Betrayed (Hostage Rescue Team Series Book 9) (24 page)

“Where have you been?” ten-year-old Michael asked. His namesake. Laura had insisted they name their son Diego Miguel, after their father and their favorite “uncle”, who they’d never realized was actually their father’s faithful assassin. “Mama and Papa said you went to heaven.”

More like hell, until Georgia had appeared back in his life. “No, no heaven for me,” he said with a stiff smile.

God, it hurt, seeing those innocent faces beaming up at him. He’d missed them more than he’d realized. And now he was here to end their world as they knew it.

He set a hand on Michael’s shoulder. “Sorry I came to visit so late, I know how your mom hates it when the whole bedtime routine gets interrupted.”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “Ugh, I know. She’s insanely OCD.”

He couldn’t help but grin. The teenage attitude was still out in full force. “Listen, I need to talk to your mom about something important. You guys go on back to bed, okay?”

Both of them protested with disappointed groans. “Will you come talk to us for a while afterward then?” Michael asked, those big brown eyes pleading. He’d always had a sort of hero worship thing going on with Bautista, and he’d never had the heart to tell the kid he should find a more worthy man to idolize.

He nodded, because there was no way he could refuse that simple request. “Sure. But you two squirts have to go to bed right now then, or no deal.”

“Okay,” Michael pouted, then turned with his sister and followed her to the hallway.

The moment the second of the two doors shut, he turned to face Laura. She was wiping her face, still smiling, her bright green eyes full of questions. “We have to call Diego and tell him the news. He’ll want to know—”

“He already knows.”

She blinked at his clipped tone, her smile fading.

Ah, shit, he just wanted this over with. “Sit down, Laura,” he said quietly.

Slowly backing up a step she sank onto the couch, her gaze locked with his. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her posture stiff.

There was no easy way to say it.

He sank into the easy chair beside the couch, leaned forward to rest his forearms on his knees. “I need you to pack up the kids and leave here tonight.” He kept his voice calm, not wanting to scare her even more than he already was. Rycroft and the others would already be on their way up with a team to secure her and the kids.

Her eyes widened. “What? Why?”

“There’s a team of federal agents waiting to escort you to the airport.” He ignored her shocked gasp, kept talking. “They’re going to fly you to an undisclosed location and put you in a safe house with a 24-7 security detail.”

She shook her head as the gravity of the situation dawned on her. “Oh my God, what’s my husband done?” she whispered, looking stricken.

After a second’s hesitation, he told her straight out. “He was involved with the murders of two CIA officers. And then he sent Nico to kill me.”

Laura’s already pale face completely blanched of color. She swallowed convulsively, her hands twitching in the folds of her dress, and shook her head. “No…”

“Yes. And now Nico’s dead.”

“Oh my God…”

Yeah. “I’m sorry, and I wish the hell it wasn’t true. You know I wouldn’t lie to you about this.”

She swallowed again, looking ill.

Reaching out, he took one of her hands in his. Her skin was cold, clammy, and the shock on her lovely face was all too real.

“Laura.” She blinked, focused on him again, and there were fresh tears in her eyes. “I need to find him. Tell me where he is.” Perez was smart. Though the NSA had been tracking his online activity and listening to phone calls, he’d proven difficult to pinpoint.

Right now they couldn’t verify where he was. Bautista knew several places where he might be, and both the FBI and NSA were investigating, but if Laura could give them more intel it would be a major advantage for them.

More tears gathered, brimming on her dark lashes. She shook her head, her eyes pleading with him not to ask this of her. “Please.”

He squeezed her hand, feeling like shit. But there were too many places Perez could be and they didn’t have time to investigate all of them. He needed her help. “I need to know where he is.”

Teardrops spilled over, rolling down her cheeks. “I can’t…” She glanced at her phone over on the counter, knew what she was thinking.

“It’s too late, Laura. This entire building is swarming with federal agents right now and the NSA is monitoring everything said in this condo, and all calls to and from it.”

Her shoulders shook as she fought back a sob. “I can’t.”

“You have to,” he said, his heart aching for her and the position she’d been placed in. “You have to, for the kids’ sake. You’re not safe here, and you won’t be until Diego is brought in. He’s made enemies. Dangerous enemies, and I don’t want you to wind up a target.” If Georgia had found out about Perez’s involvement with the murders, then Rossland might have already sent someone to kidnap or kill Perez’s wife and children.

At that she stilled, inhaled a shaky breath. “But what will… What will happen to him if I tell you?”

“He’ll be arrested and charged with murder of two federal agents.”
If
he went quietly.

She gripped his hand now, her fingers digging into the backs of his. “But they won’t…kill him.” She searched his eyes, her desperation clear. “Right?”

Not unless he forces them to.
And Perez might
.
“They’re going to arrest him,” he repeated, unable to tell her the brutal truth. That her husband wasn’t even close to the man she’d thought, and he might choose death rather than face a lifelong prison term for his crimes.

He could feel the seconds slipping past as he awaited her answer, the tension growing inside him with every heartbeat. Perez had a lot of money and resources at his disposal. If he’d gone into hiding, it would be that much harder to find him. Even if he hadn’t, they still had a number of locations to search. And Perez was paranoid enough to keep moving. They needed to find him before he got nervous enough to go on the run.

“The man in charge of this op—a federal agent—allowed me to come and tell you this myself, but my time’s up now. He’ll be at the door any minute to move you guys out of here. Before he gets here, I need to know where your husband is.
Tell
me, Laura.”

Her lips quivered as she gazed up at him with a heartbroken expression. “He told me he was going fishing for a few days.” She hitched in a breath. “That’s all he told me. Wherever he went, he left this morning.”

He nodded, pretty sure she was telling the truth. But he wasn’t willing to bet on it. She’d just been delivered one hell of a shock and would automatically want to protect her husband.

“Okay,” he agreed. At least her answer narrowed down their possibilities to places on the water.

He pushed out a sigh. “Come with me.” Standing, he pulled her to her feet and she didn’t resist. “I promised the kids I’d see them before I left. We’ll tell them you’re going on another surprise vacation.” Jenny was too old to fall for that story, but it would have to do.

She didn’t respond, clearly still in shock and struggling to come to terms with everything. Bautista let out a deep breath and pulled her into his arms.
I’m so fucking sorry
, he told her silently.

She leaned into his hold, curled up against his chest in such a lost and trusting way that his gut twisted. “I’m sorry,” he murmured against her hair. “But I had no choice.”

Georgia was his only motivation now.

Pulling away, he took Laura’s hand and led her toward the children’s rooms.

****

Using her key card, Georgia unlocked the hotel room door and peeked inside. They’d arrived in Miami a couple of hours ago, after flying from Destin soon after the agents had taken Laura Perez and her children into protective custody. Miguel hadn’t spoken to anyone on the way down here, and they’d all given him space. Tonight must have been hard on him.

He looked over his shoulder at her from where he was perched on the side of the bed, the muscular expanse of his back and shoulders illuminated in the soft light from the floor lamp set in the far corner of the room. His dark hair was damp and slicked back from his face, as if he’d just showered.

A flutter started low in her abdomen as she shut the door behind her, but the bleak look in his eyes made her heart squeeze. “Hey. You didn’t eat anything earlier, so I grabbed you something at the deli on the corner.” She walked over to him, held out the bag when she was directly in front of him. “Turkey on whole wheat with cranberry and Havarti, no mayo. And one of those iced teas you like.”

He reached up to take the bag from her, and she was glad to see some of that bleakness fading from his eyes. “Thanks.”

She shrugged. “I remembered you used to get them a lot when you came to visit your grandmother.”

“Yeah.” He tried a smile then set the bag on the floor at his feet, clearly uninterested in food.

Georgia sank onto the side of the mattress next to him, trying not to get distracted by his sexy bare torso. He was hurting bad inside and she was distressed at not knowing how to make it better.

She and the others had heard every word he’d said to Laura and the children. It had been eye-opening for her. Back in Miami, he’d tried to tell her—well, Julia—what he was, that he wasn’t a good man.

But she’d already known the truth. She’d seen the goodness in him plenty of times before, in the tender way he’d cared for his incapacitated grandmother, the way he’d treated her when he’d known her as Julia, and when he’d rescued Marisol and risked his life to protect them both.

Tonight, she’d seen another side of him that had made her fall in love with him even more. Laura and those kids clearly adored him, and they’d been his first concern, even more than nailing Perez after what the man had done.

That told her so much about his character. He was loyal and protective, and was willing to put himself in harm’s way for the few people he cared about.

A tiny circle she was now a part of.

But now she could feel the clock ticking. Drone and satellite footage had confirmed that Perez was indeed at his place outside Miami.

At that very moment the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team was prepping to serve the arrest warrant. She, Miguel and the others would assist with logistics prior to and during the op, which was planned for tomorrow night.

Once Perez was in custody, she didn’t know what fate held in store for her. For them. And she didn’t know how she was supposed to go on without him now.

“I’m glad you got to be the one to tell her,” she said softly. “It was obvious how much she adores you. Not that I blame her,” she added, nudging his thigh with hers.

A sad smile twisted his lips. “She’s a good person. I just hate that it came down to this.”

Georgia nodded. “Were you that close with Perez?”

“Different than with Laura and the kids, but yeah. I would have walked through hell for him.”

“I think you did walk through hell for him,” she murmured, thinking of the things he’d done for the man, all the things he’d endured, including nearly dying. “More than once.”

And the worst part would come tomorrow, when he helped the FBI capture the man he’d served so faithfully for so long. It didn’t matter that she thought Perez was a piece of shit who didn’t deserve Miguel’s loyalty. It was clear this situation was tearing him apart.

“Yeah. True.” He pulled in a deep breath, pushed it out in a long, slow exhale and lowered his head into his hands, looking exhausted.

She couldn’t stand to see him hurting like this. If she could take even a little of the hurt away over these next few hours together, it would be worth it.

Unsure of her welcome when he was so clearly upset, she reached out to brush a short lock of hair off his forehead. He turned his head to look at her, and as their eyes met, the intensity of that dark gaze echoed deep inside her.

Not wanting to ruin the moment with words, she cupped the side of his face and stroked her thumb across his bristly cheek, let her touch speak for her.
I’m here for you. I’m sorry you’re hurting.

In response Miguel reached up to gently grasp her wrist. For a moment she thought he would push her away but instead he turned his face and pressed his lips into the center of her palm. Warmth slid through her veins at the tender caress.

Feeling braver, she inched closer, framed his face between both hands and leaned in to kiss the bridge of his nose. He closed his eyes as though absorbing the kiss, then surprised her by leaning forward, burying his face in her neck and wrapping his arms around her, holding her so tight she couldn’t move.

Her heart cracked in two at his unspoken need for comfort.

Without a word she embraced him, folding her arms around his shoulders, one hand cradling the back of his head. He pulled in a deep breath and let it out slowly, then another, as though struggling with himself.

Minutes ticked past. Gently stroking his hair, she held him that way without speaking, then kissed the top of his head, his temple. Miguel raised his head and met her gaze, the pain in his eyes hitting her like a blow. But there was heat too, and an answering rush swept through her body.

When he took the back of her head in one hand and sought her mouth, she kissed him long and slow, took advantage when his lips parted to slide her tongue inside to twine with his.

A low, rough groan eased from his chest and he met every stroke. Her heart pounded, tremors of excitement and need flowing through her. Every nerve ending was alive and tingling.

She let her hands roam all over his bare back and shoulders, across his chest, exploring the hard ridges of muscle that she found so sexy. Needing more, she swung one thigh across his to straddle his lap. The bolt of pleasure that shot through her when her center pressed against the denim-covered ridge of his erection made her moan into his mouth.

That sound seemed to trigger something in him.

Instantly the kiss turned hot and urgent. He shifted her on his lap, one arm coming around her hips to hold her snug to him while he rocked that delicious erection against her.