The loss of her papi had spurred her to join her brother when he took over their father's empire and dreams. She'd ignored her brother's objections that she was too young to be a part of the organization and assumed the task of watching their pilot.
Soon, they'd all be back in Cancuen where she and her brother could begin to exact revenge on the government that took their father from them.
But first, she had to sit and wait for her illustrious brother, El Matador, to decide on the perfect time for the brash American military pilot to leave this place and head south. She bristled with the knowledge that for all her intelligence, her good judgment, her efforts poured into making contact with this man, her brother still determined the final outcome of the game. She would never understand why men thought they had the right to control the world just because they had a penis. That same penis made men more stupid, more susceptible to coercion, certainly not more intelligent, as most men she knew thought.
For now, her attention needed to focus on one man and his willingness to be led around by his primal urges. She could not believe her good fortune in locating him earlier in the morning. Learning that he had checked out of his hotel without informing her had threatened to thwart her attempts to assess his trustworthiness. Fate had been on her side, however, and had led her straight to him—allowing her to locate his car while driving to her own hotel. She took such signs seriously.
Part of her process for determining the man's loyalty to their cause involved learning as much as possible about him. Why would a man betray his country? Why would he risk his life, his career, his future, for their cause? She knew what he had told her brother, but needed to verify the information herself. Thus far, she had been unable to dig up much on the man. She had only been able to discover a marriage. She had yet to be able to locate any information regarding his wife or if he had any children. Personal information of this nature generally provided the kind of leverage she relished. It would give her an upper hand with the hotshot pilot, and help her ensure his cooperation even if his loyalty wavered.
Failure was not an option—how could it be when children were starving at home in Cancuen? What these Americans spent on one meal for their overindulged brats could feed a family for a week in her country. The thought soured her stomach.
Her mood brightened when Chad exited the eatery. When he turned to wave goodbye to a little boy, her spirits skyrocketed. Her gaze locked on him as he crossed the parking lot to the car that cost more than her entire village made in a lifetime. Now she would follow him and hopefully learn where he lived. That piece of the puzzle was vital.
She heard the car roar to life seconds before it backed out of the spot and steered toward the road. She paused for the space of a couple of minutes before following. She did not have to be right on his tail in order to keep tabs on him. A car as flashy as his wouldn't be difficult to spot.
A few blocks after she pulled onto the road behind the car, it steered into a petrol station. She opted for a change in plans for confronting her victim and decided not to wait until he arrived at home. She coasted her car to a stop at the pump opposite Chad.
One long leg peeked out of the car, attracting the man's attention exactly as planned. She thrilled at the glaze of masculine attraction and stored away the knowledge. A broad smile graced her face when she saw the look of recognition crossed Chad's face.
"Hola, guapo,” she purred.
"Hola yourself. Are you following me?” He didn't sound happy to see her.
"Why would you think that?"
"Because Las Vegas is too big for it to be a coincidence that we're at the same gas station at the same time."
"Ah, guapo. You are muy precioso to us. I keep an eye on our investment."
She watched his jaw unclench as the truth of her words penetrated.
"I gave you my word and I'll keep it. Your father trusted me. Your brother trusts me. That should be enough for you."
Luz crossed herself at the mention of papi. “That's why you're still alive, guapo."
"I'm alive because you need me."
They did need him. No one else had access to the fighter jet they needed. They had two pilots who could fly the jet, but had no access to it. “We will not hesitate to remove you if you become a liability.” Hopefully, there would not be a problem or he would not call her bluff.
He cocked an eye at her and she feared she'd pushed too hard.
"I'm very aware of that. There is no need to worry."
"Fine. I will be in touch.” She returned to her car and drove off, just far enough to keep an eye on him.
Until he strapped himself into their jet, she'd watch his every move.
* * * *
Oh, good merciful God in heaven.
This is what she got for not going to church, more temptation than any ten women could avoid.
It should have been a quiet Sunday morning at home, the start of a whole day with Jackson. Instead, as Casey rounded the corner on her way to pick up her son, a nearly naked Chad jogged up to her. His muscular chest and six—no eight—pack abs glistened with a fine sheen of sweat. His skin glowed with a faint tan, all the way down to where his skimpy shorts rested low on his hips. She realized she'd licked her lips when she caught him staring at her mouth.
"Morning, Casey.” He walked in place as he spoke to her.
"Out for a morning run?” Oh, geez, how lame was that? The man wore nylon shorts, running shoes, and nothing else. Nope, he was heading out to church, which was exactly where she should be, praying for the strength to resist him. “Sorry, stupid question."
He flashed her a I'm-glad-you-said-it grin. “Just finishing up. My apartment's right over there.” He pointed to a building behind him. “Are you dropping off or picking up Jackson?"
"Picking up. He spends the night at Jan's when I have to close.” The sight of all that naked male flesh turned her into a babbling idiot. “Thank you again for yesterday morning. He probably spent all last night regaling poor Jan with every detail.” It never hurt to be gracious, even when she wanted to bolt home and take care of the throbbing ache between her legs. She'd never before had such an intense urge to masturbate, but she wanted to right now.
"It was my pleasure."
Damned if it didn't look like he meant it. “Well, I guess I'll go get him."
"Mind if I walk with you? I'd like to say hi to the little guy."
She shot him an incredulous look.
"Is that your nice way of saying I need a shower?” He lifted his arm and took a sniff then gave her a mischievous wink.
He didn't smell bad. On the contrary, he smelled tangy and musky and totally male. Too much for her beleaguered defenses when combined with all that toned, muscled skin and those rippling muscles. She had a feeling she'd swallow her tongue if—when—she got a glimpse of his barely covered butt. All that nicely-haired chest was about to do her in. And that trail of darker hair that arrowed down from below his belly button and disappeared...
His shorts twitched as she stared, causing her to jerk her eyes back to his face. He cocked an eyebrow at her, flashing an amused grin. Dear God, she'd never been caught ogling a man before.
"Well, I guess ... I think ... Jackson. He's at Jan's.” She started in that direction only to have Chad fall in step with her. Words failed her, rendering her unable to speak even if she had wanted to.
Jan responded to the knock on the door, her look clearly questioning the presence of the Greek God behind her. Jackson barreled past her, sparing her from any comment.
"Mommy!"
Just that fast, he spotted Chad.
"Major Chad!” Jackson launched himself at the poor unsuspecting victim, who reacted as if he'd spent years intercepting human missiles.
Did he have children? She didn't want to know.
"Hey there, kiddo.” He shuffled her son to his hip with ease.
"Were you out wif Mommy?"
"Yes, Mommy,” Jan chimed in. “Were you out with Major Chad?"
"Wasn't that nice of you?” Jan's tone implied she thought he was up to something.
"Anything to spend time with a pretty lady."
She thought for sure he was flirting with Jan until she actually looked at him. His words may have been addressed to her friend, but his hot gaze rested on her. Her body flushed, achy and needy, matching the look in his eyes in the brief seconds before he shut it down.
"Are we gonna go for another ride, Major Chad?” Jackson wrapped his little arms around Chad's neck, bringing him closer to all that warm, male flesh.
She was not jealous of her son. She was not.
"Not today, kiddo. I have a bunch of homework to do today to get ready for work tomorrow."
Jackson's foot swung dangerously close to the tantalizing bulge in Chad's shorts. Chad scooped his leg up under the knee and held it close.
"Homework? But you're a grown-up. You don't even have to go to school. How come you have homework?"
"Even grown-ups who don't go to school get homework. I'm still learning to be a big, bad adversary pilot and that takes lots of work."
"Yuck.” Jackson wiggled down, disenchanted. Casey wished her hormones were as easy to tame.
"I'll walk you both home."
Huh? “That's not necessary. I'm sure that homework is calling you."
"That can wait for a few minutes. It would be my pleasure to escort you both home."
She'd just bet it was.
"Jan, I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again since we're practically neighbors.” He flashed her another of those melt-your-panties-right-off-you smiles. Her panties, anyway.
"I look forward to it."
Not if I kill you first. She squashed the uncharitable thought. “I'll call you later, Jan."
"I'm counting on it.” Oh, yeah, Jan would be waiting for the details.
Jackson recovered from his finicky fit and clutched Chad's hand as they headed toward her apartment. Then he hooked his little fingers with hers. To all the cars passing by, they looked like a family out for an early morning walk. The idea clenched at her heart. When she'd been a part of a family with Brian, they'd never done “family” things together. Brian always found an excuse not to participate. So she'd made a family of two with Jackson. The man with them had no part in any pretty pictures; he was not the settling down type. Even if he were, she wasn't his type. She was too well-rounded, too plain, and had too much baggage.
But when he looked at her as if she were the most beautiful woman in the world...
This has to stop.
"Mommy, did you find my Bwu tape?"
"Not yet, sweetie. We'll keep looking, it'll turn up somewhere.” Not flipping likely. Someone was taking—make that stealing—things from her apartment and she was beginning to suspect a rat. She didn't have any proof yet, but she'd get it one way or another.
"What's a Bwu tape?"
She went to answer but realized Chad had addressed his question to Jackson.
"Bwu is a dog and he so'ves puzze's wif his friend Kevin."
"I see."
But it was patently obvious that he didn't have a clue. “Blue's Clues is a show on a kid's channel."
"Oh, okay. And the tape disappeared?"
"And my Dora tape, too."
"Dora is?"
"Another show on the same network. Very popular with the preschool crowd."
Chad couldn't believe Jackson had just handed him the perfect intro to the problem. “Ah, that explains it. I'm a Military Channel junkie, when I watch television. So what's happened to these tapes?"
"They're just misplaced.” Casey dug her keychain out of her pocket as they reached her door.
Misplaced my ass. “How ‘bout I come in and help look for them?"
"That's not necessary. Besides, you have homework. Remember?"
How could he forget? But there was no way he was going to pass up this opportunity. “I got a jump on it last night. I can afford to take a couple of minutes."
"So that's why you weren't at The Cockpit last night?"
She'd noticed, did she? No, no, no. That was not a good thing. This relationship was purely platonic.
"Major Chad, are you coming inside wif us?” Jackson looked up at him with amber-colored eyes so like his mother's.
"No, honey, he's not. He has to get back to his apartment. Why don't you run inside and pick out a video? I'll be right in."
"Bye, Major Chad.” The kiddo wrapped his arms around Chad's waist with a grip that reached clear to his heart. God, what man wouldn't be proud to have a son like this.
He squatted down, with a quick check to make sure the lining of his jogging shorts held everything in place. After the once-over Casey gave him earlier, he didn't want to give her any more of a show. “Bye, kiddo. You have a fun day with your mom. We'll go for that ride in a couple of days. Okay?"
Jackson squealed with delight and skipped into the apartment.
"I don't think it's such a good idea for Jackson to go on that ride with you.” Casey's eyes flashed with hints of anger.
"Why not?"
"I don't want him to get close to another man who will turn around and leave him."
Shit. How did he respond to that? He clenched his teeth as he debated his answer. “I have no intention of screwing around and hurting Jackson.” There. Honest. He had no intention. Who knew what the hell the wannabe terrorist group intended?
"His father leaving hurt him. A lot. If he ever learned about—"
About the asshole agreeing to sign over his parental rights to get out of child support payments.
"He won't hear about it from me.” No, sir, he'd do everything in his power to keep the kiddo safe. And the kiddo's mom. “So why don't you tell me about these things that have come up missing?"
Struggle raged in her eyes. She didn't want to tell him, to trust him. “It's nothing really."
"Bullshit."
"Excuse me?"
"I said, bullshit. Do you need me to explain the bull or the shit?"
"I know what the word means."
"Then explain what's going on."
She gestured to a small bench by her door. The length of his bare thigh pressed the length of her skin as they squashed together to fit. The soft touch drove him to the brink of distraction. Only her story saved him from falling to his knees in front of her and begging her to let him make love to her. Her voice shook as she spoke, detailing the strange occurrences that had taken place over the past month. At first she'd chocked it up to Jackson's carelessness. Until some of her precious figurines turned up missing. Since there'd been no signs of forced entry and nothing “valuable” had been taken, the police dismissed her as crazy.
She wasn't crazy.
Her light brown eyes bore into him, challenging him to take the side of local law enforcement. She always expected him to take everyone's side but hers. And that hurt.
"Do you have any idea who's behind this?” He sure as hell did, and her father most definitely did, but he wanted to hear it from her.
"I think Brian is using his key to come and go when I'm at work."
"You didn't take the key back when he left?"
"I know now that I should have. I'm going to contact the landlord and have the lock changed so he can't get in anymore."
"If you do that, he'll get away with it."
"He's already getting away with it."
"But that's because I haven't been around to catch the SOB."
Her mouth gaped open. “This isn't your problem."
"I'm making it my problem. The rat bastard is hurting the kiddo and you. I plan to make him stop.” He gave her his best I'm-in-charge face, the one he'd perfected at the Air Force Academy the summer he'd been in charge of a squadron of doolies.
But, of course, he'd forgotten she'd been
raised by a military officer and the look that sent enlisted men crying home to their mommas had zilch effect on her. Damn woman was too strong and too independent for her own good.
A fact that turned him on.
"Okay, Casey, here's the deal. I want to help you. God help me, I have no idea why.” He wasn't ‘fessing up to her father's involvement in this whole scenario, which meant it was time to pull out the major missiles and play down and dirty. “For Jackson's sake, let me help you both."
Before his very eyes, her face softened and her shoulders slumped. “For Jackson."
He'd take it. “When do you work next?"
"I close tomorrow."
"Fabulous. I'll spend the night on your couch and pretend to be a piece of cheese."
"Huh?” She scrunched up her nose and made him want to kiss the tip of it.
"It's time to catch a rat."
Chapter 9
What's the difference between God and fighter pilots?
God doesn't think he's a fighter pilot.
"Chad, wake up."
The soft feminine voice intruded at the fringes of his consciousness. He'd been having the best dream. He'd been curled up in Casey's bed, spooning behind her, rubbing his rock-hard cock in the crack of her lush ass, preparing her for the joys of anal sex, while her plump tits spilled out of his hands.
"Chad, I'm home."
He reached out and tugged at the hand on his shoulder. And pulled. A warm, ripe, curvaceous body tumbled on top of him with a squeak. Blindly, he searched for the lips that made the sound. When he found the mouth he sought, it was firm, cold, not soft and giving as he imagined. He tightened his arms and licked at the lips. He nibbled and sucked and cajoled. Tracing the seam with his tongue, he pressed for permission to delve deeper. He knew the exact moment he gained her cooperation. She softened, all those curves molding to him, her mouth opening, and her tongue hesitantly playing with his.
This was the best dream. Ever.
He kept the kiss gentle, sweet, reining in the desire to eat at her mouth, to thrust in and out in a pale imitation of what his body really wanted. He sensed her hesitation and didn't want to scare her off.
Call of Duty [Class of '93 Trilogy Book 3] Page 13
