Seducing Texas (So not Prince Charming #2)(40)

“Give me the keys to your townhouse,” Aedan says. “I’ll wait there.”

Shane lugs out a bagful of guns from his truck. I hand over the house keys, and Shane gives him the truck keys. Espinoza and his cousin sit in the front of his low rider, and I climb into the car beside Shane. As we drive away, Aedan stands outside the truck, concern washing over his face.

He must really care for her to come all the way out here for her, especially after watching her abduction. If it weren’t for the contract, I’d consider letting them date.

Please let Willa live through this. Please let her have the opportunity to be with someone she loves. Fat tears spill from my eyes. I have to be strong for her. I have to get my shit together.

Espinoza drives us to the border and then off road to reach the underground tunnel linking Mexico and the US. Juarez and his cartel probably use it for drug running.

It’s close to five in the morning when we arrive at a deserted part of the desert—only cacti and snakes. I swallow down the fear seizing my throat. Lots of things could go wrong. Last minute planning isn’t the best option, but Juarez let Aedan leave. It’s a good sign.

We wait a good half hour for Juarez, and he drives up in a black SUV by himself. Shane has an arm around me while the other holds his bag. He has a license for a fully automatic Uzi.

“Where’s the cavalry?” I ask. We need his gang to back us up. Manny probably has twenty to thirty men guarding his compound.

“Waiting for us on the other side of the tunnel,” Juarez says. “Espinoza and his amigo will drive his car off and wait for our call. Are you ready?” His hand rests on my shoulder, and Shane growls out his ownership of me.

“I hope so.” For my sister’s sake.

“We’ll use my weapons,” he says to Shane. “We don’t want your guns to tie us to the killings.”

Shane takes out his guns but keeps some of his gear to take down into the tunnel. A live plant covers up the trap door. Espinoza and his friend move it and the layer of soil lying on a thick plastic rug.

As we enter the drug runner tunnel, I’m a bundle of nerves. I don’t like Shane leaving the guns he’s familiar with, but Juarez is right. We don’t want ballistics connecting us to the ambush.

We climb down into the darkness, and when we reach the bottom, Juarez flicks on fluorescent lights that send out shaky light. He must have a generator somewhere.

A cart rests on tracks that lead into the dark void.

“Get in,” Shane says. “You’re going to need your energy.”

I climb into the cart and Shane pushes it. My nerves frazzle, and I fall apart. I have to get it together, so I can save my sister.

The odor of dirt fortified with two-by-fours adds to my claustrophobia. Clumps of dirt fall into my hair from the rafters and beams supporting the tunnel. I brush them away while my stomach roils. I can’t fail. There’s too much riding on my shoulders.

I hold onto Shane’s arm for security, and he sweeps down to kiss my hair.

Juarez helps push the cart. “You’ve been to his compound?”

“Yes.” Several times. It always scared me because we knew what he did, but Dad’s mom always wanted to have family gatherings there. Manny owns a huge hacienda with an in-ground pool, underground garages, living quarters for his gang, and iron-barred lockups.

“Your sister will probably be kept in the cell in the southeast corner,” Juarez says.

“Where’s the key?” I ask. Manny used to keep it near the cell.

“I would assume on him.”

I’ll have to kill him to get it then. “Is the gun in place?” I ask. My breathing is erratic, and I need to calm down.

“Yes.”

I believe I can trust Juarez. Why else would he be here? He knows Manny has copies of those files. “What will you do with the files my uncle has?”

“I believe all his copies are at the compound. I will destroy his home to ensure everything is gone.”

“My grandmother unknowingly had copies,” I say.

“Your dad wiped her iPad clean. Hopefully that’s the only copy.”

It doesn’t surprise me that he’s spoken to my dad. I wonder how he did it since the feds don’t have any photos of Juarez. According to my dad, it’s something Juarez doesn’t allow.

Shane rubs my shoulders. “I brought a bulletproof vest. I want you to wear it under your shirt and jacket.”

“Won’t Manny be able to tell?” I ask.

“Not with your jacket on. It’s a lightweight Kevlar vest I bought just for you.”

He really does love me.

We reach the end and climb the ladder out. Several black SUVs, two of which are Escalades, wait for us. It unnerves me after my run in at the Red Sky parking garage. A white Camry like Willa’s with Texas plates is parked behind the SUVs and must be for me.

I get into the Camry where Shane helps me put the vest on and then his lips descend onto mine. His tongue grapples with mine, and his hands sweep through my hair. When we finally come up for air, he says, “I love you, Cyn. I won’t be far behind.” Fear shadows his green eyes.

I completely trust him, but being outside the compound won’t be close enough if something goes wrong.

Juarez hands me a small pager the size of a half dollar. “Just press the button and we’ll know we can come into the compound.”