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“Go with him, Jas,” Miguel ordered. “I’m not starting out until I know you’re safe.”
“Well, you can rethink that idea. I’m coming with you.”
Chapter 12
“I don’t know why I brought you,” Miguel grumbled. “You’d be safer at home.”
Jasmeka crossed her arms over her chest, drawing his gaze for a second from the road to her soft frame. He recalled the feeling of holding her in his arms and how he had vowed to himself he wouldn’t do it until he was sure he knew what he would do. That plan went south in a hurry, just like the one where he searched for his brother alone.
“I’m guessing Angel is so ticked off at you, he won’t give you the time of day. Those boys don’t always act out of common sense.”
“Evidenced by shooting at us.”
She frowned at him. “Don’t bring that up again.”
“The situation isn’t resolved.”
“You’re not arresting your brothers. Period.”
“You don’t have a say in it.”
She eyeballed him from the passenger seat of the pickup. He told himself he brought her along to have a second set of eyes to watch the sky while he drove. The truth was, while part of him was worried about Angel, a bigger part didn’t like the thought of her back at the house where he couldn’t keep an eye on her. He didn’t like those thoughts, but the emergency situation kept him from dwelling on it.
“I do if you want me.”
His teeth clicked together so hard, they hurt. She couldn’t be serious, could she? To think a woman would manipulate him. It was unheard of. He had liked Carmen because she had never bucked against what he asked of her. Women in his past had been dropped because they were too clingy, or they tried to get him to do what he didn’t want to do. Yet, here was Jasmeka threatening to withhold her body. Wasn’t he leaving soon? It didn’t matter. Did it?
“We don’t have time for this,” he growled. “We need to find him. Where did Tony say he would go?”
Jasmeka started to speak when his cell phone rang. Miguel barked an answer without checking the display.
“Jeffe,” Hector said over the line, “it looks like the boy has taken a horse.”
Miguel swore. “Did anyone see which way he went?”
“No, but he likely would have headed toward the mountains rather than the road.”
“Thanks.” Miguel disconnected the call. “There was a cabin I remember going out to when I was a boy. Do you think either of the twins know about it?”
She shrugged. “A cabin? I don’t remember hearing about one.”
He rubbed his jaw. “They might have kept it secret, but if they explored the area as much as I did when I was growing up and wanted to get away from Thiago and his drinking, then they might have found it. I’m going to take a chance.”
“I don’t know, Miguel. Don’t you think Tony would have said something about it when he told us the different places we might find Angel?”
“Not if they determined to keep it secret. It might not have come to mind.”
She chewed her bottom lip, looking worried. He started to reach across and free it but kept his hands to himself. For now. He intended to convince her that manipulating him was a fool’s game she would lose. As long as she wanted him, he would find a way to make her surrender to their desire for each other.
Miguel focused on the road, but a sharp cry from Jasmeka brought his attention back to her. The view beyond her window displayed a tornado swirling dark and threatening, just touching down to the ground. Ahead and behind, the road stretched with nowhere that looked like it might provide shelter. He tightened his fingers on the steering wheel until they squeaked and jerked to the left. “Hang on!”
“What are you doing, Miguel?” Her seat belt clicked as she loosed herself. “We have to find somewhere safe.”
“That’s exactly what I’m doing.” He burst through a wire fence, knocking it flat, and sped across someone’s field of cotton. Jasmeka threw herself against his shoulder, and he let go of the wheel to wrap an arm about her. Hauling her tight to his side, he drove like a madman. The tornado was now in his rearview, but he tried his best not only to drive away from it but also to get to the edge.
“I don’t think we’re going to make it.” She buried her face against his neck, and he felt wetness. Guilt and anger rose inside him for putting her in this kind of danger. His selfishness had pushed him to bring her along, but he couldn’t let her die.
“We’ll make it. I promise you!” He pounded the gas, and the engine revved, but they weren’t getting anywhere. Jasmeka screamed when the truck’s back wheels rose off the ground. Miguel swerved left and right, hoping to get some traction. His tires spun, shooting dirt everywhere. They went into a tailspin. He unbelted himself and pulled Jasmeka down before lying over her.
