Page 40 of Strike Fast

Resolve hardened inside him. Going after a federal agent was a risk, but he couldn’t afford to appear weak and powerless against anyone, and he was sure to catch hell fromEl Escorpionfor bringing undue attention to himself and the cartel as a whole.

So be it. Carlos was sick of playing the faithful lap dog to the head of the cartel. Someday soon, he was going to be head of the organization. All he needed was the right opportunity to crush his rivals…andEl Escorpionhimself.

In his world, ruthlessness was the key. And it was something he had in large supply.

So he would identify the men who had done this to him. He would find them and figure out a way to make them pay, make a statement to show the whole world that he was untouchable. That he could get to anyone who posed a threat to his business.

Calmer now in spite of the residual anger simmering inside him, he faced Antonio again. “Call Manny. If he wants to live, he’ll work all his contacts and find out who was there tonight. Have everyone in our network talk to whoever they need to in order to ID those men. I want faces and names. Personal information.” He’d still kill Manny for running tonight, after he’d taken care of this. A real man would have stood his ground and died in a hail of bullets rather than run off into the woods like a scared fucking rabbit.

Antonio nodded and started to turn away, but Carlos stopped him with an upraised hand. “Do whatever it takes to make this happen in the next forty-eight hours. Pay off whoever you need to. I don’t care how much it costs.” Two days would give him more than enough time to slip back into Mexico undetected and wait for news from the safety of his ranch, where he was hidden and protected by the local population. “Tell them to find a weakness I can exploit.”

Becauseno onefucked with Carlos Ruiz. Not even the United States government.

****

Lying on a rolling board beneath the Mustang’s engine in the garage of his building, Reid finished emptying the oil pan and wiped his hands with a clean rag before replacing the bolt. He’d had a hell of a week, but at least he’d stayed busy, a blessing when Jason’s anniversary was coming up on Sunday. On the last turn of the wrench, his cell rang in his pocket, the specific notes putting an instant smile on his face.

Tess.

It had been almost a week since he’d left her in that hotel room in Biloxi. His plans to fly to see her had fallen through because Taggart had ordered the team back to Virginia that same day.

They’d spoken on the phone every day since, sometimes several times a day, but it wasn’t enough and he still planned to head down there the first chance he got, maybe even next weekend since Autumn was supposed to go away with her mom and Max right after school let out for the summer. He didn’t want to say anything to Tess until he knew for sure, though, and maybe not even then, because surprising her and just showing up at her door would be a hell of a fun thing to do.

Rolling out from beneath the vehicle, he sat up and answered. “Hey, gorgeous.”

“Hey yourself. What are you up to?”

“Just finishing up an oil change.”

“Mmm, I love that you’re so good with your hands.”

He went rock hard in his jeans at the husky edge to her voice. “I love that you appreciate it.”

Her soft laugh was sultry, sexy as hell. “And after the oil change, what plans have you got? It’s Friday night.”

“I’m gonna wax this baby up. Rub her all over and stroke her curves until she purrs for me like a kitten.”

“That’s so unfair. Making me jealous of a damn car.”

He chuckled. “I’d rather be stroking your curves, believe me.”

He’d replayed everything about those few hours in bed with her a thousand times over this past week. How she’d felt underneath him, her curves and hollows nestled into his body. How silky soft her skin was. How responsive she’d been to every single touch and caress. The sweet sounds she’d made as she clung to him, the way she’d clenched around his fingers when she came.

He’d recalled every single detail of it in his mind when he stroked himself in the shower, his entire body aching for her.

“Well that’s good. What are you waxing your baby up for, anyway? Hot date or something?”

“Yep. I’m taking Autumn for dinner after her softball game tomorrow afternoon, then bringing her back here for a sleepover.”

“Aww. Maybe take her to that dessert place we saw after dinner?”

“I was thinking about it.” He wiped his palm over the rag on his thigh. “Wish you could be with us.”

“Me too. But I’ll be with you in spirit, if that counts.”

“It totally counts.” She was one of the most grounded people he’d ever met. Just hearing her voice soothed him. “What are you up to?”

“I’ve got a hot date with my TV and a slice of strawberry cheesecake I bought on the way home.”

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