Stryker was in hell. He adjusted in his bed, but it just wasn’t comfortable, no matter what position he got into. Finally, he stood and paced out onto the small balcony that was attached to his bedroom, and welcomed the slight breeze that cut through the heat of the night.
Their house fit the lifestyle of a lieutenant. It was two stories, with all three of the bedrooms on the second floor. On the first floor was a comfortable living room, small dining area, and decent-sized kitchen.
Far off in the distance, he heard gunfire and the sound of police sirens wailing. He wondered if it was cartel-related. He shook his head at himself. He had buried himself so deeply in the role he was playing, he imagined everything pertained to his mission. He could just as easily be in a highly populated city in America and hear the same things.
He ran a hand down his face and felt the rough texture of his beard. What made you decide to go caveman on me? He could almost hear her voice. It was as if she were standing right next to him. His skin tingled as if she had just touched him.
Who had sent her those fucking pictures? Why would they? What game was being played, and what role did Anya factor in all of it? He needed to know the full story. And not from Brusco. He didn’t know what he was going to do when he saw Brusco next. But he was more worried about Anya than anyone else.
Standard protocol required intense questioning, almost to the point of torture. How far had they taken it? How much had they scared her? Had they hurt her? There would be hell to pay if they had.
He didn’t consider the possibility of her being a spy. Anya was gifted and talented in many ways, but he knew she would never use her intelligence to hurt the country she loved. She’d made a poor choice to come to the house, but, given the pictures she’d received, where else could she turn? How much of it did she even understand? Was she buying the story that Snap and Brusco were former DEA agents?
He looked at the street below him and saw a cat wandering along the alleyway. The rest of the street was silent, and the immediate area was asleep by all appearances.
He was desperate to know she was okay. His hands gripped the railing. Going a week and a half not hearing her sweet voice was torture, and he didn’t know how much longer he would be on the mission before he could see her and hold her in his arms.
He wondered what she had thought when she had first seen the pictures. She had to have been horrified. She was a hardworking woman who had a business riding on her shoulders. She didn’t need added stress with bizarre excuses from his teammates.
He longed to hear her voice, raw and sensual without her even trying, telling him once more that she loved him. He longed for her cool fingers upon his body. He longed to see her beautiful face and stare into her eyes that seemed to change from every shade of brown and gold imaginable. But he would have to wait a little longer before he had access to her like that, access to touch her and caress her and make sure she was truly okay.
He frowned down at the alley. He needed to know she was okay. He would send Snap to check on her in the morning and report back to him. It was all he could do until he could reach out to her himself. Things had drastically changed, though, now that she had been exposed to the unpleasant world he worked in. He needed to talk to Haslett right away and get permission to let her know his true identity and purpose in Hebbronville.
But what the hell would he say to her when he got back home?
* * *
Anya’s hands were trembling as she brought the coffee mug to her lips. She took several long gulps, then set it back down on her desk carefully. Mornings were the hardest. It was when the nightmares were still the freshest, and she could only do so much to get them to fade.
She had thought she had nightmares before this. Those had been simple, faint dreams compared to what she was living through now. Now, she was haunted by the faces of people she had never met staring at her with the vacant expressions of death, their bodies mutilated.
Then, she was haunted by the nightmares of Snap and Brusco questioning her over and over again. They warned her that they were being gentle with her compared to what she would face with the authorities.
They never elaborated on whether it would be the DEA or some other organization that she didn’t even want to learn about. Regardless, she didn’t want to go to any authorities. She wanted to take back all the missteps she had already made and never enter their home to talk to them in the first place.
Was Stryker part of all of it? Was he former DEA as well? Was that why he’d told her he had done bad things in his past? Did she know who he really was? She felt so foolish, so blind and naive. She had taken for granted that he was a simple cowboy who couldn’t tell her all about his past because it was painful. The more likely scenario was that he couldn’t tell her about his past because he was afraid he would frighten her away.
He had been right to think that way. She was terrified of the things she had seen in those pictures, of the questions Brusco and Snap had asked her. Stryker had to be involved in some form or fashion. He couldn’t be the leader of that ranch without having knowledge of the activities of his fellow ranchers.
She glanced at the clock. Five thirty in the morning. She had always been an early riser, but this was early even for her. Especially since she was supposed to be catching up on her sleep after weeks of the calving season keeping her on her toes. She buried her face in her hands and rubbed her eyes with her fingers. Maybe she could go back to sleep for a couple of hours. Heaven knew, she needed it.
She had just slipped back under the covers when her phone rang. Sighing heavily, she glanced at the screen, and recognized the number of one of her ranchers. It seemed she wouldn’t be getting the sleep she so desperately needed after all.
Chapter 20
After another successful calf birth, Anya began the long drive back to her clinic, her windows rolled down to keep the air blowing in her face so she would stay awake. She tried desperately not to think about the images that had been sent to her, but it was as if they were permanently etched into her mind. Her body longed for sleep, but she feared the nightmares that would come with it.
She wondered if Brusco and Snap had somehow been in touch with Stryker and let him know what had happened. If so, how had he reacted? How would he react when he returned home? Would he be angry? Would he be worried about her? Would he pull her into his protective arms and never let go?
She rolled her eyes at herself. She was being a complete sap. Her gut told her that Brusco and Snap hadn’t told her everything. She had thought it odd for six men to go into a partnership to run such a large ranch without any ranch hands. Perhaps there was even more going on than she suspected. Perhaps they were involved in something illegal, and she had stumbled right into it.
What if Stryker returns with the intention to permanently silence me for meddling in his affairs? Anya shook her head at herself. She’d been watching far too many spy movies. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her throat was tight. Her thoughts certainly made it easier to stay awake.
Just thinking about Stryker made her heart beat a little faster. How could she still be so excited about seeing this man who had clearly misrepresented who he really was? Because you’ve seen the good in him. He has been gentle with you and kind to you… She missed him. She wanted to see him as soon as possible and have him reassure her that everything was going to be okay.
Anya’s mind flashed back to that afternoon at the ranch, sitting in the dining room at the head of the table with Brusco on one side and Snap on the other, effectively cutting her off from every attempt at escape. They hammered her with questions nonstop, relentlessly trying to determine if she was a spy of some sort.
She had never felt such fear, and never wanted to feel it again. Stryker wouldn’t put her through more questioning, would he?
She pulled into the parking spot behind her clinic and climbed wearily out of her truck. She had to open up the offic
e in less than thirty minutes. Perhaps she could get just a quick nap. She prayed her dreams would be happy ones, filled with Stryker’s arms wrapped around her in a passionate embrace.
Much to her disappointment, she hadn’t been able to sleep once she entered the clinic. Her mind still raced, and for once she hated her overactive imagination. The scenarios about the type of illegal things Stryker and his friends could be involved in seemed endless.
She took a long shower to try to wake up. She felt as if the bubble of joy and happiness she lived in had been popped beyond all repair. She would never look at things the same again. But she could get it back. She was determined to get it back. She needed to find her smile again.
She dressed quickly and was towel-drying her long hair as she walked out into the bedroom. Instantly, she felt that something was different in the atmosphere. There was the faint scent of a man’s cologne clinging to the air, and she dashed quickly to her nightstand where she had stashed her handgun. She had been around guns her entire life. It came with living on a ranch. She had been taught early how to use them, and had always enjoyed target practice.
She knew she had a full clip of bullets and one in the chamber, ready to fire as soon as she flipped off the safety and pulled the trigger. She was already releasing the safety when she saw the shadow of a man stretch on her floor as he walked from the clinic area back into her personal quarters.
She gripped the gun tightly with both hands and waited for the man to show himself, staying crouched on the other side of her bed. When he entered her room, she swallowed her gasp. What was he doing here?
“Not another step, asshole,” she spat, and Snap stopped, his eyes settling on her.
“Are you going to shoot me, Anya?”
“I’m thinking about it.”
“I’m not here to hurt you.”
“Why are you here, then? Oh, no. Let me guess. You talked to Stryker and he told you to check up on me. To make sure I’m not causing any trouble.”
An eyebrow lifted on his handsome, youthful face. “I’m here to check on you, yes, but I wasn’t worried about you causing any trouble. I did talk to Stryker early this morning and he wanted me to make sure you are okay—he wanted to make sure that Brusco and I weren’t too harsh with you.”
“And? Do you think you were harsh with me?”
“Anya…” He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. “Please understand—we had to know for sure that you weren’t—”
“What? A spy? A threat to whatever you’re doing here? Which one is it? Are you one of the good guys or one of the bad?” She shifted on her feet but she didn’t change the aim of her gun. If he made one move she didn’t like, he would need serious medical attention quickly. The strange thing was that she seemed to be blanketed in this eerie calm. She wasn’t shaking; she was laser focused on him.
“Anya, put the gun down. There’s no need for any of this. I was legitimately coming to check on you. I know we were hard on you the other day, and I wanted to make sure you’re holding up okay.”
“How can I trust you after what I saw and what you told me?”
“Please…” He took a step toward her, and she cocked the gun, making him freeze halfway into his next step. He sighed heavily. “I can see why you don’t trust me. I can understand it, even. But I wouldn’t harm you, Anya. I couldn’t hurt you. I could never hurt you.”
She stood slowly, steadying the gun with both hands, and while maintaining eye contact with him, she flipped the safety back on the gun. Gradually she lowered it, but she made no move to get closer to him.
Snap didn’t move either. Instead, he stuffed his hands into his jeans and watched her with curiosity. “You were seriously considering shooting me? Hell, Anya. You are full of surprises.”
“You should know that if you break into a home in Texas, you’re likely to get shot. That shouldn’t come as any surprise at all. And given recent events, I’m even more grateful that I know how to shoot a man between the eyes if I ever had to.”
Snap frowned, but didn’t comment. “I know what you saw has you shaken up. And I know talking to Brusco and me didn’t make things any easier. I’m sorry for that. How are you? Seriously.”
“I don’t know, to be honest. I’m having a hard time telling which way is up and which way is down. Everything feels like a jumbled mess.” She shook her head, unwilling to talk about herself any more. “How is Stryker? Is his trip going well?”
“Yes. He’s good. But when he heard what had happened, he was livid. He didn’t like the idea of us trying to question you.”
“Perhaps he trusts me more than you do,” Anya replied back sharply.
“I understand you’re angry with us. But can you try to step back from this and look at it through our eyes?”
“Through your eyes?” Anya was incredulous. “Given what I saw, I don’t want to see anything through your eyes.”
Snap pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. “Look, I’m sorry for everything we had to put you through. But we had to be certain. I’ll leave you to your day. But know that we all still view you as a friend, and you’re welcome at the ranch at any time.”
Anya swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the gun in her hand. She nodded to Snap, but made no further move toward him. He was frowning deeply as he turned and left her room, and she heard the door open outside as he left the building. She realized then that she hadn’t asked him how he’d gotten in.
* * *
With a heavy sigh, Benicio opened his eyes to greet a new day full of unlimited possibilities. The faint rays of light beginning to penetrate through his shades told him it was later in the morning than he wanted it to be. He had a long journey ahead of him, and he needed to get on the road.
He had an odd feeling when he thought of going to Matamoros. The city was even more dangerous than Nuevo Laredo.
The policia were cracking down hard on the cartels in Matamoros, making arrests as well as engaging in gun fights. If certain people knew he was coming, he could easily become a target. But he hadn’t gotten as far as he had without using his brain.
He had greased the palms of many influential people over the years, even in Matamoros. From politicians to detectives to leaders in the cartels that he despised, he had made certain that no man would question who he was or why he was there. He hoped. He had to be careful nonetheless. With all the upheaval and changes, the people he’d won over to his side might need additional persuasion to keep him safe.
He hated giving money to those lowlifes. They were all a waste of oxygen. None of them had the balls to take their organization to the levels he was taking his. And none of them deserved a fucking bribe from him.
Already irritated, he rolled out of bed and headed to the restroom. Nearly thirty minutes later, he emerged, and his mind had returned to the business ahead of him. Matamoros was a long four-hour drive from his home. But it would be worth it if he got the answers he needed.
Information coming from Matamoros was taking much too long to reach him, and it couldn’t be trusted as it was usually third- or fourth-hand accounts. No one disputed that a capo had been displaced in Matamoros, but no one could agree who’d done it.
Some agreed that it had been a group of three lieutenants who were very close in their friendship and bond with each other and had decided it was time for the capo to go. Others said it was the capo’s second who had made the dramatic move and had enlisted the help of three lieutenants to make it happen. Still others said the capo was murdered by an unknown assassin and the second had taken over reluctantly, fearing the target would be on his back next.
Any of these scenarios was disturbing to Benicio. If these three lieutenants had the power to unseat a capo, what would stop them from doing it to him? What if Hector wanted his position? He was second in line for it. Was he already plotting for a takeover? Had he enlisted
the help of these three men? Was Elsa involved in the plot?
The third scenario was the least worrisome of all of them. An unknown assassin was a common way that other cartels took out a capo who was getting too powerful for his own good. It was a danger they faced nearly every day. But it still didn’t sit right with him that these three men would be as pulled together as they were and able just to slip into his organization after being in high levels with another crew.
He dressed casually, so as to come across as a lieutenant, but nothing above. He needed the sicarios to fear him and respect him, but feel comfortable enough to talk to him and not worry about retribution if they told him some of the secrets of their cartel.
He didn’t even know which cartel to start with. But, fortunately, he had contacts in nearly every cartel, and would be able to find someone who could help him with his search. He sighed heavily as he slid behind the wheel of his Land Rover. He preferred this vehicle whenever he wanted to get around without his driver. He couldn’t even risk taking his driver with him on this mission. The fewer who knew about it, the better his odds of getting facts.
The sun was just beginning to creep up, the rays growing brighter, as he headed out the gates to the road. It was going to be a long day.
Chapter 21
“Give us something good, Snap,” Stryker spoke into the phone, with Buzz and Phantom sitting around him.
“You’re messing with some tough fuckers, that’s for sure.”
“Good thing we’re just as tough,” Buzz said.
“You calling me from that burner phone, Stryker?”
“Yes. We couldn’t take any chances. Buzz thinks they could be trying to track our calls through the phones they gave us.”
“Good thing you were able to find a burner phone. Let’s just hope no one saw you get it.”
“You’re talking to a pro here, Snap, remember?” Stryker grinned. “I’ve got moves some of you have never seen.”
A SEAL Never Quits Page 18
