Wise man. Gabriel didnt tell him what Sara did for amusement. It really wouldnt do to sell her out to the enemy. He hesitated and glanced toward the street. Theres a rumor going around.
Wolf turned his head. What rumor?
Ysera got away, he reminded the other man. Weve searched for over a year, you know. One of Ebs men thinks he saw her, at a small farm outside Buenos Aires. With a man we both remember from the old days.
Wolfs face tightened as if hed been shot. Any intel on why shes there?
Gabriel nodded grimly. Revenge, he said simply. His eyes narrowed. You need to hire on a couple of extra men. Shed have your throat slit if she could.
Id return the favor if I could do it legally, Wolf returned with faint venom.
Gabriel slid his hands into his jeans pockets. So would the rest of us. But youre the one in danger, if she really is still alive.
Wolf didnt like remembering the woman, or the things hed done because of her lies. He still had nightmares. His eyes had a cold, faraway look. I thought she was dead. I hoped... he confessed quietly.
Its hard to kill a big snake, the other man said flatly. Just...be careful.
Watch your own back, Wolf replied.
I always do. He wanted to tell the other man about Sara, to warn him off, to avert a tragedy in the making. But his friend didnt seem really interested in Sara, and he was reluctant to share intimate details of Saras past with her worst enemy. It was a decision that would have consequences. He didnt realize how many, at the time.
CHAPTER TWO
GABRIEL WENT BACK to work, and Sara had a weekend jaunt to the Wyoming ranch with Michelle during spring break. Then Michelle went back to school, and Sara went shopping in downtown San Antonio.
Sara shopped for spring clothes and then tried on mantillas in the huge Mercado in San Antonio, enjoying the sounds and smells of the market. A few minutes later, she took her purchases to the River Walk and sat down at a small table, watching the boats go by. It was April. The weather was warm and dry, and flowers were appearing in the planters all around the café. It was one of her favorite places.
She put her purse under the table and leaned back, her beautiful hair rippling with the movement. She had on black slacks and loafers and a candy-pink blouse that emphasized her exquisite complexion. Her black eyes danced as she listened to a strolling mariachi band.
She moved her chair to accommodate two men sitting down behind her. One of them was Wolf Patterson. Her heart jumped. She rushed to finish her cappuccino, gathered her bags and went to pay for it at the counter.
Running away? a silky, deep voice asked at the back of her head.
I was finished with my coffee, she said stiffly, smiling and thanking the clerk as she was handed her change.
When she turned, he was blocking the way out. His pale eyes were flashing with hostility. He looked as if hed have liked to fry her on a griddle.
She swallowed down the nervousness that always assailed her when he was close. She tried to step back, but there was no place to go. Her huge, beautiful eyes widened with apprehension.
When does your brother get back? he asked.
Im not sure, she said. He thinks maybe by the weekend.
He nodded. His eyes narrowed on her face. What are you afraid of? he asked half under his breath.
Not a thing, Mr. Patterson, she replied. Because Im not your type.
Damned straight.
She was ready to try to push past him, frustrated beyond rational behavior, when one of his companions called to him.
While he was diverted, she slipped to the side of him, and went out of the area at a dead run. She didnt even care if people stared.
* * *
THERE WAS A ballet later in the week. She loved the ballet. She loved the color, the costumes, the lighting, all of it. Shed studied the art in her childhood. At one time, shed dreamed of being a prima ballerina. But the long years of training and the sacrifices the role demanded were too much for a young girl just discovering life.
Those had been good days. Her father had still been alive. Her mother had been kind, if distant. She remembered the happy times theyd had together with a bittersweet smile. How different her life might have been if their father had lived.
But looking back served no real purpose, she told herself. Such as her life was, she had to try to cope.
She sat down in her seat near the front of the concert hall, smiling as she looked at the program. The prima ballerina was an acquaintance of hers, a sweet girl who loved her job and didnt mind the long hours and sacrifice that went along with it. Lisette was pretty, too, blonde and tall as a beanpole, with eyes as big and dark as chestnuts.
The ballet was Swan Lake, one of her absolute favorites. The costumes were eye-catching, the performers exquisite, the music almost enchanted. She smiled, her heart swelling as she anticipated the delightful performance.
She heard movement nearby and almost had a coronary when she saw Wolf Patterson and yet another beautiful blonde moving into the seats beside hers. She actually groaned.