Page 40

“W hat the fuck is this?” Carlos bellowed.

He spun her around and shoved her down. Her back slammed roughly into the chair she’d vacated only minutes before.

It tipped backward, before righting itself on all fours.

Carlos’s hands opened and closed at his sides as he stared down at the man she’d tied up.

“Untie him, dammit.” He gestured to Hector.

Droplets of sweat clung to Carlos’s cheekbones and the neckline of his shirt had a darkening ring around it. He was pissed. Beyond pissed.

She curled her hand into a fist and her other hand around her purse. Dammit, why hadn’t she called Nate immediately? If she could somehow get her phone out and hide it on her, she might be able to dial him.

The man on the ground let out a stream of Spanish, a few recognizable curse words floated to her ears. Hector pulled him to his feet and he let out a deep, guttural cry.

“She fucked Diego up.” Hector stepped back, his gaze raking over the man. Diego—she’d been right. Diego turned to her, and a big purple bruise colored his chin. His eyes creased at her.

Carlos’s onyx irises sharpened on her. He stepped forward and his fist curled into the strap of her purse. He yanked it over her head, tearing it from her fingers.

No! She surged forward, her hand opened to grab it away, but all she caught was air. He pinned her with his gaze.

“Don’t move.”

Her hands fell to the edge of her seat, curling around the plastic. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from him. He would pull out her cellphone, but he wouldn’t find anything incriminating in it. Would he think to look inside the seam?

Please, God. Don’t let him find the encrypted phone.

He rifled through it. A vial of lip-gloss spilled out and landed on the floor, rolling to her feet. He made an impatient sound and turned the bag upside down, shaking it.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

The contents tumbled out as fast as if a two-year-old had gotten a hold of it. He gave it another hard shake and the encrypted phone dropped out. Its black, bare covering looked as ominous and out of place as a bomb.

One thick, black eyebrow rose. “What’s this?

” His tone hovered on curiosity, but the lines of his face hardened.

He turned the device over in his hands and chortled, a curse rode the wave of his breath.

He gripped the phone in his hand and advanced on her, his steps slow and deliberate. “Who the fuck are you?”

He stopped in front of her, his knee brushed against her thigh. The hair on her arms stood at attention. Sweat collected in the deep crease at his brow.

Maddie pursed her lips. Desperation clawed inside her, wanting to keep the facade up as long as she could.

But what was the point? Should she outright admit that she was a cop?

That the FBI was here and investigating him?

Would it change her fate? No. She couldn’t give up her cover—especially when she didn’t have backup.

Unless she could completely redeem herself, Carlos would kill her without hesitation.

At the very least, denial could keep him talking and give Nate more time to get to her. Torture would be better than immediate death… wouldn’t it? She swallowed and met his glare, not hiding her temper.

“We’ve been through this already.”

He jammed the phone under her nose. “What is this, hmm? Why do you have two phones?”

She swallowed and her throat bobbed over the dryness that had collected. Her mind worked at warp-speed. “It’s a cellphone. I found it on the ship and meant to turn it into the lost and found. I forgot.”

Carlos’s lips thinned. He shook his head at her and lifted the tip of his index finger to his temple. “I’m not stupid, puta,” he rasped.

He lifted his arm high and threw the phone.

It smashed into a million pieces, which skittered across the floor.

Her chest rose and fell on each shaky breath.

Her only chance at communicating with Nate was gone.

She’d have no one to bail her out, no back-up plan.

She had to think her way out of this. If she couldn’t outsmart him, she would have to fight.

“You have ten seconds to start talking before we make you,” he said through clenched teeth.

“I’m telling you the truth.”

“I’ll make her talk.” Diego’s voice boomed next to Hector. He hurled himself at her, his fingers splayed and aimed for her throat. Maddie shot her foot out, catching him in the stomach. He fell on top of her, his hands fumbled at her throat and the chair scraped across the concrete floor.

His thick fingers closed around her sensitive flesh and the stench of his body odor invaded her, numbing her senses.

His weight crushed down on her, cutting off her air.

In the awkward position of the chair, she couldn’t use her weight against him.

Carlos folded his arms across his chest, his thick eyebrows raised with interest.

He wanted to see her in action.

Diego leaned his face closer to hers. His bulbous nose touched the tip of hers. She craned her head back as far as her neck would allow and breathed through her mouth.

“I’m going to turn you inside out—you will be nothing but a pile of fucking organs when I’m done with you.”

A red mist crossed her line of vision. Fury spiked her body temperature, warming her face. She’d kill him before he had the chance.

She twisted her lips into a smile.

His eyes darkened with apprehension and the flicker of unease that crinkled his forehead fueled her.

She hooked her heel over the back of his knee, weakening it.

He tried to shift his weight and compensate with the other leg, but before he could gain stability, she rolled him to the side.

A grunt rattled in her chest as his hips swung off her and toppled to the floor, releasing her throat.

She leapt to her feet and positioned her hands in front of her face.

Carlos’s smile wilted and Hector’s eyes narrowed into slits. Not taking his eyes off her, Hector pulled an automatic from the waistband of his pants, aiming it at her head.

“Let’s see her fight her way out of this one.” His top lip curled and his voice shook.

More than five feet stood between her and Hector. She couldn’t outrun a bullet and she couldn’t take him down unless she charged him. If she moved, he’d shoot. If she didn’t… he’d still shoot.

His finger moved and her heart leapt into her throat. Her muscles jumped, but her feet remained glued to the floor.

“Shoot her!” Diego yelled as he pushed himself to his knees.

“Stop.” Carlos held out his hand and her gaze flicked to his, hope surging through her. Hector tore his gaze from her, but his hand didn’t move. Carlos moved into his line of fire and stopped a couple feet in front of her. He clapped his hands loosely in front of him.

“That was impressive, puta.”

Her fingers curled into her palms at the insult, but she pressed her lips together. She’d let him make the first move before deciding what to do. With him standing between her and the gun, she might have a shot.

“But there’s three against one,” he continued.

His hand shot out and snagged a clump of her hair.

He yanked her head back, and drew her closer.

Pain seared across her scalp and the muscles in her neck strained.

She winced and inhaled sharply through her nose as he propelled her closer.

She tightened her hands into fists at her sides, resisting the urge to fight. Not yet.

“Are you a cop? DEA?” His voice rose an octave but she didn’t flinch. “I swear to god I will tear your hair out one clump at a time until you talk.” His eyes singed holes into hers.

Her breath caught in her throat. His eyes were like black pools of death. He’d carry through with his threat.

“You have no idea what we do to snitches.”

An icy-cold hand of fear trailed down her spine. “If I were a cop, don’t you think you’d be arrested by now?”

His bulging eyes flicked over her face. His hot breath hit her cheek, and sweat gathered at his stubble. He inched her away from him, keeping his grip tight on her hair. She balanced her weight on the balls of her feet, trying to take the pressure off her scalp.

“She wants to play, boys. Hector, you’re first.”

Hector threw back his head, his dark hair fanned out wildly around his shoulders as he let out a hoot of laughter.

He tucked the gun back in his pants. Maddie took a step back and let her hands hang open at her sides.

Three against one—odds she hadn’t been up against since she’d taken Combat Hapkido.

They hadn’t tied her up—she still had a chance.

Hector licked his cracked bottom lip with his thick tongue. He stood several inches taller than her, though he was maybe an inch shorter than Nate. He was heavy and bulky, which wasn’t a bad thing. He’d have a lot of body to throw around, but it would also weigh him down.

A soft whoosh reached her ears. Her gaze fell down to his hand where a long, thick blade protruded. The sun caught it, sending a glare into her eyes. He moved closer, his strides long. He bounced on the balls of his feet as he closed in.

Maddie smiled.

She spun in a flurry of movement. The top of her foot chopped through the air and connected with the side of his knee.

He crumpled like a wet towel. He let out a howl as he folded to the ground, but his grip tightened on the knife.

Adrenaline shot through her veins like a firehose.

She stomped her foot down on his wrist and his hold loosened.

She grabbed the knife and stood over him.

The handle was hot in her hand, its smooth plastic branding her.

Her arm threatened to tremble, her muscles tight. She’d never stabbed anyone before. But when it came down to her life over theirs—she’d do it without blinking.