Page 31 of Wait for You

When he had, he tilted her lips up as he lowered his head, capturing her mouth in a sweet kiss that spoke of goodbye. Shefelt a shudder rack his frame and wondered what caused it. If he was worried about her, she was ten times more worried about him.

When he stepped away, she clung to his suit jacket. “Mat, wait!” Standing on her tiptoes, she pulled his mouth back to hers. She didn’t want to think about the possibility of losing him, but the fear nipped at her anyway. Unable to outrun it, she poured it all into the kiss. Everything she felt from desperation, worry, hope, and above all, love. Love she’d kept locked away for too long that needed to be free. Free to bestow on the man she loved.

Even though she didn’t want to let him walk out the door, she knew he had to. Leashing her reluctance, she lowered back to the floor. “I love you.” Stroking his cheek, she implored him with her eyes and voice, “Come back to me.”

CHAPTER 11

Mateo

The lake might be gently lapping the shore outside, but in the underground room, the only sounds were choppy breathing and regret. Imogen may not believe he was the reason her brother was stuck in this situation, to begin with, but Mat knew better. The guilt coated his throat, making it hard to swallow.

It didn’t help that the air had turned sour with the stench of an unwashed body, sweat, and fear. He’d been interrogating Emiliano for the last half hour, and they’d reached a point where some of that fear was his own.

His plan to rescue Imogen’s brother had too many variables. Too many players and too many probable outcomes. For it to work, everything had to go according to plan, which, in his experience,neverhappened.

Mat’s back faced the cameras as he stared down at his right hand, flexing it. Blood smeared his knuckles, turning his stomach. Not because he had a problem with gore but because of who it belonged to. Beating on the little brother of the woman he loved was making him squeamish. Especially when he knew Imogen was sitting in a surveillance van listening in.

He’d been halfway out the door before she begged him to let her go with him. They’d argued, and she’d refused to do what he asked her, which was stay at his house—safe. The van was a compromise. One he wished he hadn’t made.

He clenched his fist, not needing to fake the anger that lit him up inside. She might not approve of his methods, but it had to be done. He had to put on a helluva show if he wanted the Lazcanos to buy it.

Jerking Emil’s head up by his dark black hair, Mat smiled down at the younger man like this job wasn’t slowly killing him. “Let’s try this again,hombre. Tell me whyLos Loboswas hiding you.”

Emiliano spat blood on Mat’s dress shoes—Nice touch.—then answered, “Go to hell.”

Mat had coached the kid on what was going to happen, and so far, he’d played his part well. The lieutenant watched them from a security room upstairs. Pretty soon, he’d get tired of waiting and demand Mat use the sister as leverage to get the information he wanted. At least, that’s what Mat was banking on. As soon as he did, it was go time.

Maya Dominguez, a Ranger from Company “C”, had agreed to play the part of Imogen. He’d left the woman upstairs under guard untilEl Jaguarwas ready for her.

“Oh, I’m plannin’ on it,amigo. But unless you want to wind up there first, I suggest you start talkin’.” Mat took out his gun to punctuate the threat. When he cocked it, Emiliano flinched at the sound. It was a great move for the cameras, but they both knew the bullets loaded in the magazine were blanks.

Mat aimed his weapon at Emil, whose dark eyes shone with hatred. Mat hoped it wasn’t genuine. “Go ahead and shoot me because I’m not telling you anything.”

Lowering his gun, Mat turned to smile at the cameras before telling Imogen’s brother, “I’m not gonna shoot you,mano.” He heard the door open; the lieutenant had gotten his signal. With a sneer, he added, “I’m goin’ to shoot your sister.”

Emil’s head whipped toward the sound of Julio leading the female Ranger down the steps. “No! Let her go. She’s got nothing to do with this!”

Mat had to blink, surprised by Emil’s performance. He almost believed him, even knowing the woman wasn’t actually his sister.

The kid missed his calling as an actor.

Julio paraded Dominguez in front of them before shoving her into a chair next to Emiliano. Mat nodded his thanks at the asshole, but instead of leaving, Julio took up a stance, leaning against the back wall.

Well, there was the first thing that didn’t go to plan.

Ignoring him, Mat continued to work on Emil. “You know I can’t do that, but you can at least keep her alive if you tell me what I wanna know.”

Dominguez sobbed around the gag in her mouth, tears running down her cheeks. When Mat placed the muzzle of his gun on her temple, the cries got louder. “What’s it gonna be, Sanchez? Will you save your sister?”

Mat had planned to shoot her with the blanks, killing her for the cameras, but with Julio in the same room, he didn’t know if they’d be convincing enough. Thinking fast, Mat uncocked the weapon and lowered it.

Without looking at Julio, he said, “Why don’t you get our friend here some water?”

“He doesn’t need anypinchewater,” the bastard spat.

This time, Mat met Julio’s gaze. “Now, Julio.” His grip tightened around his weapon as he let all the frustration over this snag in the plan fill his voice. “Or I’ll fuckin’ shoot you, too.”

When Julio begrudgingly complied, Mat leaned down, getting in Emil’s face. If anyone watched on the cameras, it would look like he ripped into the captive with his words. Matmanaged to growl, and he clenched his teeth so hard they ached as he told the younger man to headbutt him—hard.

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