Colin nodded. His mind was busy calculating his chances, and the choice between making a stand here or out in the alley. Would this man have any real answers for him? Or was he just there to stop Colins questions for good?
Get up. Slowly, por favor.
Colin found himself leaning more toward the idea that this hombre wanted to kill him, not talk. The thought chilled him to the bone. His brother must be dead after all.
Numb and heartsick, Colin shifted and slid out of the booth. The man at his side grabbed his arm and jammed the gun in his ribs.
Now walk. Nice and easy, sí?
A commotion in the front of the bar caught everyones attention. Colin and his captor slowed then stopped dead.
Colin, darlin. A high-pitched female voice lilted through the barroom. Dont you dare walk away from me, youyouIve got something to say to you.
Colin turned and blinked at the sight of Maggie shoving her way through the tables and heading directly for him. She looked like an avenging angel, storming through the bar patrons, who all watched her every move. An angel in a familiar, pea-green coat. He wanted to warn her to stay away but hesitated to make any quick moves. Instead, he waited for a chance to take control of the situation. Colin knew he could wrestle the gun away from the smaller man at his side if all things were equal, but he didnt want anyone else to get hurt.
Particularly not Maggie.
She stormed up and raised her voice so she could be heard throughout the bar. Colin Fairfax, you come home with me right this minute. How dare you leave just when I was telling you about the baby.
What?
Maggie grimaced and shoved
at his chest. Come on. Stand up like a man. Lets go home and face the music together. She grabbed his arm and tugged him away from the stunned gunman.
Colin shot a glance at the guy and saw the mans mouth had dropped open. Colin knew exactly how he felt. What the hell kind of game was she playing?
A dangerous one.
Maggie pulled him toward the front door. Every eye in the place was locked on the two of them.
Maggie, he whispered in her ear. The guy has a gun pointed at us and no one is watching him now. We need to disappear before he figures it out.
They both hit the door at a run. Maggie leaned against it and shoved. Just as daylight and cold city air blasted him in the face, the zing of a bullet whizzed past his ear and hit the front window. Glass shattered everywhere.
Bending, he threw his arm over Maggies head and shuffled the two of them out the door as fast as he could. Move!
As they hit the sidewalk, he took control and grabbed her arm. Lets go. Run.
She started off without a word, managing to keep up with him as he dashed along the packed sidewalk. They ran full out and pushed through midday crowds until they were both out of breath.
Panting, he slowed after theyd gone about five blocks. What the hell did you think you were doing? he gritted out.
Maggie turned and gave him a sweet smile. Why, Colin darlin, you know the answer to that. I was saving your idiotic ass. What else?
The head of the notorious drug cartel leaned back in his cushioned chair and looked around the veranda. The men in his employ either ate, drank or played cards as they lay around and waited to do his bidding.
All his money. The power he had accumulated. It would all mean nothing if the one man with more power learned of his past foolish mistake. In fact, his whole life would be worthless.
Ten years it had taken. He had worked hard and smart enough to climb to the top of one of the largest Mexican drug cartels. It would be too humiliating to have it come down around his ears, all because he had needed to take one small bit of revenge.
In truth, hed managed to become the jefethe bossby demanding respect, and everyone knew that respect must be maintained.
No one blamed him because his organization had been infiltrated by an international undercover operation. Those agents had had their jobs to do, and he had his. All is fair in such wars. In fact, when hed learned of their operationfortunately before much damage could be done to his own organizationhe felt respect for the men who had planned such a daring sting.
Respect for everyone but the traitor whod become his lieutenant. Sighing, he thought once again of Juan. Juan, whod been like a son to him. Better even than his own sons, because the man had had polish. Juan had accomplished things that his sons and nephews could not. It had been Juan who negotiated the money exchanges with higher-ups, Juan who bought and sold the real properties, Juan who could talk to the patrones and the politicians with more culture and power. Without Juan, the jefes connection with the big boss, Governor Garcia, would never have happened. His cartel wouldve been much less powerful.
Congenial and smart, Juan had been a tremendous help. The very idea that hed been a spy all that time still rankled.
Jefe, the hombre you wait for, was that him on the phone? El Cuervo de la Muerte? The Raven of Death? Carlos, one of his men, had sucked up enough courage to interrupt the bosss thoughts.