Page 34

In his peripheral vision, Oz saw Ayla dab at her eyes. “Don’t cry, Pollita.”

“I’m not crying,” she lied as she brushed away more tears.

They were nearing the entrance to the neighborhood, and there wasn’t any traffic at the moment. He felt comfortable taking his gaze off the road long enough to give her a yeah-sure look. Maybe she didn’t want to be crying, but she sure as hell was.

“Ayla, be reasonable.”

That got her to stop staring out the front window and glare at him instead.

“Reasonable? Reasonable? I needed a disguise, you said, so I reasonably allowed you to outfit me in a wig and new clothes. It wasn’t safe to search after dark, so I reasonably allowed you to tuck me away in a hotel as soon as late afternoon hit.

Your friends are checking out the dangerous areas of Trujillo, so I reasonably allowed you to guide our search. What did I gain by being reasonable?”

A sick feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. “Ayla?—”

“No. Now I can clearly see how you maneuvered me. We were never looking for Io. You just let me believe we were trying to find her. I trusted you, Oziah. I won’t make that mistake again.”

The knots in his stomach tightened. Oz pulled the car over and put it in park.

He couldn’t have this discussion while driving.

“There was no chance I could approach the house, not without someone calling the authorities, and if you think I was going to let you go up to the door, you haven’t been paying attention. ”

“You couldn’t have snuck to the back of the house and taken a look to see if there was lattice over the windows like I described? Maybe peeked inside, looking for Io or signs she was there?”

Oz shifted to face her more squarely. “There was security.”

“There wasn’t even a fence,” she scoffed.

“No, but there were security cameras. I spotted three without getting out of the car to look. They probably have other measures in place as well, things I couldn’t identify without a closer check.”

Ayla’s tears were falling faster, and behind them, he saw disillusionment. The constriction spread to his chest. The glimmer he had of the three of them—him, Ayla, and the baby—being a family was slipping away, transforming into lawyers and joint custody agreements.

“Do you plan to just drive away and leave Io behind?”

He didn’t know what to say. The twin connection thing was bunk, but it would only worsen the situation to mention that.

“Or are we going to get backup?” She wiped impatiently at her cheeks. “She could be gone by the time we return with help.”

“Pollita, I know you think your sister was in that house, but?—”

“But you never believed me about the link to Io. Telling me to use my connection as we drove around this subdivision was another part of your plan to keep me from truly searching for my sister. Was Baggs ever really looking for her, or was that another lie you told me?”

Oz fought the need to grimace. He was deep in the doghouse. “Baggs was looking. He is looking. So are some of my other friends.”

“And in the meantime, you stalled me, delayed me, and hid me in hotel rooms. We even drove to San Isidro to keep me out of the way. Bad luck for you the mobsters turned up.”

There was no mistaking how angry Ayla was. Worse than that, though, was the disappointment in him. His actions hurt her deeply. “All I wanted to do was keep you and our baby safe.” His voice came out thick, but he made no effort to clear his throat.

“We didn’t even know I was pregnant when you dreamed up your plan. Don’t use the baby as an excuse for your dishonesty.”

“Maybe I wanted you safe, Pollita. Did you think of that?”

Instead of answering, she opened the glove box, found a rag, pulled it out, and used that to wipe at her face.

Oz winced, not knowing if it was clean or not, and struggled to keep his mouth shut.

He couldn’t stay silent. “For God’s sake, don’t use that on your eyes.

We don’t know what the fuck is on that rag. I don’t want you blinded.”

Ayla stiffened, eyed the rag like it was radioactive, and tossed it back in the glove box, closing it with a gasp. At least she was willing to listen to a degree. Did that mean he hadn’t completely destroyed her faith in him?

“What do you plan to do next?” she asked.

Oz hesitated but told the truth. “We’ll drive back to Trujillo and find a hotel.”

She unhooked her seat belt, opened the car door, and got out while he stared like an idiot.

Turning off the ignition, Oz popped out of the driver’s side and hurried to catch up with her.

There was a sidewalk, but Ayla didn’t bother to use it, walking in the street instead. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m going to rescue my sister.” She didn’t so much as glance in his direction as she continued striding back the way they came.

“The fuck you are.”

“You can either help me, or you can get out of my way, but you’re not stopping me.”

Bullshit. Oz took her arm, tugged her to a halt, and turned her to face him. “You are getting back in the car.” He used his best sergeant’s voice. “Now, Ayla. Move it.”

Not only did she ignore him, she walked around him to continue with her so-called rescue.

Bending, Oz carefully lifted her into a firefighter’s carry and carted her back to the sedan.

How he’d get her inside and keep her there long enough for him to get in and get rolling again was a problem he hadn’t solved yet, but he’d be damned if he’d let his woman get herself hurt.

He put her in the passenger seat without a fuss, leaned over to fasten her seat belt, and said, “If you get out of this car, I will, by God, tie you to the seat. Do you understand me?”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me. I’m going to protect you, whether you like it or not.” With a final glare, he closed her car door and rounded the hood to get behind the wheel. He was bluffing about tying her up, but apparently, Ayla believed him because she didn’t try to escape again.

Oz didn’t waste any time fastening his own seat belt, starting the ignition, and putting the car in gear. Not even his stubborn Pollita would jump out of a moving vehicle.

They were out of the subdivision before Ayla spoke again. “I don’t want to go to a hotel. Take me to your commanding officer.”

Shock kept him from reacting.

“I want to talk to BD. I know he’s your commander. I know you’re a Green Beret.”

Getting out of the car and planning to rescue her sister on her own might have been one of the stupidest ideas Ayla had ever concocted. She didn’t do rash things like that.

While she was grateful Oz had stopped her idiocy, she was still furious with him about the lying. The subterfuge. The games.

He’d played her like a master, and she believed everything . Oz told her he was a manipulator, and instead of taking it as a warning, she thought he was sharing personal details with her because they were growing closer. What a fool.

The fear—terror, really—came with the delay in getting to the house.

She knew Io was inside. Ayla didn’t have the slightest doubt.

The question was, would she still be there when they went back?

If they went back. Oz’s commander needed persuading that sending his team there was worthwhile, and he was skeptical of her connection to her twin.

Of course, she was trusting Oz to actually bring her to see BD. That might be another mistake on her part. They were doing a lot of driving, but he always pulled what he called evasive maneuvers on the way to whatever their destination was.

Blinking hard, she willed the tears to dry up.

She couldn’t be emotional when she talked to BD or he’d discount her arguments.

Ayla needed to be calm and sound rational.

She could do it. She’d spent the last seven years working in public relations.

If she could persuade high level executives about how to handle a situation, she could convince an Army officer to save her sister. She hoped.

Ayla took a deep breath. Her best strategy was to focus on the benefits to the Green Berets. Luckily, Oz was quiet, keeping his attention on the ridiculous amount of traffic they were dealing with in Trujillo, and that gave her a chance to think.

Despite what she suspected was a lot of extra driving, Ayla wasn’t ready when Oz pulled to the curb in front of the pink and yellow house he’d brought her to the first day she arrived.

Maybe she was still marshaling her arguments, but she couldn’t afford to waste time.

Delay only left her sister in danger. She reached for the door handle.

“Stay inside the car until I come around,” Oz told her.

They didn’t run, but they were in the house quickly. The kitchen was every bit as bad as she remembered. “Do we go to the office?” she asked, keeping her tone polite.

“Ayla—” Oz stopped short. “Come on.”

They entered the dining room with the large table and the benches.

The man seated there looked up as they entered.

If she didn’t know he was a Green Beret, Ayla might have grabbed Oz’s hand.

This man, with his dark hair and brooding intensity, left her unnerved.

His gaze only rested on her for a moment before going to Oz. “Dude.”

“Later, Ski,” Oz said, not slowing as he led her through the room and into the hallway.

The door to the office was open, but Oz knocked lightly anyway and didn’t move until a voice said, “Enter.”

BD sat at the makeshift desk she recalled from the last time she’d been here. His gaze slid to her and then returned to Oz. “Care to explain to me what you’re doing here?”

Ayla wished she had a clue what kind of rank BD held, but she didn’t, and unwilling to hazard an incorrect guess, she decided not to use one.

He seemed more intimidating than ever. Squaring her shoulders, she pretended he was the executive director of the Paladin League.

If she could deal with the Queen Bitch, she could handle this man.

She stepped forward and said, “We found my sister, but there was security around the location. Oz was unwilling to leave me unprotected to investigate further.”

BD raised his eyebrows and turned his attention to Oz.

“Excuse me, sir. I’m the person giving the report,” Ayla said. “It’s a subdivision south of Trujillo. The home is deep inside and toward the end. My sister is on the second floor of a room at the back of the house.”

“If you didn’t investigate, how do you know?” BD asked.

Ayla struggled to remain impassive, but she messed up already, damn it. She ignored the question. “Oz identified three security cameras in the yard and suggested there were other measures in place.”

Before she could continue, BD stood, leaned his hips against the table behind him, and crossed his arms over his chest. “How do you know ?” he repeated.

“You’ve theorized that my sister overheard something about arms dealing and that’s why she disappeared. Rescuing Io means you can question her. If she knows something useful, it will help you complete your mission.”

BD’s brows went up again. “Mission?”

“The Army sent you here for a reason.” Ayla was fairly certain why they were in Puerto Jardin, but ultimately she was guessing.

She needed to hope she was right. “They want you to stop the flow of illegal arms. If Io has information, you might be able to accomplish your goal more quickly and save lives.”

Now BD’s brows came down, but his glare was directed at Oz.

“I didn’t tell her anything,” he said quickly. “We went to San Isidro. Senora Alvarez…” As his voice trailed off, Oz shrugged.

Ayla drew a deep breath as BD’s gaze bore into her. When he spoke, she knew how he’d ended up as an officer. “What you know could get people killed.”

“You can rely on my discretion,” she said. “I understand your cover must remain intact. Back to my sister. The longer we wait to check out the site, the greater the chance that she’s moved to a new location.”

“They won’t move her while there’s daylight, not in that neighborhood,” Oz said. “If she’s there.”

Oz was standing close enough for Ayla to nudge him with her elbow. He didn’t have to tack on that last part, not when BD already appeared skeptical.

“Ms. Desmond, I’m asking you this question for the third time. If you evade it again, I will be getting my report from the Wizard and not from you. How do you know your sister is in that house?”

The minute she admitted she’d sensed it, Ayla would lose any chance of BD sending his men to that house.

She’d lose any chance of saving her twin.

It had already been a week. How much longer would the kidnappers keep Io alive?

But if she didn’t answer, BD would turn to Oz and he would have no hesitation about giving the full details.

She was in PR. She knew how to deal with this type of situation—acknowledge concerns, validate them, address objections, and find common ground.

Piece of cake. Sure.

“I felt my sister’s presence in that house.

” BD’s expression was exactly what Ayla expected.

“I understand your concerns, sir,” she replied.

“It’s not tangible evidence and you have no reason to believe in something you can’t independently confirm.

I understand it would take time and resources, but what about reconnaissance? It wouldn’t hurt to take a look.”

“You’re asking me to send a team on a recon mission because you had a feeling ?”

“Yes, sir, I am. I have every confidence that a team of Green Berets could be in and out without anyone seeing them. If my sister isn’t there, no one ever has to know about the trip. If she is there, then you might be able to get information to help your mission after you rescue Io.”

BD stared at her, face impassive, before he turned to Oz. “What do you have to say about this?”

Ayla’s heart sank. Oz would heap his own disbelief on top of BD’s and no one would check on the situation. If her sister died, she would never, ever forgive Oz even if she had to spend the next eighteen years dealing with him because of their child.

“It was the only house in the entire network of neighborhoods with any security, and those cameras I spotted were cutting edge. Not something you’d see installed on a residential property,” Oz said. “It might be worth taking a look around.”

Her gaze flew to Oz. He hadn’t thrown her under the bus. He’d backed her up.

He’d backed her up!

The relief was short-lived. Oz might have ulterior motives. She needed to stay on guard.