“I simply told him if he did that, he wouldn’t live to see another Christmas.”
Rubbing fingers across his brow, Wrath gave a sharp shake of his head. “I’m assuming you have an alternative plan.”
Sitting back in the chair, Tracker stretched out his legs and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “I do.”
“Would you care to share it with me?”
“Sure, but I don’t have all the details worked out yet. A brief summary is I tell her the truth this time and solicit her help.”
“An original concept.”
“Exactly. It will probably shock the hell out of her.”
“It did me.” Wrath chuckled, warming to the subject. “How do you plan to speak with her when she wants nothing to do with you?”
“I’m already working on it. She and I are meeting tonight to talk about what happened in Coronado. If she’s willing to hear the truth, it might give me the opening I need.”
Steepling his fingers under his chin, Wrath considered Tracker’s approach. “And if she’s not ready?”
“I’ll consider tonight a start. Her father is due to arrive in two weeks to visit his daughters.”
“You have two weeks to get Julia on our side and agree to help.” Sitting back in the chair, Wrath waved a hand toward the door. “Dismissed. And I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t threaten Delphine again.”
Promising nothing, Tracker stood, walking to the door, then turning. “By the way, I plan to marry Julia.”
“I never doubted it.”
Nogales, Arizona
Hector Alcado sat behind a cheap metal desk in a rented office near the center of the border town. Two bodyguards stood behind him, backs ramrod straight, hands clasped behind their backs.
Across from him were the people responsible for the theft of their latest shipment into the United States. Burn, president of the Night Devils, and Mario, the club’s vice president. El Oso hadn’t yet decided if either would leave this place alive.
Setting down the cigar he’d been holding between his teeth, El Oso gripped the edge of the desk with both hands. He’d never been a man to hide his emotions, and today was no different. He focused his attention on Burn.
“I want you to tell me how hundreds of thousands of dollars of merchandise was stolen less than a mile from the border.” Alcado lifted his hands, slamming them on the top of the desk, his voice rising. “You assured me there would be plenty of men and weapons to stop any threat.”
Burn didn’t flinch at the show of anger. He’d lost several men during the attack and another had vanished.
Discovering who’d been alerted to the shipment and stolen the truck was his priority. The fate of Jif close behind it. No matter where they found him, Jif was a dead man. In Burn’s mind, his sergeant-at-arms had been part of the group who’d attacked and stolen the fentanyl. A traitor.
“Someone leaked the details.”
“Who?” Hector demanded.
“I don’t know. But I intend to find out and take care of the problem. Unless, of course, the leak came from inside the Torero organization.”
Hector’s face flushed. “You’re accusing my men of betraying me?”
“I’m ruling nothing out. You are a smart man, El Oso. You would do the same.”
The assertion didn’t pacify the cartel leader. “I would use any method necessary to find the traitor. What are you doing?”
Burn’s features hardened. He wasn’t ready to share the fact he knew the traitor came from within the Night Devils. Their partnership with the Torero Cartel had taken too long to establish. The potential rewards to the club too great. Showing weakness or a lack of control could mean disaster for the Devils.
“All the men sent to move the merchandise were killed. There were no witnesses. Once we learn who attacked us, we will eliminate them.”
“That will take too long. We have another shipment scheduled next week. Perhaps it would be best to handle this one without your help.” Hector’s comment was meant to illicit a reaction from Burn. It did.
“We will be able to escort the merchandise, El Oso.”
Hector studied Burn for several minutes, features hard and inflexible. He rarely granted second chances, but he needed another source of transport once his products entered the United States. Burn and his Night Devils were much like many men he knew. Ruthless, greedy, with an unquenchable thirst for power. Men such as them could be manipulated, then discarded when their usefulness ended.
“I want assurances it will be delivered as we’ve agreed.”
“You have them,” Burn answered.
Lips twisting into a feral grin, Hector lifted a brow. “Consider carefully, my friend. The consequences for failing me a second time will not be pleasant.”
It didn’t take much for Burn to translate the message. Hector would use all available resources to hunt down and eliminate every member of the Night Devils. And their deaths wouldn’t be fast.
“There will be no more problems.”
Rising, Hector walked around the desk, extending his hand. “All right. I will give you one last chance.”
Liberty Lake
“Wow. You look great.” Tori popped another corn chip into her mouth, brows scrunching. “Do you have a date?”
“No!” Julia grasped her phone off the table. “I’m meeting someone, but it’s not a date.”
“Are you going to tell me who you’re meeting?”
Julia ignored the question, grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator. “What are your plans for tonight?”
“It’s like that, is it?” In a flash of understanding, Tori’s jaw dropped. “You’re meeting Nate.”
“I won’t be out late.” She turned toward the door, stopping when Tori rushed around her to block her exit.
“Are you meeting Nate?”
Resigned, Julia slipped the car keys from her purse, expelling a slow breath. “All right. Yes, I’m meeting Nate.”
“Excellent.”
“It’s not what you think, Tori.”
“I’m not thinking anything except I’m relieved you’re finally going to talk. And please tell me he’s taking you to dinner and not just for drinks. You’re going to need sustenance to wade through all the baggage between the two of you.”
A soft chuckle burst from Julia’s lips. “I do believe he plans to feed me. If not, I’ll insist on buying him dinner.”
Reaching out, Tori clasped her sister’s hand. “All I ask is you listen and ask all the questions you’ve buried for six years. He deserves to be heard, and you need those questions answered.”
“I don’t know that he deserves anything, but I’m willing to listen.” Squeezing lightly, Julia let go of Tori’s hand. “We will be living in the same town, seeing each other through mutual friends. It will be easier if we clear the air.”
“Uh-huh.”
Julia poked a finger at her. “Don’t even think about it. I assure you, there’s no chance, ever, that Nate and I will try a second time. No chance at all.”
Moving past her, Julia left the suite, closing the door behind her. But not before hearing Tori’s soft chuckle.
Chapter Eleven
Julia felt tremors of anxiety work their way through her body, her breathing shallow. She’d been sitting in her car outside Rosario’s for fifteen minutes, thinking that would be plenty of time to calm herself before going inside.
Talking to herself the entire drive from the hotel hadn’t seemed to help. She felt as nervous as the first time he’d invited her to dinner years ago. Then, he’d picked her up at home, opening doors and pulling out her chair, making a strong impression. So much so, Julia hadn’t hesitated to accept a second date. A third followed, and within a few short weeks, they’d become inseparable.
Nate had been her soulmate. Or so she’d thought during their year-long relationship. He’d told her he loved her so often she’d lost count, believing it wouldn’t be long before he proposed. Instead, it had all been a lie, leaving her d
evastated and confused. And angry.
Julia had dated a few times, never finding anyone who compared to Nate. To fill her time, she’d worked longer hours, volunteered her services at a low-income clinic, and spent much of her free time with Tori. They’d always been close, but after Nate’s defection, her sister had become her protector.
Which was why she found it strange Tori encouraged her to speak with Nate. And if she wasn’t mistaken, her sister wouldn’t have protested at all if they somehow found their second chance.
Julia knew he was no longer in her future. She could forgive him, but she’d never trust him again.
A light tap on her window startled her before she glanced over to see Nate outside. Shoving away thoughts of their past and lack of future, she got out, ignoring the arm he offered. They walked in silence for a few seconds before she spoke.
“Thank you for agreeing to meet me tonight. I’ll try not to take up too much of your time.”
Stopping, he faced her. “You could never take up too much of my time, Julia.”
Stiffening, she gave a derisive snort.
“You don’t believe me?”
“I don’t want to sound rude, but there’s little I would believe from you. It’s a little chilly.” A complete lie. “Is it all right if we go inside?”
Tracker’s hope sank a little at her words. Maybe this hadn’t been the breakthrough he’d envisioned. “Of course.”
They covered the distance to the front door in silence, the tension so thick it felt like a living thing. Opening the door, he stepped aside so she could enter before him. He’d called ahead, requesting a table in one of the alcoves with a window facing the parking area. The one the hostess escorted them to would be perfect for the quiet conversation he anticipated while still being able to keep watch on their cars. Tracker didn’t trust Delphine not to try to plant trackers on them.
“What do you suggest?” Julia asked as she perused the menu.
“I’ve been here once and the meatball lasagna was excellent.”
Lowering the menu, she took a sip of water. “Seems your dating life has slowed considerably if you’ve only been here once.” Julia winced, recognizing the snark in her voice.
“I wouldn’t have come then, except Ghost invited me for Dani’s birthday. There were about thirty people. Even her dad came over from Pine Glen to celebrate.” He waited for her to meet his gaze. “I haven’t been on a date in years, Julia.”
Feeling her face flush, she pursed her lips. “I’m sorry. That was rude of me.”
Placing their orders, Tracker picked up his glass of wine, taking a sip before responding. “There hasn’t been another woman in my life since you. The few women I’ve been with have lasted one night. I never even knew their last names.”
She held up a hand. “Please. Don’t go on.”
“Are you telling me you haven’t been with anyone since we split?”
Julia thought back on the few dates she’d had. “I’ve gone on a few dates. One that turned into a couple months. Nothing serious.”
“Then it seems we’ve experienced the same problems moving on.”
Taking a long swallow of wine, Julia set down her glass, determined to get their conversation moving in the direction she’d first planned.
“It doesn’t matter, Nate. One day, each of us will meet someone and that will truly be the end of our shared past. If you don’t mind, I’d like to discuss the reason for this meeting.”
“You’re right. So, do you have questions, or would you like me to go through how it all came about?”
“I’d prefer you go first. I’ll ask questions later.”
“First of all, what you and I had was real. Very real, Julia.”
She closed her eyes, giving a curt nod.
“We’d been together about ten months before my commanding officer said I’d been tapped for a short-term, multi-agency task force. It wasn’t a choice I made. It was an order. The agent in charge and the man who interrogated you, Jaeger Delphine, said all they needed from me was some information. They were looking into the activities of your father and brothers, Julia. Our relationship wasn’t a secret. Neither was the fact I’d met your family several times, spent days at their home in Monterrey.”
“What specifically were they looking for?”
His jaw clenched. This was the point where they could either move forward or everything would fall apart. “Anything they could find about the Nuevo León Cartel.”
Eyes widening, her mouth dropped open before she closed it. “The Nuevo León Cartel…” She’d heard of it through her own research after Nate left.
“They knew you and Tori were Armando’s adopted daughters and might have information they could use to bring the cartel down.”
Back rigid, her face reddened in anger. “And you agreed to spy on me, dig up dirt on my family and turn it over.”
“No,” Tracker ground out. “I refused, telling them in all the months we’d been together, I’d never heard or seen anything that would be of use to them. When I stood to walk out, Delphine told me if I refused to cooperate, my career in the Navy would be over.”
“So you agreed.”
“No. I told them if the Quinteros were involved in illegal activities, you knew nothing about it. Hell, you didn’t even use their name, preferring to use your birth parents’ last name. I explained you traveled to Monterrey twice a year before meeting me. Afterward, we made four trips for birthdays, Christmas. Not once did I suspect them of being involved in anything illegal.”
Julia sat back, waiting until the waitress had delivered their meals and left. “I’m assuming they didn’t believe you.”
“It wasn’t that so much as they believed you would have information they could use. I was ordered to discover it.”
Picking up her fork out of a need for something to do rather than hunger, she set it back down. “You searched my place. Did as you were ordered.” Just looking at the food caused a wave of nausea.
“No, Julia. I didn’t. They’d already searched your home, coming up with nothing.”
She almost lurched out of her chair before Nate placed a hand on her arm to keep her seated. “They searched my house?”
“Before I was ever assigned to the task force.”
“Isn’t that illegal?”
Draining the wine in his glass, he poured more. “According to my CO, they had probable cause and found a judge willing to accept what they showed her. For my part, I was supposed to listen, observe, and report back anything useful. As I first told them, I never had anything to report.”
Julia stared at him, trying to reconcile her interrogation with what Nate was telling her. “Then why did they interrogate me?”
“I believe it had more to do with Delphine’s need to discover anything to support his belief you had knowledge of cartel activities. He’d promised to leave you alone after a couple months if I had nothing to report. When the time came, he ignored our agreement and brought you in.” Tracker lifted a weary gaze to Julia. “It was never supposed to happen.”
Reaching over, he brushed away a lone tear rolling down her face.
“They betrayed you,” she whispered, chest heaving.
“Yes.” Placing a finger under her chin, he lifted her face to meet his gaze. “I loved you, Julia. Still do. I’ve waited a long time to give you the truth.”
“Why didn’t you come to me afterward?”
“Because for months, you refused the calls, emails, and texts I sent. Then you changed your number and email. I could’ve dug deep enough to find them, but you’d made your position clear. You never wanted to see or hear from me again.”
He was right. She’d spurned every attempt he’d made to explain. The pain had been too new, too raw for her to think clearly. By the time she’d been ready to hear his explanation, he’d been reassigned, rented out his condo, and left Coronado.
When she didn’t respond, he retrieved a small box from his pocket, setting it on the table bet
ween them. “I had this with me the night everything turned to shit.” Opening it, he turned it to face her.
Breath catching, she fought the moisture burning in her eyes. “I didn’t know.”
“Why would you? If I’d known what Delphine planned, you and I never would’ve been on the beach path.” He stared down at the box, regret pounding in his chest. “I would’ve done anything for you, Jules.”
Her heart squeezed at the use of his pet name for her. No one else had ever called her Jules. Not before or after.
Staring at the beautiful diamond ring, her heart pounded a painful rhythm at all they’d lost because of one agent’s overzealous attempt to extract information that never existed. She didn’t know what to say, how to go forward from what she’d learned.
She needed time to process everything, heal the persistent ache of six long years. She had to decide if what he told her was the truth. Most of all, she had to decide if she could ever trust him again.
“I know there’s little we can do about the years apart, Jules. All I ask is time to make it right. More than ever, I want a future with you. Want what was taken away from us. Unless you no longer have feelings for me.”
Julia didn’t know how to respond. She still loved him, but wouldn’t allow herself to admit it. Not until she’d had time to consider what Nate had said about her adopted family.
She’d never suspected them of illegal activities. The men had always been discreet about their business dealings, never divulging anything to the women.
Until now, Julia hadn’t surmised their lack of openness signaled a need to hide their actions.
“What type of activities, Nate?”
Brows pinching together, he leaned forward. “What?”
“What was my family accused of doing?”
Reaching over, he placed a hand over hers, relieved when she didn’t jerk away. “I’ve given you a lot to think about tonight. Perhaps we should talk about it another time.”
She slid her hand from beneath his, squaring her shoulders. “No. I want to know what they thought my family was involved in.”
“Jules—”
“I want to know, Nate. And I want to know tonight.”
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