“All set, Captain. The C4’s in place. Just waiting for your command,” he heard José say through the earpiece.
“Roger that.”
Quinn moved around the small space. With his photographic memory, he remembered the room being larger on the blueprint. There has to be a temporary wall. This room is smaller than it should be. He holstered his nine-millimeter Glock and walked to where several bookshelves were lined against a white plastered wall. It stood out considering they were in a warehouse comprised of concrete walls and none were painted. He moved chairs and boxes out of the way, but stopped when he got to the small desk covered with plastic baggies, a useless lamp, and a pile of papers. A spreadsheet on legal-sized, pale blue paper caught his attention and he picked it up.
Congressman – Washington, D.C – 1 kilo, September 23rd.
“What the…?” He continued down the list, noting numerous code-names and locations to what he assumed was a schedule for drug runs.
“Don’t leave me here!”
Alandra. Quinn dropped the document and pulled out his gun. Her scream came from the other side of the wall. Moving one of the bookcases, he realized there was a hidden door. With a gentle pull, it opened and led to another door.
And then he saw her.
****
Alandra wiggled in her seat desperately trying to loosen the ropes on her wrist, not caring that they cut deeper into her skin. Both Medina and his guard had left her. She had no idea what was going on. The place could be on fire or under attack for all she knew and no one would know she was there. And worse, Quinn wouldn’t be able to get to her. A nauseating despair crept in and she couldn’t smother the deep sobs that racked her insides as she continued to struggle with the ropes.
“Alandra.”
She jerked her head up when she heard her name, and panic lodged in her throat.
Oh my God…Quinn.
As their eyes met, her heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t believe he stood in the doorway, his wide shoulders filling the opening. Dressed in black from the hat covering his dreadlocks, to his jacket and pants, and even those combat boots she’d never been happier to see.
She wanted to say something, but an unbelievable relief over powered her and she couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Her body shook viciously and uncontrollable sobs gripped her. “I knew you’d come,” she cried. “I knew you’d find me.”
“Shh, it’s okay, baby. I’m here.” He shoved his gun into the holster on his leg and hurried to her side. He held her face within his large hands, wiping her tears with the pads of his thumbs. And then he kissed her. Lips so gentle and soft covered hers and Alandra felt her insides turn to butter. His kiss was slow, and so amazingly tender that it made her cry even harder.
“Aw, baby, don’t cry. It’s okay. Everything is going to be all right. But we have to get you out of here.”
He leaned back and Alandra knew the exact moment he noticed her bruises. His expression clouded with cold, hard eyes, and his jaw clenched as if he were on the brink of a major explosion.
He lifted her chin, and turned her face for a better look “Who the fuck did this to you?” he asked in a lethal tone. His body tensed and his nostrils flared with fury.
He started to stand but she cried out, “Please, don’t leave me.”
“Baby, I’m not going anywhere without you. And I’m going to kill the bastard who put his hands on you.” He yanked out his knife and made quick work of cutting the rope from her wrists and ankles, cursing the whole time.
Alandra had never seen him this angry as he spoke into a small clip hooked on his thick jacket.
“Five minutes, J. Then you can blow this motherfucker up!”
Breathing hard as if trying to control his anger, he knelt down in front of her. He lightly ran his hands along her body checking for injuries as his concerned gaze roamed over her from head to toe. His hand glided further down her leg and she winced when he touched the spot where her ankles had been bound.
He glanced up, his eyes narrowed. “Can you walk?”
She wasn’t sure. Every part of her ached from being bound and stuck in the chair, but before either of them could speak the door burst open and one of Medina’s goons charged in. Quinn pulled out his gun and shot him in the chest without blinking.
“Oh dear God,” Alandra mumbled, her hand shaking against her mouth as she stared at the body. The seriousness of the situation wrapped around her like a roaring fire. She was a CIA fact finder. Rarely did her job put her in the line of gunfire. She knew Quinn was a trained assassin, but this was the first time she’d actually seen him kill someone in cold blood. She turned and looked at him, still kneeling next to her.
“Baby, I need you to hold it together just a little longer.” He pushed her hair away from her face, his hand lingering in her curls. “We have to get out of here. Now.”
She nodded and swiped at her tears, her moves jerky. “Yeah. Yeah you’re right. I have to get it together.” She placed her hand on his shoulder, prepared to stand with his assistance.
“Oh, isn’t this touching.”
Quinn turned and stood quicker than the speed of light, almost knocking Alandra out of the chair, his gun aimed at Orlando Medina.
Medina walked into the room, his gun pointed at Quinn and hatred laced his eyes.
“Had I known she was yours I would have gutted her, chopped her into small pieces and left her on the street to rot.”
He stepped further into the room, and Quinn maintained his control without saying a word.
“I should not be surprised that the illustrious American hero would come to save the day…again,” Medina sneered. “But I cannot believe you would show your face here after killing mi padre.”
“Your father was a low-down dirty dog. He deserved everything he got for killing innocent women and children. I’d do the exact same thing again to the bastard if he were here.”
A flicker of apprehension swept through Alandra’s body when Medina’s lips thinned and his hands shook. If his gun went off, Quinn would be dead. What is Quinn waiting for? Medina moved closer and Alandra’s heartbeat pounded in her ear with every step he took. She wanted to yell at Quinn, “shoot him,” but fear for his life kept her rooted in her chair, unable to speak and barely able to breathe.
“You took someone I loved,” Medina snarled. “Now I will take someone you love.”
A cold knot formed in Alandra’s stomach when he turned his gun on her. She didn’t know what Quinn was thinking, but there was no way she was going to sit there and let some lunatic take her life without a fight. She made the slightest move and everything around her seemed to move in slow motion. The echo from an ear-splitting gunshot pierced through the air and she heard herself scream, and then there was dead silence.
She swallowed hard when Medina’s body collapsed to the floor, a bullet hole in the center of his forehead. Slumping back in the chair an exhausted sigh slipped through her lips. He would never be able to hurt her or anyone else again.
“Let’s go.” Quinn reached for her hand.
Alandra jumped when gunfire erupted in the distance and the building shook from another explosion. Plaster from the ceiling crumbled around them and the hanging light fixtures swung back and forth. Quinn lifted her from the chair and ran for the door. “This place is about to blow.”
Chapter Four
Alandra opened her eyes and glanced around the luxurious suite from her spot on the king-sized bed, reveling in how good it felt to be somewhere safe and warm. She must have dosed off again, despite the fact that she had slept the whole way from Coyuca de Catalán to Acapulco in the safety of Quinn’s arms. He had refused to let her go. They arrived over two hours ago, and he’d catered to her every need, from bathing her in the Jacuzzi tub to practically force-feeding her when she was too tired to eat. He’d finally stopped hovering and was now taking a shower.
She couldn’t help but wonder what would happen when she returned to the CIA office in Langley,
especially since she hadn’t followed proper procedures once she’d been found. A rule-breaker by nature, Quinn had proven it again today. Not only had he broken protocol by rescuing her, but had cursed out Harry, her boss, who had insisted she report to Langley immediately for debriefing. Quinn had told him that if he wanted to talk, he would have to come to her, and it would be over his dead body. They were spending a night in Acapulco before heading home, giving her time to regain her strength.
Alandra yawned, feeling as if she could sleep a week, but just as she thought about snuggling into the bed, Quinn walked out of the bathroom wearing only a towel. Pure male perfection from his muscular arms and flat abs, down to the enticing bulge beneath his towel. Funny how her energy could rise to an optimum level just by looking at him.
He met her gaze and stopped at the foot of the bed. “Don’t even think about it. You’ve been through hell these past eighteen hours and need to get some rest.”
He continued his walk toward the balcony, but stopped and turned when she called out his name.
“But I need you.” She climbed off the gigantic bed, and slowly lifted her T-shirt over her head, tossing it dramatically into a nearby chair. She strutted across the room naked. He could be stubborn when he wanted to, but the smoldering fire in his eyes told her she could change his mind. “I’ve been waiting all day for this.”
****
Quinn watched her sexy waltz toward him and groaned. He knew what she was trying to do, and damn if it wasn’t working. He felt his willpower slipping the closer she got to him, knowing he couldn’t deny her anything, especially when it involved their naked bodies coming together as one.
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, her hands driving him wild as she caressed his shoulders, even more so when she moved them to his chest. Her soft, seductive Spanish words came amid her lowering her mouth over his nipples, her tongue swirling around the taut buds taking his arousal to a volatile level. He loosely gripped the thick mass of curls on her head with both hands in an effort to maintain some semblance of self-control, while her mouth traveled lower, licking, kissing, teasing along the way until she loosened his towel. A ragged growl ripped out of him when her hand wrapped around his engorged length, sliding up and down his shaft with excruciating slowness, stroking, squeezing a little faster, a little harder.”
“Ahh, damn, girl. Enough!” He put his hands on her bare ass and lifted her into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist naturally. His mouth covered hers hungrily as he moved toward the bed, their kiss sending spirals of ecstasy pulsing through him. If this was what she wanted, who the hell was he to deny her?
He eased her onto the bed, careful not to bump her bandaged wrists, and stared at her perfect petite body. Barely five-four and a hundred and twenty pounds of smooth, bronze skin and enticing curves, she looked so small against the white sheet.
He stood back and cursed under his breath. He couldn’t help but think about how those bastards mistreated her and would have left her to die. The rescue could’ve turned out horribly different had they not gotten there when they did. A sick feeling came over him. He could’ve lost her.
As if reading his thoughts, Alandra rose to her knees, cupping his jaw with her soft hand. “I’m all right, really. You don’t have to keep treating me with kid gloves. And by the way, did I ever thank you for coming to get me?” She stared into his eyes with her arms around his neck. She ran her fingers through the ponytail of his dreadlocks. “You risked your life for me.”
He ran his hands up and down her spine unhurriedly, loving the feel of her body and grateful he’d found her in time. When he rested his hands on her curvaceous hips, he pulled her closer, skin to skin, her breasts crushed against his chest.
“I had to,” he said roughly, capturing her top lip gently between his teeth, and then her lower lip. “I have no life without you.”
****
Alandra’s hand stilled. She pulled back and looked into his eyes. He wasn’t a man to waste words, so to hear him say something that was so emotionally heartfelt, left her speechless. He lowered her onto the bed and covered her body with his, whispering his love for her as he nibbled on her earlobe. She was hyper aware of his erection brushing against the inside of her thigh, and wanted nothing more than to have him inside her. But her thoughts fragmented when his lips found the sensitive area below her ear and continued their hungry exploration down her body, inch by tantalizing inch, until he stopped at her breast.
“Quinn…” Her voice sounded raspy as his tongue stroked her swollen nipple before granting the other one the same attention. She tried to stifle the dizzying current surging through her, but she couldn’t, she wanted more.
“Yeah, baby,” he mumbled, his lips searing a slow, torturous path to her abdomen and on to the inside of her thigh, where she nearly came undone.
It seemed as if every inch of her was extra sensitive to his touch. “I can’t…wait,” her words came out breathlessly. “I want you inside me now.” She squirmed beneath him, not shy about asking for what she wanted.
He laid next to her, propped on one elbow, looking down into her upturned face. She not only felt his soothing love, but saw it in the depths of his alluring eyes. The back of his hand grazed her cheek moments before his head lowered and he took her mouth in a deliberate slow kiss, as if they had all the time in the world. Swathed in a silken cocoon of jubilation, she wanted to scream to the heavens.
“Quinn…” she begged with that one word once she was able to come up for air.
He smiled and pulled back. Reaching over to the side table, he grabbed his wallet and retrieved a condom, not wasting any time in covering himself. And in one smooth motion, he rolled her on top of him, knowing how much she loved to be in the driver’s seat.
She lifted her body, her hands against his solid pecs and grinned. She gradually lowered herself onto his hard shaft, teasing him by moving slow and steady, allowing her body to adjust to his massive size. Oh yes. Her eyes fluttered closed as she marveled at how good he felt.
She slid up and down him rhythmically, working her hips in circular motions, feeling all of him swell inside her, caressing her interior wall. Bracing herself against his shoulders she pulled back, and then plunged down, again and again. Her thighs locked him in place as she increased her pace. He urged her on with his cursing and growling, head thrashing against the pillow as he gripped her ass in an effort to hang on.
“Te gusta, papi?” She loved the fact that she had total power over him and watching him try to maintain what little control he had left, only made her move faster.
He swallowed visibly, his eyes locked on hers as their pace quickened. She noticed the moment his composure started to slip.
“Ahh, Lan!” he yelled.
A small scream escaped her when he flipped her onto her back, catching her off guard his body covered hers as he thrust into her with such force she thought she’d explode in sheer ecstasy. She clutched his upper arms, her nails digging into his skin, as he rammed deeper and deeper, harder and harder not letting up until he took her right to the brink.
Feeling herself nearing the edge of her control, a whimper escaped her and he slowed, his concerned eyes boring into hers.
“If you stop, I will cut you,” she practically growled.
A cocky grin formed on his lips and he regained momentum, his movements growing more urgent when he gripped her hips hard and pounded in and out of her as if to prove who was really in control.
She arched her back, moving with him stroke for stroke, as the heat and friction of their bodies ignited. The flooding of uncontrollable passion shook her inner being when she felt the flurry of delight rise within her.
“Oh, my God! Oh, my God!” She bucked wildly unable to hold on. “Quinn!” She screamed his name over and over barely hearing him howl hers as they exploded together, bodies shaking with startling, majestic intensity.
They clung to each other, both working hard to get their breathing back to normal,
in preparation for round two.
****
Hours later, after another round of amazing lovemaking, Quinn sat back and admired his beautiful woman. God, he loved her. The thought of almost losing her still nagged at him and made him want to keep watch over her 24 hours a day. Propped up on his elbow, he ran his fingers through her curls and pushed a few off her face, hoping it would wake her. When that didn’t work, he kissed her lips and then her chin, only to have her sigh in her sleep and nestle closer against him. Scheduled to leave in about an hour, he preferred to keep her in bed, but he was anxious to get her back onto American soil.
“Alandra.” He shook her shoulder. “Alandra, baby, wake up.”
Her eyes eased open and she stared up at him for several seconds before a sexy smile graced her lips. “Hey.”
“Hey yourself.” He kissed her forehead, and then her lips. “I hate to do this to you, sweetheart, but we have to get going.”
Alandra stretched lazily like a satiated cat after a restful nap. The movement caused the sheet to fall to her waist, and Quinn groaned when her breasts begged for his attention.
Noticing his reaction, she grinned and eased up on him. “Do you like what you see?”
“You know damn well I do.” He brought his mouth down over one delectable breast, teasing her nipple until she moaned with pleasure. He made a move to pay homage to the other one, but pulled back and practically rolled off the bed. “Okay, quit trying to distract me. Get up before I’m tempted to pick up where we left off a few hours ago.”
She was a wildcat in bed, with a sex drive equivalent to his. He could honestly say that he had never met anyone like her, and he didn’t even want to think about a life without her.
****
A short time later, Alandra disconnected the call from her boss, well aware of Quinn hovering nearby.
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me your cover was blown?” he growled when she handed him his cell phone. “Those assholes know who you are.”
Secret Rendezvous Page 3
