Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 98035 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98035 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
“I’m going to head to bed.” She rose, said her good-nights, and strolled through the maze of corridors in the sprawling, contemporary estate.
Verandas and scenic breezeways led her to her suite. The fortress reminded her of an all-inclusive resort, equipped with every amenity. Commercial kitchens, dining rooms filled with dozens of tables, Olympic-sized pool, and full-service staff… With all the surrounding luxury, she could almost overlook the scary, heavily-armed cartel members who roamed the halls.
When she stepped inside her room, the tread of approaching footsteps sounded behind her.
“Hey, Kate.” Martin caught the door before it closed. “Can I come in?”
“Like you have to ask.” She strode past the bed, lowered into the armchair, and pulled Tiago’s tuxedo coat over her lap, instantly finding solace in the crisp feel of the fabric. “Want a drink?”
Every suite had a fully-stocked wet bar, laptop, sitting area, and private bathroom.
“Nah. Just wanted to check on you.” He sprawled on the loveseat beside her.
She grew up with three older brothers, and none of them had been even a fraction as protective as her five alpha roommates.
As he stared at her, a glint of aggression hardened his green eyes before melting away into the shadows of his handsome face.
His model-like features, perfectly-combed blond hair, and muscular build fit the requisite mold of beauty and seduction. They all had that in common.
Over a span of seven years, Van and Liv had captured six beautiful men and two women. Plucked out of the ghettos along the Mexican border, Kate and the others didn’t have families who would miss them.
Joshua Carter was the exception, the one who shattered Liv’s façade and brought down the entire sex trafficking operation.
Martin had been slave number five. He was also the pack leader among her male roommates.
“You sleep with that thing?” He nodded at the tuxedo coat.
“Maybe.” She pulled it up to her nose and inhaled the scent of fire and masculinity from the collar.
“You’re a fucking mess.”
“You should talk. How’s Ricky?”
His jaw set. “I’m not touching that conversation.”
She loved to pester him about the sexual tension that vibrated between him and his best friend. Ricky was openly bisexual, flirtatious as hell, and had a very obvious, soul-deep crush on Martin.
Martin, on the other hand, grunted and growled like a homophobic every time she mentioned the attraction. He claimed to be straight and banged a different woman every night. But there was so much more going on beneath the surface. He carried a freight load of baggage, most of which had compounded during his captivity with Van.
Everyone knew he wanted to fuck Ricky’s brains out. He just hadn’t come to terms with it.
“How are you doing with Van?” she asked. “Is it still hard for you to be around him?”
“If I ever get him alone, I’m going to take him for a ride in the country.”
“What does that mean?”
“It’s what my dad used to say. Whenever one of our old dogs needed to be put down, he’d load up the dog in the truck, drive to an isolated field, and shoot it.” A dark smirk twisted his lips. “It’s time for a ride in the country.”
“Please, don’t.” Her stomach caved in.
“You’re telling me you’ve forgiven him?”
“No.” She nodded. “Maybe. I don’t know. Being around him isn’t as hard as it used to be. He doesn’t scare me.”
There was a bigger, meaner, much more terrifying man in the world, and goddammit, she missed his brutal mouth.
“That’s good, Kate. It’s great.” He pushed up from his sprawl and leaned forward to grip her hand. “You’re a fucking fighter, you know that?”
“Can’t shoot a gun or throw a fist to save my life.” She laughed.
“You fight with this crazy, fathomless inner strength. I’ve never worried about losing you to depression or insanity or…” He squeezed her hand. “A broken heart. It seems you’ve figured out how to survive the emotional shit better than the rest of us. I envy that.”
“Thank you.” Her throat tightened.
“You’re not going back to Texas, are you?”
She hadn’t thought about it, but her answer was certain. “No.”
“None of us are returning.”
“You’re all staying here?”
“I don’t know what Tate and Lucia will do, but the guys and I need to be here, with Camila.”
It made sense. Camila was their leader in a dangerous fight against human sex trafficking. Most of their missions sent them to South America. There was no reason for them to continue to live in Texas.
“We should sell the house.” She gave him a sad smile.
“Agreed.” He cocked his head. “This isn’t a break-up, Kate.”
“No.” Her smile turned upward, stretching her cheeks. “It’s a merger. The Freedom Fighters and the Restrepo cartel. An unstoppable force to be reckoned with.”
“Ricky and I are leaving next week. I don’t know when we’ll return.”
“What’s the mission?”
“Camila’s planting us in a Mexican prison to gather information on the leader of the inmates. He happens to be the capo of La Rocha cartel. A nasty piece of work. His incarceration hasn’t stopped him from running one of the biggest slave trade operations south of the border.” His gaze lost focus beneath a cloud of barely restrained fury. “He’s trafficking kids, Kate. We have to end that motherfucker.”