Page 10 of Wait for You

“It’s time we revived this tradition.”

Despite his stomach’s revolt, Mat met the lieutenant’s dark gaze. “It’ll be my pleasure.” He made his lips form a smile while the line he walked between maintaining his cover and upholding the oaths he took as a Ranger stretched horribly thin.

“Tomorrow.”

Mat’s thoughts were muddled with potential outcomes to get out of this mess. Distracted, he repeated, “Tomorrow?”

The lieutenant’s smile turned into a glower. “The party. Make it tomorrow night. The sooner we catch this traitor, the better,verdad?”

Mat nodded. “Consider it done.”

When the lieutenant dismissed him, Mat’s feet wanted to fly out the door. It had been at least twenty minutes since he’d left Imogen. He raised his eyes to the ceiling and prayed she’d still be in his room.

CHAPTER 4

Imogen

Growing up, Imogen had perfected her eavesdropping technique. Living in a house where the façade of the perfect family had to be maintained, she’d learned to listen behind closed doors if she wanted to know how her parents really felt about something. That skill served her well as she crept away on silent feet from the lieutenant’s office with none of the men inside any the wiser.

If the entire cartel would be atEl Jaguar’sCarnival party, she had to crash it. It would be the perfect opportunity to snoop for news of her brother. Her step grew lighter as she headed for her own set of rooms in the servant’s wing. The great thing about Carnival was the costumes.

Traditionally, the celebration represented a time when people covered their faces to deter or trick evil spirits, which meant she could hide behind a mask to conceal her identity. In a word, it was—perfecto.

Imogen was almost at her door, a sly smile on her face when a hand on her shoulder made her jump out of her skin with a squeak.

She spun around, coming face-to-face with Mat’s chest. Slapping a hand over her heart, she exclaimed, “Ay, Diosmío!”

He’d scared her half to death. When she pulled her eyes to his gaze, he didn’t look happy, but that didn’t stop her from asking, “Why did you sneak up on me?”

Instead of answering, he cocked a brow. “Why are you walkin’ around barefoot?”

She could’ve put her shoes back on when she’d made it into the servant’s area of the house, but she wasn’t lying when she responded with a scoff, “Because my feet hurt.” He didn’t need to know what else she’d been doing in her bare feet.

“I asked you to wait in my room.”

The edge in his voice made her nervous. To hide it, she gave a deliberate shrug. “I got tired of waiting.”

“Yet you’re just now gettin’ back to the maid’s hall?” He dipped his chin at her and waited.

He was using his interrogator’s voice. That, combined with his shrewd hazel eyes searching her face, meant she had to try hard not to squirm.

“Take a little detour somewhere?” His voice fell around her like a net, tugging for information.

She’d never been able to lie to Mat and get away with it. The man was a detector when it came to her. Chewing her lip, she tried to come up with an answer that skirted the truth without being a blatant attempt at concealment.

His smile was the opposite of warm. “Whatever you’re workin’ on, you can save it, Gen.”

That raised her hackles. She didn’t appreciate the bite in his tone nor the grasp he took of her arm, no matter how gentle. “Oh, really?”

He gestured down the hall with his free hand. “Which one of these is yours?”

She tried to shake him off, but he only tightened his grip. “Why?”

His voice dropped, and she hated, yes, absolutely hated, how sexy it sounded. “Because I have things to say to you, I don’t think you want anyone knowin’.”

When he glanced up at the corner, she followed his gaze to the camera and swallowed a gulp. She was still getting used to those. The lieutenant had more surveillance than the governor of Texas, which she knew for a fact, having been a guest at the politician’s house on more than one occasion. With a defeated sigh, Imogen pointed out her room.

Mat wasted no time dragging her inside. Once the door shut behind them, he switched on the old alarm clock radio by her bed and demanded, “What’d you overhear?”

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