Shattered Lies (Web of Lies #3)(42)

“Ah, lassie, I have a better idea.” Grant stepped up close to her, and she didn’t step back. He knew she wouldn’t. She’d never back down from anyone or anything. He’d seen Valeria take on groups of armed men. He’d seen her kill the man who betrayed her. And yet, this was the first time he’d actually seen her nervous. But what he loved was she didn’t run from those nerves. She faced them head on, like she faced everything else thrown her way.

Grant slid his large, rough hands over her cheek to cup the back of her head as he pulled her lips toward his. “You have no idea how badly I want you,” he whispered against her lips before taking them in his. The kiss started with a graze of the lips, but didn’t stay that way. Grant used one hand to control the kiss and the other to pull Valeria’s hips against his. They moved together as if they were naked. The kiss went from soft to hard in a heartbeat. The kiss was as wild as Valeria was. It was no gentle caress of tongues; it was a battle of passion, each giving way completely to their desires as they ravaged each other.

His heart beat hard, and he let her take control of the kiss. He dropped his hand from her head and shoved aside the draped material of her dress, baring her breasts to him. Valeria arched forward, telling him exactly what she wanted. Perfect handfuls of firm breasts filled his hands as he rolled her nipples between his fingers, capturing her moans with his kiss.

It took everything he had to not take her completely in the open desert, not caring for anything except making her come. But that was not in the cards as the sound of a helicopter had him breaking the kiss and dropping his hands from her breasts. Placing his hands on the curve of her hips, he kissed her quickly one last time. “We’ll continue our talk very soon.”

Valeria smiled up at him, keeping her hands flat against his chest. “I like the way you communicate, Macay.”

They shielded their eyes as the helicopter landed and then jogged toward the open door. Lizzy was already opening the door by the time they reached it. She held out her hand for Valeria and helped her up. She was hugging Val as Grant got in.

“So, how do you two feel about a trip to Mexico?” Dalton asked as soon as they were strapped in and taking off.

“Do I get to kill Manuel?” Valeria asked in return.

“No, you need to rescue two college girls,” Dalton told her, filling them in on what had happened at the White House along with what they’d found out about the tunnels and Sebastian’s GPS disappearing.

“Then it could pop back up when they make their way through the tunnels,” Grant said.

“If Manuel doesn’t have his compounds carefully scrubbed that is,” Lizzy pointed out. “But if he has jammers and such, we’re not getting anything until Sebastian is heading back home.”

“So, where are we going?” Valeria asked. He could understand her anxiety about heading back into Hermanos de Sangre land.

“A fancy resort outside Tijuana owned by one Sebastian Abel,” Lizzy told them. “You don’t even need to make contact with the girls. You just need to take out those watching them and make sure they get on the plane day after tomorrow. Alex got you a reservation in the penthouse. We will be there in a bit and drop you on their helicopter pad and then take off so no one gets a good look at us. Then take the plane with the girls back to DC. Alex has that all taken care of as well.”

“I don’t have any identification,” Valeria told her.

“Alex said it will be waiting for you at the hotel along with a credit card.”

“What will you and Dalton be doing?” Grant asked.

“We’ll head to San Diego, ditch the helicopter, fly back to DC, and wait for Sebastian to show up,” Lizzy answered.

Dalton turned around to shoot a quick smile at Grant. “I was thinking of joining Jason for a little chat with Sandra.”

“Good idea.” Grant put his arm around Valeria and let her rest her head against his shoulder. Her eyes closed almost immediately. They had a full day ahead of them, and they both knew it was necessary to catch a couple hours of sleep whenever they could find it. In seconds, Grant drifted off.





18





“What do you think?” Tate asked as she watched Birch read over the speech for later today.

“When are Elizabeth and Dalton getting back?” Birch asked instead of answering.

“Five tonight, why?” Tate asked, suddenly worried her speech was too much. She hadn’t held anything back. She was ready to go after Mollia Domini.

Birch closed the laptop and looked up from his desk in the oval office. Tate was sitting on the couch, and Humphrey sat across from her. Her wheelchair was parked next to her. Two more days and she’d be on crutches.

“And Grant and Valeria?” Birch asked Humphrey instead of answering her.

“They are at the resort already. They are catching the red-eye back to DC and will be here with the girls the day after tomorrow around noon if all goes well.”

“What are we going to do with them?” Birch asked to no one in particular as Tate began to fume.

“Why don’t we send them on another trip? They don’t have to be back until school starts. Tell them they won something and ship them to Saint Thomas or something,” Tate said agitated.

“That’s a great idea. Humphrey, make it happen.”