AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He’s as sure as he’ll ever be. If you want to grab him, you have to do it now.”
I paced along the edge of the forest, not liking the intel I’d received. “You mean if you want me to grab him, I have to do it now.”
“We don’t owe you anything. You came to us. And this is part of the deal. We’ve been holding up our end.”
I wanted to scream and rage, but instead I stopped, taking a deep breath. This was part of what it took to make amends. And I’d do it. Didn‘t mean I had to like their methods or taking orders from a suit in Washington.
But they’d been after the Cartenas for a long time. I was their chance at finally making some headway. And it served their purposes as much as mine.
I was after a killer; they were trying to bring down the head of the family that hid the killer. With their help, I now had enough proof to know who it was. The only thing missing was a location.
And I’d just received another piece leading me to him.
“Our man on the inside is ready. You just have to give the signal. But if anything goes wrong, you’re on your own.”
They couldn’t send a team or risk a diplomatic nightmare. Which was where I came in.
“Tell your guy I’ll be there tomorrow night. Any news on the plane?”
As long as I could get Everleigh to the airstrip in Georgetown, I’d be able to get her out. With Maurizio having such tight control over the country, a commercial flight would be impossible as long as he was in charge. But a small private plane had a chance of getting past him undetected.
“I might be able to get one for next week,” he hedged.
“I’m running out of time.”
“I know. And I’m trying everything I can.”
We hung up, and I paced the edge of the cliff. I’d have to leave Everleigh alone for a night. The thought didn’t sit well with me, but I didn’t have a choice. I’d make sure Santino watched her. And my room was locked up tight. The door and windows were bulletproof, and it was nearly impossible to get in without breaking the steel door that opened only to my or Everleigh’s handprint.
I’d even revoked the cleaner’s access, only allowing her inside when I was there.
The night was pitch black, heavy rain clouds blocking out the stars. It was nearly midnight, but I couldn’t give in to the urge to go back to Everleigh. I had a lot of things to organize before I’d be ready to leave.
And unfortunately, Maurizio would be back by then. I’d have to find a good excuse for my absence.
I went to my office, nodding to the many guards on my way. It was overkill employing this many people, but Maurizio was paranoid. Ever since someone broke through and put a bullet in his leg, he surrounded himself with bodyguards.
They were quick to shoot anyone they perceived as a threat, and we’d lost our cook and two maids to their trigger-happy fingers. None of them died, but they also weren’t keen on coming back and risking more holes. Not even threats worked.
There were a few guys I’d been working on who I thought could be swayed to join me against Maurizio, should the time come. They weren’t happy with his increasingly heavy-handed methods. But until I was ready, I had to hide my little side project with the CIA and make sure I followed orders without raising suspicions.
My bag was ready and waiting in the hidden compartment under my desk. If someone was to take a closer look, they’d find it, but I was running out of hiding places. I added a fake passport from my safe and an extra gun to the pile I’d take with me tomorrow.
When I had everything as ready as I could get it, I sank into my chair, hoping this wouldn’t be the time it would all blow up in my face. My sole focus was to get Everleigh out of here.
My obsession with her seemed to grow with each passing day. I’d never been interested in spending time with a woman outside the bedroom. Sofie was the result of a one-night stand. And her mom was all too eager to sign over all parental rights to me for the right price.
I sometimes wished Sofie had a mom. I had no siblings, and my own mom died when I was young. I barely remembered her. The guys I used to work with in the States had become a second family to us. Until I screwed it all up.
The bedroom was quiet when I returned, the bed empty. I went straight to the closet, finding Everleigh curled up in a little ball, the blankets down to her waist. Her dark hair made her blend with the black sheets, her small hands tucked underneath her chin.
I needed to get her out of the compound. The men were getting restless, and if I wasn’t careful, she’d get hurt again.
And I knew she couldn’t take much more.
With a sigh, I dragged myself away from her and took a shower. The warm water flowed over my aching muscles, loosening them.
My time with Everleigh was finite. I had no right to ask anything of her while she was here, no matter how much I longed for her touch.
