Page 9 of Wicked Ambition

She felt Oz’s arm go around her. “Breathe,” he ordered.

When Ayla regained awareness, she realized her head was between her knees. She raised it partway but didn’t sit up because things remained fuzzy. Oz still had an arm around her, and in her peripheral vision, she saw the concerned expression on his face. “I’m okay,” she said, voice a croak.

“Not yet, but you’re getting there. Keep your head down and take some deep breaths.” She hesitated. “Come on, Pollita. Put your head down again. You’re not ready to take on the world.”

He was right, so Ayla followed instructions. This was mortifying enough. Collapsing in a heap would be worse.

When her stomach settled, and all she could think about was the clean citrus scent of his soap and the warmth of Oz’s body where it touched hers, she lifted her head. This time, everything remained in focus, and Ayla sat up slowly. He helped her, his gaze fastened on her face until she was upright.

She leaned into him. Ayla made a move to straighten, but his arm tightened around her shoulders and she gave up the struggle quickly. It wasn’t weak. As soon as she returned to one hundred percent, she’d stop listing against his side.

“That was one hell of an adrenaline crash,” Oz said.

“I’ve never been in a situation this dangerous before.” Ayla remembered the gang and was glad the strength of Oz’s arm kept the fear from surging back. “Why aren’t you having any kind of reaction?”

“That wasn’t the most dangerous situation I’ve dealt with.”

Of course, it wasn’t.

After clearing her throat, she asked, “What were you going to tell me about San Isidro?”

“Are you sure you’re up for this?”

There was nothing except concern in his voice, and Ayla felt a warmth in the center of her chest. She needed to get back on track before she did something beyond leaning into his side. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. Why don’t we talk as we head for the hotel?”

His scowl told her he didn’t like her suggestion. “Pollita, you nearly passed out a few minutes ago. I think you should sit a while longer.”

Ayla stood, determined to prove him wrong, but gave up and settled back on the bench. Her legs felt like overcooked noodles. “Maybe you’re right,” she conceded, but she wanted to get to the hotel and start making plans to find her sister. “Now what about San Isidro? How unsafe is it?”

Oz paused for a moment before he said, “San Isidro itself should be all right. Three elderly men live there who make sure trouble stays out of the town.”

“What’s the issue, then?” she asked when he didn’t continue. Ayla wanted some snap to her voice, but to her ears, she sounded tired. His arm tightened around her shoulders, pulling her more closely against his side, and her breath quickened. She tried to force her body to stop reacting to him, but it ignored her.

“The problem,” he said slowly, “is the town’s proximity to a hacienda belonging to a drug lord. He has employees living in San Isidro. If he asks them about you and what you’re up to, they’ll have to tell him everything they know.”

“Why would a drug lord care about my sister?”

He shrugged, the movement sending shivers of delight through every cell in her body. “He might not care about her, but he’ll definitely be curious aboutyouand why you’re nosing around. Señor Vargas didn’t end up running a drug cartel by ignoring things that are out of the ordinary, and an American quizzing people is definitely unusual.”

Something Oz said earlier came to mind. “You said there were two drug lords in the area. What about the other one?”

“The other one is far enough away that he shouldn’t bother with San Isidro.” Oz shook his head. “I can’t guarantee that, though.”

There was a note in his voice that had Ayla looking at Oz more closely, trying to read him. His face gave nothing away, but she had a feeling. “What aren’t you telling me?” She didn’t buy the innocent look he gave her. “Come on, I know you’re holding something back.”

Another frown, this one etched more deeply into his face than the others. “Señor Vargas and the rival drug lord have had skirmishes. They’re on the verge of open conflict and have been since an incident last year. If Vargas shows too much interest in you, it could catch the other man’s attention, and he’d want to know why his rival cares about you.”

Ayla closed her eyes briefly. This sounded like a mess, and she didn’t want to wade into the middle of it. She wouldn’t even consider it if it wasn’t Io. She and her twin had a bond. One that couldn’t be broken.

“Do you think that’s what happened to Io? That she caught the interest of one of the drug lords?”

“I don’t know, Ayla. Puerto Jardin is a disaster. She could have stumbled into any number of things that would put her at risk.” He sighed. “I guess I better tell you about the ruins she was sent to photograph.”

He stopped there, and she felt her temper rise. Pushing him, she snapped, “Are you going to share or just sit there and scowl?”

That earned her a quick look, and then he grinned. “Welcome back, Pollita. I missed that irritated tone in your voice. Now I know you’ve nearly returned to normal.”

Ayla wasn’t about to let Oz distract her. “What about the ruins?” she gritted out.

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