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My eyebrows shot up in surprise, even as Cody’s shoulders slumped in relief. He ran off as the guy began blubbering, but his intelligible babbles were cut short by a fresh piece of duct tape.
“He goes into the hole. Same place as last time.”
I watched as they pushed him back into the trunk, then slammed it closed with the shovel on top of him. His muffled screams seemed distant and far away, but they still cut the nighttime silence.
I swallowed hard. “You’re not really going to—”
“Take her inside and keep her safe,” Santiago said, motioning to Cody. Silas was already getting into the passenger seat of the car. Santiago joined him, and both doors closed simultaneously.
“We’ll be back in a bit,” he called through the window, as they drove away.
Twenty-Five
BRYNNE
I returned to the apartment with mixed emotions. I was elated and exhilarated, yet disappointed. Wide awake and trembling all over.
“Did you hear that?” I gasped, daring to let my heart swell with hope. “He’s alive!”
I hugged Cody so hard I nearly knocked him over, and that was no small feat. I sighed in contentment as his big arms settled around me. They squeezed me against his rock-hard chest with just enough pressure.
“They’re not really going to hurt that guy, are they?” I ventured.
“Hurt?” I felt his whole body shrug. “Maybe a little.”
“But they’re not going to bury him, or—”
“No,” he chuckled, pushing back to look into my eyes. “But he’s gonnathinkthey will. They’ll drive him a few miles outside of town before cutting him loose. Santiago and Silas will play a little good cop/bad cop first. They’ll drill him some more, find out what he knows. See what kind of trouble we might be in with the Ancellas.”
“Why didn’t they just do all that in the alley?”
He pursed his lips. “The truth?”
“Yes.”
“Because you were there,” Cody admitted. “You’re in enough trouble with the Lozanos, there’s no reason to get you all wrapped up in the cartel’s bullshit too. The less you know of each other the better.”
He stared down at me, considering me for a moment. His sexy, sapphire eyes were full of life.
“Anyway, that asshole will be fine. He’ll just have a long walk back.”
My smile mirrored his. “Good.”
“Maybe not good. After all, the guy’s wrapped up in the Ancella cartelandthe Lozano family business. And now we’ll have both pissed off at us.”
“Yeah,” I conceded. “I get it. I just can’t stop thinking about what he said, though.”
“About?”
“About Evan being a loose cannon.” I hesitated. “And… how loose cannons aren’t kept around.”
“Yes, but loose cannons are often paranoid,” Cody pointed out, “and your brother might’ve gotten wind he was on the shit-list. Maybe self-preservation kicked in. Maybe he wised up and shipped off hoping no one would come looking for him. It might also explain why he hasn’t contacted you.”
I shrugged, thinking it over. “Maybe.”
“But your brother’salive,” Cody beamed. His face lit up all over again. “The Lozanos might still have him, for now at least. But at least we know for a fact he’s—”
I threw my arms over his shoulders and kissed him, long and hard. It was an exuberant kiss. One filled with happiness and hope as well as passion, as I reveled in the thrill of good news for once.
