CHAPTER TEN
“Excuse me?” frowned Gator. “How the fuck was Bora going to take over Bolivia.”
“My witnesses, the ones I spoke to and then they disappeared, they all said the same thing. Bora and his men were overheard saying that there would be a new regime. One that would benefit us, America, and them. They were seen meeting with the heads of the cartels and telling them they would have more opportunities to do business if they allowed Bora to do what he needed to do.”
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” mumbled Ham. “He’s planning to take over Bolivia.”
“I don’t think so,” said Lennon. “I mean, he’s certainly going to help take it over and he’ll benefit from it. But I don’t think he’s going to lead the country. I think there’s someone else who will do that but I don’t know who.”
Lennon turned to walk away from the table but Brooks grabbed her hand, holding her close to him. She pulled away.
“I don’t like being kept in the dark. I don’t like being lied to. And I damn sure don’t like it when people think I’m weak, incapable, or ill-equipped.”
Brooks watched her walk away, clearly pissed off at him and he couldn’t blame her. He didn’t intend to leave her out of things. No. That was a lie. Yes, he did. He meant to shield her from anything that might harm her.
“We need to know everything that woman knows,” said Gator. “My guess is that she has information and names that not even she knows will help us.”
“I’ll go try and talk to her,” said Brooks.
“Brooks?” said Ham gripping his forearm. “Try not to fuck this up. It’s important. We can’t have Bora on the loose in Bolivia planning a coup.”
“I know that. I’m painfully aware of it,” said Brooks.
“Right. Sorry.”
Brooks walked away from them, following the scent of Lennon’s perfume. Mitchell looked at the other men with a smirk.
“He’s so fucking cooked,” he grinned.
“Yeah, well guess what?” said Gator. “So are you. They tried to run your big ass over thinking it was him. You two are not going to leave this property. Not right now.”
“Gator! I’m more than capable of avoiding an idiot like Bora,” said Mitchell.
“I know just how capable you are, Mitch. Believe me, we all know. But I cannot risk your lives. You’ll stay close. For now.”
“Lennon! Lennon, wait up!” yelled Brooks.
She stopped on the path but didn’t turn around. Brooks slowed and walked calmly toward her. When he reached her, she was wiping the tears in her eyes.
“Fuck. I’m sorry, Lennon. I didn’t mean to make you cry. We were just talking. It’s what we do. Priscilla was giving us some information from the bureau and we just got carried away. I wasn’t trying to keep anything from you.”
“Weren’t you?” Brooks furrowed his brows and stared down at her. “I read lips, Brooks. I know what you said about my editor, about the message on my phone, all of it.”
“Lennon, please understand it wasn’t intentional.”
“Yes, it was.” She held up a hand as he started to speak. “But. I also know why you did it and I appreciate that as well. I’ve never had anyone try to protect me from anything. I know that your intentions were good.”
Brooks let out a long slow breath, then reached for her hand. At first, she seemed reluctant but then laced her fingers with his.
“Let’s take a walk,” he said calmly. “Lennon, my parents met when my mother, a former Marine, was leading her team and my father’s team into an enemy encampment. Someone tried to kill her, which resulted in her becoming paralyzed. My father blamed himself for all of it.”
“But he couldn’t have known,” she frowned.
“No. He didn’t know but he thought it should have been him. He fell in love with my mother at first sight and tortured himself for more than a year thinking about her.
“I’m telling you all of this because somewhere, deep down, I just kept thinking that if something happened to you, I would feel the same as my dad. It would be my fault.”
“Brooks, it wouldn’t be your fault. Accidents happen. People die. I don’t want to die. I don’t want anyone to die but I will not be lied to, especially by someone I thought was my friend.”
Brooks pulled her to the bench on the dock, forcing her to take a seat beside him.
“I am your friend, Lennon. I want to be more than your friend and I know we have to work toward that. I promise, you have my word, I will be honest with you going forward.”
“Thank you,” she nodded. She hesitated a moment, then looked up at him. “I’d like to be more than friends as well. You kiss like a professional.” He laughed, shaking his head and she grinned at him.
“Do you have a lot of experience with professional kissers?” he mused.
“Not really. Do you have a lot of experience kissing so that you’re that good?”
“Not really,” he laughed. “I’m not a virgin. I certainly have had women in my life but no one special.”
“Men always say that. Do you know why?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Because it’s not special to them but nine times out of ten, it’s special to the woman.
We’re built differently. When we’re with someone, we are, in most cases, with just that person and only that person.
We naively believe that the man we are with could possibly be the man that we will be with for the rest of our lives. ”
“You sound as though you’ve had some experience to the contrary,” he frowned.
“I can tell you that I definitely have,” said Lennon. “Not a lot but some. I’m very, very careful about who I date, who I allow in my home, who I give my number to. I won’t be anyone’s part-time victim. Or a victim at all.”
“Good for you,” he nodded. “If you didn’t notice, my family is full of strong women with brains, beauty, and opinions. I happen to like women like that. It was why I was attracted to you.”
“Liar,” she smirked. “You liked my ass.”
Brooks laughed so loud she actually jumped. She laughed with him, nodding.
“You are right. I like your ass. But I really, really like the rest of you, Lennon. Your beauty, your intelligence, your sense of right and wrong, justice, all of it.”
“I like you, too, Brooks. Can I tell you something?”
“Anything. You can always tell me anything.”
“I’m scared.”