Beneath the Secrets Part 3(6)

“You can’t just claim me like property,” she hissed, her hand covering his, molding it closer when he knew she meant to push it away.

“I can and I will until I know you’re safe.”

“I’m FBI. It’s my job to never be safe.”

He wasn’t going to think beyond this mission and the cartel, or he might go insane. He nipped her ear roughly, making her yelp. “My way, Kara. That’s how this works. And the FBI wouldn’t put you in the danger you’re in now.”

She laughed bitterly. “You don’t know my boss.”

“I’m your boss now.” He shoved his hands under her shirt and pushed her bra down, covering her bare breasts with his hands. “I own you until I say otherwise.”

“Making me moan means you have skills, not authority. And using it against me means you’re an *. It means you’re a momentary escape, not the answer I’d hoped you were.”

Blake went completely still, and something dark, something he refused to let take shape, started to burn in his mind. He tugged his hands free of her shirt and gripped the sides of the couch. “If anyone is using sex against the other, it’s you, sweetheart.”

“Me?” She shoved back against him and then laid a hard elbow in his ribs.

Blake grunted and lifted his body enough so that she twisted around, grabbed his shirt, and lifted her knee to his groin without making contact. “You’re lucky I don’t really want to hurt you, Blake.”

He laughed and pulled her leg round his hip, fitting his cock into the V of her body. “That’s more like it. And I was trying to f*ck you, sweetheart, not hold you captive, but I guess I should have remembered—you like to strike when my pants are down or headed that way.”

She flinched. “That’s unfair. I thought you were part of the cartel when I drugged you.”

“Life isn’t fair and I don’t know what answer you’re looking for to your problems, but, like it or not, I’m the only one you have.”

“Then be one, Blake. Help me. I can read between the lines. You want me out of the cartel and that’s not happening. Don’t treat me like I really am a helpless secretary. I’m not.”

“I told you I’d get your sister back—and if it’s possible, I will.”

“And I’m supposed to just walk away and trust you to do it?”

“You don’t have a choice.”

“I’m not walking away, Blake.”

“You walk away or I’ll force you to walk away.”

She drew back, shock in her face. “Are you threatening what I think you’re threatening? Because if you are…”

His cell phone rang with an AC/DC tune. “Hold that promise to cut my balls off. That’s my ringtone for my man escorting the women to safety.” He hit the “answer” button to Kyle’s incoming call. “Talk to me.”

“The girls were followed. Does Kara have a way to call either of them?”

Blake glanced at Kara. “Do you have a way to call one of the girls and tell them I’m here to help?”

“Yes. We exchanged cell phone numbers.”

“Yeah,” he told Kyle. “We can call them.”

“Give them the code word ‘Midnight’.”

“Copy that,” Blake said. “We’re on it.”

“Great,” Kyle said. “That solves one problem. I can get the women in the hotel and convince them I’m their Prince Charming, but the chance whoever is following the girls saw you and Kara is big. You need to shut them down and come up with a story to cover your asses.”

“Where are you?”

“A few blocks from the hotel. When we get there, I’ll make sure the girls get inside and try to get you a plate number. The perps are in a black Chrysler sedan.”

“We’re on our way.” Blake ended the call and stepped away from Kara. “Grab that extra gun and come on. We might need it.”

“Why? What’s happening?”

“I’ll explain on the road, but let’s just say you might not have to cut my balls off if we don’t take action. Mendez might do it while you watch.”

***

Kara settled into the truck next to Blake. She ended the call with Tami, the waitress from the restaurant, having given her the code word and instructions to let Kyle help them. “Done,” she said, placing her purse, now weighted with two guns inside, between them. “The girls expect Kyle. They were about to pull into the hotel. I’m sure you heard, but I told them to park close to the door and stay close to as many people as possible.”

“I heard,” Blake said, pulling onto the road, out from under a streetlight illuminating her apartment building. “But then I expected nothing less from an FBI agent.”

She studied his profile, the dark shadows of the late night masking his expression. “What do you know about FBI agents?” she asked, thinking about his claim she knew less about him than he did about her.

“My brother’s ex-FBI.” He cut her a sideways look. “Translation: Royce isn’t on a leave of absence like you are.”

“You really just can’t stop yourself from being a smart-ass, can you?” she asked.