Page 133 of Javier

Moments before, he’d debriefed me fast and thoroughly as only Omega could. King had brought him up to speed on a lot, but Dagger wanted to hear everything from me. I reported every detail, Bekker’s original attack in Nicaragua, our arrival to the resort, Rozina’s episode, and the details of the latest attempt on Missy’s life. When I recalled the shitshow in the shower, my guts knotted all over again.

“She was in there, shivering under the water for a few long mikes,” I muttered angrily. “That piece of shit Bekker tried to kill her again.”

“Or you,” Omega pointed out. “Or both of you, I suppose.”

“I’m gonna end the fucker.”

“The turd made no effort to hide his identity.” Dagger took his cane from me.

“He wanted us to know he was behind this,” I agreed. “The snakes were his calling card.”

“How did you kill the big-ass viper?” Omega asked.

“I blew its head off. It was riled up, and it went for Missy right as she was about to step into my improvised bamboo shield. I had one second, one shot.”

“One shot?” Dagger was not a man who could be easily impressed, but the size of his eyes revealed that he understood how dire the threat had been to Missy’s life. “That was one hell of a shot, Guzman.”

“Training activates when needed,” I reminded Omega of his own words. “You taught us that.”

His shrewd eyes scoured my face. “So, she says she loves you. Do you care for her?”

“It’s more than that.” I held his stare. “I’ve come to a crazy conclusion. I’m in love with her.”

“Did you just sayin love?” He stared at me in disbelief.

“I swear,” I said with a huff. “No one’s more shocked than me.”

“Do you know what love means?”

“I learned fast, boss, and it’s terri-fucking-fying. When I saw Missy trapped in the shower with those snakes, I almost crapped my pants. I’ve never been so afraid in my life.”

He studied me closely, turning his cane in his hands, rolling the pewter pummel on his palm. “Have you told her you love her?”

“Not officially, no.”

“She didn’t hesitate to tell me, everyone really.”

“She’s got guts of steel.” Missy’s quiet strength never ceased to amaze me. “I should’ve told her right there and then as well, but your fist, well, it’s painfully persuasive.”

Omega shook his head and gestured for me to follow him. He stabbed the ground with his cane and stalked around the suite’s perimeter in silence, stopping occasionally to check out a footprint or look up at the roofline. I walked by his side, knowing he wasn’t done with me.

Omega’s cell vibrated. He answered with a curt, “Dagger.” After listening for a minute or so, he concluded the call. “Understood. Out.” He shifted his gaze to me. “One of Allen’s security guards has been found dead. He had a lot of cash on his pockets and shears with him, which suggests he’s the one who cut the mesh above the shower.”

“How did he die?” I asked.

“A round to the head,” Omega said. “His body was thrown into a volcanic fissure in the national park but it snagged on a crag.”

“Dead men don’t talk.” I kept my fury under control. “Bekker bought the security guard and then made sure he didn’t survive to talk to us.”

“Sounds like his MO,” Dagger agreed.

“He probably checked out every resort in Costa Rica until he homed in on us and gave Rozina the info,” I theorized. “He’s been waiting for the right time to attack.”

“That’s why we showed up,” Dagger said. “We got your message to Mina. Once you told us Bekker knew your location, we had to come.”

He took off again. He moved a lot faster than a man who’d gotten seriously wounded in the battle for Thena’s life only a few weeks ago. He was still in rehab, but he’d shown all of us that pain couldn’t stop him. His small limp didn’t affect the power of his stride or his performance in a fight, where he typically ditched the cane for his carbine as he’d done today when he single-handedly stormed the suite.

“Gotta tell you something,” I ventured. “Missy said she dreamed of water and snakes slithering on flat stones before this happened.”

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