Page 37 of Barinov

“Fine,” I whine as he gets out of bed.

Cade glances down at Little Lex, fully hard, wet with saliva and precum, pulsing proudly in the low light.

“You gonna pull the sheet up or just leave that there for Tex to see?” he asks, leaning down to grab a pair of shorts off the floor.

“No, that cockblocking bastard needs to stare at what he just ruined.”

“Menace.” He shakes his head and walks to the door, still grinning.

“We’ve got the coordinates,” Tex says before the door is even all the way open. “Gear up. We meet Eric in an hour.”

“Shit,” I mumble. “I forgot all about Sky Daddy.”

♥♥♥

Costa Rica

Sweating my balls off.

12 days since Bella’s kidnapping.

SLAP.

My hand slams into the side of my neck for what has to be the millionth time when another bug the size of Mon-fucking-tana tries to eat me alive.

“I hate this place,” I grunt, wiping the blood and insect guts on my pants.

It’s hot as fuck out here in this damn rainforest. Sweat clings to my spine before we’ve even cleared the treeline. Every step is a fight against the muck. The damp earth sucks at my boots with every goddamn stride.

Up ahead, a waterfall thunders through the canopy. It’s the kind of lovely, postcard-perfect bullshit people pay thousands of dollars to see. I don’t give a damn. This place can keep it for all I care.

And since Roman’s stubborn ass wouldn’t stay in the fucking van, it’s taken us ten times longer to make our way up here. I glance back and watch him stagger. Again. Pretty sure the guy has leaned on every tree we’ve passed just trying to catch his breath.

Cade walks beside me. He’s quiet in the way that tells me he’s deep in his head. Already prepping himself for whatever hell Luca designed for him out here. I reach over for his hand, grabbing his focus before he disappears in his thoughts.

“I’m ok, babe,” he says, giving a small nod.

I don’t believe him, but I nod back anyway.

A house comes into view as we break through the last line of trees. If you can even call it a house. The structure squats in the clearing like a bad joke. It looks like it’s being held together by duct tape and spite. Wood splintering with age and humidity. A tin roof that’s rusted and bowed. And walls patched together with whatever scraps some poor sucker could find out here.

“So much for Eden,” I mumble.

“Thermals show no movement inside,” Nate’s voice comes through the comms. “Satellite uplink is stable.”

“Helps when you hack into the NSA. You’re welcome, Barinov,” Laing huffs from behind me.

Sabine’s calming voice follows immediately. “You boys be careful, you hear me?”

“Eyes on the house.” Tex’s voice crackles in my ear. “Kenji and I are in place. Y’all are clear to enter.”

Briggs and Laing peel off toward the outer perimeter, both armed to the teeth. Briggs gives me a silent nod as he passes. A quiet promise without words. Laing just flashes a small, smug wink like a dipshit and disappears into the trees.

Khoza reaches the shack first. His weapon raised and body tight. He pauses and glances back at us. “Say the word,” he says, already shifting his stance, “and I’m in. Simple.”

“It’s time, Cade,” Roman says, scratching at his chest. “Let’s go.”

Chapter 10