Page 88

“True,” Emiliano said, his face emotionless, but I could smell his instant fear. Good. I wanted him very much afraid of me.

“You should have been inside,” I snarled.

“Yes, sir.”

As I did when I was off the rails, I reacted without thinking, smashing my fist into his face.

He went down and didn’t reach for his weapon. Genevieve flew at me, both her hands curled into fists.

“Goddamn you! You act like you rule the world. You don’t. Don’t you fucking do that. Do you hear me?” Before she tried to take a swing, I grabbed both her arms, cocking my head and trying my best to communicate with my eyes. She knew better than to fly into a rage, but we were both highly emotional.

I took several deep breaths, aware Emiliano had risen to his feet. To his credit, he didn’t attempt to exchange words or to get into a battle.

She jerked from my hold, hissing as she did. “Damn you. Damn this fucking world you live in. I told him I didn’t want him inside that store. I forbid him to enter. I witnessed with my own eyes they checked to make certain the back door was locked, which it was. They were right out front. I could see them through the window. Still, a man beat you at your own game. You. Not them. If anyone is to blame, it’s you.”

Her words hung in the air. I took a deep breath, closing and rubbing my eyes before I did or said anything I’d ultimately regret. “Those becoming too comfortable in their jobs make mistakes.”

“So do those too angry to hear the truth, Jago,” she threw back.

“What truth?”

She took two defiant steps towards me. All I could do was stare at the mark on her face. Her beautiful face. I would kill the motherfucker who’d done this with my bare hands.

“Someone knew I would be at that dress shop today. Either that or the house is being watched, which means someone learned about your hideaway who shouldn’t have. Maybe you need to think about the breach you have in your bank of monstrous men.”

I sucked in my breath. No one had ever challenged me like she had, refusing to back down even in the face of extreme danger.

But she was right.

There was a mole somewhere.

The sudden quiet was strenuous.

A voice within me, riddled with anger, sounded like my father’s. If this had happened on his watch, he would have already put a bullet between Emiliano’s eyes. That was the only type of mercy he’d ever shown.

Kruz walked in at that moment, instantly stopping and observing the situation. “I heard what happened.”

“Moroccan son of a bitch.”

“That confirms they’re in town.” Kruz walked closer.

“This is all about Fassi. I’m positive of it.”

When hearing the Moroccan’s name, he whistled between his teeth. “Then we have a problem on our hands.”

“Tell me something I don’t know. We need to cut him off. He tried once. He’ll try again.”

“True.”

After hissing in my direction, Genevieve moved toward her soldier, touching his arm. Emiliano shrugged it off, but his eyes were watching me.

“What do you want to do?” Kruz asked, intentionally trying to grab my attention.

“Go hunting.”

“Let me give you a piece of advice. You’re not going to like it but hear me out. You have a wedding in two days. You need to stay alive that long. That will send a very loud message, which is what you told me you wanted to do. I’ll have some men blanket the area.”

I thought about his suggestion and nodded as I fisted and flexed both hands. The fury remained. At least Kruz knew when not to push me, which was more than I could say about anyone else, including Navarro.