Hidden Away (KGI #3)(77)

Rio started forward but Garrett held back. “I don’t know if Van briefed you or what all you know, but Marcus Lattimer hired us. That’s the story. Sarah is his sister and she doesn’t know. I don’t want her to find out until I have a chance to tell her.”

Rio nodded. “Van gave me the rundown. My men have been briefed. We’re cool. We’re not going to blow your cover. Now let’s get the f**k out of here. If I had to guess, we don’t have a lot of time before your brothers come in and start a f**king war with Mexico.”

Garrett grinned. “Family motto. No one f**ks with the Kellys.”

With Rio’s help, Garrett walked out of the room and then out to the front of the house, where the rest of the team was assembled. They passed the bodies of the men who’d held him and Sarah captive and he frowned at what Sarah had seen on her way out.

Rio shook his head. “Terrence wouldn’t have let her see all that crap. I know my man better than that. He’s real protective when it comes to women.”

Garrett shook off Rio’s hold as they exited the house and he breathed in the fresh air. He automatically looked for Sarah and saw her standing off to the side, her arms wrapped around herself. She looked pale and completely lost. Terrence hovered over her and was speaking to her in low tones, but Garrett wasn’t even sure she heard. The three other members of Rio’s team were spread out and on careful watch duty.

As soon as she looked up and saw him, she broke away and ran to him. He braced himself for impact and opened his arms, but she stopped in front of him and then carefully went into his embrace.

She buried her face in his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. She shook like a leaf.

“We need to make tracks,” he whispered softly.

She shuddered and tilted her head to look up at him. “I don’t want to stay here a minute longer than necessary.”

Garrett caught Rio’s gaze over Sarah’s head and tilted his head in the direction of the SUVs. Rio nodded and then took a step toward Sarah.

“Sarah, we need to get you inside the vehicle where it’s safe. Will you come with me?”

Rio kept a foot of distance between himself and Sarah and was careful to keep his voice measured. She wouldn’t even meet Rio’s gaze. A flush swept over her cheeks, and Garrett’s heart clenched at the humiliation in her eyes. For her to feel shame for what she’d done for him—that she was willing to sacrifice for him—made him sick. He was damn sure going to have a heart-to-heart with her at the first opportunity, because no way in hell was he going to allow her to be embarrassed over trying to protect him.

“What about you?” she asked Garrett. “You’re coming, right?”

There was fear in her voice despite the fact that her words came out steady. Her hand trembled in his and he squeezed reassuringly.

“I’m coming. I want you inside first. I’ll need to go in the back and I want you in the middle where you’re protected. There’ll be men on either side of you. Rio’s team.” He lowered his voice. “They won’t hurt you.”

She squeezed back. “I know. If you trust them, so do I. I’m just so ...” Her voice trailed off.

“Yeah, me too, honey. Me too. But we’re going to make it just fine. And then I’m going to fulfill a little promise I made.”

Her brow wrinkled in question.

“You. Me. Naked. Me inside you. As many times as I can get there.”

Color bloomed in her cheeks and she glanced hastily at Rio to make sure his murmured words weren’t overheard. Rio’s expression never changed. Sarah looked back, her cheeks still flushed, but there was heat in her eyes. He’d purposely reminded her of what they’d shared and what they would share to ease some of her shell shock.

A smile glimmered on her lips when she looked back at Garrett.

“Go with Rio. I’ll feel better knowing you’re safe.”

She nodded and eased her hand from his. He didn’t want to let her go even for a minute, but he wanted her in the truck, under guard while he got the report from his men and they got the hell out of this damn country. Nothing good ever came of him being in Mexico.

He watched as Rio ushered Sarah into the backseat of the SUV and Terrence stood guard outside the door. Then Rio walked back over to where Garrett stood.

“Okay, man, what’s the plan? You need a hospital and Sarah isn’t going to be happy if you don’t go. She’s all sorts of worried about you.”

“Fuck the hospital.”

“Don’t make me whip your ass in front of your woman. It would be humiliating.”

“We have more important issues to worry about than a hospital. Besides that, I don’t want Sarah out in public.”

“Who said anything about Sarah going to the hospital?”

Garrett tensed and fixed Rio with his stare. “She stays with me.”

“I hate to bring this up but it needs to be said. You need to give this assignment up and let someone else in KGI take over. You’re hurt and the entire mission is compromised because you’ve made this personal. You need to back off now.”

It took all he had not to kick Rio’s ass, even if it damn near killed him in the process. And Rio knew it pissed him off because he was watching Garrett with those dark eyes, studying every reaction and only convincing himself that he was all the more right. Well, maybe he was. He’d probably be preaching the same sermon to one of his team members if they were in the same position.