a Navy base?” she asked, apparently forgetting she didn’t know anything about what her nonexistent brother did for a living.
He could. No matter how many connections Valdero’s drugs bought him, he couldn’t finance his goons onto a secured base. But Castillo’s role in this mission was still on the QT until the team notified him otherwise. Lane hadn’t said what they wanted Castillo to do with her. Just that her capture would make their rescue of Banks much, much more difficult.
So...
“Nope. No base. Somewhere closer, safer,” he replied. He glanced at his watch, and added, “You’re down to a minute, fifty seconds.”
He could all but hear her teeth grinding from across the room.
With a final glare, she snagged a duffel from the pile of her things next to the closet, then started grabbing clothes off the floor. The bag half-full, she hurried into the bathroom, where Dominic could hear her dumping toiletries in, too.
As soon as she came out, he grabbed her arm.
“Let’s go.”
“I’ve still got forty-five seconds and I’m not done packing,” she said, yanking her arm free. She tossed the books she’d been carrying earlier into the bag, then ran into the kitchen. Dominic damn near dropped his chin when she pulled the oven door open and yanked out a covered casserole dish.
“Sweetheart, I’ll feed you on the road. You don’t gotta bring food.”
She ripped the lid off, pulled out a slim laptop and a bright orange plastic box, adding them to her bag, then zipping it tight.
“I’m impressed. I didn’t know you could bake yourself a computer,” he mused, grabbing her arm tighter this time and pulling her toward the door.
“This isn’t exactly a secure building,” she said, tilting her head toward the shattered door as they passed it. She looked as if she was going to try to close it, then grimaced when she realized it was pointless. Castillo knew the cops would board it up, order the landlord to replace it. What was left of her stuff was safe enough.
“Stairs,” he ordered.
As they clattered down the dimly lit stairwell, Castillo took stock.
He wasn’t much on urban rescues. Most of his missions took place in the forest, the desert, the mountains. He was unarmed, had had time for only a minimal reconnaissance of Reno and had no backup.
They hit the alley at a run, but he held up a cautioning hand when they approached the street. Carefully, he peered around the corner of the building.
An ambulance was loading up a body bag.
He grimaced.
He’d wondered why the cops were taking so long to get to her apartment. Now he knew.
“What...” Her question faded into horror as she looked around his shoulder. Suddenly shaking, Lara sank into his side in horror. He could feel her breath shaking as she sucked in a harsh lungful.
“They did that?” she whispered.
Castillo’s mental debate only lasted a second. Peace of mind wasn’t going to keep her safe. The truth might, though.
“My guess is, yeah.”
“We need to tell the police who they are, what they look like.” She took a fortifying breath, then started to step around him. Castillo grabbed her back, his arm wrapped around her shoulders as he pulled her against his chest.
His eyes locked on hers, he slowly shook his head.
“Not a good idea. We can call in an anonymous tip later. After we’ve put some distance between us and them.”
“But—”
“Sweetheart, you’ve got a hot body and a gorgeous face. Let’s keep them safe, okay?”
The expression on her face was pure stubborn resistance. Then she looked over his shoulder. Her bottom lip drooped in a sexy pout that made Dominic hungry for a taste, then she wrinkled her nose.
“Fine. But I’m not happy about this.”
“Take it up with your brother. ’Cause, let me tell ya, I’m not too happy myself.”
Nope, not happy at all. The last thing Dominic had ever imagined was having the hots for the sister of a guy he couldn’t stand. He knew all the rules
He could. No matter how many connections Valdero’s drugs bought him, he couldn’t finance his goons onto a secured base. But Castillo’s role in this mission was still on the QT until the team notified him otherwise. Lane hadn’t said what they wanted Castillo to do with her. Just that her capture would make their rescue of Banks much, much more difficult.
So...
“Nope. No base. Somewhere closer, safer,” he replied. He glanced at his watch, and added, “You’re down to a minute, fifty seconds.”
He could all but hear her teeth grinding from across the room.
With a final glare, she snagged a duffel from the pile of her things next to the closet, then started grabbing clothes off the floor. The bag half-full, she hurried into the bathroom, where Dominic could hear her dumping toiletries in, too.
As soon as she came out, he grabbed her arm.
“Let’s go.”
“I’ve still got forty-five seconds and I’m not done packing,” she said, yanking her arm free. She tossed the books she’d been carrying earlier into the bag, then ran into the kitchen. Dominic damn near dropped his chin when she pulled the oven door open and yanked out a covered casserole dish.
“Sweetheart, I’ll feed you on the road. You don’t gotta bring food.”
She ripped the lid off, pulled out a slim laptop and a bright orange plastic box, adding them to her bag, then zipping it tight.
“I’m impressed. I didn’t know you could bake yourself a computer,” he mused, grabbing her arm tighter this time and pulling her toward the door.
“This isn’t exactly a secure building,” she said, tilting her head toward the shattered door as they passed it. She looked as if she was going to try to close it, then grimaced when she realized it was pointless. Castillo knew the cops would board it up, order the landlord to replace it. What was left of her stuff was safe enough.
“Stairs,” he ordered.
As they clattered down the dimly lit stairwell, Castillo took stock.
He wasn’t much on urban rescues. Most of his missions took place in the forest, the desert, the mountains. He was unarmed, had had time for only a minimal reconnaissance of Reno and had no backup.
They hit the alley at a run, but he held up a cautioning hand when they approached the street. Carefully, he peered around the corner of the building.
An ambulance was loading up a body bag.
He grimaced.
He’d wondered why the cops were taking so long to get to her apartment. Now he knew.
“What...” Her question faded into horror as she looked around his shoulder. Suddenly shaking, Lara sank into his side in horror. He could feel her breath shaking as she sucked in a harsh lungful.
“They did that?” she whispered.
Castillo’s mental debate only lasted a second. Peace of mind wasn’t going to keep her safe. The truth might, though.
“My guess is, yeah.”
“We need to tell the police who they are, what they look like.” She took a fortifying breath, then started to step around him. Castillo grabbed her back, his arm wrapped around her shoulders as he pulled her against his chest.
His eyes locked on hers, he slowly shook his head.
“Not a good idea. We can call in an anonymous tip later. After we’ve put some distance between us and them.”
“But—”
“Sweetheart, you’ve got a hot body and a gorgeous face. Let’s keep them safe, okay?”
The expression on her face was pure stubborn resistance. Then she looked over his shoulder. Her bottom lip drooped in a sexy pout that made Dominic hungry for a taste, then she wrinkled her nose.
“Fine. But I’m not happy about this.”
“Take it up with your brother. ’Cause, let me tell ya, I’m not too happy myself.”
Nope, not happy at all. The last thing Dominic had ever imagined was having the hots for the sister of a guy he couldn’t stand. He knew all the rules
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