Page 120 of Devil's Claim

I stared at my phone while Benito drove, also agitated I couldn’t get Christine on Facetime. After the ribbing, I’d wanted to prove her wrong.

“Yeah, maybe. Just get to the hotel,” I spat out. If she didn’t want to see my face, she’d damn well need to hear my voice. My phone rang and the second I noticed Jago’s number, I was on edge. “What is it?”

Jago didn’t normally sigh. When he did, that meant something was wrong. “Now, don’t go ballistic.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” I instantly smashed my hand on the dashboard.

“Like I said, don’t go ballistic.”

“What happened to Christine?”

I felt the heat of Benito’s gaze.

“She’s okay. A little shaken and has a couple nasty bruises, but she’ll be just fine.”

Rage had never been difficult to control, but hearing Jago’s voice, registering the words created a white-hot sear of fury that I’d never felt before. “What the fuck happened?”

“They were ambushed coming out of the jewelry store. Luis is gone, Antonio in the hospital. But Christine and Genevieve are safe and with me at the house. Don’t worry, two of my men are bringing Maverick here as well.”

“What the fuck happened?” I repeated.

“I don’t know. Yet. However, the women are under the impression the inspectors were dirty.”

“Working for Fassi.” I fisted and flexed my hand several times as the rage consumed every molecule.

“That would be my guess.”

“I need to talk to her. I need to see her. I’m calling her on Facetime. Make certain she answers. You got it?”

“Calm down, Kruz. She’s okay.”

Fuck it. I ended the call, immediately dialing her cellphone number as I pounded my palm onto the dashboard. “We’re leaving. Get the goddamn jet ready.”

“What is going on?” he asked.

“Chaos. The women were attacked.”

“Ah, shit,” Benito hissed and immediately stepped on the gas.

I took a deep breath as the phone rang three times. My anger was through the roof. Just as I was about to hang up, Christine answered.

“Kruz,” she said. For the first time since I’d met her, the wild and insatiable woman who’d driven me crazy while making me realize there was more to life than just working couldn’t look me in the eye.

“Christine. Look at me.”

“I’m fine. Just winded.”

“That’s not what I asked. Yet. Just look at me. Please. I need to see your beautiful face.”

She bit her lip like she always did when she was nervous. But seconds later, she did as I asked.

In my job, I’d seen enough horrors nothing bothered me any longer. Blood. Brains. Violence. It had been matter of fact, part of the job, but seeing her battered face, her eye swollen and already discolored was enough to put me over the edge.

“Goddamn it. I will hunt down every last one of the fuckers and kill them.”

She shook her head. “You will do no such thing. I am fine. Nothing broken. No bullet wounds.” The strong lady with the captivating smile teared up and that was the moment I knew I’d never forgive myself for leaving her. I noticed her hand was shaking as she wiped her eyes and my stomach tightened.

“What happened?”