The Strength of His Heart

by Victoria Sue

  “Why did Jaylen come here?”

  Sam looked at Talon. He should have known he wasn’t gonna get off that easy.

  “I’m only asking because if I don’t, then it will be both our jobs.”

  Sam hissed in a breath. He didn’t know where to start. “I honestly have no idea. I don’t even know how he knew where I was. As far as he knew, I still worked for the DEA.” Jaylen had seemed relieved to see him without questioning why it had taken a while for Sam to contact him, and Sam knew better than to give anyone his personal details.

  Sawyer leaned forward, and Sam eyed him with interest. Sawyer never said much. He wasn’t as silent as Eli, but it was a close thing. “Just so you know, I ain’t never seen the inside of any law enforcement place or training facility other than ours. I didn’t graduate high school, and I have things—instances—in my life that only the team know. Gregory turns a blind eye to most things so long as we are effective. But he only allows that if we work as a team, which means you need to spill now.”

  “Wow, Sawyer,” Vance said earnestly. “You’ve been spending way too much time with Finn.”

  Sawyer immediately flipped him off, and Vance grinned.

  “We don’t mind you not telling Connelly,” Talon continued with an apologetic glance at Vance, “or even to a certain extent Gregory. Anything you tell us is confidential, so long as it doesn’t put any member of the team in danger. And when I say any member of the team, I’m including you in that. If Vance hadn’t been there tonight, you would have been forced to go with them no matter how many Connellys showed up.”

  Sam was tired, and he was done. Maybe for once it was time to share.

  “Why do you think they would want to take you?” Vance asked quietly.

  Sam’s gaze fell on Vance’s sympathetic face. “I honestly don’t know, but I’m worried it might be someone I was involved with as a child.”

  “Which is?” Talon prodded.

  “Specifically Diego Lopez.” Sam swallowed and glanced at all three faces. They might change their mind. Talon could easily have him thrown out. He would never get anywhere, do anything. But then of all the people in the world, these three would understand you couldn’t help what you were born to.

  “Diego Lopez was a narcotraficante. He collected cash and was directly responsible to Nicolas Garcia.”

  “Nope, I got nothing,” Talon said with a hint of frustration.

  “Nicolas ‘el Rey’ or ‘the King’ Garcia was a member of la junta directiva of the Neza Cartel in Mexico City. It’s a bit like being on their board of directors.”

  “I thought drug cartels always have a head guy?” Sawyer asked.

  “Not always,” Sam answered. “Some do, but some, like the Neza Cartel, have an autonomous structure not governed by a king, despite the name. In the Neza, there were four ‘classes,’ for want of a better word. The directors like Garcia, the associates—people who just work on an as-needed basis and have certain skills—the narcotraficantes or soldiers, and the mula. Mules,” he added in case it wasn’t clear. “There are generals that supervise the mules, but that’s basically who everyone is.”

  “And is this to do with the DEA or your sealed juvie records?”

  Vance’s head swung around to Talon so fast, it amazed Sam he didn’t get whiplash. Sam heaved another sigh. “You mean you didn’t read them?” He knew they weren’t sealed to them.

  “I would rather find out about my team from working with them, not from a piece of paper,” Talon replied evenly.

  Sam felt Vance’s gaze settle on him, but he didn’t return it. “I was a mule,” Sam admitted. “I grew up in Ciudad Neza in Mexico City. Neza was traditionally one of the worst slums, but now it’s built up with a million inhabitants and hundreds of new buildings.

  “I was taking packages by the time I was six and driving trucks at eleven. I was fast and reliable. By the time I was twelve, I had a group of mula reporting to me.”

  Sam dropped his head back on the couch and stared at the cracked ceiling. “One of my best friends was called Miguel. We were both mules. His dad collected refuse for the city.” And every day Sam had wished he was his son. Echoes of long ago screams battered his ears. His body carried the memory of so many bruises. “Miguel had a sister—Valentina—she was fourteen and unfortunately one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen.”

  “Unfortunately?” Sawyer asked.

  “Yeah.” Sam nodded. “If she’d been ugly, she would probably still be alive.”

  Vance moved his arm to rest on the side of the sofa nearest to Sam’s chair. Sam wanted nothing more in that moment than to touch it. To link their hands. To take just a tiny bit of the strength Vance was offering, even if Vance didn’t realize it.

  “What happened to her?” Vance asked, and Sam looked at him as if the question had finally given him permission. He had never seen Vance being anything but… content? No, not quite. He knew in Baton Rouge Vance had been frustrated plenty of times, but he seemed so easy in his skin, so happy doing what he could do. And that didn’t mean he wasn’t shy. Sam had worked out when they had met while he was playing Angel that he didn’t seem to have a ton of confidence but—

  “Diego wanted Valentina, and he sent Miguel to tell her she had to come. She refused, and he cut Miguel’s tongue out for daring to repeat her defiance.” Sam gazed back at the ceiling. He couldn’t watch Vance while he told this. “So he sent me, and frightened for her family, she came.”

  No one said anything.

  “She didn’t die right away.” Sam’s voice was barely a whisper, and he tried to clear his throat. The bottle of water thrust at him took him by surprise, but as he looked into Vance’s warm brown eyes he realized he shouldn’t have been. Sam unscrewed it and took a sip. Then he took a breath. “He raped her first and then had all his men lined up to take their turn.” He had even offered her to Sam as a reward for fetching her, but Sam had been too frozen in horror to even move, and thankfully Diego had never pressed it.

  “Is Piper your real name?” Vance said in the quiet of the room after a few moments. Sam glanced at him in surprise.

  Vance shrugged. “Piper isn’t Spanish, and I know you have an accent.”

  Sam’s jaw dropped. He’d been so careful. No one ever thought he wasn’t the all-American boy he pretended to be. His fair skin like his abuela’s, always so unusual growing up, had been exactly what he needed. “You never said anything, and no. It’s what I was given by the Marshals.”

  “What happened?” Talon asked.

  She had died inside. Probably even before her throat had been slit. After the fourth, fifth maybe, she had become silent and still. Her eyes had glazed over like she had retreated so far in her head she didn’t know where she was anymore. And Sam had just stood there and cowered. The only fighting he had done was with his own stomach as it tried to rebel against being made to watch. Miguel had whimpered and choked, but Sam had seemed unable to touch him either. “Diego sliced her throat at the end, and then it was back to business as usual. He—he said I had to drive a truck to Ciudad Victoria, deliver the packages, and whoever met me would take her body. His men just picked her up and wrapped her in plastic. And I stood and watched them throw her in like some trash.”

  “You were a child,” Vance said. Sam wanted to argue. It had seemed sometimes like he had never been a child, simply powerless, if that meant the same thing. He’d never forget that day, but maybe he wasn’t supposed to.

  “That’s shit,” Sawyer swore softly.

  “I drove the truck straight to my dad’s instead.”

  Talon’s eyebrows shot up. “Wow. What did he say?”

  Sam licked his lips. “He told me not to be a baby and to do what I had been told. He asked if I wanted what had happened to Valentina to happen to my mother.”

  “How old were you?” Vance growled out the question.

  “Twelve, nearly thirteen. It was my birthday the first week I got to the States.” No one said anything. It
seemed they were all stunned.

  “What about your mom?”

  Sam looked at Vance. He sounded angry. “I started driving the truck.” He wasn’t surprised he was pulled over. His hands were shaking so much he could barely turn the wheel. “I was pulled over less than three miles farther on. It turned out Diego Lopez had been watched for some time. The DEA and the Mexican police were doing their best to shut down el Rey, and they stopped me, hoping to find drugs. They weren’t expecting to find a body. In return for my eyewitness statement against Lopez, they were willing to relocate me and my mother in the US.”

  “You mean witness protection? But—”

  “No,” Sam interrupted Talon. “It never got that far because Valentina’s dad simply carried on collecting refuse until he managed to get into the same building as Diego three days later and open fire with the submachine gun he had hidden. My name was never brought up, but we were already in the US. I got my GED and became a cop. DEA was a natural step because I knew the business.” Fuck, did he know the business.

  “And Jaylen knew?” Vance asked.

  Sam shook his head. “No, no one did. I was Sam Piper the second I got into the US. We didn’t need witness protection after a few months because I had no firsthand witness testimony on anyone still alive.” He blew out a breath.

  “What about your mom and dad?” Vance wanted to know.

  Sam just shook his head, hoping like hell Vance wouldn’t press.

  “Did they come with you?” Talon asked very gently.

  “My mom was picked up, but it was too late to help my dad. He was killed the second the delivery I was due to make never happened. They just got to my mom in time, and we were flown to Chicago. She hated the cold.” It had been January, and Chicago was brutal. “She pestered the Marshals to move us, but they wouldn’t, and it took barely three months before she had found the local dealer and a body to keep her warm. We moved ourselves then.” What had seemed like a million different cities. Always chasing the warmth of the weather, a bed, a new hit. Everyone stayed silent, and Sam was glad. He had thought he would be enough for her. Safety and a new life. The chance of school, friends. He’d been wrong. She had walked away from him without a second glance. “About fourteen months after we were relocated to the US, she didn’t come home one night.”

  “What happened to you?” Talon asked.

  Sam would have closed his eyes, but that would never get rid of the images, the memories. He’d tried so hard. “I got caught stealing food five days after she had gone.” He had been careless, but he wouldn’t have been able to pay the bills, so he was on borrowed time anyway. “Department of Children and Family Services became involved, and I was sent to my first foster home.”

  He risked a look at Vance and silently acknowledged his understanding gaze.

  “It wasn’t too bad, but the woman got fired for theft, so we got taken from her. I got bounced around for a while.” Such a banal term for a nightmare that had lasted four years before he’d gotten placed in a group home and managed to stay there until he left for college.

  “And you have no idea what he wanted?” Talon nudged.

  Sam shook his head. “It’s gotta be this case. Jaylen seemed terrified, even though his family is okay.”

  Talon nodded and, with a look at Sawyer, stood up. “How’s the back?” he asked Vance.

  Vance smiled. “Great.”

  “Good,” Talon said dryly. “Keep it that way. Sam, if you have any trouble with him not doing as he’s told, just tie him to the bed or something.”

  Sam was glad Sawyer’s disbelieving laugh covered his own reaction at the innocent words.

  “I will arrange for the apartment to be watched tonight and until Gregory decides if you need to be moved. And Sam”—Talon fixed his icy blue stare on him—“Vance is to be treated as your full partner from this second onward. Everywhere you go, he does. I want you to stick to each other like glue. I would insist Vance stay at home tomorrow, but seeing as how the whole team will be in, not least because of what happened tonight, I know it’s pointless.” He looked at Vance and got a beaming smile. Talon grunted, and they both left.

  “Are you okay?” Vance asked, coming to sit back down on the couch after he had locked the door behind Sawyer and Talon.

  Sam thought about what Sawyer had said. “Does Sawyer have a family?”

  Vance shook his head. “He went into foster care when he was six.”

  “Six?”

  “I know he was happy for a few years.”

  Sam smiled. “Even with the mark?”

  “He got a long-term placement with a real nice family, so I understand. He was with them for… maybe three years, I think, until he transformed. His foster mom completely freaked out, and even though they were going for adoption and everything, he was back in a group home later that day.”

  Sam swallowed. “Shame it wasn’t your mom.”

  “I guess.” Vance’s knee bounced. “I think I have the best background of us all. I was lucky. There’s a lot of good parents trying to do their best with enhanced kids, but there’s as many horror stories as well.”

  “I guess I’m only just realizing today how tight your team is.”

  “Finn calls it a family.”

  Sam smiled. Sounded nice. “What’s the deal with Sawyer and Eli?”

  Vance shrugged. “No one knows.”

  “You don’t have to tell me anything you feel uncomfortable with.” Even though he was curious. He didn’t think Eli had ever actually spoken to him. “Eli seems kinda shy.”

  Vance wrinkled his nose, which made him look about ten. “He’s not shy like most people think of when they hear that word. He’s angry.”

  “What, at me?” Sam was startled. “I never—”

  “No.” Vance paused as if he was struggling to explain. “He doesn’t trust anyone. He doesn’t share. I’m betting he’s never shaken your hand.”

  No, now he thought about it, he’d never seen Eli voluntarily touch anyone.

  “So shy isn’t a word I’d use. More defensive, I guess.”

  “Even with you?”

  Vance nodded. “He was the biggest objector to Finn—any regulars—joining the team, but I think Finn kinda won him over.”

  “You mean he accepts it even if he doesn’t like it?”

  Vance studied him for a few seconds. “They all felt the same way, but we know it’s the only way the team’s gonna happen.”

  “And you? How do you feel?” Sam had no idea why he was pushing. No idea at all.

  “My dad had the same partner for eleven years. Said the only downside to promotion was losing Abe.”

  Sam gazed at his partner. At the man who had saved his life. The man who had risked his own life without thinking. “Your dad sounds like a smart man. I think Gregory has the right idea for the team as well. Show the world that enhanced and regular humans can work together.”

  Vance stood and rubbed his hands eagerly. “Do you still want to watch the movie? Didn’t you say something about popcorn, partner?” he added, mischief in his eyes.

  Sam started a little at the about-face. He didn’t think Vance would want to brush off talking about partnerships so easily, but he didn’t really know, and he had far bigger things to worry about.

  Sam had someone after him, which could be for no good reason at all. There was even the chance something connected to his past was gonna bite him on the butt. And what he thought was likely to be the hardest thing he was going to have to endure was sticking to his very hot, very gorgeous partner, who seemed to make a habit of diving on top of him and pinning him down.

  And still pretending he wasn’t gay.

  Chapter Seven

  TWO DAYS later no one had found Jaylen, and there had been no other attempted contact. Sam stood in Finn’s kitchen as Finn told them the names of the kids they were seeing this morning. Two weren’t officially transferring from the middle school until next semester, but Kyle Rayner, sixteen, was moving into
the district with his parents, and they were bringing him today to meet the team.

  “This is exactly what you were saying, isn’t it? About enhanced moving here?” Vance asked Finn.

  “Uh-huh.” Finn nodded and finished his coffee. Finn had a Mustang coupe, which Vance said was like trying to get into a tin can, so Sam had driven here to collect Finn. Talon had left because he had a meeting with Gregory, and Sam wasn’t sorry. Talon still intimidated the shit out of him; all the giants on the team did. Well no, except the biggest one, who currently sat on the floor with his arms full of a black Labrador.

  And despite all assurances to the contrary, Jaylen’s visit was still shining a very suspicious cloud over Sam, and Vance was still staying in his bed. Vance hadn’t offered to leave, because he seemed to have appointed himself Sam’s bodyguard.

  “Last week I spoke to Kyle’s dad, who is a neurosurgeon. Apparently three hospitals were vying for him, and he picked Tampa General because of us, even though their package wasn’t quite as good.” Finn beamed. “This is the first time I’ve been to Johnson Bridge, because they don’t currently have any enhanced there.”

  Sam glanced at Vance, who was still petting the dog. Vance had been quiet since they got up, and Sam didn’t think he was thrilled at going back to his school.

  “Do they know their abilities yet?” Vance asked.

  “What do you mean?” Sam asked. “Why wouldn’t they know?”

  “If it was something a child wouldn’t normally do,” Finn explained. “Sawyer—” He stopped.

  Sam folded his arms, smelling bullshit. “So the big speech about me being part of the team from Talon only works one way?”

  Finn flushed. “I’m sorry, and I know exactly how you feel, trust me,” he added, “but I have to get Talon’s say-so first.”

  “Sure,” Sam snapped out in irritation and then sagged against the counter. “Aww shit, Finn, I know, and I have no idea why I’m getting all defensive when I was keeping huge secrets from you all.”

  He didn’t dare look at Vance.