She envied Ty's composure and confidence. The more intense the situation, the calmer he appeared. His body language showed no evidence of concern. No harsh lines of worry marred his striking face. Even the tendons in his neck didn't look tight.
Swallowing hard, she dug deep, searching for internal strength to match his. Her mission was now his mission, and she had to be up to the task.
This kind of life-and-death drama was his specialty. Why had he left the military if not to get away from being in constant danger?
Why didn't matter. He was willing to put his life on the line for her. Again.
His cell buzzed, and he pushed a button on the steering wheel. "You at the house?"
"Yeah. What happened?" Nate spoke calmly. His tone reminded her of Ty's demeanor.
Their self-control amazed her. Ana pictured Nate standing inside the house, surrounded by shattered window glass and broken dishes.
"Exactly what it looks like," Ty responded. "It went down fast. The shooter was in and out. He didn't want us dead. He wanted us on the move."
"Then he got what he wanted. Where are you headed?"
"Can't say. We're off the grid. Tell Marcus I'll contact him." Ty took an exit, leaving the heavy traffic behind.
Ana turned in her seat to monitor any vehicle that followed them down the ramp. No one seemed to pay any attention to Ty's pickup.
"Ty?" Nate's tone hardened. "Don't disappear. Stay in contact."
Ty made his exasperated sound. Under different circumstances, she'd have thought it funny that he used that disgusted sigh on everyone.
"Who knew where we'd moved Ana to the safe house?"
"Other than the obvious? A couple of folks at the FBI. They're doing everything they can to track down Carlo Medina."
"One of your contacts in the agency is dirty or our phones are bugged. Either way, I'm going silent until we can talk safely."
Ty ended the call and handed her his cell. "Take out the battery."
She followed his instructions and then pulled her phone from her pocket.
"Can't we use mine? All the different plans were too confusing and I didn't know anyone, so I got one of these." She handed the small cell to Ty, noticing how tiny it looked in his hand. "No Internet, but you can call and text."
"Querido, as my Southern grandpappy would've said, you are handy as pockets on a shirt."
"You Americans have the strangest sayings." Even though she'd learned Texans used terms of endearment easily, heat rushed to her cheeks. That he'd called her sweetheart sent her stomach into a whirlwind.
He cut his eyes her direction. A fleeting glance and then his gaze returned to the traffic. "Did you just smile?"
"No," she answered fast. "I'll smile when Ortega is dead."
"All that hate's not healthy. It eats away at your soul. Makes you do crazy things."
"Like?" She was hesitant to push, but Ty's words made her believe he spoke from experience.
"Like going into battle not caring whether you come back alive or not. When someone you care about dies and you wish you'd died, too, you're dangerous even to yourself."
"Who was she?" Ana wished for the question back the second it left her lips.
He didn't answer right away, and she worried she'd opened up old wounds. What if he'd lost his wife? Did she want to hear the story about the death of the love of his life?
"Never mind," she added. "It's none of my business."
They rode in silence for a few minutes. His chest rose and fell in a long breath.
"My sister was all excited about me having a leave. She had some damn concert lined up for us to attend. There were four of us coming out of Afghanistan for two weeks. They wanted me to hit New Orleans first. We'd party for the weekend before going our separate ways. It sounded good to me, so I blew her off."
"I'm sorry." She reached across the seat and touched his arm. "You don't have to do this."
He shrugged one shoulder. She got it. She'd pretended not to be in pain before.
"They found her body in a trash bin. Raped numerous times and beaten to death. Bastards threw her away like yesterday's garbage. Just like the deaths of Santiago and his people, her murder is on me, too. If I'd gone home, she'd have dragged my ass to that stupid concert, but she'd be alive today."
The venom in his tone sounded deadlier than any snake in the Amazon. Trying to console him would fall on deaf ears.
"I'd be wasting my breath to say you're wrong. Would she want you to blame yourself?"
"Not my happy, always laughing, pain-in-the-ass sister." Silence fell like a trap door and lasted a couple of heartbeats. "She knew our mother would handle that chore."
Ana understood now why he was so protective, and why he'd insisted she wouldn't die on his watch. He'd bogged himself down in a sea of self-hate. Convinced himself he wasn't allowed to be happy.
It unnerved Ana, sent her insides trembling that she identified with him. Had she ever truly been happy? Probably as a kid, but those memories had faded. Trying as hard as she could, not one joyful time came to mind. She wasn't the person to pull him out of this sadness. She'd fought the "why didn't I die, too?" feeling since waking up in the hospital to learn her mother and father were dead.
She rubbed her thigh, refusing to touch the scar on her chest. The hard ridges still ached from time to time. It served as a reminder why happiness eluded her.
The farther he drove, the more disoriented she became. Having been in this area only a few times, she'd have sworn they'd entered Dallas and the lights had been in front of them. He'd left the freeway, wound through residential neighborhoods, and cut across shopping center parking lots. Now they were on Interstate 75 with the lights fading in the background.
Ana understood he was using evasive tactics for their safety and gave up trying to figure out their location. "Where are we going?"
"To Hill Top. You know where Holly lives, don't you?"
"Once we get there, I can find her apartment. Is that a good idea?" Ana was unsure how Holly would feel about Ty showing up with another woman in tow.
"Holly went through a lot with her kidnapping, but she's—"
Ana gasped. "Her what?"
"I thought you knew. Long story short, Kay was investigating a human-trafficking case. It turned nasty, so Nate, Marcus and I jumped in to help. The sick bastards couldn't get to Kay so they snatched Holly. They offered to swap her for evidence that Kay had. We knew they had no intention of trading. Their plan was to kill them both."
"You rescued her."
"Not alone and not before she suffered some rough treatment. It took the entire team to get her back. That's when Nate was shot and when the agency was formed."
"I had no idea she'd been through so much." Ana's heart filled with pain. She owed Holly a lot. Her warm personality and kindness had helped Ana from feeling alone and lost during her relocation. "Holly never hinted at having survived such a horrible trauma."
"According to Nate, she moved to Hill Top to get away from all reminders."
All Ana's warning bells went off in her head. "We can't drag her into our problems. Going to her apartment is a bad idea."
"I don't see another choice. She can help."
"You two have history?" Talk about feeling like an outsider. The country, the people, the customs, everything here was different. Had Ty and Holly been lovers?
"I love her, but there's nothing romantic between us. She and Kay are my family. My white sisters." He glanced at Ana. His eyes were full of mischief. "Don't tell me you were jealous."
"Don't flatter yourself. I needed to know what to expect." Thankful for the dark highway, she willed away the flush creeping up her cheeks.
He held his hand out palm up. "May I borrow your cell?"
Ana flipped open the phone and passed it to Ty. She listened while he spoke with his friend Marcus, giving him her number and a list of items to gather.
The word "plane ride" made the hair on her arms tingle. The conversation was shor
t and to the point, leaving Ana full of questions.
Ty ended the call. "That's done."
"He's getting us phones under assumed names?"
"Yeah. Smartphones to keep the lines of communication open. Best of all, Marcus has contacts and access to money and a plane."
The cab of the pickup closed in on her. Fear mingled with excitement sizzled through her blood. Were they leaving for Colombia soon? "What about locating Carlo?"
"The strafing of the house ended my search for him. Nate will work with the FBI. They'll find him." Ty passed her cell back. "Ortega calls the shots. Cut off the snake's head, and the body is pretty much useless."
Ty's words swept across her, strengthening her resolve. Hope filled her eyes in the form of hot tears that marched down her cheeks unchecked. She looked away from him, steeling herself not to fall further into the hero-worship trap.
Ty slowed his pickup at the Hill Top city limit sign. "How do I get to Holly's place?"
Ana said a quick prayer. Let no more innocent people die because of her graveside promise.
****
Only a purebred bastard would ask Holly to help, and Ty's gut punished his callousness by twisting into knots. His explanation as to why he and Ana showed up unannounced had wiped Holly's surprised smile right off her face.
She'd listened intently while he talked. Her thoughts were unreadable except for the unexpected fire that jumped from her eyes. He hadn't expected an outright refusal.
She stood looking out a window with her back to him and Ana. Her postage stamp-size living room limited Ty's movements as he paced back and forth. Nothing he saw resembled the spontaneous, spunky blonde whose ponytail bounced when she walked. The barren beige walls, tan couch and small television left a bleak aura in the room. One easy chair with a pile of magazines and paperback books filled a corner and made him wonder if she ever went out except to work.
He'd left her alone with her thoughts. Hope she'd change her mind was fading. She pulled the cord on the blinds. The slats closed with a loud snap. Ana jumped, reminding him she hadn't ventured far enough into the room to sit. She took his extended hand, and he tucked her by his side.
Holly's face was unreadable when she turned. He seized the moment. Had to make her understand.
"I wouldn't have come if there'd been another option." He spoke the truth, hoping she believed him.
She ignored him as if he hadn't spoken. Instead, she turned and crossed the room to Ana. "I thought it was odd for Kay to call work and say you weren't feeling well. I knew something was wrong."
"You've already done so much for me. I'm so grateful for the job and your kindness. How do I repay you? By dumping my problems in your lap." Ana took a step toward the door. "Ty, this is wrong. We should go."
"Wait." Holly sat on the couch and motioned for Ana to join her. "My friends were there when I needed them. What can I do to help?"
The tension eased from his neck. He knelt in front of Holly. "You're one of the strongest people I know, but Ana is right. If I'm asking too much, say the word and we're out of here. You've been through enough."
"Would I be in danger?" Holly asked.
"No." A flicker of hope raced through him.
"Then I volunteer." Holly leaned forward, placing her hand on his shoulder. "What do you need?"
Her sincerity calmed his roiling gut. "The man trying to kill Ana knows what kind of vehicle I drive. If I can stash it somewhere and use yours, we can move around more freely." He saw a question behind her eyes. "In the morning, you call one of those car rentals that pick you up. Select something fancy. I'll see to it you don't have to pay the bill."
"I'll get my keys." Holly stood and walked into the next room.
Ana rubbed her hand across her eyes. Dark circles and worry lines had returned. She carried a lifetime of hate on her shoulders. Damn, he'd made things worse by allowing himself to be followed.
She looked up at him. Trust filled her eyes. Damn, the urge to pull her into his arms hit hard. More than anything, he wanted to lie to her, to tell her everything would be okay, but couldn't. She'd see right through him anyway. Everything wasn't going to be okay.
Holly returned jingling a set of keys. Her eyebrows drew together as she studied Ana. "You both look like hell. Stay here until morning."
"We can't. It's too dangerous." Ty rose and held out his hand.
Holly put her hand behind her back. "You had something else in mind when you got here. What aren't you asking of me?"
Ty saw a flash of the old Holly in her eyes. She raised an eyebrow and defiantly withheld the keys. He chuckled at her bravado. His old friend, who used to wear pink stripes in her hair, appeared to be healing.
"I need a computer hack, and I'm guessing you have the system and the savvy to help."
"That's right up my alley. And it keeps me invisible. Tell me."
"Can you leak Ana's story to the media and make it sound as if some official is spilling his guts?" At Holly's nod, he continued. "Tell them she's in hiding until Carlo Medina is caught. Use names."
"What will that accomplish?" Ana spoke for the first time in minutes.
"Carlo will pick up the trail. Holly's leak might lead him straight to an FBI trap. Even if it doesn't, we'll use him to make Ortega think we're still in the US."
"Sneaky," Holly announced. "Somewhat devious, which means it might work."
"One last thing. After you get the story out, tell Nate. Let him know you were following my instructions. Do it in person and then run like hell. He's going to be pissed at my methods. But he'll clue the feds, and if it helps flush out this bastard, we'll be forgiven."
"I don't need to know where you two are going. Right?"
"No." The less she knew, the safer she'd be.
"Okay, let's get started. I think I can hack into a City Council member's system. From there we'll send an e-mail to the television stations, insisting he remain anonymous." Holly picked up a pen and notepad. "Ana, let's keep things short and concise. Tell me how your political asylum has been threatened."
Ty blocked out the sound of the two women talking. The irony of having to get Ana out of the country hadn't escaped him. A twinge of worry nagged at him. Returning her to a country that feared her presence would make securing supplies difficult. Money was the key to making this a successful mission.
He had plenty saved, but getting to it posed the threat of discovery. Marcus had to come through.
He sensed Ana's presence even before her hand gripped his arm. Weird that he recognized her touch without looking.
"We should go."
Chapter Twelve
A stop at the nearest big-box store had them outfitted with new clothes, shoes, toiletries, and a bag of groceries. "This is a lot more than we had the last time we traveled together," Ana said, passing him the last sack.
"The duffle bag and backpack aren't military quality, but they'll do." Ty shoved the package in and closed the rear door.
Standing next to Holly's car, Ana clamped her lips together to muffle her laugh as Ty muttered a few choice words. He stopped at the driver's side door and tossed a "this isn't funny" look her direction. The car's diminutive size had drawn a torrent of disapproval. According to his assessment, it was too slow, too small, and too damn flimsy.
"This is a roller skate not a car." He slid behind the wheel and continued his rant. "My knees are under my chin."
Since his head nearly touched the headliner, she decided against mentioning she found the vehicle to have excellent legroom and comfortable seats.
"Thanks for the clothes. I'll reimburse you when I can."
"Not to worry." He steered onto the freeway and headed back toward Dallas. "I doubt Carlo has the connections to monitor my credit card, but who knows. We'll use cash for everything else."
"How do we get the car back to Holly?"
"Back? This is a throwaway, isn't it?"
"Ty," Ana admonished. "Holly's doing her part for the environment."
He shot a grin her direction, sending Ana's heart into a flutter.
"Just kidding. Marcus will make sure it's returned."
"I'm beginning to think we're going in circles. Where to now?"
"An out-of-the-way fishing cabin."
"Another safe house?"
"No. Just somewhere we can stay overnight. Nobody will know where we are."
"How long are we going to stay hidden?"
"I'm guessing overnight, two at the most. Marcus will pull our trip together faster than you'd expect."
She barely heard him when he took her phone from his shirt pocket and made a call. He made reservations, chatted a minute, and apparently, learned an extra set of keys would be waiting in a magnetized holder under the mailbox. The words "one or two nights" circled around her brain, making concentrating difficult.
Hiding out in an isolated area with him couldn't possibly be a good idea. The nearness and seclusion could result in them in each other's arms.
No need to worry about Ty. He'd fare just fine. She was his job. His mission. His responsibility. Sure, he'd considered kissing her a couple of times. She'd recognized the flare of heat in his eyes and the darkening of his gaze. Old-fashioned lust had ricocheted through her and erased her resolve. Lucky for them both, he'd restrained himself.
Sex with Ty would be a colossal mistake. Intimacy always altered a relationship. In her experience, liaisons born out of a common goal disappeared once the mission was accomplished.
Although, not forming a lasting bond worked for them both. When this was over, they'd live in separate countries. She wouldn't have to worry about running into him at the bodega buying food. With him out of reach, maybe her raging hormones would give her a break.
Exhaustion swamped her, making her eyelids heavy. Nerves knotted to the point of painful explained her wandering thoughts. On the edge of sleep, her mind sought peace.
Having Ty near enough to touch eased the pain of being abandoned by her country. Would she ever really belong anywhere?
The car slowed. Ty's hand touched her arm. "We're here."
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