by TL Reeve
He pulled her to a stop near the door and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I need to say this now before we go inside."
She stared up at him. They were parting ways, she understood. Someone like Murray had responsibilities and since he’d found his sister, they had a lot of catching up to do, as did she with Christian. “Sure. Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
He cupped her cheek and grinned. “I love you.”
She tilted her head; not entirely sure she’d heard him correctly. “Uh, what?”
He laughed. “I love you.”
“You wh-what? You love me?” Surprise filled her. “How did... When did—”
He captured her lips with his, kissing her. It was hungry and demanding. It stole her ability to breathe or think. She sank into it and moaned as he deepened it, wrapping her arms around his neck. The spill of arousal and adrenaline mixed, swirling low within her. He nipped at her bottom lip and a whine of pure need passed her lips.
“Ever had the chance to fuck after a mission. It feels so good.” He grabbed her ass, pulling her flush to him and rubbed his thick length against her lower belly.
“No.” She let out a shaky exhale.
“Wanna find a dark corner and fuck?” Murray wiggled his brows.
“I’m kind of covered in blood right now,” she muttered.
“Fine, shower sex.” He took her hand and pulled her into the hospital. “I’m sure we can find a quiet space.”
“Wait!” She pulled him to a stop. “You said you loved me.”
He glanced back and grinned. “I sure did.”
“Aren’t you going to ask me if I love you?” she said.
“You do. I’m not worried about it.” He laughed.
“So cocky, esclavo.”
“I got a cock for you, mi cielito,” he growled, pulling her into his arms.
“Cochino,” she giggled.
The comm in her ear went off, and she stilled. Murray gazed down at her. All of their playful energy bled from them. “We have a situation.” Asher’s voice had been filled with concern and anger.
“What’s going on,” Murray said, answering for them.
“There’s a fire. It’s not good.”
Her stomach dropped and her heart lodged in her throat. “Where?”
“It’s your house,” Asher began. “I’m so sorry, Jaqueline. It’s gone.”
Chapter 10
Jaqueline stood in front of the burned-out carcass of her home. In the distance, firefighters worked to contain the pastureland fire as well. She couldn't be sure, but she'd suspected all of her head of cattle had been killed as well or stolen. This... This had been one the thing she feared the most going against the powerful. Retaliation. Disbelief filled her. How had this happened? How had she not been alerted? Sure, they were in the middle of an operation, but her fail-safes had fail safes. Tears fell freely as she stared at what remained of her home. Thirty-plus years she spent there. Her parents had made an old adobe house a home and she'd turned it into a fortress for her and her brother. Then, in a blink of an eye, it was gone. She couldn't even find Bebito.
The swirl of red lights bounced off the charred remnants of the house as firefighters continued to spray down hotspots. The scent of burnt wood permeated the air along with the metallic hint of copper. She still needed a shower. Already her skin had become sticky from the blood coating her dress and arms. She’d been so close to jumping in the shower with Murray and celebrating their victory when her world came crashing down once more.
She stared out over the expanse of her land and shook her head. The urge to fall to the ground and allow the sadness to swamp her overwhelmed her. It would be so easy to give up. What did it say about her if she did? Did the Nieto Cartel win if she walked away? With as many dead bodies she'd seen inside the club, she might not have to worry about the cartel anymore. Yet, for all the dead people, she hadn't seen Raul among them or handcuffed outside with Duncan or the other Federales. She hadn't seen much of anything because figuring out which was friend or foe had become downright impossible. And, if Raul wasn't with them, who knew the kind of hell they were all in for, especially his daughter. In her estimation, the truth was out, Bex would be the next likely target.
They had to warn Asher.
“I’d say, looks like a total loss, but...” Murray shrugged. “The arson team is going in, in a second. They should be able to tell where the fire started and with what, if we’re lucky.”
Jaqueline glanced up at him. The glint in his blue eyes said he wasn’t convinced they’d figure it out. “Well, we know who we think it is.”
He nodded. “We do, though we can’t be sure.”
True. It was paranoid of her to believe Raul or his men had anything to do with her house burning down, however it wasn't a coincidence either. If she followed her line of thinking, it would mean some of the Federales were beholden to Raul. It would mean they knew what was coming and ambushed them. Which would also mean, Raul had been in the loop about their plan to attend the auction. They would have had to have set the fire to her home believing she'd be killed in the raid as well, destroying any evidence she might have left behind for her investigation of the cartel.
“We have a rat,” she said. “I don’t know who though.”
“We’re of the same mindset,” Murray agreed. “No way your house would randomly catch fire the same night we’re taking down the cartel. There are no coincidences here.”
“Who though?”
“Guess it depends on how much we trust our contacts,” Murray muttered.
“Santiago and Miguel,” she said. “They’re the only two embedded within the club.”
"One is a Federales and the other is FBI. I don't think Tex would place someone inside an organization like the Nieto Cartel without first being sure the person wouldn't be on the take." Murray scrubbed his chin. "Then, of course, Santiago has been deep undercover for over a year. Anything is possible."
It didn't sit well with Jaqueline. She'd seen Santiago with Hannah and saw the fiercely protective demeanor he gave off while around Murray's sister. It would be so easy though to believe he was the culprit in all this. No. She mentally shook her head. It wasn't him. Which left Miguel.
They didn’t know much about the man other than he’d been the bartender at the club. He hadn’t given off any bad vibes, but if he was doing Raul’s dirty work, would he? Not like he could broadcast his intentions. However, she’d watched him while he’d been at Luca’s house. Seen how twitchy nervous he’d been. How he couldn’t leave fast enough. The possibility was there, but then again, weren’t they all by that point a little on edge? She scrubbed her face then grimaced as the scent of blood assailed her again.
“There’s no reason to continue to stand here,” Murray said. “We can go back to the hotel, grab a shower then head to the hospital.”
She’d received a text from AJ after retrieving her phone from her belongings. Hannah and Christian were being kept overnight at the hospital for observation. Scotty, unfortunately, had to be rushed to surgery. No one, for the moment, was being allowed to have visitors. A pang of worry filled her. Christian never did well on his own. She’d been surprised by how well he’d held up during the raid, but at some point, he’d break down. Her brother needed her and after three long years, being so close, yet so far away, didn’t sit well with her, she needed him as well.
“Bebito,” she whispered. “He’s out there still.”
“I’m sure he did the right thing and ran away. He’ll come back when he thinks it is safe,” Murray said, trying to reassure her.
“You’re right.” She glanced back at her home now burned to the ground. “He would have stayed safe for me.”
A yip drew her attention away from Murray. Jaqueline narrowed her eyes as it came again. Bebito. When the yip came a third time, she raced to where her truck had been left since they'd taken Murray's Jeep to Luca's place. The front of the truck had seared marks all across the hood and driver
side door. The windshield was blackened with bubbles along with the seal and below the windshield wipers.
“Bebito?” The dog popped up. His beautiful fur had been singed but, he didn’t appear seriously injured. Jaqueline wrapped her arms around him and hauled him out of the bed of the vehicle. “You’re safe.”
“Looks like he’s a lot stronger and more cunning than we thought.” Murray scrubbed the pup’s head.
“Excuse me,” a man wearing a white uniform said, joining them. “Are you Jaqueline Herrera?”
Jaqueline nodded. “Yes.”
"I'm Investigador Sisneros," the man said. "I believe we found the origin of the fire if you'd like to follow me."
She placed Bebito back in the truck then pointed at him. “Quedar.”
Bebito whine then laid down.
“Do you suspect arson?” Murray asked, following the investigator.
“We do,” Investigador Sisneros said. “It appears the fire started at the back door. We believe gasoline was used as a catalyst.”
“Where?” Murray gaze lit on the bits of wood still attached to the hinge.
Investigador Sisneros lifted his flashlight to the small area and pointed to the bits of the wood still attached. “Here specifically, after the door was busted down.”
“The alarm should have gone off,” Jaqueline said. “Someone should have been alerted.”
"Whoever did it, they cut the power to everything on your property, including the tripwires you have placed around your grazing land. I have to admit this was a sophisticated system you have here."
“Protección,” Jaqueline said. “Working for the government, one never simply retires.”
The man frowned taking in her blood soaked dress and disheveled appearance. “Do you or have you, made many enemies over the years, Miss Herrera?”
She snorted. She made enemies everywhere she went. She didn’t become Cuerpo de Fuerzas Especiales without pissing a few people off along the way. “Yes.”
“I see. I will continue my investigation to see if I can find fingerprints or better yet, DNA. However, don’t get your hopes up.”
She wouldn't. As it stood, the one suspect she had for doing this to her home, was in the wind. Raul hadn't been at the scene. She suspected he left the minute the Federales showed up. Or worse, now that she thinking clearly about it, Los Trios or Puebla could have grabbed him, which meant Bex was in even more danger and they were on the wrong track.
Murray turned from her and tapped the link in his ear. “Did you catch all of that?”
Asher blew out a breath. “Yeah. Bex is safe for the moment. Callahan is taking up guard duty for the next couple of days until all of you can return.”
“Asher—I,” Jaqueline paused. What did she say? She couldn’t ask Murray to stay there and it wasn’t like she had a home to come back to anymore. “I’m not sure Christian is up to—”
“We’ll stay at my place,” Murray said. “It’s big enough and we can hook Christian up with a social worker and therapist.”
Jaqueline snorted. “We’re not US citizens. Kind of hard to travel without proper documentation.”
“Let me worry about that,” Asher said. “We could use your skills.”
“I’m retired,” Jaqueline stated.
“Fine, consult for us. I have a feeling Murray isn’t going to come back either.”
Murray frowned. “How did you—”
“You think I wasn’t prepared? AJ and Scotty are on our team full-time now. You can relax and get to know your sister again. Besides, I know if I need you for special missions, you’ll do it, because you can’t say no.”
“You’re an asshole,” Murray chuckled.
“Yeah, well, that’s nothing new. So, what do you say?”
Murray cut his gaze to Jaqueline. His heated stare sent a thrill down her spine. Starting over did have its appeals. She had a feeling Christian would never find himself if they stayed near Juarez. It held too many bad memories for him. A clean, fresh start sounded perfect.
“I have a dog,” she said.
“Is that a euphemism for something else?” Asher hedged.
She laughed. “No.”
“Oh good. I think pooches are fine. Not like it’ll be living here full time,” Asher said. “Murray? What’s it going to be?”
He sighed. “You’re a real piece of work, fucker. I thought I would retire to Mexico, fuck, fight, and feast on the best food ever made, for the rest of my life.”
“You still can,” Asher replied.
“Fine. We’ll come home. Besides, I don’t think Hannah can stay here either.” He scrubbed his forehead. “What’s the timing we’re looking at for wheels up?”
“As soon as they release Scotty from the hospital,” Asher said. “From what AJ said, it could be two or three days, so take some time, grab some sleep, and work on your reports. I’ll be expecting them the minute you touch down.”
“Roger that.” Murray blew out a breath, holding his hand out to Jaqueline. “I think I could use that shower now.”
She frowned. “I agree. I’m a mess.”
The corner of Murray’s mouth ticked up. “You’re perfect.”
Early morning light filled their room. Murray glanced at the clock and noticed the time. A little after six. They had a few hours before they were supposed to head to the hospital to pick everyone up then on to Fort Briggs for their flight back to Virginia. He pressed a kiss to Jaqueline's shoulder and sighed. He hadn't been able to keep his hands off of her since they arrived at the hotel and he wanted her again. Yet, he'd been content to lay there and watch her sleep, like some fucked up creeper, as AJ would say.
Between the paperwork and preparing for the move, they’d fallen into bed each night exhausted, but hungry. The fragile connection they’d forged together in the beginning, grew stronger by the second and it settled Murray. The easiest way to get everyone into the states was to marry Jaqueline. It would have added to Asher’s plan to get them their Visas and eventually their green cards. However, he wouldn’t push it. Bad enough they were taking Jaqueline away from her home along with Christian. He couldn’t take her choice away either. But the thought stuck with him. He could see them together for the rest of their lives—and he wasn’t a forever kind of guy.
Ten years, Hannah consumed his every thought. He hadn't made any plans for what he'd do once he found her, besides retire and take a vacation somewhere. Now that he'd found her, he was at a loss. Taking a vacation would have to wait. Raul was still on the loose and there was still the Pueblo and Los Trios cartels circling Bex. The situation was bound to blow up and when it did, Murray would never be able to forgive himself if something happened to the kid.
Maybe, once everything settled down, he’d take Jaqueline on a trip and while they were there, he’d marry her. He smirked. He could already hear her chewing his ass out for surprising her. He smirked. It’d be worth it in the end.
Jaqueline rolled over, facing him. A soft sigh passed her lips as her eyes fluttered open. “Hey.” A sensual smile floated across her lips while she stretched. “Do we have to get up yet?”
“Loaded question, mi cielito.” He placed a kiss to her lips. “Very loaded.”
She smiled; the expression filled her features with a simple light he craved. She was beautiful, strong, and she rocked his world. “You’re insatiable.”
He gave a nonchalant lift of his shoulder. “What can I say, it’s one of my better qualities.” He rolled them so she straddled his waist.
“Oh?” She quirked a brow.
“Mmhmm.” He nodded, rocking against her.
She sighed and closed her eyes. “Maybe.”
Murray reached between them and positioned himself at her entrance. He slid into her in a single stroke and groaned as she clenched around him. Fuck, she was perfect. “Just maybe?”
“I’ll keep you posted.” She rolled her hips and moaned.
He thought about teasing her awake, taking his time until she begged
for him to let her come, instead, he wanted it quick and fast. He wanted them to burn for each other. He wanted to hear her screams while her pussy spasmed around his cock. He wrapped his hand around her nape and pulled her down to him so he could kiss her again. The ends of her vibrant multicolored hair brushed across his nipples and chest. The feather-light touch turned him on. Excitement pooled in his gut.
“Fuck yes, Jaq. Ride me.” He snarled. His grip tightened on her hip, shortening her strokes.
She trembled and shook above him. Her soft whines and coos of pleasure were lyrical, spun with arousal and need. She braced her hands on his chest. Her nails dug into his flesh and he hissed at the bite of pain. His dick thickened while his balls drew up. It was quicker than he wanted, but fuck if she didn’t get under his skin and make him lose all reason.
Murray sat up and wrapped his lips around her nipple, sucking on the hard point until she cried out in a mixture of pain and bliss. They were both riding a dangerous edge. He switched to her other nipple and drew it between his teeth. Jaqueline clenched around him, making it hard to move. She fisted her hand in his hair and he groaned. Sparks of pleasure spread across his scalp and slid down his spine. The thrill of being with her would never get old. It was as though this wholly desperate part of him needed her with such fervor, he’d never get enough of her.
“Murray,” she whimpered, licking her bottom lip.
“I’m right here. I’ve got you.” He buried his face in her neck as the tingles of his impending climax spread through him. “Come, mi cielito. Give it to me. I want to feel your sweet pussy milk my cock.”
Jaqueline shuddered. The keen wail that left her lips, caught him off guard, causing him to throb deep within her while she rode out her release as well. He groaned into her supple flesh as they continued to rock together.
Murray’s heart hammered and his breath left him quick pants. “What a way to wake up.”
She giggled, strangling his cock and he pulsed deep within her again. Both of them moaned and he ground his hips against hers. “Wow. I think I might be spoiled waking this way.”
