Page 7 of The Hero's Bride
He glanced around quickly, analyzing their options. “We’re going into the water. We’ll stay concealed under one of the slips until they leave.”
Thalia didn’t hesitate or complain, she simply nodded and squeezed his hand. The trust reflecting in her deep green eyes fortified his resolve to keep her safe, no matter the cost. With their heads bent down, they moved toward one of the larger cargo boats.
“Crouch low. I’ll get in first, then help you down.” Voices carried from the direction of the parking lot as he gripped the splintered edges of the weathered dock and lowered himself soundlessly beneath the surface. Warm water sluiced over his arms as he reached up, bracing his hands on Thalia’s waist as she scooted to the edge of the dock. Her petite frame wouldn’t have created much of a splash, but he didn’t want to alert anyone to their presence. Her hands gripped his shoulders as he eased her into the water, and for a moment, their bodies were perfectly aligned, eye to eye, hip to hip. He didn’t have time to consider the rush of protectiveness that stole over him. His duty was always to protect, whether it was his country or a rescued hostage. This was a different surge of emotion. One intertwined with feelings he’d never felt for a mission.
He grasped her hand and swam beneath the dock, using the shadows to conceal them. Her teeth chattered, whether that was from fear or the water, he wasn’t sure. When the sound of boots hit the wooden planks, he released her hand to wrap an arm around her waist and tucked her against his side. Her arms came around his neck and she burrowed closer.
“Are you sure this is where she was last sighted?” an impatient voice boomed from overhead.
“An off-duty officer alerted us. The woman was asking questions around the dock. Including to his elderly grandfather. She’s with a man. Spread out. Find and detain them. The woman is not to be harmed. She belongs to Mateo Estrada.”
Bullshit she does.His chest squeezed as her body stiffened against him. The girl who’d bravely come to his aid hadn’t had an easy life, from poverty to falling victim to labor trafficking only to be hauled into what he was sure would be an agonizing fate. He committed the mentioned man’s name, Mateo Estrada, to memory. He would call Jude and see what he could dig up on the man and if he was on any watch lists. The last name Estrada wasn’t listed as owning the property where they’d found Thalia. It was most likely another place to hold her. He wrapped his arms more tightly around her as boots stomped overhead, the sound abruptly stopping at the end of the slip. Thalia was so still he wondered if she was even breathing.
“Estrada should cut his losses,” a different voice ground out. The roll and click of a lighter was followed by a deep intake of breath.
“He wouldn’t years ago when that stupid fisherman wouldn’t give over his daughter. Now that he knows she’s alive and within his grasp? He won’t stop.” Another cigarette was lit, and a thin tendril of smoke wafted beneath the dock.
“Fisherman sealed his fate when he hid the daughter from the fucking cartel. Wonder if he’d still take the bullet if he knew Estrada would end up getting her in the end.”
Fuck.Her body shuddered against his and he wished he could do something to console her. She’d gotten the answer she’d come for, but hell, he’d been hoping for a different outcome.
Someone bellowed an order and the two men on the dock cursed and tossed their cigarettes into the water. Feet pounded above them and within minutes, the boatyard fell silent.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispered. His voice barely carried above the soft waves now lapping against the wooden beams of the dock.
She said nothing but managed a jerky nod, and with his arms still around her, he wished there was something else he could say to offer comfort.
He waited until he was sure the men had left before checking in. “Sully, SITREP.”
“Drove west of the boatyard. What’s your location?”
“Boatyard.” They determined a rendezvous spot before he turned his attention to Thalia.
“We’re going to get out of here. I spotted a larger fishing boat at the end of the dock that will provide us with some cover when we climb out of the water. We’ll cut through the tree line and meet Sully back on the main road. Are you able to swim?”
Her neck tightened as she swallowed hard. “Yes.”
There was so much more that he wanted to say to her about what they overheard, but he needed to keep her safe first and foremost. “Okay. We’ll swim from slip to slip until we reach the embankment.” He released his arms from her waist, slowly stroking his way through the water. Thalia was just as quiet as she cut through the water directly behind him. She was a survivor. Street smart from growing up in poverty in one of the most dangerous areas of Mexico. Admiration bloomed in his chest. Maybe it was their shared connection from years ago when she saved him making him sentimental.
It didn’t take long for them to reach the fishing boat he’d mentioned. He surveyed the area and found the boatyard deserted. The people who had scattered when the police showed up had stayed away. If that wasn’t telling enough, the two officers sharing a smoke had admitted looking for Thalia on behalf of the cartel, indicating exactly whose payroll they were on. As soon as they were somewhere safe, they’d need to fill Jude in on exactly what they’d overheard and enlist the help of some of their contacts within the country. With one last look around, he pulled himself from the water before turning to assist Thalia, but she was already at his side on the dock. Her wet clothes clung to her body, and she shivered despite the heat. Red offered his hand, and she linked fingers with his as they darted away from the water and into the forest that would lead them back onto the main road. Despite the sense of unease that coiled deep in his gut, they made it to where Sully was parked and waiting.
“Didn’t tell me you were going for a swim.” Sully started the engine as he glanced at them in the rearview mirror. He caught his teammate’s raised brow, and he shook his head briefly. The message that Thalia’s father was no longer alive easily conveyed without words after years of working intuitively together. Sully cleared his throat and eased onto the road. “Use whatever you can find to dry off. Should be a towel or a blanket beneath one of the seats.”
He’d already put his hands on the ambulance-style blanket and wrapped it around Thalia’s shoulders. Her expression was pensive as she gazed out the window, but he had a feeling she was lost in memories and not looking at the scenery that blurred past as they drove. He turned his attention back to Sully. “We need to push up our timeline and get out of the country as soon as possible, but first, we need to regroup. Get in touch with Jude.”
“Depending on the roads and if we run into any problems, it will take us about sixteen hours to get to the border in San Antonio if we go through Guadalajara and up through Monterrey. I’ll contact Benito.” Sully lifted his phone, quickly pulling up a name and dialing.
Benito Barrera was part of the Fuerzas Especiales, Mexico’s special forces. They’d worked side by side on many missions and could trust him to find them a safe place to regroup. Sully spoke quickly, keeping the call off speaker. If Thalia noticed that Sully dropped her name while speaking, she didn’t so much as flinch. The stress of her earlier attack combined with the knowledge that her father was killed by the cartel because their leader wanted her for himself was more than anyone should have to process. She didn’t speak during the hour drive to the safe house Benito had arranged for them, but when they pulled up to the stucco building, she blinked several times.
“Where are we?” she asked, eyes darting around the property.
Sully angled his body toward the back seat. “A friend has arranged a safe place for us to stay. We’ll be able to shower, eat, and get you into some clean, dry clothes before we decide what to do next.”
She glanced at him, searching his eyes before slowly nodding. “Okay.” He got out of the Jeep, feet crunching over the loose stone as he rounded the vehicle to open Thalia’s door. Sully had gotten there first and was offering his hand to her. Something ugly burned through his chest at the sight of his teammate’s warm smile cast in Thalia’s direction. Jesus Christ. What was wrong with him? Just because he shared a past connection with the woman didn’t make her his in any way. Still, his reaction to her was unexpected. He’d never been one to feel jealous, even on the rare occasion when he dated a woman for more than a couple of weeks. He didn’t care for the feeling of possessiveness and wondered what made Thalia different. She was beautiful with those captivating green eyes and thick, dark hair. Her hourglass shape and natural curves had also caught his eye. He’d been around many gorgeous women, but none of them had instantly drawn him in or made him want to stare longer than was polite just so he could commit their image to memory.
Annoyed with his thoughts, he moved toward the house. “I’ll clear the space.” Instead of a traditional key, there was a concealed keypad. Sully came up behind him and punched in a long numerical code. The lock clicked and they entered the one-story cast concrete home. He removed his weapon, quickly clearing the small living room, kitchen, bathroom, and two bedrooms. Outside was a cement patio framed by high brick walls and a caged covering to prevent intruders.
“All clear,” he said as he crossed over the tile floor toward Thalia and Sully. “Someone stocked the bathroom with towels and toiletries. Let’s get you in a hot shower. You can leave your clothes outside the door, and I’ll throw them in the laundry.”
