Chapter 22
F allon
My sister was alive.
Every muscle in my body tensed, raw emotion sweeping through me the same twisted way it had the moment I’d realized she’d been taken.
Love. Hate. Revenge.
They were all wrapped up together in a nice warm package.
I was still reeling from everything I’d heard, stories of the past shattering my mind.
I’d known all along that my father wasn’t the sweet, mild accountant he’d pretended to be.
I simply hadn’t wanted to force the issue for fear of what I’d find.
Did I hate Navarro or was there some truth to the concept of a fine line being between love and hate? I honestly didn’t know. All I could concentrate on was Brooke.
But I meant what I’d told him. He would allow me to be a part of the solution.
With my heart racing, I jerked up, my blood running cold. “Where?” I couldn’t care less what protocol there was or if I wasn’t allowed to speak with Navarro’s men. With my sister’s life involved, I would jump into the middle of the conversation.
Period.
Navarro walked closer, a quizzical look on his face. I noticed his soldier handed him a phone. His deep sigh confirmed what Silvio had told him and he didn’t like what he’d seen.
“Show me,” I demanded.
“No,” Navarro said with a dark look.
“I said yes.” I moved closer, and Silvio immediately retrieved his phone, backing away as if fearing I would knock him on his ass. I would if necessary.
Navarro turned, crowding my space and walking me backwards the moment I reached out to try to snag the iPhone from the soldier’s hand. “You don’t need to see that, Fallon. Not now. Not ever. But at least we know where she is.”
“Is she alive?”
“Yes, from what I can tell, she’s alive,” Navarro told me. When he whistled, my ears perked up. “You’re shitting me.”
“The drone captured real time footage. That was the boar’s food for the night.” Silvio shook his head and I was surprised seeing his expression.
And his pale face.
“Fucking savages,” Navarro hissed. “We leave in ten minutes.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll have the men ready. There won’t be that many of us. I doubt Eduardo’s men will willingly face the Alcarez Cartel.”
“Then make them,” I snarled, fisting my hand and pressing it against Navarro’s chest.
“Don’t worry. We can handle this with the men I have with me and Jago’s men. We’ll be fine.”
“I don’t know about that, boss. There’s something like two hundred men just hanging out at the Alcarez compound. More if you’re talking about the soldiers lining the dirt road leading to the place.”
I could instantly tell Navarro was pissed his soldier had said anything. Suddenly, he didn’t like that I was being allowed to hear the inner workings of his kingdom.
“I’m going,” I said out of the blue, immediately taking a sidestep away from Navarro and heading to the door. I’d tossed on shorts and a tee shirt after my unexpected dip in the pool. Time for a new pair of jeans instead.
“You’re not going anywhere,” Navarro half shouted from behind me.
I had my hand on the door. “Try and stop me. I will find a way to get there.” I’d taken two strides out the door when Navarro was right behind me, jerking me against the wall.
“You can’t seem to understand you have rules to follow.”
“You can’t seem to get it through that thick skull of yours that I’m as qualified if not more than the men you employ.
This is my sister we’re talking about. If we get her back, I’m the only one that can help her if she’s in a diabetic coma.
I was trained.” I was telling a partial lie, but he didn’t need to know that.
His upper lip curled and he stared off into the distance. “You’re not equipped to deal with these fucks. They have no issue killing women and children if necessary. I won’t risk your life under any circumstances.”
“I’m not suggesting I go with you, Navarro.
I’ll telling you. I’ve been dicked around since I was nine years old by a man who lied to me.
Who lied to my sister as well. Because of his choices, my sister’s life is at stake.
If the girl in the photo is really her, I’m going.
I will find a way. So help me fucking God, I will.
You know I’ll do everything in my power to get to her one way or another. Including using my feminine wiles.”
At this point, I was so close to finding her that I’d do anything it took to make that happen. I could tell by the way he was gritting his teeth he knew I’d follow through with my promise.
Or was I making a threat?
The horrible story he’d told me weighed heavily on my mind, but the horror and haunted sadness that I’d felt for two weeks couldn’t matter. I’d decide whether to hate him or not after she was safe.
His chest continued to heave out of frustration and anger. He should take a number. I felt the same way. “I can’t allow that to happen. I don’t want you injured or worse.”
“Don’t you think I can take care of myself?”
He lifted his head, his usually dark eyes filled with complete frustration. I had that kind of effect on the man. “Fuck me. I cannot believe I’m considering this.”
“Just return my knife and give me a weapon. You might be surprised.”
“If I agree, will you stay right by my side?”
“Of course.” My stomach was doing flip-flops. For all my bravado and the display of my intense training in the club a couple of nights before, I was no trained killer. But I wouldn’t back down now. Not a chance.
He obviously didn’t believe me. Hell, I wouldn’t believe me at this point. When he backed me against the wall, taking his time placing one hand on the right by my head and the other on the left, another wave of current crackled against my skin.
While the desire from earlier lingered, his clenched jaw was a sheer indication he wouldn’t tolerate any indifference or disobedience.
“I’m going to make this very clear to you.
This isn’t anything like what you trained for back in the US where bodybuilders were pretending they’re something they aren’t.
This also isn’t like what you’ve seen on American television.
They don’t simply gun you down and be done with it, Fallon.
They enjoy torture. They enjoy killing. They like dismembering their enemies. While they’re alive.”
I winced but knew he was doing everything in his power to terrify me. Okay, so it was working, but I refused to back down. “Bring it on. You’ve seen what I can do.”
He laughed as if I’d lost my mind. Maybe I had. “This compound doubles as an exotic animal sanctuary, my falcon. Only Javier Bandoles isn’t the best caretaker, often forgetting to feed them. When he does get around to it, as you might imagine, the beasts are famished.”
“You’re not scaring me.”
“Then you’re not hearing me. I said no and I meant it.” With a smile on his face, he dared wrap his fingers around my throat, taking deep breaths as he rolled his thumb back and forth across my bottom lip.
The sensual move was meant to both terrify and disarm me.
If he thought it would work, he truly didn’t know me at all.
His actions became rougher and his chest heaved in response as I stared at him defiantly.
When he pulled my lower lip down by a few centimeters, issuing a dark chuckle while doing so, I rubbed the flat of my hand down his stomach, cradling his thick bulge between my fingers.
Two could play at the intimidation game.
His laugh was subtle and he slowly slid his thumb into my mouth, pumping several times.
The move was as sensual as it was annoying.
The taste held hints of dirt and blood, tobacco and whiskey, enticing me while reminding me how treacherous the situation was.
I couldn’t be a fool. I was in so far over my head I would soon be consumed by the deep water.
“ Una mujer que se niega a quedarse atrás aprenderá que conducir puede ser peligroso .”
I also laughed at his words, repeating them with a lilt in my voice.
“A woman who refuses to take a back seat will learn driving is dangerous? Really, Navarro? You couldn’t come up with anything better than that.
If that’s what you think of me then you truly have no understanding of my resolve or how far I’ll go to protect my family.
Just like you’ve done with yours. Think of Maya.
Think of the lengths you’d go in order to save and protect her.
That’s the way I feel, Navarro. I need to be there.
I need to play a part in saving her. I will do everything you say. I promise you.”
He jerked away, but not before taking the time to rub his crooked finger under my chin.
I wasn’t used to begging anyone for anything. The thought alone churned my stomach. Even during my passive stage where I’d remained in the shadows, there’d been a stark resolve, a knowing that I didn’t need to kowtow or surrender to anyone.
Yet studying Navarro’s concerned face and the way he was picking apart my defenses as well as his own was enlightening.
We were two birds of a feather. Two kindred yet broken souls who’d endured unimaginable sadness and, in his case, tremendous tragedy.
Both of us had been shaped into the people we were today, which was why our connection was both electric and tenuous.
When he tried to turn away from me, I placed my hand on his arm more gently than I had before. “Please, Navarro. Maybe it’s time that you trust me. I need to be there. With my sister. She might be all the family I have left. I promise I’ll stay right by your side.”
His deep exhale was exaggerated and he lowered his head. As he’d done so many times around me, he cursed in Spanish, but I caught every word of his aggravated soliloquy.
The woman is going to be the death of me. I should spank and chain her.
“You can try to chain me, but you know how that worked out before.”
He stood where he was, turning his head as two men walked in through the door. I’d seen them before. They were the men Navarro worked with, both as dangerous looking as the man I was…