A radio squawked and beeped with weather warnings.
Jaden moved to the kitchen where he dug around until he found a large salad bowl. He filled it with water, and then fought the winds outside to bring it to the horse.
After removing the bridle, Jaden held up the bowl for him to drink. Lauren followed, but didn’t say anything as she smoothed her hand down the sorrel’s neck.
Then Jaden smacked his hindquarters, shooing him away.
Jaden pulled Lauren safely back inside. Looking like almost all the strength had drained out of him, he moved to the kitchen. “We’ll be okay here for a while,” he said.
Exhaustion was wearing Lauren’s nerves thin. Lightheaded and hungry, she moved to the couch and crumbled onto it.
”I don’t think I’ve ever been this tired before,” she said, wanting clean clothes and a shower, but too tired to make a move for either.
Filling a glass with tap water, Jaden quickly drained the contents before refilling it.
A few moments later, he was by her side, looking strained, tired. His face was red from windburn. “Can you sit up?” he asked.
She was up enough to notice his expression that said he might explode from pain movement caused him. Not that he’d admit it. She doubted he’d let anyone get close enough to see anything beyond the external. His face was a study in fortitude. His expression gave away nothing of what he truly thought. He was a professional. A soldier. This was his job.
He held out his palm with two tablets on it. “Pain reliever. This should help.”
Lauren propped herself up on one elbow, then tossed the pills in her mouth.
“Your lips are purple. You’re cold.” He disappeared, returning a moment later with a blanket. “Get out of that wetsuit.”
He turned his back, which gave her privacy. “Better?”
“Much. Thanks. That goes for everything you’ve done for me today. I wouldn’t be alive if not for you. God only knows where I would’ve ended up.” A shudder ran through her.
Lauren’s eyelids were heavy weights, adrenaline having faded from her body, and with it, her ability to fight exhaustion. A yawn rolled up and out.
They’d made it to shelter. She had water for a burning tongue and lip balm for dry lips.
Jaden said they’d be safe. No reason to doubt him.
“You hear from Gunner’s crew?” Jaden shouted toward the empty hall.
“Not since this morning,” Gregory responded.
“They didn’t show at the beach.”
Gregory reappeared, holding a gun and a cell phone out to Jaden. “This storm has been upgraded, sir. As of now, we should be safe. Might get orders to evacuate though.”
Jaden took the weapon and phone, nodding his acknowledgement. “How long?”
“Spotters think we have an hour, maybe more before the big stuff hits. Cell coverage is unreliable. A tower is most likely down.”
“Who knows we’re here?” Jaden asked.
“Other than headquarters? No one. I called in your location while you were outside. I’m waiting for clearance or extraction orders.”
“We were ambushed at the beach. Bryce…” He cast his eyes down.
“Any idea who’s responsible?” Gregory’s eyes shifted from Lauren to Jaden.
Jaden rolled his shoulders. “The guys I saw looked like they were with Menendez. Get the word out and let’s see if we put a stop to their money laundering. Who’d you give my location to?”
“Cynthia.” She was a handler.
“Any chance someone else overheard?” Jaden asked. “I have another agent down and I’m tired of casualties.”
“Damn,” Gregory said with an apologetic look toward Lauren for swearing. “It’s getting harder to know who to trust.”
Chapter 9
A loud crack shocked Jaden awake. He rubbed his eyes, trying to orient himself. The condo. He’d fallen asleep? He needed to get his bearings.
Gregory had said he called in their arrival. That meant headquarters and anyone else monitoring the networks knew. Since the cartel had pinned his location on the boat, they might have been able to tap into other communications. The storm would slow them down.
An unsettled feeling crept over him. How long had he been out?
His watch said not more than twenty minutes. Still. It wasn’t like Jaden to let his guard down while guarding an asset. No matter that protecting Lauren felt completely different from any other mission he’d been on. The others had been work. This was personal. There was something warm and comforting about her that chiseled away at the casing around his heart.
He mentally slapped himself. Distraction could get them both killed.
They were safe for now. He tried to reach Gunner again. Nothing. Wasn’t like him to go off the grid like that. Damn. Jaden hoped like hell his boss was all right.
His body ached, but not as much as before.
Lauren was snuggled up to him, her face against his chest. There was a slight pout to her lips, and his body instantly reacted to her. He was growing hard nestled this close.
This was not the time for rogue hormones.
Besides, he’d had enough rest to think clearly. His second though? Bryce. The third operative to be killed in a month.
At first blush, Jaden had figured the situation blew up back at the beach because he’d been spotted. If that were true, shouldn’t Jaden be dead and not his buddy? Unless Bryce accidently stepped in the way of a bullet marked for Jaden. Guilt knifed his chest. If Bryce was killed because of Jaden’s actions, he’d never forgive himself. He shook his head. Stick to the facts.
Lauren had brought serious cash to the beach. The cartel had shown up ready and armed to stage war. Brought serious metal, AR-15s, and enough ammo to wipe out a small island. Why?
Sure, his agency had been putting quite a bit of heat on the cartels recently. His mind snapped to Camila and her deception that had cost ManTech lives. Max might lead Jaden to her and he could deal with her once and for all.
No one else was going to
