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Tony’s eyelids lower with suspicion. “This is about him—your informant, Sean?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
He snorts. “He was here when I got here, you know. While you were sleeping. I saw the way he looked at you.”
I’m not going anywhere near that minefield. I purse my lips and ignore him—except, no one in my family takes well to being ignored and Tony isn’t one for tiptoeing past a subject.
“You know, D, he looks at you like you’re sleeping together and he’d give his right ball to see that keeps happening.”
Rude. Also true. “That’s none of your concern.”
“You kiddin’ me? Fuck. I’m pulling you.”
“No. You aren’t.”
“The hell—
“You need me.” My head starts to pound. I’m feeling nauseous, but I have to win this argument. I won’t let him pull me. I won’t leave Sean behind to finish this mission without me. “More importantly, you need Sean. We’ll be able to get so much more information now that he’s in-house. I believe we can close this whole thing out by the end of the year. Maybe sooner.”
That stops him. He waits a beat. “That thing you said before, about Walid needing a new head of security. That true?”
“It is,” I say. Now it’s my turn to be wary. “You have someone you can sneak into the job?”
“I’m not sure.” He looks away, rubs at the back of his neck. “What if it turns out I do? Would you be willing to swap you staying here for helping me get my guy in there and keeping quiet about it?”
This sounds unscrupulous. It also sounds like I’m staying in Mexico. Since I can’t get Sean to abandon his search for Sofía—not that I’d ever ask—not to mention, his commitment to bring down the traffickers, I’m willing to do nearly anything to stay here with him until this is done. “Yes.”
Tony stands abruptly, strides across my room and curses. “Fuck.” He turns to me. “This is the last near-death experience you get. Next time, I pull you.”
Smiling at the win, I hold out my arms to him. He grudgingly comes over, sits on the side of the bed, then hugs me tight. Too tight.
His voice breaks when he whispers in my ear, “Be careful, D. I can’t lose you.”
“You won’t,” I tell him. “No one is going to die on this mission.”
“Oh yeah? We’re that good?”
“We’re that determined,” I say. “Andthat good.”
29
SEAN
Darkness soaks into my bones and sweet exhaustion weights my legs. I long for a few more moments of holding Dada, but it’s too dangerous now that I’ve managed to get in with Walid.
She has to leave while it’s still dark out. She begins to roll out of my arms.
I hold on, refusing to let go.
She kisses my lips. “I should go.”
I run a finger down the smooth skin of her arm. “A minute, luv. A minute more.” I pull her closer. “You in my arms… It’s precious. Not to be rushed. One more breath, one more inhale of your sweet skin before you have to leave. That’s what I need.”
She relents and relaxes back into my arms, only to push back up when her cell phone rings. It’s her official cell. The one I’ve come to dread hearing. She rolls over and picks it up from beside the bed. Much to my surprise, she presses the speaker phone.
Go,” she says.
“Go where?” a male voice snaps.
