massaged Callie’s hand with his thumb. “My intel says he’s a city boy. Cruz tends to stay away from the jungle and swamps. True?”
“True. FARC and ELN own the jungles, but Cruz has some jungle boys. So, if you’re heading southwest for a Darien coastal extraction, watch your ass. There are all kinds of predators between here and there.”
“I know.” Risto smiled grimly. “But even predators are prey sometimes.” Tom snorted. “Yeah, Trey told me he was impressed with how you handled yourself on SSI’s last little mission in the Darien. Said you must have leopard blood running in your veins.” He turned to Callie. “Just listen to what this man says, Callie. He’ll get you home safely. I’d trust him with Rosa out there—and that’s saying a lot.” He began to slide out of the booth. “Whenever you’re ready to leave, let my wife know. I’ll give you the special tour and take you out my escape tunnel.”
“Escape tunnel?” Callie asked in a low, non-carrying tone.
Tom grinned. “Yeah, ya never know when Paco might decide he doesn’t like my cooking. It probably would never happen since Rosa’s one of his favorite cousins and Paco loves to protect women. Plus, I also stay out of active covert ops. But my trainers always told me ‘shit happens,’ so I cover my ass.” He turned to Risto. “My little tunnel will take you to a vacant building I own three doors down. Cruz’s men won’t see you leave. I suggest you two don’t go back to your hotel.”
“We aren’t. Now that Cruz has seen me, he’ll make his move to grab Callie as soon as he can. But we won’t be there.” He stroked the back of Callie’s head, loving the feel of her silky hair against his calloused and scarred palm. “Call Evan now, Callie. Tell him I’ll meet him and Chad at the cantina across from the hotel in two hours. I’ll give them their departure instructions then. Anything you might have forgotten from the suite, let me know. I’ll be paying it a final visit to tweak Cruz’s nose by unhooking those cameras and microphones.”
“No!” She gasped then grabbed her throat as if she were choking.
“Callie? What’s wrong?” Risto rubbed the back of her neck.
“Y-you’re … uh, not … going … back … th-there.” She coughed and gasped for a breath.
A panic attack. Shit. She was stressing out, worrying about him. He didn’t know if he was pissed because she thought so little of his ability to slip in and out of the room without Cruz’s men knowing or if he was happy about her caring so much. The same kind of caring that had had her putting her body between him and danger.
Probably a little bit of both.
“Sip some Sangria, baby. The alcohol will help relax your muscles.” He held the glass to her lips. “Slowly.” She took a sip, then another. “That’s a girl.” He helped her swallow past the constriction in her throat by gently massaging it with the back of his finger. “Good girl. Now, take slow, deep breaths.”
She nodded and did as he’d asked.
Tom hovered in front of the table, blocking them from curious eyes.
Tears filled her beautiful gray eyes. Damn, he hated to see her tears. Holding a hand to her throat, she took over the massage, then finally managed to whisper, “There’s nothing there I…” She grabbed the glass and sipped some more of the wine.
“Shh, I understand. I was going back anyway. By shutting off the cameras, it’ll drive him fucking crazy. He’ll double his efforts to find us, keeping his attention off the others.”
She frowned, but he knew her natural instincts to protect Evan and Chad were roused. He saw it in her eyes.
“Plus … the bastard has videos of you.”
Tom snarled an ugly phrase aimed at Cruz.
Risto concurred with the sentiment one hundred percent. “I’m shutting the cameras off. Then I’ll retrieve any back-ups.”
He wouldn’t mention to Callie that anyone unlucky enough to be on porn duty tonight would die. That
“True. FARC and ELN own the jungles, but Cruz has some jungle boys. So, if you’re heading southwest for a Darien coastal extraction, watch your ass. There are all kinds of predators between here and there.”
“I know.” Risto smiled grimly. “But even predators are prey sometimes.” Tom snorted. “Yeah, Trey told me he was impressed with how you handled yourself on SSI’s last little mission in the Darien. Said you must have leopard blood running in your veins.” He turned to Callie. “Just listen to what this man says, Callie. He’ll get you home safely. I’d trust him with Rosa out there—and that’s saying a lot.” He began to slide out of the booth. “Whenever you’re ready to leave, let my wife know. I’ll give you the special tour and take you out my escape tunnel.”
“Escape tunnel?” Callie asked in a low, non-carrying tone.
Tom grinned. “Yeah, ya never know when Paco might decide he doesn’t like my cooking. It probably would never happen since Rosa’s one of his favorite cousins and Paco loves to protect women. Plus, I also stay out of active covert ops. But my trainers always told me ‘shit happens,’ so I cover my ass.” He turned to Risto. “My little tunnel will take you to a vacant building I own three doors down. Cruz’s men won’t see you leave. I suggest you two don’t go back to your hotel.”
“We aren’t. Now that Cruz has seen me, he’ll make his move to grab Callie as soon as he can. But we won’t be there.” He stroked the back of Callie’s head, loving the feel of her silky hair against his calloused and scarred palm. “Call Evan now, Callie. Tell him I’ll meet him and Chad at the cantina across from the hotel in two hours. I’ll give them their departure instructions then. Anything you might have forgotten from the suite, let me know. I’ll be paying it a final visit to tweak Cruz’s nose by unhooking those cameras and microphones.”
“No!” She gasped then grabbed her throat as if she were choking.
“Callie? What’s wrong?” Risto rubbed the back of her neck.
“Y-you’re … uh, not … going … back … th-there.” She coughed and gasped for a breath.
A panic attack. Shit. She was stressing out, worrying about him. He didn’t know if he was pissed because she thought so little of his ability to slip in and out of the room without Cruz’s men knowing or if he was happy about her caring so much. The same kind of caring that had had her putting her body between him and danger.
Probably a little bit of both.
“Sip some Sangria, baby. The alcohol will help relax your muscles.” He held the glass to her lips. “Slowly.” She took a sip, then another. “That’s a girl.” He helped her swallow past the constriction in her throat by gently massaging it with the back of his finger. “Good girl. Now, take slow, deep breaths.”
She nodded and did as he’d asked.
Tom hovered in front of the table, blocking them from curious eyes.
Tears filled her beautiful gray eyes. Damn, he hated to see her tears. Holding a hand to her throat, she took over the massage, then finally managed to whisper, “There’s nothing there I…” She grabbed the glass and sipped some more of the wine.
“Shh, I understand. I was going back anyway. By shutting off the cameras, it’ll drive him fucking crazy. He’ll double his efforts to find us, keeping his attention off the others.”
She frowned, but he knew her natural instincts to protect Evan and Chad were roused. He saw it in her eyes.
“Plus … the bastard has videos of you.”
Tom snarled an ugly phrase aimed at Cruz.
Risto concurred with the sentiment one hundred percent. “I’m shutting the cameras off. Then I’ll retrieve any back-ups.”
He wouldn’t mention to Callie that anyone unlucky enough to be on porn duty tonight would die. That
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