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“Cockblocked by that nasty Russian assassin again,” he said.
Maria laughed until she cried.
**
Three days later, Maria sat in Cam’s office, ready to debrief. Or maybe confess was a better word. The team had flown home the day before, and Maria had settled Teag in at his apartment. A really amazing apartment, she might add. Colorful, warm, lived in.
She hadn’t wanted to leave Teag for even a moment, but Fiona had rushed right over, arms full of groceries, and a promise that she would stay until Maria returned. The petite singer squealed with joy when she caught Maria kissing Teag.
Maria smiled at the memory but quickly schooled her features when Cam walked into the office and shut the door.
“I should have told you about calling del Fuego right away,” she said, not wanting to prolong the conversation.
“You should have, but I don’t fault your decision to do it. It was a smart move in an impossible situation, and it probably saved both your lives.”
Maria forced herself to take a breath and let her shoulders relax. “Thank you. I knew we were going to owe him, though, and I’m sorry I put you in that position.”
She’d worried what the Feds would say, or even the local police, but the story they’d all agreed on kept TSI’s name out of the scene at the hotel. Teag had told them the truth right up until the point where Maria and Cam got the drop on Ivanovich.
He’d told the authorities that he’d fought the already wounded assassin and managed to get out of the building, escaping by car with Annabelle. If anyone doubted Teag’s account, they didn’t let on.
“It worked out,” Cam said.
Maria bit her bottom lip. “Del Fuego probably killed Ivanovich.”
“Oh, I’m sure he did. I got a call from Mike Flynn. He said the Fed’s undercover guy got word that the del Fuego cartel caught their man, tortured him for information on the murders, and then disposed of him.”
“Does Mike have any idea we were involved?”
Cam shrugged. “If he does, he’ll never ask about it.”
“I’m not sorry Ivanovich is dead,” Maria said.
“Me neither. The Feds would have turned him over to the Agency, and those fucking spooks can’t be trusted. They’d deal with the devil if it served them.”
“Did Mike’s guy find out who ultimately hired Ivanovich? Was it the Fuentes family?” Maria asked.
“It was the Russians trying to make it look like the Fuentes to start a war between the two cartels, I guess to weaken their control over the area,” Cam said.
Maria winced. “Wow. That’s brutal.”
“Really fucking brutal. But Esteban del Fuego stayed his hand and didn’t react until he had all the intel. Now, it sounds like the del Fuegos and the Fuentes are gearing up to retaliate against the bratva.”
“Glad we’ll be nowhere near that shitshow,” Maria said.
“Yeah,” Cam agreed.
Maria glanced at her watch, and her knee bobbed. She wanted to get back to Teag. He needed a dose of painkillers, and he wasn’t good about remembering.
Cam raised his eyebrows and grinned. “Got somewhere to be, Ruiz?”
She looked down at her feet but couldn’t help her own smile. “Yeah, I do.”
“Take a few weeks, Maria. That’s an order. You’re injured, and this was a rough one. You need it. I also think Teag’s gonna need you for a while. Be there for him.”
She stood, nodding. “I will.”
**
