3. THE CARTEL KING #2
Her mouth curved.“Something interesting?”Chris didn’t blink.Then he turned back toward the engine.
“Not anymore.”Silence.For half a second, Chris wondered if he’d misjudged her.Then she laughed.Soft.Surprised.Real.Luis looked at Chris like he had developed a death wish.Rafael closed his eyes.Diego stared at him.And Mateo—Mateo watched everything.Chris felt that immediately.Camila walked closer. “You’re new.”
Chris kept one hand against the engine.“Apparently.”She looked toward Luis.
“Does he answer everything like that?”Luis opened his mouth.Chris beat him to it.
“Only questions.”Her smile widened.Mateo said her name.“Camila.”Not loud.
Didn’t need to be.She looked toward her brother.“What?”
“You need something?”
“Yes.”
“Then ask Rafael.”
“I came to see you.”Mateo looked mildly surprised.“That usually costs me money.”
“It still might.”Chris lowered his head to hide the smile threatening his mouth.
Camila caught it.“You think that’s funny?”Chris looked at her.“Didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t have to.”
“That’s convenient.”She crossed her arms.Up close, Chris could see the Italian and Mexican heritage in her features.Warm olive skin.Dark expressive eyes.High cheekbones.
Full mouth.She was prettier when annoyed.That was unfortunate.Mateo stepped between them slightly.Not enough to look deliberate.Enough that Chris noticed.“My sister,” he said.Chris glanced at him.Then back to Camila.“Got that.”Camila raised an eyebrow.
Mateo’s expression hardened by perhaps one degree.Chris recognized the warning.
Not yet spoken.Still unmistakable.Careful.Camila seemed oblivious to it.Or simply used to ignoring her brother’s attempts at control.“What’s his name?”
“Roman.”Chris said, “Chris.”Camila’s eyes came back to him.“Chris Roman.”He nodded.
“Camila Vargas.”
“I gathered.”She smiled again.Chris looked away first this time.Deliberately.Back to the Range Rover.He picked up the tool.The entire exchange had lasted maybe ninety seconds.
Too long.Way too long.Mateo said, “Camila.”She sighed.“Yes, Mateo?”
“Office.”
“Bossy.”
“Office.”She looked at Chris one last time.
“Try not to find anything else interesting while I’m gone.
”Chris didn’t look up.“No promises.”Camila laughed again.Then walked toward the office.
Camila looked back at Chris. Dangerous. Very dangerous.Chris listened to her heels fade.Only after the door closed did he realize Mateo hadn’t moved.Chris slowly looked over.
Mateo stood several feet away.Watching him.No smile now.Chris held his gaze.“What?”
Mateo stepped closer.“You always flirt with women while their brothers are standing next to you?”Chris considered the question.“Wasn’t flirting.”Luis made the mistake of coughing.Mateo looked toward him.Luis suddenly became extremely interested in a tire.
Mateo returned his attention to Chris.“Good.”One word.Much colder than everything before it.Chris understood perfectly.Camila wasn’t like the other questions.Not something Mateo would joke about.Not territory where Roman’s attitude would be entertaining.Chris nodded once.
“Good.”Mateo’s gaze remained on him.Then:“My sister isn’t part of this place. ”
Chris said nothing.“She doesn’t know details.”
“Didn’t ask.”
“She doesn’t need to.”
“Still didn’t ask.”Mateo moved closer.“Keep it that way.”Chris straightened fully.There were moments undercover when instinct told you to push.Others when survival depended on recognizing the boundary.This was a boundary.Chris gave a short nod.“Understood.”
Mateo studied him for another few seconds.Then his expression relaxed.Slightly.
“Twenty minutes?”Chris glanced toward the Range Rover.“Fifteen now.”Mateo smiled.
“Good.”He walked away.Diego followed.But Diego looked back once.At Chris.
Longer than necessary.Another thing to remember.Chris returned to the engine.
His hands remained steady.His breathing remained steady.Everything was steady.
Except his thoughts.Camila Vargas.He could still hear her laugh.Chris tightened the final connection harder than necessary.Luis appeared beside him a minute later.He waited.
Chris ignored him.Luis waited longer.Finally Chris said:“What?”
“You have a death wish?”Chris glanced over.Luis nodded toward the office.
“Her.”
“What about her?”Luis stared.“That’s Mateo Vargas’s little sister.”
“I figured that out when he said ‘my sister.’”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
“No, Roman. You’re really not understanding me.”Chris lowered the hood carefully.“Then enlighten me.”Luis stepped closer.“Men don’t mess with Camila.”
“Wasn’t planning to.”
“Men don’t flirt with Camila.”
“Wasn’t flirting.”Luis gave him a look.“You told her she wasn’t interesting anymore.”
Chris shrugged.“She asked.”
“And she liked it.”Chris paused.Luis pointed at him.“That’s worse.”Chris almost smiled.
“Why?”
“Because Mateo doesn’t care if she hates you.
”Luis looked toward the office.“He cares if she doesn’t.
”That wiped the smile away.Chris glanced toward the closed door.For half a second.Nothing more.Then back to the Range Rover.
“Noted.”Luis walked away muttering something in Spanish.Chris picked up his rag.His mind returned to the briefing room.
Camila’s surveillance photograph.Sloan taking it from the wall.She’s not an asset.
Chris wiped his hands.She’s not leverage.He glanced toward the office despite knowing better.And she’s definitely not someone you get involved with.Chris looked away immediately.Right.No problem.Not remotely.The office door opened.Camila stepped out first.She caught Chris looking.Again.This time she didn’t say anything.She only smiled.
Chris Roman had been inside the Vargas organization less than forty-eight hours.
And already, Special Agent Chris Walker could see exactly where his first real problem was going to come from.It wasn’t Mateo Vargas.It wasn’t Diego Serrano.It wasn’t the drugs.
It was the woman walking out of the garage who looked over her shoulder one last time before disappearing into the sunlight.Camila Vargas.And Mateo had noticed everything.