Chapter 12
twelve
Natalia
“His name is Westfall.” Agent Bryce scribbles the name on a piece of paper, staring at the name before glancing up at me.
“Do you have a description?”
“No. I didn’t see him. I only heard his name, Matias said it in passing.” His brows shoot up.
“You met Rojas—already?”
“I told you Santos is too friendly for his own good. I set up a meet at their warehouse. I didn’t know Matias was going to be there, but I rolled with it.”
“We should recruit you when all of this is said and done.” I’m glad Jake is too busy to join us at the debrief—I don’t need his worried glances every time Bryce opens his mouth.
“Whatever rumors you guys made up…they’re working. Santos and Matias both heard about it. They’re paranoid.”
“Paranoid enough to hire you?”
I shrug. “I planted the seed. Matias didn’t go for it last night, but if you wear him down…” All I need is a little more time. A little more paranoia. Matias denied me outright last night, but I saw a glint of curiosity there.
I saw a little more than that, too. Standing in that room felt like being with a stranger at first. And then this weird undercurrent started flowing between us the longer he looked at me.
And with each passing second, it was like all the time between us stripped away, until I was standing in front of the man I’ve loved for years, feeling like it never ended.
Until I said something I’ve been avoiding about myself—out loud.
I got everything I wanted…but I’m not…happy.
Ugh.
It was a spur of the moment admission, but I wish I’d said anything but that. Anything but the truth.
I’d done so well keeping up the facade. Pretending to be quiet and dignified and small. Like my stomach didn’t burn at the sight of him, unruffled and handsome. Slanted eyes, sharp jaw, and full lips that only made me think of how long it’s been since I’ve been kissed.
Did he go home last night and use that mouth on the girl from the club?
“What can you tell me about the warehouse?” Agent Bryce looks up expectantly, pen poised above his notepad as I decide how much to tell.
It’s not like I’m going to lie to the guy, but if my upbringing has taught me anything, it’s that everyone has their own agenda.
And for once, I’m putting mine first.
“It’s the one I told you guys about, in Van Nuys.
He still uses it. I couldn’t get a really good look at everything, but there were hired guns all over the place.
” I don’t tell the agent about the big hustle to empty the place out.
I don’t want to give Bryce ideas about moving this investigation forward without me.
He’s the vehicle to my plan. Nothing more, nothing less.
Bryce bites his lip. “Was it full?”
I stare at the ceiling and shrug. “Not really. A few crates. A pallet with some kilos, nothing crazy.” The agent leans backward, like this information displeases him. Like he’s got his own agenda here, too. “Why do you ask?”
He takes a sip of water and mulls over what he’s about to say, and it takes everything in me to keep up the bored facade.
“When Reynaldo Mu?oz was arrested, there was chatter on the street. About one big score. Mu?oz was pushing for one last, huge shipment. We arrested him before that happened—couldn’t risk him getting his hands on all those goods.
But…the shipment disappeared. After his arrest, there was a big power play for the person to fill Mu?oz’s spot.
Mr. Rojas clearly came out on top. I can only assume he got his hands on the shipment, too. ”
“That’s what I need to find? To lock him up for the rest of his life?”
Bryce nods. “Not just him—if that shipment is off the street, the game ends. Who’s going to want to replace him, if all the product is gone with him?”
I didn’t think that far ahead. To be fair—I don’t really care what happens in the L.A. underworld.
As long as Matias isn’t on top.
“Is there anything I should look for?”
Bryce snorts. “Trust me. You’ll know when you see it. It’s about twenty million dollars in contraband.” He gives me a look. “That’s kind of hard to miss.”
Twenty million dollars?
Matias is just sitting on twenty million dollars?
That sounds impossible, but I nod, anyway. “Okay. If he has it…I’ll find it.”
Agent Bryce takes a deep breath and closes the case file in front of him before leaning back in his seat.
“Look…I’m not going to question your commitment to the case, because lord knows we need you, but you need to be careful. You may know Matias as a lover, but he’s a cold-blooded killer. If he finds out what you’re really up to…you’re going to discover a nasty side of him. Take care, Miss Hernandez.”
It strikes me how it hasn’t occurred to anyone, that maybe Matias has discovered my nasty side.
“I’ll be fine, Agent Bryce.”
He nods firmly. “So. We will use Officer Suarez as a liaison. You live with his grandmother, right?”
“I rent the unit above hers.” I correct.
“Great. So—if anything of significance happens before our next meeting, I want you to go through Dom. Don’t come here again unless it’s important.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.” I snort, looking around the concrete walls of the precinct.
“Good. Well, good luck, Miss Hernandez. I’ll see you in three weeks.”
I bid Agent Bryce goodbye when he escorts me into the precinct’s annex, following a cacophony of voices into the building’s north wing.
I’ve followed Dom and Nolan enough times to know exactly how to get to the area sectioned off for SWAT drills and training, so I’m not surprised when I round the corner and find a crowd gathered around a sparring ring.
“Take him down!” I hear Nolan before I see him, standing by a set of black ropes, his jaw wound tight as he watches the fight on the ring. All of the officers are too distracted by the sparring men on the mat to notice as I mosey up to the front.
I should’ve known Dom would have jumped on the opportunity to fight someone. The young officer’s arms gleam with sweat as he takes a swing at his opponent—but he’s no match. His enemy sidesteps him with practiced ease, the blur of cropped grey hair confirming that his skill isn’t just strength.
It’s decades of practice.
Dom takes a second to right himself—to regain his balance from all that careening momentum. That second is all his opponent needs to wrap a hand around his shoulder and flip him straight on his ass.
The collective groan from the crowd below makes the pillars of the annex shake—and I’m right there with them.
“No one’s ever going to beat him.” Someone says a few feet away, and it takes me a minute to place the vaguely familiar SWAT officer. He’s on Bellinger’s team. The backup team that saved Aaron after he was shot rescuing Sylvia.
Dom finally catches his breath and take’s his opponents outstretched hand, coming up and clapping his back. I snort, pushing through the crowd until I’m standing beside Nolan, both of us watching as Dom rolls out his shoulder like he didn’t just land on it with enough force to dislocate it.
“Did he seriously think he could beat Sergeant Shaw?” Nolan laughs and hugs me in greeting, shaking his head at his best friend.
“You know Dom. He’s a sucker for pain.” Dom waves and jumps off the ring, his boss smiling fondly.
“I gotta keep ‘em in line somehow.” Sergeant Shaw says with a wink, and I almost blush. I forgot the SWAT team’s second in command has silver fox stamped all over him.
“Hi, Sergeant Shaw.”
He gives me a wave, following Dom off the ring as the next two officers replace him. “Hi, Natalia. What brings you to these neck of the woods?”
I motion at Dom. “Just waiting for my lunch date.” It’s easy to lie when Dom knows I’m using him as a cover. “I was wrapping up some old case details with Agent Bryce.”
Sergeant Shaw nods, clapping Dom on the back. “Don’t keep a girl waiting, Suarez. We’ve been over this. I’m not going to be around to show you how to treat a lady forever.”
“Okay, Grandpa.” Dom mumbles under his breath, giving me a brief hug and ushering me out of the precinct.
When we’re out of earshot, he glances over this shoulder before asking: “How’d it go?”
“Good. Agent Bryce wants me to talk to you if anything big comes up before my next meeting with him.”
He swipes his security badge against the big double doors leading into general reception, holding the door open for me and nodding for me to walk through the threshold.
The reception is a mix of desk officers, milling detectives and a handful of civilians. Dom nods at one of the receptionists and walks me to the big atrium, splotches of sun dappling us as we cruise through the two-story glass facade.
“I’ll be at Grandma’s for dinner on Sunday. Feel free to swing by. We can talk then—privately.” He adds, glancing over his shoulder as we walk outside. Dry California heat instantly engulfs me, warm air wrapping around my legs.
I pause by the exit, waiting for a couple walking by to enter the precinct before turning to the young officer who’s become my co-conspirator.
“Thanks for helping me with this. Jake doesn’t understand, and Nolan…” I shake my head, thinking of Jake’s twin brother.
“…Nolan is like an extension of Jake. I get it. You’re a scary badass, Natalia. I’m not going to tell you what to do.” He grips my shoulder in a friendly gesture, and for the dozenth time since our date, a curse the fact that I don’t feel a lick of attraction for him.
Dom glances at something over my shoulder, and then his smile gets a lot warmer.
More intimate.
“You have a shadow.” He says under his breath, taking a step closer to me, the heat of his body washing over mine.
“W—what are you doing?” I move to glance over my shoulder, but he clamps an arm around my waist, dragging me into the circle of his arms.
“I think Rojas is scoping you out.” Dom says, the fake, dazzling smile belying the gravity of his words. The words wash over me like a bucket of ice water, my stomach doing a somersault. “That guy’s been watching you since you walked in.”
Could my plan be in motion? Already? Matias said no so firmly I thought this would take weeks—months. Just for a glimpse of his world. For a chance to take it down.
“I didn’t expect it to happen so soon.” I bite my lip, suddenly realizing this may as well be over if the scout reports that I’m hanging around the precinct. “I’m going to blow it.”
“It’s fine.” Dom says firmly, pushing a strand of hair out of my face. “I’m your pretend date, remember? Should we give him something to tell Rojas?” He waggles his brow, his eyes flirty, and my face heats at what he’s suggesting.
But at this moment, it’s the perfect cover.
So before my nerves get the best of me, and I spin out at the starting line, I close my eyes and kiss Dom.
I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel strange. Although, I’m not sure if the feeling comes from being out of practice for years, or from kissing someone who isn’t him.
The thought of this getting back to Matias puts some gas in my tank, and I kiss the young police officer in front of me with so much enthusiasm, that he’s clearing his throat by the time we pull away from each other.
“Damn, girl.”
I can’t help but giggle, knowing without looking at a mirror that my face looks like a giant tomato.
“Sorry. Was that too much?” It’s not like I kiss strangers with tongue every day—but I think I did pretty good.
“Let’s hope Rojas still isn’t in love with you. Cause if he is, I’m a dead man walking.”