“Care to share?”
Elliott shook his head. “Can’t. At least not yet.”
“Since when have you ever kept anything from me?” Mitch asked. “Well, besides the fact that you signed us up for a dating website.”
“If I hadn’t joined, we wouldn’t be standing here,” Elliott said with that annoying smirk of his.
“I’m in love with her,” Mitch declared. He leaned back against the sink, crossing his arms across his chest. “Ain’t that a bitch.”
“And what’s wrong with that? You think I don’t feel the same? The woman is a puzzle that I want to put together for the rest of our lives. Mom might not be happy with the fact that she’s a criminal, though. Or with the fact that we’ve only known her for a month.”
“Dads should understand,” Mitch said, crossing his ankles and getting comfortable. It looked as if Anna and Monroe might be discussing things for a while. “They said they knew Mom was their soul mate the first time they saw her in her cheerleading outfit.”
“Don’t go there,” Elliott said, laughter lacing his voice. “I still can’t picture Mom as a cheerleader.”
They were quiet for a moment, watching Anna as she straightened out her wig. The red blouse she had on spoke volumes about her confidence, setting the tone that she wasn’t to be messed with. The high heels seemed laughable, but Anna said that everything could count as a weapon. Mitch had seen lesser things used in prison, so he totally understood where she was coming from. He just didn’t like the thought of her being the one on the defensive.
“How did she integrate herself into our hearts like this?”
“We both know that wasn’t her plan,” Elliott said. “So that just means we have to do whatever is necessary to make sure she doesn’t weave her way out.”
“Whatever you’re working on—I trust you, brother.” Elliott slapped Mitch on the shoulder, probably knowing that was as close to him saying I love you as Mitch would ever get. He meant it, though. His brother was his support system, and now they both had Anna to incorporate into that dependent structure. Nothing could happen to her tonight. “Go hitch a ride with Monroe. Since I’ll be posing as her driver, I’ll do my damndest to make sure she’s protected.”
Mitch rubbed his chin, his stubble thicker than it normally was, reminding him that he needed to trim it. He hadn’t had time, and seeing Anna look over at them, he wasn’t going to either. His appearance actually worked in his favor, seeing as Anna needed someone who looked like a criminal. Huh—wasn’t that ironic, Mitch thought.
He took in her blue eyes and her sleek figure, knowing there was so much more to her than her appearance. It didn’t matter if she was a redhead, a brunette, a blonde, or bald—he loved her sense of loyalty, although that’s what had gotten her into this mess to begin with. He loved her compassion, her intelligence, and even her pride. He adored the ground she walked on and wanted to give her back the sense of family that she seemed to crave.
When Anna nodded their way, Mitch returned the gesture. It was time to finish this segment of her life and start something new. He could see the doubt in her eyes. Anna wasn’t aware that Elliott was trying his damndest to keep her out of jail. Hell, Mitch had his doubts as well. But if Elliott said it was a possibility, then it could happen.
“I’ll be right there with you, along with a string of agents armed to the teeth. Nothing’s going to go wrong.”
“Would you stop trying to jinx this shit?” Mitch asked, getting irritated that his brother always tended to look toward the positive end of things. There were a lot of fucking things that could go wrong.
“Jinx what?”
Anna walked up to them, looking nothing like the blue-eyed, redheaded woman Mitch had first met. She’d even covered up that adorable dusting of freckles over her nose. Right now, her skin was like porcelain and she had an untouchable air about her. He wanted to kiss her until that red lipstick was smeared off her lips and there was rouge in her cheeks.
“Nothing,” Elliott answered. “Are you ready?”
Anna nodded, looking down into her shirt. “Yeah, I just can’t forget to turn this wire on before the deal goes down.”
“What do you mean?” Elliott asked. “Aren’t they recording everything we say right now?”
“No,” Anna replied. “Apparently, they will scan my body for wires once I step out of the vehicle. This particular wire has the ability to go undetected unless it’s functioning. So, there’s a little switch I need to make sure is flipped once they say I’m clean.”
“I still don’t like this.” Mitch looked over to where Monroe stood, a vest in hand that Mitch knew to have the letters ATF on the back. “I’m warning you now, if anything happens to her, I’ll—”
“It doesn’t look good—you threatening the life of an ATF agent,” Anna whispered, placing her hand in the middle of his chest.
Mitch looked down, noticing that she’d changed her fingernail polish from pink to red. No matter what color, her touch felt the same. Mitch closed his eyes, relishing the feel of her heat through his shirt. He could feel his heart racing at the thought of losing her. He’d always had a hard time expressing his feelings, and now was no different. He wanted to tell her what she meant to him, that the thought of her being hurt caused him so much pain that he couldn’t breathe. Opening his eyes, he stared into her baby blues. No words came out.
“All right,” Agent Monroe said. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Fourteen
“There’s still time to turn around, Ginger.”
“Mitch, we’re here,” Anna said, trying to keep the tremor of fear out of her voice. Since when had these types of meetings ever made her react this way? There were numerous answers to that question, she was sure. From Sam Fowler being her last target and knowing her vendetta was coming to an end to knowing that she would probably be serving jail time after this if they didn’t kill her tonight. But she knew the real reason was because this might be the last time she saw Mitch and Elliott Braxton. “They’re waiting for us to get out of the car. If we tried to leave now, chances are they’d gun us down before we hit the road leading out of here. So take your hands off the steering wheel, get out of the front seat, and open my door. Anna Cruz doesn’t do things for herself when there are others to do things for her.”
Mitch did take his hands off of the wheel, but he shifted in his seat to look back at her. His hair really needed to be trimmed and his chin shaved, but no one could say he didn’t look the part of her lackey. His intimidating height of six feet and four inches, along with his massive chest, would have done the trick. The extra accessories were an added bonus.
“Just for the record, I don’t like Anna Cruz.”
Anna didn’t think she would have been able to laugh at a time like this, but his statement did the trick. Hoping she hadn’t gotten lipstick on her teeth, Anna tried to compress her lips together. It wouldn’t do for Anna Cruz to have anything out of place.
“I’ll let you in on a little secret, Mitch,” Anna said, looking out the windshield. Sam Fowler was standing alongside two men who looked like murder was a pastime they would enjoy. “I don’t like Anna Cruz much either.”
“Then let’s make sure Anna Valdez is the one left standing after this,” Mitch replied, giving her a wink.
Anna wanted to tell him thank you for not making this harder on her by arguing, but Mitch had already opened the door and was out of the car before she could say a word. She rubbed her hands down her black skirt, wiping away the sweat that had formed on her palms. She didn’t want the cartel to think she was nervous.
When Mitch opened the door, Anna swung her stiletto-clad, size-six feet out the door one by one. All men loved heels, and just because the men waiting for her were murderers and drug dealers didn’t make them any different. Mitch held out his hand and she placed her fingers on his palm. Knowing she couldn’t look him in the eye without wanting to hide back in the car and make a run for it like he’d suggested, Anna set her s
ights on Sam Fowler. The Contractor was already doomed to prison time, but after this, he wouldn’t see the light of day for years to come. There was a slight panic in his eyes as he figured out who her driver was. She gave a small smile, liking that she was keeping him on edge.
Letting go of Mitch’s hand, Anna slowly made her way toward the waiting men. Knowing that her surroundings were important if things went to hell, Anna took her time observing where everyone and everything seemed to be. One of Agent Monroe’s agents sat behind the wheel of a cargo truck that had her illegal firearms loaded on the back. He’d followed behind them. She figured they’d already scanned his body for wires while she was speaking with Mitch. There were two cars parked to the side, one of them Fowler’s. There were a couple of men near the other vehicle, and Anna knew one of them would be trying to drive her cargo truck out of here.
All the men were packing, except for Sam. Anna figured that his weapon was hidden underneath his jacket. The other men obviously didn’t care if theirs were seen. Hell, if Anna wasn’t mistaken, one of the men standing next to Sam had a machine gun dangling by a strap from his shoulder. Like out of a movie, the cartel men were all dressed in black.
“Do you have the money?” Anna asked, coming to a stop in front of them.
Every man in the vicinity had his eyes on her. Anna had made sure her hips swayed more than normal, knowing the black skirt accentuated her figure. She needed to keep their attention on her and not the surrounding area, where she knew Agent Monroe’s men were stationed. The open area was the same place where she’d taken out Sonny Jones a few months back. To the right of them was an open field, but the left was littered with trees amounting to a small forest. Only one road led them in. There were no other escape routes.
“Ms. Cruz, our friend here says you’re trustworthy,” the man without the machine gun said. “As I’m sure you’re aware, we just can’t take that chance. Miguel will need to scan you.”
“Of course,” Anna said, gracefully lifting her arms up.
Miguel stepped forward, a small device in his hands. Anna focused on breathing normally while he moved the device over her body. She never took her gaze off the man who had spoken.
“Anna, why is Mitch Braxton with you?” Sam asked, still looking behind her to where Mitch was stationed by the car. “I thought the Braxton brothers were just a pastime for you.”
“Mitch did ten years in the pen, Sam. You know this,” Anna said, dropping her hands to her sides when Miguel was done making sure she wasn’t wired. As she brought them down, Anna made sure her thumb caught the switch that turned her wire on in order for Agent Monroe to listen in on their conversation. She just hoped it worked. “He has contacts that can benefit me. But he’s not your concern.”
“Sam has a tendency to worry about inconsequential things. Now, back to more important matters. My name—”
“I don’t want to know your name,” Anna said, shaking her head. “My cargo is here, so I’m assuming you have my money.”
“You can call me Comprador, Ms. Cruz,” he said, laughing at her obvious attempt to not have information that might make her a target for law enforcement. If only he knew, Anna thought, knowing she had him where she wanted. Now she just needed to play this right. “I like you.”
“Getting back to business,” Anna said, trying to prompt the conversation to go a little faster. Mitch was too far away to hear what was being said and was probably getting a little anxious. She didn’t want him to do anything foolish.
“Before we make the exchange, I have some things to discuss that Sam has brought to our attention.”
Anna did her best not to tense at those words. Had Sam figured everything out? If so, why would he have brought her here? Unless the cartel wanted to eliminate her themselves to prove a point that whoever crossed them was dealt with swiftly.
“And what things would they be, Comprador?” Anna knew that Comprador meant buyer in Spanish. Could he not come up with anything more original than that?
“We’re aware of the previous purchases you made over the last few years. You’ve created quite a name for yourself.”
“And your point is?” Anna knew she was crossing the line of being disrespectful, but she knew that Anna Cruz wouldn’t be standing around here playing these games. Anna Cruz was known to get in and out as quickly as possible.
“Why are you buying them, and why have you chosen to sell to us?”
“No disrespect, Comprador, but why I’m making the purchases isn’t your business. I’m nowhere near your territory and I don’t deal in drugs. You have no need to worry about me,” Anna said, reassuring him with what he obviously wanted to hear. “As for why I’m selling, well, let’s just say that I’ve run into a small financial issue. Sam was nice enough to suggest that you might have a need for what I have. It’s as simple as that.”
“I want more,” Comprador said, his voice deepening. His brown eyes were almost black with evil, and Anna knew this was not a man to be messed with. Too bad for her she didn’t have a choice at the moment, but she needed to tread carefully if she was going to get the information Agent Monroe needed.
“The cargo on that truck is enough to supply a small army with, Comprador,” Anna replied, keeping her voice even. “From the look of things, I’d say your men are already well armed.”
“My organization is growing, Ms. Cruz. I need to make sure my dealers are well protected.”
“See, this is why I avoid trafficking drugs,” Anna said, shaking her head as if she thought he had too much on his plate to worry about. “Too many people with their hand in one pot.”
“That pot is mine and mine alone, Ms. Cruz. In order to ensure that my drug organization runs smoothly, I must provide them with the security they need. You have that means of protection.”
Bingo. Anna had gotten the words Agent Monroe needed, along with Agent Nicholi. Now all she needed was to have the money and guns exchange hands and then they could come in for the arrests.
“Fine,” Anna declared. “I’m sure we can work something out. Sam will be our point of contact. In the meantime—”
“Movement!”
The moment Miguel yelled the word, Comprador’s men lifted their weapons. Sam had taken a step backward, and Anna knew she only had one alternative. She just prayed it didn’t get anyone killed.
“You set me up?” Anna said, staring directly at Sam. “You son of a bitch, I will make sure you burn in hell. Were you the one who called the ATF on Sonny Jones? Is that why I had to go in hiding? Was he getting too close to your business and making too much profit?”
“Sam, what is she talking about?” Comprador asked, raising his gun. Anna breathed a sigh of relief when he pointed it at Fowler. “You know what I do to traitors.”
“I—I swear, Comprador, I didn’t call anyone! It had to be her,” Sam yelled, pointing a finger at her. Anna had been in close calls before and refused to blink an eye at his accusation. She figured she had precious seconds left and needed to make them count.
“Comprador, I don’t care who you choose to believe, but I refuse to just stand here and let them arrest me.” Anna held her hand up and snapped her fingers, giving the agent behind the wheel of the cargo truck the signal to pull away. “Either you shoot me now, or we both try to get out of this mess that Fowler has put us in.”
Anna heard shouting and whipped her head to the side. Agent Monroe was leading the way, with numerous agents following behind. Their weapons were pulled from their cases and pointed in their direction. She turned to face them, taking a quick peek over at Mitch to see him do the same, although his eyes were focused only on her.
“They’re too close for us to make a run for it,” Anna said, raising her hands in surrender. “Fowler, you better hope they put you in solitary confinement. The minute you’re placed into the population of whatever prison they send you to, you’re dead. I’ll put the contract out on your head myself.”
Comprador took her lead and dropped his weapon
. Raising his hands as well, Comprador looked directly over at Sam with death written in his dark eyes. Her tone must have convinced him that it was Fowler who’d set them up. Now that their weapons were dropped, Anna could breathe easier.
She turned her head, looking over at Mitch, and gave him a small smile. One victory might have been won tonight, but she was about to pay the price for her decision to seek revenge. Anna soaked Mitch up with her eyes, taking in every detail she could. She was going to miss his touch and the way he would sometimes fumble his words when he tried to talk about something close to his heart. She would yearn for his kiss, not caring that his stubble left her skin raw. She knew she would ache for the way he held her against him at night, as if she were a figment of his imagination. Anna would miss him.
She heard Elliott scream Sam’s name and turned to see her other lover running toward her. There was panic written on his face, and she looked at him quizzically. Why did he look so panicked? They had done what they set out to do.
Elliott gave her the total opposite of what Mitch did, completing a circle between them that she had refused to admit existed. His laughter and teasing offset Mitch’s seriousness. The sparkle in his eyes when he got to explore her body and the way his cute little smirk appeared when she did something silly kept things light and fun, giving her what she’d been missing in her life.
She loved them.
Elliott yelled again, along with that of Agent Monroe. Anna felt the impact of the bullet before she heard the sound. There was nothing to stop her from falling to the ground. It happened so fast, she couldn’t even put her arms out to stop herself from the collision with the dirt. Anna tried to breathe, but suddenly the pain in her back exploded. She had no air in her lungs enabling her to scream out in agony.
Imprisoned Match [Ménage.com 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 11
