28. STOP AND FAST #3
Sloan glanced at her.“You sound like you believe him.”
“I watched that man drive a hotel shuttle through an alley.”
“Fair.”Mercer ordered him again.Finally:Copy.Camila opened her eyes.“He actually listened?”
“Rare event.”For one second, relief washed over her.Then came the update.Diego lost.
Camila’s relief vanished.“Lost?”Sloan looked at her.“Air unit lost visual.”Camila went cold.
“He knows about Chris.”
“Yes.”
“And me.”Sloan didn’t answer quickly enough.Camila saw it.“He does.”
“We believe he may.”
“No.”Camila shook her head.“He does.”She remembered Diego watching them.
The mansion.The garage.The questions.The hotel.“He knew.”Sloan stood.
“We’ll increase protection.”Camila looked at her.“What happens if he comes here?”
“He won’t get close.”
“You don’t know that.”
“No.”Sloan’s expression hardened.“But he won’t find you easy to reach.”Camila put one protective hand over her stomach without thinking.Sloan noticed.Again.Camila lowered it.
Too late.Sloan’s voice softened.“Now there are two reasons.”Camila looked toward the tactical screens.“No.”Her eyes filled.“There are three.”Sloan frowned.Camila swallowed.
“Chris.”At the crash site, Chris stood alone for a moment beside the Charger.Emergency lights flashed across his FBI vest.The raid had succeeded.Mateo was in custody.Hundreds of packages had been seized.Vehicles impounded.Accounts would be frozen.People arrested.
The Vargas organization had taken a devastating hit.But Diego was gone.And somehow that made victory feel temporary.Chris stared toward the dark industrial road.He knew Diego.Not as well as he’d known Mateo.Diego never trusted Roman.He’d watched.Investigated.Dug.And eventually found the truth.Now he knew Chris Roman had been Special Agent Chris Walker.He knew Chris had infiltrated the cartel.He knew Chris was responsible for the raid.And worst of all—Diego knew exactly what happened to Chris Walker whenever someone threatened Camila Vargas.The calm disappeared.The agent disappeared.The man in love took over.Chris touched the photograph beneath his vest.
“Fuck.”Mercer approached behind him.“You did good.”Chris laughed without humor.
“He got away.”
“For now.”Chris looked at him.“He’ll go after her.”
“We don’t know that.”
“Yes, we do.”Mercer said nothing.Chris turned fully.“He told me during the pursuit that he knows where she sleeps.”Mercer’s expression changed.“What?”
“At the wreck before he got away from the next containment team. He was signaling it.”
“You didn’t report that.”
“I’ve been a little busy.”Mercer keyed his radio immediately.“Command, elevate Vargas protective detail. Diego Serrano considered direct threat to Camila Vargas. Restrict movement. No external transport without tactical escort.”Chris’s jaw tightened.“I’m going back.”
“To headquarters?”
“Yes.”Mercer nodded.“You’re off pursuit.”Chris looked toward the road.“I’m not off Diego.”
“Tonight you are.”Chris stared at him.Mercer stared back.“You’ve been awake how long?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“You were in an armed raid.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Then drove triple digits while people shot at your vehicle.”
“Still doesn’t matter.”
“It does when you’re protecting someone.”That stopped Chris.Mercer stepped closer.
“You want to protect Camila?”
“Yes.”
“Then don’t show up exhausted, angry and convinced you’re indestructible.”Chris’s jaw clenched.“I don’t think I’m indestructible.”Mercer looked at the old scars beneath the edge of his tactical shirt.“Could’ve fooled me.”Chris looked away.Then exhaled.“Fine.”
“Good.”
“One hour.”Mercer almost laughed.“What?”
“I’ll give you an hour.”
“Walker—”
“Then I’m going back to her.”Mercer shook his head.“Whatever.”Chris turned toward the damaged Charger.Logan immediately appeared.“No.”Chris stopped.“What?”
“You are not driving.”Chris stared.“Excuse me?”Logan held out his hand.“Keys.”
“Why?”
“Because you have two speeds.”Chris smiled faintly.“Stopped.”Logan nodded toward the passenger seat.“Exactly.”Chris narrowed his eyes.“And fast.”
“Not tonight.”Chris sighed and tossed him the keys.Logan caught them.“You’re learning.”
“Don’t ruin it.”Chris climbed into the passenger seat.For once.Logan started the engine.Then looked over.“How’s it feel?”
“What?”
“Being over there.”Chris stared through the cracked windshield.“I hate it.”
“Good.”Logan pulled away.Chris looked back toward the blocked road one last time.Diego was out there.Running.
Planning.And Chris knew men like Diego didn’t disappear simply to save themselves.They came back for revenge.Chris’s secure phone vibrated again.
He looked.Another message.CAMILA SECURE. AWAITING YOUR RETURN.
Chris stared at it.Then whispered:“I’m coming.
”He had no idea that Camila was holding two positive pregnancy tests while waiting for him.No idea that while Diego had just discovered Chris’s greatest weakness—Camila was about to tell Chris he had gained another one.A child.And Diego Serrano was still out there.Free.Angry.And fully aware that if he couldn’t destroy Special Agent Chris Walker through the FBI—he could destroy him through the people Chris loved.