Page 29 of Echoes and Oaths
Raven’s eyebrows shot up. "Not pretty? What kind of not pretty?"
"Mothers were involved. As in both of their moms." Brando chuckled darkly.
"That’s never good."
Raven nodded her head in agreement. "No doubt."
Jinx steered them back to the mission, his voice hardening. "Brando, when can you get me that information?"
"I should have it all compiled by morning. And I’ll forward the request about the cover story. You need to get some sleep."
Raven leaned back in her chair, the puppy still curled contentedly in her lap. "I’ll get as many pictures as I can tomorrow. Then I’ll meet you back here tomorrow night." She was looking straight at Jinx as she spoke.
“Upload those photos, and I’ll process them as soon as I get them. It’ll give me more time to scrubthe not-so-useful Venezuelan government’s databases for matches."
"You got it," Raven confirmed.
“Don’t forget the airport and points of entry for those pictures, Brando. I don’t think many of the people we saw in that camp were homegrown,” Jinx added. "The day after tomorrow, we’ll head to Eira’s place. I’ll explain everything to her, and you’ll stay with her."
Raven lifted her gaze to his, reading the tight lines around his eyes. "You sure she’ll want me there?"
"She will," Jinx said quietly, his throat tightening. "She will if she believes Teo is in danger." Which he would be. Fuck, he hated the situation. “I’ll ask her to leave the country before this starts. Brando, prepare a transport out of here in case she agrees.”
“Do you think she will?” Raven asked.
“No.” Eira didn’t have a reason to trust him or anything he told her at that point. She was a proud woman who’d built a business during a drug war, which was difficult in a country filled with patriarchal and misogynistic stereotypes. She wasn’t a fainting flower, and she’d only leave to ensure Teo was safe. He’d repeatedly play that card when hetook Raven to her place. If they were out of danger, things would be easier … for him.
When Brando cleared the comms, the quiet hum of the Venezuelan night settled over the house. Both Raven and Jinx tapped their earpieces, muting them.
Raven spoke first, her voice softer now, carrying weight behind the words. "You know I’ve got your back on this."
Jinx glanced at her, nodding once, the jungle night pressing around them, heavy with the scent of rain and distant woodsmoke. "I know. And that’s the only reason I’m going forward with this mission."
Outside, the crickets started their night song, unaware of the war quietly brewing.
CHAPTER 10
Eira brushed her hands off on her jeans, her fingers rough from a morning’s work. The scent of hay and dust clung to her skin, mixing with the faint, sweet tang of the dairy cows she’d just finished turning out to pasture after their morning milking. The sun blazed overhead, burning through the hazy blue sky, and the dry breeze carried a cloud of dust swirling up from the road below.
She paused at the top of the hill, her eyes flicking back toward the small farmhouse nestled in the fold of the valley. Inside, without question, her mother would be with Teo. It was naptime by now. The soft lull of the afternoon seemed almost peaceful, but tension coiled in Eira’s stomach like a tightened spring.
Today, Ortega’s men were supposed to come to pick up the dog she’d nursed back to health. It was a simple transaction on the surface. But nothing was simple anymore.
The sound of approaching engines drew her attention, and she frowned when the convoy of sleek, black SUVs didn’t appear as expected.
Instead, an old, battered Land Cruiser rumbled around the bend and rolled to a stop before her, dust billowing around the tires.
Her heart stopped.
The driver’s door opened, and Mateo stepped out.
Eira’s knees nearly buckled beneath her.
For the last two days, she’d convinced herself that night had been a fever dream. Or maybe a nightmare conjured by old memories and fear. But no, there he was, solid and real and impossibly larger than life. The sunlight fell across his face, carving sharp lines across his cheekbones and jaw. His broad shoulders, thick thighs, and lean, powerful frame seemed even more imposing than she remembered. He radiated danger and control like a weapon honed to perfection.
How had she not seen the danger etched in the man? He towered over most Venezuelan nationals,but then again … so did she. Her father’s Scandinavian blood had given her height, which had always set her apart, but she felt small standing before him.
The passenger door creaked open, and Eira’s eyes shot to the movement. Her stomach dipped unexpectedly when a woman stepped out. Tall, lean, graceful, and beautiful. Immediately, Eira’s guard went up. She felt something sharp sliding beneath her skin. Competition. It was ridiculous. She barely had time to register the woman’s presence before her brain threw that word into her head.
