Page 33 of Wait for You

Imogen

Barely ten minutes into the rescue operation, Imogen regretted listening in. Mat would have known what he’d have to do, but she’d been too naïve. He’d meant to spare her when he’d asked her to stay at his house. Because this was its own form of torture.

Her eyes welled with tears as the sound of a fist connecting with flesh rang in her ear. The utter silence in the surveillance van made it all the more deafening. It was as if no one wanted to speak for fear of saying the wrong thing and turning her into a blubbering mess.

But she’d show them; shecouldhandle this. Prove she wasn’t about to fall prey to hysterics. If Mat could play his part of a heartlessnarcoso well, she could surely hide how difficult it was to listen to the man you loved beating on the little brother you’d always tried to protect.

A sob threatened, but she swallowed it down.

Por favor, Dios, dame fuerza.

Praying for strength, she blinked back tears and fisted her hands. Sitting in the van—waiting—was so difficult when every cell in her body wanted to put a stop to this. She took a deep breath and sighed it out.

If the Rangers went in now, guns blazing, Mat’s cover would be blown, and the year he’d spent on assignment would be wasted. She had plans for him that didn’t include working for the cartel, so she wanted his undercover work finished as soon as possible. If they were going to make a fresh start, he needed the freedom to be himself. No more pretending to be something he wasn’t.

Solo mi vaquero.

She needed her brother back before she got lost dreaming about the future with her cowboy. It was surreal that after months, she’d finally found Emiliano. Had he been with the cartel the entire time? If that was the case, what had they done to him? The thought made her sick to her stomach, but whatever Emil had been through, she’d help him with it.

The sound of another punch echoed through her headset, and she hid a wince. Mat was doing this to save Emil’s life. She knew that . . . but it didn’t make it any easier.

When a woman’s sobs filled her ear, the air in the van shifted. Almost as if the Rangers collectively held their breath. The tension affected Imogen, too. She sat as still as she could, waiting.

Gunshots made her jump; then, the quiet pall broke with a flurry of activity. The back doors opened, and two Rangers hopped out. Adrenaline pushed Imogen to her feet even though she knew she couldn’t follow them.

Soon. This will all be over soon.

But the seconds stretched into minutes that felt like hours. With only her and the tech guy left in the van, Imogen started to pace. Too many people spoke in her ear; she barely understood what was happening.

Nervous energy kept her feet moving as her brain ran with questions and worry. She felt twitchy as if she’d mainlined the cartel’s cocaine. The longer she waited, the stronger the fear became for Emil and Mat’s life.

“Get Sanchez to the paramedics.” The barked order made Imogen’s heart leap.

She ran out of the van, heading toward the ambulance. Amid its flashing lights, the sight of a dark-haired man with a slim build brought tears to her eyes.

“Emil!” Imogen shouted her brother’s name as she ran the last few feet to him.

A gasp left her lips when he turned.Oh! His poor face.He had a swollen eye, a split lip, and a bloody cheek.

“Imogen? What are you doing here?” Shock colored his voice, but it couldn’t hide how tired he sounded.

Instead of answering, she hugged him so tight he yelped.

“Cuidado, mana. Everything hurts.”

“Sorry, but I’m just so happy to see you.” She leaned back to stare at his face. A sob escaped, and tears streamed down her cheeks. “For months, I feared you were dead.”

The female Ranger escorting Emil spoke gently while Imogen struggled to stop crying. A powerful wave of relief seemed to want to wash out of her through her tears. “Miss Sanchez, your brother needs to get checked out by the paramedics.”

Emiliano patted her back, and she nodded. “I’ll come with you.”

While Imogen waited for her brother to be cleared, she searched the dark for Mat. He’d probably have to report to a superior first, but she desperately wanted to see him. To hold him and know this nightmare was over.

Her eye caught on a circle of Rangers and law enforcement officers arguing with each other. Something was wrong. Agitated gestures and head shakes sent worry burning up her throat. Then fear snuck in, tightening her chest to the point of pain.

Where’s Mat?

CHAPTER 12

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