Following the curve of the trail, Lachlan slowed as a figure lurking near a natural stone arch came into view. Hunter Quaid stepped forward, looking nothing like a man on the run from the cartel that had banished him. Dressed in tailored cargo pants and a long-sleeved shirt that probably cost more than most people's monthly salary, Lachlan registered the dual-carry belt system beneath Hunter’s untucked shirt, likely harnessing twin Glocks, the bodyguard’s weapon of choice. The guy could pull both guns and have them on a target in the blink of an eye—a skill that had kept him breathing in situations where most would have ended up dead. He was that good, so killing Titus Freeman required a specialized approach. One a bodyguard couldn’t thwart.
“You came alone?” Hunter asked, peering past Lachlan at the trail behind him.
“Alone, but not unarmed.” Lachlan rested a hand on his weapon, hidden in a slim-profile holster at the small of his back.
“Smart man,” Hunter said with an appreciative tilt of his head, accompanied by the faintest upward curl at the corner of his mouth—the universal sign of one professional acknowledging another's awareness of the game. His dark eyes held Lachlan’s with the penetrating scrutiny of someone accustomed to identifying threats in milliseconds. Lachlan presumed he passed the test when Hunter uncrossed his arms and hooked his thumbs casually in his belt loops. “A broker reached out to me about meeting with you. Said you needed a favor. Time sensitive. Critical.”
“And you agreed to meet even though we’ve never met before,” Lachlan said, unable to hide his curiosity. “Why?” Lachlan's shoulders tensed as he waited, the humid air making his shirt cling to his back.
“I’ll get to that later.” Hunter shut down the line of questioning. His eyes narrowed, the movement of his gaze almost imperceptible as he checked their surroundings again. “What do you want?”
“A meeting with Alejandro Cerundolo.”
Hunter laughed.
“I’m serious.” Lachlan crossed his arms to stop himself from punching the man in his smug, laughing face.
Hunter’s laugh subsided. “Why do you want to meet with him?”
“One of our clients at Stingray Security was chased through the streets of St. Felipe by a man we later found out was Quattro. He had a knife. It was clear he wanted to kill her. But since she’s lost her memory, she has no clue why Quattro wants her dead orwhat she can do to get them off her back. I want to help her stay alive. The best way to do that is to go straight to the top.”
“I’m going to stop you right there,” Hunter said, shaking his head. “No one in Quattro wants to kill that woman.”
“Are you sure about that?”
Hunter’s expression clouded as he massaged the side of his face. Seconds of silence stretched between them before he spoke again. “I was … honorably … dismissed from the cartel. Sure, a few of my former colleagues are disappointed enough that I couldn’t prevent Titus’s murder to want me dead, but that’s not the prevailing view of me.” Hunter’s hand flexed and clenched at his side. “I’m not in the right headspace to be anyone’s protector. Not after watching Titus die on my watch and not being able to do a damn thing to stop it.” His voice dropped to a pained whisper, eyes momentarily unfocused as if seeing Titus's death replay in his mind. “But I’m still connected enough to … hear things.”
“So, you’ve heard about this woman?” Lachlan held his breath.
“He went after her because he thought she looked like Titus Freeman’s daughter. But she’s not Brittany,” Hunter insisted fiercely, a flash of raw grief crossing his face.
“Wasn’t Titus’s daughter killed a few years ago?” Lachlan’s finger hovered over the comms switch, hoping Britt realized he was going along with the story for her protection. No one in Quattro could know she was alive and safe with him.
“In a car bomb.” Hunter’s stoic facade cracked. “Nothing would make me happier than if Britt was alive. I’d give anything for that to be true. Trade my life for hers. But I know it’s not. Britt was murdered. She’s dead.
"Alejandro personally recovered Britt's remains and returned them to Titus, giving him peace and the ability to bury his daughter,” Hunter said, his voice hollow with grief. “That’show I know whoever this woman is, she’s not Britt Freeman. Trust me, Titus had testing performed to confirm it was his daughter. Britt’s gone, and now her father is, too.” Hunter’s eyes glistened with barely contained devastation over the deaths.
The man had a deep love for them, one that went far beyond professional respect. Hunter spoke about Britt and her father with the familiarity of someone who’d been in their inner circle. Who’d not only witnessed but had been welcomed into private moments with them. Lachlan’s stomach twisted with jealousy, wondering exactly what role this man had played in Britt’s life.
Lachlan had no reason to doubt the information from Hunter, especially since he gave details that further supported Alejandro as the mastermind behind Britt’s faked death and captivity. The best way to convince Titus that his daughter was dead was to provide the body—Alejandro had done that.
The fucker played the role of the heartbroken ex-fiancé while he tried to force new memories of him into Britt’s brain. When it didn’t work and Titus was murdered, Britt became a liability that Alejandro couldn’t afford as the new leader of the cartel. Her story was too familiar to the elaborate deceptions Alejandro had exacted on threats in the past—manipulating their memories to benefit Quattro. The whole cartel would turn on him. He’d lose his new power and his life.
Lachlan exhaled. “So, you’re telling me that a case of mistaken identity is why the Quattro gang member chased our client. No one in Quattro knows who she is or wants her dead.”
“That’s right,” Hunter said, then added. “Can’t say the same about you, though.”
“What the fuck did you say?” Lachlan blurted, his blood running cold.
“Quattro didn’t send a team to St. Felipe because of that woman. They were there to kidnap a little girl named Paloma Ritchie.”
Ice flooded Lachlan’s veins at the mention of his daughter’s name. Every single muscle in his body coiled tight. The jungle around him blurred as a cascade of protective fury obliterated everything except one devastating thought: they knew about his child. They were hunting his little girl.
Hunter raised his hands as if sensing the lethal rage wafting from Lachlan. His eyes softened as he said, “I don’t know if you’re connected to the child or if sharing the last name is just a coincidence, but Quattro planned to kidnap her and use her to get to you.” He pointed a finger at Lachlan’s chest. “I’m not surprised you’re in private security, considering you’re skilled at staying off all radars. That just makes Alejandro want to find you even more.”
“Why the hell is Alejandro Cerundolo looking for me?”
“Because Titus was looking for you.” Hunter’s response was more disturbing, registering the threat with violent clarity. “None of us knows the specifics, but you had something precious that Titus wanted. And that makes you extremely important to Alejandro.” He took a step toward Lachlan, lowering his voice. “He’s desperate to find out what Titus wanted from you and get it. He’s convinced it’s the key to solidifying his position as the new leader of Quattro.”
