Page 99 of Mercenary

“You’re honest. And loyal.”

“It’s the only way to be.”

He snorts.

“You disagree?”

“No one in this world is one hundred percent honest. As for loyal . . .”

“Who told you about me? Kylie? Declan?”

My question causes him to smile. Yet it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’ll share a little secret with you, Madelyn. There’s very little my operatives do without me knowing about it. Take your sister, for instance.”

“What about her?”

“Like I said, you’ve been occupying my time for quite a while. First your sister neglects to inform me of your existence—as if a town the size of Shelby can keep secrets. I’ve been aware of your existence all along. I simply didn’t see the need to share this information with her, or anyone else.”

“She kept your secret safe. She never told me about you or what she was doing.”

“Then there’s Diego, my oldest, most trusted man,” he adds, holding up a second digit, like he’s using his fingers to matter-of-factly check off their wrongdoings before continuing, “who helps you flee Mexico.”

My sister warned me he was manipulative. Am I just another pawn on this man’s chessboard?

“Declan took you to California and dropped you off at school. Cleaned house first, if the bodies of those local cartel members were any indication.”

Holy crap. And I was hoping I could reason with him?

“Am I missing anyone?”

“Missing anyone from what?”

“The list of people willing to betray me for you.”

“Whatever you may think, reconsider. I’m nobody.”

“I wouldn’t waste my time talking to you if that were true. No one else?

“No.”

“Liar.”

I scowl, wondering who else he could be thinking of.

“Despite your sister’s betrayal, I left you in peace. Until, like I said, you resurfaced in Shelby, got Franco’s men all riled up—just when the dust from your sister’s treachery was settling—and offered me no choice but to force that traitor’s hand.”

“Shelby. It’s always comes back to Shelby,” I whisper, hoarsely. Because if I wasn’t already completely afraid of this man, I am now.

“Why do you suppose Declan did that? Disobeyed me? Went behind my back when I sent men in to teach your sister a lesson? Stopped them from their assignment? He thinks I don’t know about Cabo.”

“What about Cabo?”

He searches my face. “Ah, lover boy didn’t explain to you why he was in Mexico. Do you believe in coincidences, Madelyn? My man has never taken a vacation in his life and suddenly he decides to take one in Cabo. It leaves a person wondering why.”

“Why?”

His lifts twitch, and he waves his hand toward the bedroom. “I think you already know the answer.”

“Are you saying Declan was in Mexico because of me?”