At Close Range (Ranger Ops Book 1)

by Em Petrova

  His hands fisted at his sides as he spotted that familiar mass of hair bundled into a knot on top of her head. A quick assessment said she was the reason the people were on edge, and as he moved in, he heard why.

  The woman was asking questions.

  Very pointed questions.

  “Have you ever seen this man here or in the city?” She held out a photograph to the young man she was speaking to, and he shook his head. “Have you ever seen people hanging around here that would maybe be of ill repute? Maybe some drug dealers or…”

  Jesus Christ. She was going to get herself killed asking shit like that.

  Nash swept in and closed his fingers over her upper arm. She looked up sharply, muscles bunching under his hold. He looked into her eyes. Fuck, they were beautiful, like stained glass windows of brown, green and gold.

  “There you are. I’ve been looking for you. C’mon.” He pulled her away from the man, and she didn’t fight him.

  Fuck, she really was vulnerable as hell, and her name would definitely be on the next list of Americans gone missing in Mexico if he didn’t get her trusting little ass out of here now.

  He stifled a growl that rose into his throat. Towing her several feet away, he threw Woody a look before twitching his head to the door. Woody gave a nod, imperceptible to those not looking for it.

  When Nash pulled the woman into the courtyard, he immediately scanned the area for threat. Men on his nine, two young guys shootin’ the shit. Not a threat.

  The woman in his hold looked up at him with big eyes, and now the stained glass effect shattered as anger filled her stare.

  “Who are you? Why did you grab me and drag me out here? I’m not an object to be hauled around where you wish!”

  He found himself staring at her mouth. Was it horrible that he wanted to silence her with a kiss? Yes. It was. He wasn’t an animal who spotted a pretty girl and thought with his dick.

  Pitching his voice low, he said, “I’m doing you a favor, Nevaeh.”

  She yanked away from him and took two steps before he blocked her path. “Calm down now. I’m here to help you. Protect you. You’re looking for your brother, and I am too. But dammit, the questions you’re asking are going to get you dragged off in the night and never seen again.”

  Her eyes flared wide. “How do you know my name? How do you know about Antonio?”

  He slanted a look at the guys, who weren’t paying attention to them, but Nash wasn’t about to risk them catching their conversation. He returned his focus to Nevaeh, and he was stricken anew by her beauty.

  No—her goddamn breathtaking appearance. A measure of untouched innocence coupled with a sensuality any man would be hard and aching for if he spent more than five minutes in her presence.

  Hell, he was counting down the seconds till he popped a boner, and he was a man who was in control.

  He had to get her out of here.

  “Come with me.”

  She drew back her shoulders, weighing her options, it seemed.

  “Look, I can’t tell you more here, but I’m also investigating Antonio’s disappearance. Come with me.”

  She blinked at him. And then she nodded.

  Hell, that was just as bad. Because any man could tell a lie and this beautiful, trusting woman would follow him. Nash had to educate her on personal safety while traveling alone in a foreign country, and fast.

  He led her back inside. Linc stood off to his right and when he saw who Nash had at his side, his eyes bulged. Nash saw his lips move, and from another room, Lennon entered, summoned through the communication system they all wore.

  He realized his wasn’t connected and discreetly messed with it until in his own ear, he heard, “Jesus Christ on a kabob. What is she doing here?”

  My sentiments exactly.

  He didn’t speak but led Nevaeh Vincent up the stairs and into the hallway. Which room was hers? How the hell had he missed that she was coming here? Clearly, somebody seated behind a computer on the back end of this mission was not doing their fucking job. She never should have made it out of her hometown let alone across the border. But here she was, standing next to him, more stunning than her photo ever could have revealed.

  And playing into a dangerous game.

  He tapped once on a door to alert his team he was entering. When he pushed it open, Woody and Jess were hovering over a computer system that stretched across most of one wall of the room. They turned at the same time, eyes bulging.

  “I need a minute, guys.”

  “You can’t question her alone. You need another party in the room. Go on, Jess. I’ll stay.” Woody drifted to a corner and pretended to look out the window while Nash turned to Nevaeh.

  She was staring with wide eyes at one of the monitors that revealed surveillance of not only the hostel but every street corner in the city. The differing views flashed on the screen in intervals, all being recorded for closer looks later.

  “What is…” Her words trailed off as her stare lit on the computer. Her brother’s information was on the screen, a login page with his college grades.

  Nevaeh rushed across the room. She touched the screen and then spun on Nash. “What is this doing in your possession? Who the hell are you?”

  “It’s all right. Calm down. My name is Captain Nash Sullivan. A team of us is trying to track your brother’s course he took ten years ago. All this”—he swept his arm over the equipment— “is helping us to do that.”

  He wasn’t saying more, except to impress upon this woman how he was placing her on the next bus back to Texas.

  She planted a hand on a very lush hip. “You’re here looking for Antonio?”

  “That’s right. And so are you, but not for long. You’re going home, Miss Vincent.”

  She was shaking her head before the words left his mouth. From the corner, he caught movement, Woody turning with a hand to his mouth as if covering laughter.

  Nash took another tack. He waved to the desk chair. “Have a seat, please.”

  She eyed him warily before sinking to the chair. Nash took a few steps back so as not to tower over her and intimidate. He’d use that to his advantage later if she refused to go again.

  “When did you arrive in Coahuila?” he asked.

  “This morning.”

  “You were on a night bus?”

  She nodded. That thick knot of hair wobbled on top of her head, and he itched to let down the mass and spread it around her shoulders.

  “Why did you come here, Miss Vincent?”

  “I’m looking for answers I never had the guts to search for before. Recently some Texas Rangers came—” She cut off, staring at him. “They came to our house asking questions again because of you, didn’t they?”

  “Because of this mission, yes. Look,” he pitched his voice low, “this is sensitive stuff. No one wants to give up information ten years after the fact and finding the people who could tell us anything will take time and skill. You walking into a hostel where your brother checked in a decade ago and questioning the people here will not give you the answers you seek.”

  She straightened her shoulders, eyeing him. God, she was a strong little thing. Fierce, he’d say, though he hadn’t yet seen that put to the test.

  Hopefully, he’d have her on a bus before then.

  “I advise you to stop asking questions and return home. Let us do our jobs.”

  She shook her head. Woody’s chuckle sounded from the corner, and he sliced a glance his direction. “Miss Vincent, there are people who won’t like you asking questions. You have no clue what you’ll stumble across here, and you’re going to get yourself in deep trouble if you continue.”

  “I’m prepared for that. I have to find out what happened to Antonio.”

  “Not to burst your bubble, but do you honestly believe that you can find out what teams of investigators haven’t in ten years?”

  She narrowed her eyes at him and stood from the chair. He took a step toward her. Compared to him, she was small
and delicate. She wouldn’t stand a chance against anybody with a mind to hurt her.

  Nash couldn’t let that happen.

  He reached around her to a phone that was unable to be tapped. Bringing it to his ear, he was immediately connected with his guy back in the States who got them what they needed and fast.

  “I need the first bus—no, make that a flight—back to San Antonio.” She couldn’t get off a jet.

  “No!” She fisted her hands.

  He had a job to do and keeping her safe was his first priority.

  “We’ll be there. Thanks.” He hung up and looked into Nevaeh’s eyes. Anger burned there.

  I know the feeling, little woman.

  “Look, darlin’, you don’t want to be around here when we actually do find anything out. Go home, go back to your parents and comfort them while you wait for us to give you the final word on what happened to your brother. Okay?”

  She dropped her hands and adopted a don’t-even-think-about-it stance. “I’m not leaving.”

  “Yes, you are.”

  “I’ll be fine. I won’t get in your way.”

  “Won’t get in our way? Woman, you already have. Those questions you asked have a ripple effect. Pedro will tell Juan who will tell Jose and pretty soon, the whole city knows we are searching for a man who came here ten years ago and never went home again.”

  She flinched, paling slightly, but did not look away from him.

  Yes, fierce.

  “You’ve already thrown up some roadblocks for us to skirt around before we can even begin to do our work. Now, let’s go to your room and gather your things. I’m putting you on that flight in an hour.”

  “I’m not leaving,” she stated again.

  “You don’t know what you’re up against.”

  “Yes, I do. I’ll keep out of your way. I’ll—”

  Grabbing her by the shoulders, he spun her to face one of the screens with a headline and news story of the missing man, who was possibly a lost hiker. Jabbing a finger toward the photo of her brother, he ground out, “That will be you. But you won’t be as lucky as your brother.”

  Under his hand locked on her small shoulder, a tremor ran through her.

  “I can help.” Christ, her tone didn’t sound one bit cowed.

  Nash whirled her back to look at him. “He had something to offer somebody. You don’t.” His words dropped like hard concrete blocks, and he saw a bit of the light go out of her eyes.

  Dammit.

  But it was for her own good.

  His temper was on the rise.

  He let her go and looked to Woody. “Look after her. I need a minute.”

  As Nash strode to the door, Woody intercepted him. “Wait, Sully.”

  He paused and released a heavy breath through his nostrils. He had to get as far away from that woman as possible. He was reacting to her. Every look, every word she shot his way, felt like a personal attack on his orders. For a minute there, he was actually leaning toward letting her remain here with them.

  That was fucking nuts.

  Woody leaned in to speak low. “We could use her.”

  “Fuck, not you too. How? No fucking way. This is our first mission and having a civilian in the way will only fuck it up.”

  “But we already know Antonio might have been grabbed by someone who is tech savvy. We could use her.”

  “No,” Nash said with force. Damn him for having that quick tactical mind. Nash had thought of it too, but he didn’t need anybody trying to talk him into things.

  “Let’s put her out there on the web and see who she draws in. We’ll alter her brother’s fingerprint just a touch so the right people will know it’s someone who knew him.”

  “No.”

  Woody went on, throwing a glance over his shoulder at Nevaeh still staring at the computer screen of her brother’s headline. “She can draw someone in.”

  “If that’s your plan, we can do it without her present. Set up the fingerprint but leave her outta this. She’s going home.”

  “Sully. If we set this up, someone is bound to go looking for her. Sending her home will only put her in danger.”

  Goddammit. Woody was right.

  Suppressing a growl of irritation, even he realized this was their best shot at luring in the person they were looking for in the fastest possible way.

  Nash walked over to Nevaeh and jerked his head at her. “Let’s go.”

  This time she followed. He led her to a room next to that one, a private room with enough locks to keep her safe. When he closed the door, she wrapped her arms around her middle, drawing his attention to her curves once more.

  “You’ll be safe here. Where are your belongings? I’ll have them brought here.”

  She stared at the series of deadbolts his team had installed on the door, and then she shifted her gaze to his. The instant he looked into her eyes, a burning took up in his gut.

  “I’m not going back.”

  “You will when we tell you to.”

  Dammit. He couldn’t afford to lose his temper with her. One bellow and she’d crumple. He didn’t want that.

  “Please. There’s nothing at home but dead air and sadness. We’re all frozen in time, locked into the moment we first heard Antonio was missing. Every hour since ticks by so slowly.” She faltered, glancing down at her feet clad in leather walking shoes. When she met his gaze again, a spear shoved deep into Nash’s chest. “I have to try to find him so we can all get our lives back. Even if it’s to finally bury his memory.”

  Any trace of anger fled, and he was left staring at her.

  Hell. Now what?

  * * * * *

  This man—what was his name? She always struggled to remember things when she was upset. She focused on his face, the set of his broad shoulders… and suddenly his name popped into her mind.

  Captain Nash Sullivan. The other man in the room had referred to him as Sully.

  Nevaeh’s mind spun with all the words that had been thrown back and forth in a flurry between she and Sullivan. And yeah, some of it impacted her big time. She hadn’t totally considered the sort of trouble she’d be inviting by asking questions. But now she felt stupid for it. She wasn’t trained to investigate more than the inside of her closet, her fridge or a shopping mall. What did she think she was doing?

  Hanging her head, she debated taking his order to return home. They had a flight ready, and she wouldn’t need to spend hours on a dirty bus. She could be home with her parents in hours.

  Then again, she had come here seeking closure—one way or another. Even if she agreed to stay out of this Captain Sullivan’s way, she would learn the truth quicker by being nearby.

  No, she could not go now. Her mind was made up.

  Looking at the giant of a man standing before her, she thought she would not be intimidated either. Just because he was big and in charge of somebody—not her—didn’t mean she had to listen to him.

  He continued to stare at her another long heartbeat, giving her a chance to notice things like a tattoo snaking up his muscle of one arm, mostly covered by his shirt sleeve. And the way his cargo pants hung perfectly low on his hips. Or the little bump on the bridge of his nose that told her it had been broken once.

  “Have you eaten?”

  His question took her off guard.

  “What?”

  “Have you eaten recently? I can get you some food.”

  “I ate lunch.”

  “That was hours ago.” He lifted a hand to his ear and said, “Get us some food here.”

  She shouldn’t be shocked to know he was using some sort of communications device like she’d seen in action movies, yet she was. Somehow, she had landed in something much bigger than she’d ever imagined by coming here. She was facing things she knew nothing about, and frankly, they frightened her a little.

  His dark brown eyes were fixed on hers when he said, “Be there in a minute.” He reached for the doorknob. “I’ll be right back. Lock yourself in and on
ly answer for me. Got it?”

  What, now she was a prisoner? Still, what could she do? Either run home or face fears around every corner of the city now that this man had informed her of what could be her fate if she continued snooping on her own.

  She nodded.

  His brow went up the barest bit, as if he was surprised she’d agreed.

  “Lock it behind me,” he reiterated before slipping out.

  Nevaeh didn’t move right away.

  “Do it.” His harsh voice came through the door, making her jump.

  No, this man did not like her very much. The way he spoke to her was enough of a hint to keep her distance from this one. Problem was, the other two men she’d seen in that room weren’t much better.

  She jumped forward and twisted a deadbolt. When he ground out, “Another,” she locked another one.

  Listening hard, she tried to hear his footsteps but nothing reached her. She wouldn’t put it past a man like that to creep away on silent feet like a mouse, despite his size.

  She looked around the room for the first time. This was much like her own, in shades of pastel blue and white. But a dark blind had been pulled over the window, creating all shadows and darkness in the space.

  It lent a chill that she hadn’t felt in this hostel before, even knowing her brother had been here and never returned. Somehow just knowing he’d passed through those front doors had given her a measure of comfort she rarely felt at home since.

  She’d barely gotten her mind to calm down enough to complete a thought when there was a tap on the door. She moved to it, heart thumping. When she listened with her ear to the wood, Captain Sullivan spoke. “It’s me. Open the door please.”

  She did, stepping back as he crowded into the space. But not before she got a breath of his masculine scent.

  He swept a look around the room as if expecting to see someone had breached the place since he’d walked out only a few minutes earlier. She moved away from him, needing some distance to think straight. Especially after that scent of musk and pine swirled through her senses.

  “Food is on the way.”

  “Thank you.” She pressed her lips together.

  “What is it you wish to ask me?” When he looked at her sidelong, it stirred something else inside her, something she didn’t want to even think about.