“You tried to make sure my baby would be looked after?” Tessa blinked up at him in shock.“Of course. I wouldn’t let anything happen to her.” But he had. And he’d been so fucking absorbed in his own pain and betrayal that he hadn’t even stopped to think her daughter might be in danger. Then he’d heaped blame, shame, and fury on top because why not win asshole-of-the-year honors?Suddenly, so many things made sense. Why Tessa had refused to let him in the house when he’d come by Wednesday night. Why she’d lied Friday about her dinner with Cash’s dad. Why she’d seemed suddenly lukewarm about moving in with him. Why she’d betrayed him.“Tessa, I’m so fucking sorry.” He lifted her face to his, crushed to see her red-rimmed eyes haunted with fear and grief. “Why didn’t you tell me?”“Because they threatened to kill Hallie if Tessa said a word to anyone,” Trees supplied. “As soon as I talked Madison off a ledge, I started reading Tessa’s Gmail account.”When he whipped Tessa’s phone from hi
“Baby, we need to talk.”She draped the fresh quilt around her body, folded the towel, then stepped out of the bathroom, brushing past Zy and out of the too-narrow hallway, before she turned to him. “I don’t want to argue again. Not that I can keep up with you…”“I’m sorry.”For what, exactly? Setting a trap? Fucking her despite suspecting her of the worst? Tearing out her heart? She’d given him just cause to do all of that.She turned her back on him. “No, I’m sorry for giving you a reason to hate me. How long before Trees returns?”Because without clothes, when she stood this close to Zy, she felt entirely naked.“Tessa, I can’t hate you, baby. I know you’re worried as hell and scared. I know you feel alone in this, but—”“I am alone.” She faced him. “That bastard took my baby, the only person who loves me unconditionally.”“Tessa, I love—”“Stop. Just…don’t.” Why was he trying to make her feel better with lies? “You know, Cash is a lot of things. He’s flaky and insincere. He’s unre
“And the September mission to Mexico went off perfectly because—”“I left my computer locked up at the office. When I got the call about my dad from Kathleen, I ran out too quickly to even think of bringing it home, so it sat on my desk.”“I remember. Fast-forward over a month later, to the end of October. Cash was still with you. He could have forwarded the plans to Valeria’s St. Louis house to the cartel via your Gmail. That was done in the middle of the night, too.”Tessa nodded. “He was on my sofa, playing video games, until you helped me kick him to the curb in mid-November.”“I remember. Prick.”She wasn’t going to argue with Zy’s assessment, but that didn’t make him any better in her book. “What happened next?”He paused, seeming to sort through his mental timeline. “The location of Valeria’s Orlando safe house was discovered and ransacked five days ago.”“That was before…” Tessa forced herself to finish that sentence. Getting to the bottom of this would only help her baby. “Be
“Of course you haven’t. Why would he do anything responsible?”“I could try calling him.”Zy shook his head as he tossed on his clothes. “I don’t want to tip our hand until we’re in his personal space. It’s the best way to control the situation.”“Then I don’t know what to do.”“Let me see if Trees can pinpoint him.”Was the guy even awake? “How would he do that?”“He has ways.” Zy smiled. “Follow me.”She’d rather not talk to Trees while wearing her pajamas, and Zy was eyeing her formfitting tank and shorts with an unnervingly intent stare. “Let me get dressed.”She ducked out to the bathroom, tossed on her clothes, brushed her teeth, and secured her hair in a ponytail. She exited to find Zy waiting in the hall. Together they headed to the kitchen.Trees stood at the coffeemaker, shirtless and huge, his hands braced on either side of the counter. Nothing odd about that, except the petite brunette standing in the cage of his arms, staring up at him with big hazel eyes.“Talk to me, La
“Tell him to hurry,” Tessa insisted. She needed her baby almost more than she needed to breathe. And she was desperate to get over to this address before the men moved—and took her daughter with them. “We need him.”Zy nodded. “You got it.”Zy glanced at Tessa, who looked tense and withdrawn in the passenger’s seat of her little sedan. As they sped to Hector Johnson’s place, he wished like hell they could clear the air now. But she wasn’t in a good headspace, and he was at least half to blame for that.Why hadn’t he shut the fuck up in the bunker when he’d had the chance?The only good thing he’d done this morning was drop Hunter a text to tell him Tessa’s double cross wasn’t at all responsible for Kimber’s abduction and that he needed a few more hours. After that, he’d explain everything.“Baby, I know you’re worried.” Zy was, too…but he didn’t want to say that. Even if he didn’t share Hallie’s blood, that was his little girl, damn it. He knew how ruthless cartels could be. He’d seen
Because she loved him, too? Now wasn’t the time to ask, and he was too afraid of the answer. “Just like it ripped me up inside to hurt you.”She gave him a little nod. An acknowledgment? Then she looked out her window. “What’s taking so long?”Trees had been gone less than two minutes. But Zy got it; she wasn’t ready for this conversation. She was rightfully focused on her daughter’s safety. “He’ll call in a minute.”Sure enough, a handful of seconds later, his phone buzzed again. “Whatcha got?”“Nothing visible from the street. House looks closed up, like maybe they’re still asleep. Wait. I spoke too soon. The front blinds just opened. I see…” Trees paused. “Someone’s in there. There’s too much glare to a make out a face or an outline, but the place isn’t empty. And there’s a truck in the carport. I’m running the plate now.”“What’s he saying?” Tessa demanded.Zy held up a finger. “I don’t want to know how you’re doing that, buddy.”“You don’t; it’s illegal as fuck. Gimme a second. A
From his current position, he had a better view of the kitchen, but half of it still wasn’t visible. He saw an open cabinet door and heard footsteps, but that didn’t tell him who he was dealing with.Still crouching, he eased into a shadowy corner of the living room, pressing his back to the wall, then craning his head around the remaining obstructions.Bingo! A woman with long brownish hair swishing down her back and wearing tight black yoga pants emptied the dishwasher, skinny ass swaying to some R and B tune. But that wasn’t the only thing that interested him. In the very edge of his view, he caught sight of what looked like the leg of a high chair.Damn it, another six inches and he’d be able to tell if his eyes were correct and if Hallie was in there.Suddenly, he heard a baby peal unhappily. His heart leapt in his throat.“If you want more Cheerios, you’re going to have to wait, kid.”So they did have a baby here. He glanced back at Tessa. Her eyes had gone wide. Hope lit them.
“Shut the fuck up, pip-squeak,” Hector growled at him. “You don’t get a say in this.”Aspen turned to Tessa then. “Drop the gun. Or the kid loses her head.”She froze. If she let go of the weapon, she had no illusions. These people didn’t play by any rules, so Hallie would still die. So would she, Trees, and Zy. But how could she help this situation if she refused?Tessa turned to Zy with a questioning stare.“Don’t do it, baby.”“You better fucking do it,” Aspen shouted. “Five seconds.”The situation was escalating too quickly. Tessa didn’t know how to stop it and she couldn’t think. A thousand thoughts raced through her head. She swallowed. Shoot Johnson? But what if that startled Aspen and she pulled the trigger? She’d already been over the reasons she couldn’t shoot Aspen, and she didn’t see how shooting Cash did any good now except to make everything more tense. They talked to him like he was expendable.“Now, bitch,” Aspen insisted. “Five, four, three…”“No!” Cash stomped toward