Page 61 of Knot Yours

Her voice raises in worry. “But you already told them you’re coming.”

I nod at the screen. “The first step in exterminating cockroaches is removing their cover. They know I’m coming. Now, we watch to see who scatters.”

I’m nearly climbing the walls when we finally land in San Juan. A tall Hispanic bastard waits outside when Knot and I deplane. I draw on the man, aiming straight for his head, but he holds his hands up in surrender. “My name’s Ruiz.” He gestures to Piper and adds, “Marisol tells me the little lady favors pink tennis balls.”

The stranger holds one in his raised hand. Only Marisol could have told him that, and only if she trusted him, considered him family. I holster my pistol, and Knot does the same. “I thought you had instructions to remain at the Borrero home.”

“Someone there betrayed Cirilo.”

I get in his face to gauge his reaction. “How do I know it wasn’t you?”

“You don’t, but if you are going to save Marisol, you will need my help.”

Knot enters my peripheral vision, offering me a slight nod. Still nose to nose with Borrero’s soldier, I concede. “The only reason I’m allowing it is because you tried to sneak them off the island. Why would you risk your neck for them?”

Ruiz holds my glare, unflinching. “Marisol is my niece. I love that girl like my own daughter and plan to get her back. I came here because I don’t know which of my men I can trust.”

“You and I share a similar problem.”

I call Piper forward and command her to watch Ruiz. “She can kill you faster than I can, and it won’t be merciful.”

Ruiz nods and gestures toward his vehicle as two more roll to a stop next to the jet. The driver of the first approaches Knot. He hands the keys to my boss, but Knot tosses them to Ruiz. “We’ll take mine, but you’ll drive so I can keep my eyes on you. Don’t try any shit.”

We all load up, Ruiz and Knot in the front and Piper and me in the back. “Take us to the Cruz property,” I command.

“You don’t want to do that. It’s suicide.”

I cock the hammer of my M9 right next to his ear to make clear how much I dislike being questioned.

“I’m not bullshitting you,” the man insists. “I’ve got a cousin that works for Cruz. No one knows we’re related, which helps us. Marisol is there, but the place is heavily guarded. She’s safe… for now.”

Pressing the barrel into his neck, I snarl, “What does that mean? For now?”

“Dario means to hold the wedding tomorrow.”

“That doesn’t give us much time,” Knot says. “Based on what Cirilo told us, we need to get to her before the ceremony.”

“Yeah, but we don’t know when or where the hell that’s supposed to be,” I fire back.

Ruiz speaks up. “I do.”

Austin

I’m losing my mind being confined to this back seat instead of leading the charge toward Marisol.

Despite having only one place in this world I want to be, that’s not where this Ruiz bastard is taking us. He pilots the big vehicle to the Borrero estate after dispatching the rest of Borrero’s men to take up stations around the Cruz property.

I don’t know if it’s a bogus assignment because he doesn’t trust them or just because we don’t. Either way, I’m grateful. My nerves are frayed enough already. Ruiz drives past the impressive main residence to a carriage house in the back that’s been converted into a garage.

Knot and I follow the security leader up an exterior set of stairs to a studio apartment slash office over the garage. “What the hell are we doing here?” I demand.

“We’re waiting,” he answers. “My cousin is going to meet us here after his shift. He’ll have information about tomorrow’s timetable, security assignments, and system weaknesses.”

I shake my head and consider marching right back out that door. “We’ve got our own intel expert with satellite surveillance. We don’t need shit.”

The man is unfazed by my persistence. “Yes, we do, amigo. Your people may be able to hack into cameras and study the property, but you need information that isn’t stored on some computer. Remember, it isn’t just about getting inside. You’ve got to get Marisol out without getting her killed. You can be sure that’s the only way Cruz will let her leave.”

Ruiz stares at me hard. “Besides, you’re barely on your feet. Adrenaline will only get you so far, and then it’ll get you follado por un pez, fucked up.”

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