Page 31 of Protecting Her

But Jude kept her body protectively over Carmen's, hyperaware of every point of contact between them. The immediate danger had passed, but experience had taught her that false safety often preceded the worst attacks.

"The safe house?" Carmen asked quietly.

"Soon." Jude checked her phone as more updates arrived. "We'll wait until we're clear of pursuit. I won't risk leading them to our fallback position."

Carmen's hand found hers in the vehicle's shadows. The touch felt like anchoring, like trust made tangible. "You'll get us there." It wasn’t a question.

The strong, simple conviction in her voice made Jude's breath catch. She had gotten them out of worse situations, sure, but something about this felt different. Maybe because she had more to lose now than just another protectee.

But as they wove through Bogotá's streets toward safety, Jude drew strength from Carmen's presence beside her. They had survived worse odds together. They would survive this too.

Even if it meant breaking every tactical rule in the process.

Three hours and six false trails later, they finally approached the safe house. James had taken them through a series of calculated misdirections: switching vehicles twice, using underground parking structures to mask their movements, and even doubling back through service roads until Kate confirmed they'd lost their pursuers.

The Spanish Colonial façade rose from Bogotá's shadows, deliberately unremarkable among the neighborhood's other wealthy homes. Jude studied the building's lines through tactical eyes as James brought their vehicle around to the underground garage. The high walls offered good coverage, but they also created blind spots she would need to compensate for.

"Perimeter sensors are active," Kate reported through the comms. "No unauthorized movement detected in the past six hours."

Jude maintained her protective position as they exited the vehicle, scanning shadows while guiding Carmen toward the building's reinforced entrance. The garage's climate-controlledair carried traces of oil and concrete, masking any telling scents that might betray recent activity.

"Initial sweep complete," Sarah confirmed from inside. "Building's clear. Security systems are online."

They moved through the house's arteries with practiced efficiency, Jude noting defensive positions and potential vulnerabilities. Carmen matched her pace perfectly, their steps falling into natural synchronization born from months of protection detail.

"The previous owners were arms dealers," Carmen noted, studying the building's architecture with her usual analytical precision. "I recognize the construction style. Same engineering team that built the embassy in Caracas."

Jude glanced at her sharply. "How did you?—"

"I make it my business to know these things." Carmen's smile held warmth despite their situation. "Especially when they involve keeping me alive."

The observation drew an unexpected laugh from Jude as they reached the main security room. Screens lined the walls, displaying feeds from carefully hidden cameras that covered every approach to the property. Kate's fingers flew across keyboards as she established their surveillance network.

"Communications are up," she reported. "But I'm keeping us dark except for emergency channels. They'll be scanning for our signals."

Jude nodded, studying the camera feeds. The neighborhood looked peaceful as dusk quickly approached, but experience had taught her that peace often masked the deadliest threats.

"Standard sweep pattern," she ordered her team. "I want every inch of this place mapped and monitored. Check for surveillance devices, entry points, and anything that looks wrong." She turned to Carmen, who watched her work with thatparticular expression that made Jude's pulse quicken. "I need to secure the panic room. Will you?—"

"Stay where you can see me?" Carmen finished, amusement warming her voice. "Of course, Captain."

The title carried layers of meaning that had that had much more to do than just rank. Jude forced her focus back to security protocols, trying to ignore how Carmen's presence filled the space with an energy that constantly grabbed at the edges of her awareness.

She moved through the house methodically, checking sight lines and defensive positions while cataloging potential risks. The panic room's reinforced door opened smoothly on well-maintained hinges, and it was clear someone had been regularly maintaining the space.

"The ventilation system is independent," she noted, examining the room's infrastructure. "Separate power supply and communications array, and there are enough supplies for three days."

"Impressive." Carmen's voice made her turn. The diplomat stood in the doorway, backlit by security lights that caught the shine in her hair. "Though I hope we won't need it."

"Better prepared than surprised." Jude tested the room's communications setup, hyperaware of Carmen watching her movements. "I won't take chances. Not with—" She caught herself, but Carmen heard the unspoken words anyway.

"Not with me?" Her voice softened. "Or not with us?"

The question hung between them, weighted with everything they'd become to each other. Jude's hands stilled on the control panel as memories of last night flooded back. Carmen's skin under her fingers, soft sounds in darkness, and whispered truths they couldn't take back.

"Both," she admitted quietly.

Carmen moved closer, her perfume cutting through the room's filtered air. "You can't protect me from everything."

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