Chapter 5
Now that they were out of range of Calderon’s little army, Angel slowed the speed of the boat. The last thing they needed was to hit something floating in the water he couldn’t see. He didn’t dare use the boat’s lights. Even at the reduced speed, they were traveling faster than Perez’s people could as they drove the winding roads. But Angel wouldn’t mention the fact they were only a step ahead to Maya because she’d already been through enough. The plain truth was this escape was a long shot. For now, they had the advantage of the cover of darkness, but once the sun rose, if Garcia told his boss, everyone on Calderon’s payroll would be looking for this boat.
Not that he could see any other option. They didn’t dare take a vehicle from the compound because the police were in Calderon’s pocket and might already be setting up roadblocks. The river was the safest route, but once they approached any towns, people could be at the water’s edge looking for them.
Hopefully, one of Cowboy’s safe houses would be near enough to their route to provide shelter for a day or two.
For the first time since he’d looked down the gun barrel one of Garcia’s men had shoved in his face in the shower, he thought about what a couple of days of solitude with Maya might mean.
Would she be eager to pick up where they’d left off, or once the adrenaline faded, would anger simmer to the surface—at him and her situation? She might put two and two together and figure out Calderon had intended for him to pick out Yanez’s daughter to deliver her. Never mind he’d had every intention of spiriting the girl away to safety. His interest in Maya had landed her in this mess.
Maybe if he hadn’t been so distracted by Maya’s many pleasing attributes, he’d have figured out sooner she was the wrong woman. He couldn’t worry about the shitstorm sure to hit once the operation commander got wind of the mistake. Months of preparation, and finally infiltration of Calderon’s organization, down the drain. His boss would have him sitting behind a desk in D.C. for the rest of his career. An option he detested.
Even though he’d been promised this was his last deep cover op, Angel had hoped for something better as his reward—maybe his own investigative team, far from the Beltway, someplace he could put down some roots. Then he could think about finding a girlfriend, buying a house, maybe even starting a family.
But while thoughts of the botched operation certainly weighed him down, other thoughts intruded. Of Maya—gloriously naked and riding his cock. Bravely facing Garcia, and then doing the unthinkable, and tipping away the barrel of the weapon.
The thought made him grin, inappropriate as hell because she’d been in terrible danger, but still, she’d been so annoyed at the interruption she’d held her head at a regal angle. He’d nearly bitten off his tongue, trying to hold back a warning. She hadn’t known the action wasn’t part of another training scenario until they were bumping down the dirt trail in the back of a vehicle. The way she’d snuggled her thigh against his for comfort had caused a pang in his chest. Although unsure he wasn’t one of them, she’d instinctively turned to him.
Her belief in him made him all the more determined he wouldn’t let her down. She might hate his guts by the time they reached safety, rightly placing some of the blame on him, but he hoped not. Fact was, he liked her. She might seem flighty and shallow, but at her core, she was a helluva strong woman. She hadn’t curled up in a ball of misery, had kept pace with him, following his lead every step of the way. Damn smart, even if the staff at the school had pegged her as an airhead.
Hell, he’d thought the same thing after the driving test. So she’d scared a few minutes off his life—she’d managed the turns, deftly handled the braking. If she’d been a little distracted, well, so had he.
Lights from the compound shone in the distance. He cut the engine and pointed the boat toward the bank and let it drift to a halt against soft river silt. “We’re here.”
Maya swiveled her seat and stood. “Why don’t we just call for help from there? It’s not like they don’t have plenty of weapons to protect us.”
“Sweetheart, we can’t trust any of the staff. Someone tipped off Garcia that we were well away from the rest of the camp when they snatched you.”
“Oh.” Her face fell. “Don’t suppose we could sneak in and get a change of clothes or my purse?”
He shook his head. “Can’t risk going anywhere near there. Sorry.”
Her shoulders drooped, but she nodded.
He picked up the dock line and went over the side of the boat into the water, pulling the boat until its hull jammed deeper in mud. Then he began gathering branches and vegetation which he handed to her.
Without waiting to be told what they were for, she piled the branches and vines on the boat, masking its outline.
Like he’d thought before. Smart.
When she moved to follow him into the water, he shook his head. “Stay with the boat. I have to go alone.”
Maya’s eyes shot wide in the moonlight. “If they have another boat. Or someone sees it...”
Angel gave her a short nod and reached out, gripping her waist, then carried her to the river bank where he set her on her feet. “Stay here, hidden in the brush. I have to go alone. Won’t be longer than fifteen minutes. I promise.”
For a couple seconds, she clung to his shoulders. Her eyes were still large in her face, and her gaze turned to the jungle around them.
She wasn’t used to the jungle, much less to being chased by criminals. His chest tightened. “I’ll be faster on my own. Every minute counts.”
“Go,” she blurted and waved her hands. “I’ll hide. I’ll be fine.”
Angel didn’t like leaving her again, worried she’d come to harm, and he wouldn’t be there to help, but he didn’t know another way. Before he turned away, he gathered her close to his chest. Her head tilted back, and as natural as breathing, he bent to kiss her soft mouth. The kiss was sweet and short.
When he broke away, he leaned his forehead against hers, reluctant to go, even though he knew he had to, and quickly. “Maya...”
She shoved at his chest until he stepped back. “Go,” she said, her voice gruff. “Sooner you get back...”
Blowing out a deep breath, he gave her a terse nod, turned, and ran into the jungle. Skirting the encampment, he climbed the hill. Since he’d trekked to his hidey hole in the dark before, he had no problems picking out landmarks along the way.
He found the pack, unwrapped the radio, and spoke quietly into the mike. “Cowboy, you got your ears on?”
A long, tense moment later, “Hey, Wingman. Didn’t expect a second transmission. What’s up?”
“Shit’s gone sideways, and I need a safe house for me and the Cordoba woman.”
Cowboy whistled. “Guess we’ll save the explanations for later. Get yourself to Soledad’s Cantina in Vista Verde. From there, I’ll have someone with keys and transport. They’ll take you to a safe house until I can get a team together to get you two out. Be okay for a couple of days?” Although he’d delivered his message in rapid fire, there was a hint of amusement in his voice. Cowboy knew Maya was attractive, and that Angel was interested.
“We’ll be fine, if she doesn’t kill me once she’s over being scared.”
Cowboy laughed. “Keep your ass out of trouble. Out.”
Angel quickly wrapped the radio and reburied it, hating to leave the expensive equipment behind, but knew he had to travel fast. Circling the fence outside the compound, he noted the barrack’s lights were out. Only tall security lamps illuminated the area. A movement near the motor pool drew his interest.
Mark Saunders’ blond hair glinted in the lamplight as he made his way to his car.
The answer to who the inside man was all too clear. No doubt Saunders was heading to Garcia now. Angel wondered if the man was aware they’d escaped. Garcia might take his anger out on the man, but Angel couldn’t spare the time to warn him, or risk that Saunders might try to capture him to bring him in.
He faded back into the jungle and headed to the boat. Saunders had made his bed. If Angel managed to get to safety, he’d be sure a warrant was issued for his arrest. If the traitor lived past this night, the first time he stepped on U.S. soil again, he’d be in cuffs.
Nearing the boat, Angel paused and listened. No sounds of boats or footsteps. Voices traveled better on water, so he didn’t call Maya from the forest. Instead, knowing she was nearby, he began dragging the branches off the boat until her soft tread sounded behind him.
Without either of them speaking, he handed her into the boat, then pushed off, leaping at the last minute and hauling himself aboard. He started the boat and pointed it downstream again.
Maya sat in the tall chair beside him, her hair whipping behind her. “You get to your radio?”
“I did. My handler’s arranging a safe house. We’ll make Vista Verde before morning. Might have to lie low until I can connect with my contact and we can get to the house.”
Her hands rubbed her arms.
“You cold?”
“Tired. Exhausted.” She shook her head. “Don’t know why. It’s not that late.”
“Adrenaline’s gone. You’re crashing.”
“Not you?”
“I’m used to this.”
She glanced toward the river bank, and when her gaze came back to him, it was pointed. Her lips were formed into a narrow line. “So, you gonna tell me what this is really about? You don’t seem like a drug runner to me, and you mentioned something about an investigation...”
“Everything I told you was generally true. I’m an ex-marine turned merc. But the DEA recruited me out of Afghanistan. I’ve been with them for five years now. My current assignment was to infiltrate Calderon’s organization to pinpoint his headquarters, his warehouses, who he distributes to. But then this turf war with Yanez blew up, complicating my mission. We heard through an informant Yanez’s daughter was coming from the US to join him. By damn coincidence, he wanted her to go through the training. I was already in the school and had already met Garcia. He asked me to find her. Once I figured they intended to grab her, I knew I had to find her first and figure out a way to get her out of harm’s way. And somehow, do it without breaking cover.”
Her mouth tightened. “Why did you think I was her?”
“Because the other woman in the camp is nothing like her father.”
“And I am?”
“Swear it’s no insult. Women find him attractive. He’s flamboyant. Lives large. You aren’t the least bit shy about going after what you want.” He shrugged.
Maya’s stare never left his face. “So everything was about your mission... the looks you gave me, the sex back at the camp...”
Angel drew in a deep breath and slowly nodded.
Her chin lifted and she snorted. “Have to hand it to you. You’re really good at your job.” She pushed up from her chair and moved to the passenger seat farthest from him, settling in and refusing to look his way.
Angel’s shoulders tightened. He firmed his grip on the steering wheel and faced forward. He could have lied, but maybe it was better this way. Now that she knew the truth, she wouldn’t want anything to do with him, and he could keep his focus on getting her to safety.
So, why did he feel as though he’d just kicked a puppy?
Maya wished he’d lied. If he had, doing so might have meant he didn’t want to hurt her. As it was, he’d made it plain he didn’t care enough to spare her feelings. The knowledge took her breath away.
Suddenly, she felt nauseous. Bone tired. She picked up the cushions on the seats lining the sides of the boat at the rear, determined to make herself a bed and lie down. Earlier, she’d wanted to keep him company, but now, she wanted to close her eyes and shut him out of her mind.
She reached the last seat and lifted it. The cushion was attached to a compartment, and she flipped it up. Inside were plastic-wrapped bundles. She pulled one out, staring through the clear plastic at crystalline powder. She’d watched CSI and knew what she was looking at. Her stomach took a dive straight to her toes. “Angel?” she said, holding it up in the moonlight.
His gaze swung backward, and his mouth gaped. “What the f*ck?” He grabbed the gear shift and shoved it forward, slowing the boat. “Come steer.”
She set down the bag, walked forward, and slid between him and the wheel, while he headed to the back of the boat. Compartments opened and closed, accompanied by soft cursing. When he returned, he sat in the chair beside hers. “We’ve got bigger problems.”
“It’s coke, right?”
“Yeah. Which means we can’t just ditch the boat when we get to Vista Verde. It also means Garcia and Calderon want more than our asses.” He ran a hand through his hair. “We’ve got their shipment.”
Maya swallowed hard. “What are we gonna do?”
“Hide it.” He shook his head. “If they do catch us, at least we’ll have a bargaining chip.”
“How much do you think is here?”
“I don’t know. Maybe five hundred pounds, worth about ten mill.”
Oh my God. Maya knew they were in deep, deep trouble, but she couldn’t help the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “I knew this vacation would be an adventure, but damn.”
Angel’s gaze locked on her smile, and his own stretched across his face. He shook his head, a chuckle rocking his chest. “You’re really something else, Maya Cordoba.”
Maya waggled her eyebrows. “Glad you’re finally figuring that out.” Her smile faded and she turned her gaze back to the river. “It’s strange. I should be scared out of my mind, but after everything that’s happened, this doesn’t feel like such a big thing. Is that weird?” She shot him a glance, finding him staring at her face.
There was warmth in his eyes. Maybe a hint of regret. A little late, but she’d take it. Anything but believe he didn’t care at all.