Page 61 of Wicked Intention

Now Griff did grin, an expression which seemed foreign to him. It didn’t last long, but the miracle was that it had ever appeared. “You can call him Big Dog without the rank.” He ran a hand over his mouth, maybe hiding another smile. Two in a single day might ruin his image. “And they’re talking about things you don’t need to know about.”

Which meant it concerned the mission, and Finn wouldn’t tell her anything even when they were alone. He looked tired, too, she decided, but neither of them was going to be able to catch a nap, not any time soon.

Feeling Griff’s stare, she turned her attention back to him. The man was scowling at her. “What?”

“Why the fuck didn’t you stay in the States until Stony could come down here with you?”

Zo returned his glower. She thought about stonewalling him, but Griff could be a tenacious pain in the ass when he wanted to be, and she was too tired to deal with it. “Because,” she said stiffly, “I had an appointment, and it was impossible to reschedule it. If we’d kept to our original itinerary, Finnand I would have been gone a couple of days. Why couldn’t the team wait until we got back to talk to him?”

His frown deepened. “Are you serious?”

“How badly did you even need Finn’s input anyway?” she asked instead of answering his question. “My guess is it was a low priority, something that would be nice to have but wasn’t critical, yet you think I should mess up my assignment for some whim.”

“Whim? Whim?” JT looked incensed, and Zo couldn’t contain the curve of her lips. He caught it. “You used that word to bait me, didn’t you?”

Donning her most innocent expression, Zo shrugged.

Griff shook his head, intensity easing, and gave her braid a light tug. “I don’t know how Stony puts up with—” He stopped short. “BD wants us over there. Come on, Zo.”

Now that she’d finally been allowed to join Finn, Zo wasted no time crossing the clearing. It was automatic to move to his left side. She brushed her fingers over his briefly but didn’t lace them because he nearly vibrated with restraint. When he was wound this tightly, the last thing Finn liked was to feel impeded in any way. It made her wonder, though, what had been said.

“Zo,” Finn said, “meet Captain Nguyen and Chief Cordell.” He gestured toward each man in turn. “BD, Cordy, Zofia Parker.”

“Ms. Parker, I’ve heard a lot about you. It’s nice to finally meet you.” Captain Nguyen was younger than Zo had expected.

“Captain.” She inclined her head.Finally meet you?She wasn’t touching that one.

“Ma’am, we could use Stony’s help for a few weeks.”

Confused, Zo frowned. “Finn isn’t going to be able to get you anywhere near Alfonso Ramos. Me either, for that matter. He’ll come over and talk to us at events in town, but it’s whenhe’s interested. If we tried to approach him, his bodyguards would draw their weapons. You’re better off trying to infiltrate his employees.”

“What makes you think we care about Ramos?” Cordy asked, his voice and face neutral.

“Why else would you be near San Isidro?” She was tired, but her brain was working. “If you were in Puerto Jardin for Torres, you’d be in Trujillo.”

The captain exchanged glances with the chief before both men looked at Finn.

“I told you she’d figure it out.” Finn pursed his lips, and Zo was sure he was suppressing a smirk.

“We could still use Sergeant Rowland’s help,” Nguyen said.

Zo shook her head. “If Finn’s turned you down, you’re not going to use me to twist his arm.”

“Ms. Parker, I’m not sure you understand the importance of this mission.”

“Captain, since no one has told me what’s going on, I know I don’t understand the importance of your mission. Are you prepared to explain what it is you’re doing here?”

The answer to that would be no, but before the captain could tell her that, a commotion caught her attention. Finn shifted in front of her, putting himself between her and whoever was loudly approaching. The other men drew their weapons.

Ryder and Kyle were coming into camp with a new trio. The three elderly men were shouting in Spanish and English, but Zo couldn’t make out what they were saying because they talked over each other. She took a step forward, but Finn caught her hand before she could get past him.

And then she got a clear view of Tio Luis’s face and broke free, running to meet him. “Tio Luis!”

“Zofia, tell these men to release us at once! We have important business.”

His face was red, but behind the flush of anger was a pallor. Zo’s heart froze before it resumed beating. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Ramos,” Tio Luis said the name like a curse. “He’s holding my Izel hostage.”

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