Page 55 of Rebel Protector

Typical. No “good morning,” no “thank you.” Nothing. Just commands.

Becca bit the inside of her cheek, her exhaustion clawing at her. She’d barely slept, her mind whirling with plans and panic, but she had to stay focused.

Had to act normal.

She delivered his tea, then sat back at her desk to book their flights. As she typed in Dominguez’s name, her chest tightened. They were about to go in completely different directions—him to danger, and her to a slim chance of safety. She thought back to the previous night, the way he’d held her, his solid arms wrapped around her like a shield, but not even he could protect her from the storm that was fast approaching. The memory of his touch still lingered, but it was fading, just like everything else she had hoped for.

Casting off the sadness, she turned back to the screen. With the booking website still open, she pulled up a list of flights to the United States.

Plenty of options leaving today.

She chewed her lower lip. Should she book one now? It would be easy, just a few clicks. No, it was too risky. If anyone checked with the airline, they’d know. Better to buy the ticket in person, leaving no trace.

Starting at the top of her mental checklist, she wiped her internet search history, cleared the cookies, deleted her stored passwords. Her fingers moved quickly, erasing everything personal from her hard drive. She switched her username to something generic, though she knew the authorities could recover whatever they wanted with the right tools. Just in case,she wiped down the laptop, her pulse steadying slightly as her fingerprints disappeared from its surface.

With that done, she headed out to find Carlos. She hated having to ask permission to go into town, but it was the only way out. She also needed him to arrange transportation for Alek and the others to the airport.

“Sanchez will take you,” Carlos said without looking up from his paperwork. “I’m busy with the boss.”

Becca nodded. “Fine.” Even better. She wouldn’t have him leering all over her.

Her next stop was the kitchen, where Fernando was whisking eggs, his arm a blur of motion. When he saw her, he stopped.

“Hi, Becca. Is it time for the boss’s lunch already?”

“No.” She glanced around. “It’s not.”

He frowned, sensing something off. “What’s wrong?”

She dropped her voice. “Remember when you told me to let you know if trouble was coming?”

His eyes narrowed, concern deepening the lines on his face. “Si.”

“Well,” she hesitated, “it’s coming.”

Fernando’s face darkened. “Is it the police? Or…criminales?”

“The police.” She studied his reaction. Why would he jump to criminals first?

He nodded solemnly. “When?”

“Two days. Maybe less.”

He sighed, a weary sound. “I knew this day would come.”

“How did you know?” Curiosity momentarily outweighing her fear.

He shrugged. “Look around. This place is guarded like a fortress, but Panama isn’t that dangerous. Besides, people talk. The boss has a reputation. A very bad one.”

Becca swallowed hard. Of course, Fernando knew more than she’d realized. She squeezed his hand, feeling the roughness of his palm. “Be safe, Fernando. Tell the others.”

“Gracias, Senorita. You too.”

With a heavy heart, she turned and left the kitchen.

As she crossed the hallway, Alek came out of his office, frowning at the stain on his blazer. The door locked automatically behind him. “I’ve spilled tea on this. Can you have one of the staff take care of it before I leave tonight?”

“Of course,” Becca replied, taking the blazer. She knew he meanther. There was no one else. Fernando was busy with the kitchen, and the maid had her hands full with the bedrooms. She handed Alek his printed tickets. “You’re all checked in.”

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