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“Find me a location,” Caleb said. “Isolated. No civilians. Lopez will bring men. Armed. We need ingress and egress mapped out—and a sniper in position. That’s your specialty, if I remember. Day after tomorrow should be enough time for me to get my Dìleas teammates here and in place.”
Zach nodded. “Set the trade for late afternoon. I’ll scout in the morning, then we’ll work the plan.”
His gaze shifted to Gia. “You sure about this?”
Her smile felt brittle. “We need Jennie back. Alive.”
“Which means we don’t play by the book,” Caleb said. “No local law enforcement. No Feds. Time is our enemy. So are loose lips.”
Zach’s jaw tightened. “Iamlaw enforcement.” He exhaled hard. “At least for now. I’ll be in touch.”
Caleb walked him out to the Tahoe.
Gia hovered near the door, the weight of their plan pressing against her chest like a boulder.
She shut her eyes, as if that might quiet the panic flooding her veins. Even with all their planning, Vincente wasn’t stupid.
She had to be ready to go with him—if that’s what it took to free Jennie.
And keep Caleb alive. Because she had no doubt Vincente wanted him dead.
The door opened, bringing a rush of cold air.
Strong arms wrapped around her. Sheltered her. Made her feel like she mattered.
If they survived this…
She would happily spend the rest of her life with this man.
The rest of my life.
She’d done it.
Fallen stupidly, hopelessly, madly in love.
She wanted everything.
To accept President Blackwater’s offer and stay on at the clinic.
To live in this community, with the people she’d so quickly grown to care about.
With Caleb by her side, rediscovering his family, his roots.
Ifshe could convince him to stay.
Did Caleb love her? She didn’t want to know. Not yet.
Not when the answer might shatter her.
If he loved her—and she lost him—she shuddered.
Oh God.
“You’re thinking too hard again.” Caleb’s voice rumbled against her ear, deep and low and steady.
Her future teetered on a knife’s edge. In two days’ time, she’d either be free—or back in Vincente’s grasp.
She refused to waste whatever time she had left.