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He looked away, shaking his head. “I was a fuckup, Santiago. I’m lucky I didn’t land in prison. Thank God for the Army or I would have. Will you do it?”
How the fuck could I say no?
“Of course, man. I’m truly honored.”
His face brightened with such utter excitement, as if he had the entire world by the balls. “I’m the one who’s honored. You’re a damn good man, Santiago.”
I backed away, half laughing. “Obviously, you don’t know me very well.”
When he lunged toward me, prepared to tackle me then wrestle as we did to ease the tension, the lieutenant walked into the barracks. “Rodriguez. Parker. You’re up. We need to find out what we’re dealing with.”
“The intel came in?” I asked.
The lieutenant snorted. “Yeah, not that I like it, but I have my orders. Now, you have yours. Remember, gentlemen, stay inside your lane.”
As he walked out, I turned my head toward Justin. I’d never seen a man so prepared to die in the name of honor and loyalty in my life.
If only I could be like him.
Gasping, I jerked awake, the dream so fucking vivid. Fuck. Why in the hell had I fallen into the trap? After taking several deep breaths, I realized I had difficulty breathing. I twisted, trying to get fully awake. Then a jab of anguish rushed down my arm, shifting into my chest. What the fuck?
That’s when my body spasmed and I blinked several times trying to focus. Everything was dark, shadows all around. I tried to lift my head, ignoring the pain. There was a small window that barely let in any light. I twisted, another shot of anguish roaring into my system. The moment I fisted my hands I felt the hard cold steel of straps holding me in position.
It was a fucking sweatbox, the heat oppressive, making it hard to breathe.
I took another few shallow breaths, concentrating on where the pain was coming from as the realization of what had happened slid into my fuzzy mind. I’d been knocked out cold. The last vision I had was of Willow’s face.
Hissing, I struggled even harder, hearing metal clanging against metal. As I looked up, I realized why. I’d been spread open wide, attached to a long, thick board, my wrists and ankles shackled. Goddamn it. How the fuck had I allowed myself to get into this position?
After testing the shackles for a few seconds, I realized it was useless to try to get away. My eyes had grown accustomed to the dim lighting and I scanned the prison I’d been placed in. From what I could see, it was a storage facility, stone for walls. How the fuck long had I been here?
My thoughts drifted to Willow. If the motherfucker had touched her, there wouldn’t be a man or a shackle that could hold me back from ripping his throat out with my fingers. What I couldn’t understand was how Castillo had tracked us unless Jennifer had betrayed her own daughter.
Twice.
I still found it incomprehensible that a mother could do that to her own child. It was almost as if Castillo had something on the woman, blackmailing her until she complied with merging their companies.
My strength had been sapped but I tried again with the bindings, disgusted that I’d allowed myself to be placed in this position. I’d failed on all levels just like I had with my team. If only I’d managed to pinpoint the insurgent camps. I’d spotted one, not the estimated four that I’d learned about during my recovery. Fuck.Fuck!
I dropped my head, concentrating on my breathing. The fucking heat was stifling, beads of sweat dripping down my forehead, my clothes soaked. At least the shot I’d taken wasn’t life threatening unless an infection developed. As if Castillo would give a shit. I’d been trained in methods of torture, but I’d heard the Brazilian used techniques that would break a normal man. I wasn’t normal by any means, prepared to die but that would only be after I found a way to rescue my mark.
A laugh bubbled to the surface. She’d been considered a mark for mere hours, my desire banning the notion far too early in our… relationship. I should have followed my training. Then maybe we wouldn’t be in this mess.
As I closed my eyes briefly, I could see Justin’s face when he’d told me about his son, a child he’d never gotten to see. I hadn’t checked on the boy after I’d returned to the States, which is another thing I couldn’t forgive myself for. I hadn’t been able to make the connection because I wouldn’t have been able to look the woman in the eyes. God, what the hell was wrong with me, going down memory lane now? I had to get out of here or I’d never save Willow.
A noise drew my attention. Someone was coming. Bristling, I lifted my head, my muscles tightening. Two soldiers walked in first, following by Castillo. No longer was he wearing fatigues. He’d changed into a suit and tie, a bright smile on his face as he approached. He studied me intently when he was only a few feet away, taking several deep breaths. Then he paced back and forth, shifting his arms behind his back as if contemplating his plans for my demise.
“I took the liberty of taking your fingerprints in an effort to determine your identity. You don’t exist,” he said, almost as if he was surprised that he hadn’t been able to hack American systems.
I grinned as I studied him, watching his facial expressions as they changed. He had a long scratch on his face, and I had the feeling Willow had done the damage. I wanted to applaud her as well as yank her over my knees, issuing a round of discipline that would help her remember never to tangle with monsters. God. If only I could be able to do that. Where was she? Had the fucker hurt her? My anger continued to increase, nearly blocking out everything but the need for revenge. While he remained deadpan, I could tell he was angry by the stiffness in his actions. He was used to getting what he wanted.
“Yes, I knew you’d be pleased. Viper. That’s an interesting nickname. From your actions and the way in which you managed to annihilate my men, it’s obvious you have extensive military training. Were the men who came to your assistance part of your team?”
He stopped in front of me, lifting his head and staring into my eyes. When I didn’t answer, he nodded to one of his soldiers who slammed the butt of his rifle into my gut. The pain was blinding but I managed to keep a smile on my face.
“A tough guy. I’ve found in my experience that the tougher they are, the harder they crumble. It will be a pleasure to watch you crack. However, it doesn’t need to be that way. It’s obvious Willow is genuinely fond of you. All you need to do is tell me your identity and who you’re working for. Then you’ll be a free man.”
Instead of answering him, I gathered the bile that had formed in the back of my throat, spitting across his face and neck. His soldier reacted quickly, slamming the weapon into my stomach twice, the force swinging my body back and forth.
