maggie said. “And he’s not my husband, I tell you. He won’t come for me. He has no reason to.” Her voice was gravelly and shook with each word. Still, she stuck to her story and refused to confirm Chase’s name. Hell, she had no reason to believe he would come for her. She likely thought he didn’t have any way to find her.

His heart squeezed hard in his chest. The woman stood brave in the face of a murderer. His estimation of her grew even more. He’d known she was feisty by her reaction when she woke up after their crazy night. She’d been bound and determined to set things to right.

Now surrounded by men who could easily rape or kill her, she dared to defy them. Chase wished he could spare her this nightmare. He was the one Delgado wanted. Yet, Maggie was the one bearing the brunt of the cartel leader’s anger.

As much as Chase wanted to go down and challenge Delgado face to face, he was in the right position to take him out. All he needed was an opportunity. If only Maggie could lean her head forward or slide downward.

Delgado raised the barrel of his pistol and fired a round into the air. “The next one goes into her, unless you come forward.”

A hand on Chase’s arm made him jump.

“Go,” Trevor whispered. “I’ll take the shot. Try to get her to duck.”

Knowing Trevor was even a better shot than he was, Chase relinquished his position and backed away from the edge. Afraid Delgado would make good on his promise to kill Maggie, Chase ran down the stairs and out through the front entrance to the house.

“Don’t shoot,” Chase called out. He held up the rifle he’d brought with him and raised his other hand in surrender. “Please, don’t shoot her. Let her go and take me. It’s me you want anyway.”

Delgado’s men shifted their aim to dead-center on Chase’s chest. But Delgado didn’t lower the barrel of his pistol from its point at Maggie’s temple. “You have dishonored me in front of my men. For this, you will pay.”

“Then let me pay. Let the woman go free.” Chase met Maggie’s gaze and held it.

Maggie gave him a sad smile. “You shouldn’t have come. He’ll kill me anyway.”

“Not if I can help it. I wouldn’t have you hurt, no matter if you ducked out on me,” he said, praying she’d get the hint from the emphasis on one word.

Maggie frowned. “I didn’t duck out on you. Delgado’s driver took off with me.”

“Delgado is an animal,” Chase said, his eyes bulging as he willed her to understand his coded messages. “A duck who quacks too much.”

“Enough of your words,” Delgado demanded. “Throw down your weapon now.”

“You made a pass at my wife in that bar and refused to back down. You got what you deserved.”

“This is my country.” Delgado tightened his hold on Maggie’s neck. “I do as I please.” Delgado drew the gun away from Maggie’s temple and pointed it at Chase. “And it pleases me to kill you.”

Maggie jabbed her elbow into Delgado’s ribs.

Chase sucked in a breath and ducked, sure he would be shot.

Delgado’s hand jerked. The weapon went off, the shot going wide of the target. His hold loosened on her neck, and Maggie slammed her fist into his crotch. “That is my husband you’re talking about, and I’m not ready to call it quits on him. I’ve barely gotten to know him.”

Delgado hunched over, giving Maggie enough room to duck under his arm, grab the wrist of the hand holding the gun and yank it up behind his back. “Now, tell your men to lay down their weapons.”

Chase’s chest swelled with pride at how fierce Maggie was with Delgado.

Delgado clamped his jaw shut tight, refusing to give the order.

Maggie pushed his arm up high between his shoulder blades. She plucked the pistol from his grip and held it to Delgado’s leg. “Tell them, or I’ll shoot first one leg, and then the other.”

The cartel leader grunted. His face broke out in a sweat and turned a ruddy red. Finally, he spoke in Spanish.

His men didn’t budge, but held onto their weapons, pointing them at Chase.

“I get the feeling you didn’t do as I said.” Still holding the arm up between his shoulder blades, she pressed the pistol into his thigh. “Think I won’t pull the trigger? Remember who was going to rape me and then turn me over to his men to do with as they pleased.” She shifted the barrel of the pistol and pulled the trigger, hitting the tip of Delgado’s toe.

The man screamed and would have hopped up and down, but Maggie had his arm in her grip and refused to ease up on the pressure she applied.

“The leg is next,” she warned him.

Chase chuckled. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned about my wife, she’s a very determined woman. I’d do as she said.”

“Exactly,” Hank Patterson stepped out of the shadows, carrying a submachinegun. “Your men are surrounded. Have them put down their weapons.”

“Now,” Chase said, his voice steely. He’d had it with Delgado and his threats. “I have a man on the roof, ready to shoot you as soon as my wife is done with you.”

Delgado glared at Chase and muttered Spanish obscenities beneath his breath. Then he took a deep breath and shouted to his men.

One by one, they threw down their weapons and held their hands in the air.

Trevor herded the two men down from the roof at gunpoint.

Three of Hank’s men collected the guns and knives from Delgado’s men and patted them down, finding more on their bodies. When they were clearly divested of their weapons, Hank had his men load them into the back of the delivery truck and lock the door. Hank paid the driver to take them to the south side of Cabo San Lucas and let them loose in their rival gang’s territory. That left only Delgado himself.

“We’ll take care of Delgado.” Hank took over from Maggie and zip-tied Delgado’s wrists behind his back.

Chase closed the distance between him and Maggie and pulled her into his arms.

“There’s an extradition order for him, but the Mexican government won’t do anything to release him to the US,” Trevor said.

“I know someone who could help get him to the US,” Carson said. “Let me handle it.”

“Who is it?” Hank asked.

“The less you know, the better,” Carson said. “My friend doesn’t always follow the rules.”

“I don’t really care what you do with him,” Chase said, “as long as he doesn’t bother Maggie ever again.”

Maggie walked into Chase’s arms and rested her cheek against his chest. “I didn’t think you’d come after me. I thought you wouldn’t find me.”

“Carson has connections. That’s how we found Delgado’s place. We took a risk and bet everything on Delgado taking you to his compound.” He held her close. “Thank God we were right.”

She pressed her face into his shirt, her body shaking against his. “I was trying to get loose so you wouldn’t have to save me.”

Chase chuckled. “Sweetheart, you did a good job saving yourself. I have no doubt you’d have gotten free without our help.”

“Where did you come up with all these people?” she asked and pushed away far enough to look at the men gathered around her and Chase.

“This is my new boss, Hank Patterson, the founder of the Brotherhood Protectors.” Chase held out his hand to Hank. “Thanks for coming so fast.”

“Glad to help.” Hank turned to the others in his group. “Guys, you know Trevor Anderson already. And this is the newest member of the brotherhood, Chase Flannigan. I knew him as Salty Dog when we served together.” Hank pointed to a tall man with broad shoulders and blond hair. “This is Swede, he’s our computer guy.” Hank nodded to the next guys and went down the line. “Meet Taz, Viper, Maddog and Boomer. Fortunately, they were able to cut loose long enough to come down and help out on this job. You’ll meet the rest of the brotherhood when you get to Montana.” He nodded toward Maggie and smiled. “Who do we have here?”

“This is Maggie, my wife.” Chase’s arm tightened around her, and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “One of the bravest people I’ve ever met.”

Hank grinned. “I saw how you handled Delgado. If you ever decide to go into the protective service, I might have a place for you in the Brotherhood Protectors.”

Maggie laughed. “Thanks, but I think I’ll stick to something less intense.” She leaned into Chase. “Although, I will be job hunting now that I’ve quit my father’s firm.” She shrugged. “But that’s another day. I’m just glad to have survived today. Thank you all for coming to my rescue.”

Chase turned to the others. “Hank, this is Gina, Maggie’s friend. She’s prior Army. Carson is one of us. Prior Navy SEAL.”

“Thought I recognized you.” Hank held out his hand. “We served a deployment together.” His eyes narrowed. “Was it 2010 in Iraq?” He gripped Carson’s hand.

“Sounds about right.” Carson shook Hank’s hand. “It’s been a while.”

Hank waved a hand at the men standing around. “How did you end up helping Trevor and Chase?”

Carson shrugged. “I’ve been an expatriate for several months here in Cabo.”

“Well, if you decide you’ve had too much fun in the sun,” Hank said, “the demand is greater than the supply of Brotherhood Protectors. You’re welcome to join us in Montana.”

Carson glanced at Gina. “I’ll consider it. Working this mission reminded me of all the fun I was missing.”

Hank nodded toward Chase. “Let’s get out of here before any more of Delgado’s men come looking for him.” He faced Chase. “Are you ready to leave paradise and come to Montana? If so, I have an airplane waiting to take us home.”

Chase stared down into Maggie’s eyes. “I just got here. As long as Delgado isn’t gunning for me, I’d like to finish my vacation before I start to work.”

Maggie met his gaze, a smile curving the corners of her lips.

Gina leaned close to Maggie. “You need to get in touch with your father as soon as possible. I’ll bet he’s contacted the Mexican government, the US Embassy and the French Foreign Legion by now.”

Maggie’s smile slipped. “He’ll want me to go back to the States immediately.”

“You don’t have to go, you know,” Gina pointed out. “Carson said he’d take care of Delgado.”

“I would like to stay,” Maggie said. “We didn’t come all this way to turn around and go home after only two days.”

“I’ll be here all week,” Chase said. “I could use a good dance partner.”

Gina nudged Maggie with an elbow. “You hear that? How can you pass up an opportunity like that? The man can dance. And it will give you all week to figure out how to annul the marriage…” Gina winked. “Or not.”

“I promised Lana she’d get to put her toes in the sand. I’m staying,” Trevor said. “I’ll be here as backup.”

Chase cupped Maggie’s cheek. “What do you say? Want to hang out on the beach for the rest of the week?” He held his breath, hoping. After all they’d been through, he wanted to get to know this amazing woman better.

Maggie glanced down at the ring on her finger. She touched his hand with the ring on it and finally looked up. “I don’t want to go back to the States yet. I’d like to get to know Cabo a little better, as well as a certain groom, who apparently swept me off my feet in a few short hours. Do you suppose we could take it slow…and sober?”

“What and take all the fun out of it?” Gina laughed. “You really do need to loosen up, Maggie. You only live once. Take a chance.”

Chase lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss into her palm. “We can go as slow and as sober as you like. I’d like to get to know the bride who made me want to get married when I had no intention of ever doing so.” His heart swelled with the hope and joy of getting a second chance with this amazing, brave woman. He hoped the week didn’t go by too fast. He wanted more time with Maggie than one week would provide. But he’d take all he could get, and then work on convincing her to give him more.