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  “Rusty, what is Ace doing?” she asked without taking her eyes off the screen.

  “He’s trying to draw them out.”

  “By getting killed?” Her heart was banging against her ribcage. She drew in air, but her chest just seemed to get tighter. “They are going to kill him, Rusty.” Her voice was thick with unshed tears.

  “We have our people in there, Sierra. He’ll be fine.”

  But Rusty did not understand. He didn’t know these people. They could spray Ace full of bullets right there and there would be no consequence. They’d bought so many people, not just police officers, but top politicians. Senator Coleman was a case in point.

  Almost beside herself, Sierra took a deep breath and let it out. She repeated that three more times until she had regained a semblance of control.

  Why would Ace do something so stupid, so outrageous? Did he not care about her even a little? She covered her mouth with her hands and did nothing to stop the tears that rolled down her face as she watched the scene play out at El Torero.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Janey sat at the passenger’s side of the car and stared out the window. Her mind was in turmoil. She thought back to the scene just before she’d left for the airport. She’d just gotten off the phone with her brothers and their reactions had disturbed her deeply. She had tried telling them that Diane was in trouble and they had both dismissed her fears. It had seemed to her as though they did not care at all. As far as they were concerned, if Diane had decided that she did not have a family anymore, that was how it was going to be. Liam had even said as much.

  Janey felt the stab in her heart at the hardness that had been in his voice. True, Diane hadn’t done right, but to just abandon her like that? It made her think hard. Would they turn their backs on her that way too? Then to top it all, her fiancé had more or less issued an ultimatum when she’d mentioned that she would be away and had no idea when she was returning. She did not plan to return to Oklahoma without her sister. He had asked her to choose.

  Her eyes felt hot. She brushed them with the back of her hand. There was no moisture, but that was because she had mastered the art of crying in reverse. Her tears dropped inside, instead of outside, at least that was what she made herself believe.

  She had chosen her sister, of course. Because Janey hoped with all her heart that if she were ever in trouble, there would be people who would drop everything to get to her.

  “Tough trip?”

  The voice pulled her back to the present and Janey shifted her gaze to the man who was driving the car. He had introduced himself as Drew Campbell. She smiled and shrugged.

  “It was okay, I guess.”

  He threw a brief glance her way before focusing once more on the road. “Any word about your sister?”

  She tensed, then forced herself to relax. Diane had asked her to seek these people out, so they must be okay. Right? Her eyes felt gritty from lack of sleep and she was tired of turning things around in her head.

  “No, I haven’t heard anything yet.”

  “Hmm…” He expertly maneuvered the vehicle around the building traffic.

  Janey turned back to the window beside her. Chicago was so different from her town. Broken Arrow was a small town, but it was home, and if she drove just a few minutes out of town, she could see miles and miles of wilderness, which she’d loved to explore as a child. Chicago was more of an urban jungle. Each way she turned there were people and cars and buildings. These things felt stifling to her. So many buildings and vehicles and people, it almost had her feeling claustrophobic. Much more time here and she would lose her ability to breathe, she thought dourly.

  “We will find your sister.”

  The quiet conviction in his voice had her swinging her head to look at him. She could not contain the gratitude and relief that were rising in her, but she did not want to hope.

  “Really?”

  His eyes met hers then, and she knew that this was not a man who made promises lightly. He returned his attention to the road.

  “Really.”

  Janey expelled a sigh of relief. “I need to find Sierra Newman. Diane said…I’m to give her something.”

  Drew nodded. “We’ll be with her soon.”

  Janey had her hands in her lap. She clenched them now, determined not to show any reaction. Once she got the USB drive to Sierra, she would be going off to Washington. She had to find her sister.

  **

  Sierra was mad at Ace. He could see it from the way she steadfastly refused to meet his eyes. And the way she did not say anything to him directly. She acted that way all through last night. As soon as he got back from El Torero the night before, she had taken one look at him, scanning him all over. He felt her gaze linger on the injury on his face. Then she’d turned abruptly and gone back inside.

  Ace had wanted to go after her, but he had to debrief and settle a few more details with the rest of the team. By the time he’d made his way to the room she was occupying, she’d fallen asleep.

  But now they were in the command center, making preparations for an imminent attack from the Abrantes Dukes.

  “What I don’t get is how the senator’s people knew to expect you, but the Abrantes Dukes didn’t.”

  All eyes swung to Sierra.

  “What are you saying?” Emily asked.

  Sierra shrugged. “There could only be two explanations.” She looked deep in thought. “Three actually. Either there’s a spy camera or listening device somewhere around…”

  But Rusty was already shaking his head even before she stopped speaking. “We’ve swept the place over and over. It’s clean.”

  She nodded. “I thought it would be. So that leaves my two explanations. Either the person who spilled the beans is working for the senator and not the Abrantes or,” she paused a beat, “Or that person was absent when you planned the visit to El Torero. Or could be both actually,” she shrugged.

  Sierra watched them do the mental calculations. She’d been mulling the problem over in her mind the entire day. Something had niggled and it had taken some elementary journalism for her to see the truth. It was not always easy to see what was right before one’s eyes, especially if there was a leaning towards bias. So she’d gotten rid of the bias and a world of possibilities suddenly opened up before her.

  She kept her eyes on Ace and saw when the answer hit him. He got up with such force that he knocked over his chair. Without a word, he strode to where Ryan was sitting. Grabbed a fistful of his clothing and jerked the big man to his feet.

  “Motherfucker!” And Ace planted his fist into Ryan’s face.

  Everyone stood up at the same time as a ripple of shock went through the room.

  “How the hell can you live with yourself? Why the hell did you do it?” Ace slammed the other man against the wall.

  Ryan just stood there. He did not fight back. He did not even say a word.

  Rusty and Tamika hurried over.

  “Ace, you need to let him go.” Tamika got right in Ace’s face.

  “I’m going to kill him!”

  “Ace, c’mon!”

  Ace kept hitting Ryan. “Fight. Defend yourself, dammit!”

  Sierra sat frozen to her seat for several moments, then galvanized into action, she rushed towards the fray. With the others trying to tear both men apart, she had to think fast. Quick as lightening, she found an opening and stood between both men, her back to Ryan.

  “What the…” Ace paused, his clenched fist in midair. He would have hit Sierra square in the face. “Get out, Sierra.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “I need to kill him!”

  Sierra lifted a hand and touched his jawline. Her action was tender and it seemed to pull the fight out of Ace. He held her gaze.

  “Ace, I need you to calm down.”

  Everyone else had stopped talking and all attention was focused on Sierra and Ace. Ace still had a death grip on Ryan, who looked like he’d just come out of a h
ead-on collision with an eighteen wheeler.

  “I’m calm.”

  She looked into the storm raging in his eyes and shook her head.

  “Step aside, Sierra.”

  “Ace, please. I’m begging you.”

  Ace shut his eyes. Then he suddenly let go of his grip on Ryan. He lifted his hands to show that he was not holding on anymore and turned away. Sierra sighed in relief and moved a few steps away. Then before she could see it coming he spun around and landed a heavy blow to Ryan.

  “Ace!”

  “What the hell!”

  “Bloody hell, man!”

  Everyone yelled simultaneously. Ryan went down, completely out. Ace stared at the unconscious man on the floor then turned and walked out without a word.

  Out on the terrace, Ace lit a cigarette. He had lost control in there. That had never happened to him before. But the thought that Sierra had been put in harm’s way because of that man…

  He puffed on the stick and blew it out. Puffed a second time, then ground out the cigarette. That was the second time in just days that he was smoking. This case was taking a toll on him.

  “Why were you so mad?”

  He tensed at the voice behind him. He knew it was Sierra. Even if he did not have the sound of her voice committed to memory, he would know her scent anywhere.

  “You were out of control, Ace. Do you want Emily to pull you off the case?”

  Ace kept his back to her, deliberately refusing to face her. He did not want her to see how badly he was affected.

  “Damn it, Ace! At least answer me.”

  When he still ignored her, she moved closer to him and pulled on his arm.

  “What?” he snapped.

  “I’m talking to you, Sailor.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “Do you realize that he probably set you up in West Virginia?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you’re okay with that?” He could not believe what he was hearing.

  “Maybe not, but I know Ryan. He must have had a really good reason.”

  Ace just gaped at her. What reason could be good enough to betray his friend in this way? He was beginning to see that she had a strong sense of loyalty to those she loved, but it was misplaced in this case.

  “People change.” He felt compelled to tell her.

  “Maybe so. But I know Ryan.”

  Her conviction and unwavering belief in the man were beginning to drive Ace crazy. She had been willing to put herself in the path of his fist for that bastard.

  Ace reached out and dragged Sierra to himself. Her body was flush against his. “Why have you been avoiding me?”

  “Seriously? You want us to do this now?” He could hear the exasperation in her voice, but he was past caring.

  “Yes.”

  She sighed and met his gaze. “You went to El Torero.”

  Ace closed his eyes briefly and opened them again. He hadn’t wanted her to know. He dropped his hand from around her waist and took a step back.

  “I had to go,” he said.

  “Dammit, Ace, you went to El Torero!”

  Ace saw anger mixed with pain flash in her eyes.

  “Sierra….”

  “No.” She lifted a hand to stop him. “Going to El Torero as well as what you did in there?” She gestured to the door behind them. “That was unacceptable. You need to find your control.”

  Her gaze met his and held. After a few moments, she closed the distance between them. Then lifted herself to plant a kiss on his cheek before leaving.

  Ace watched her walk back the way she’d come and knew she was right. He had been operating from a place of emotions and it was sheer dumb luck that he was still standing. And dumb luck could only take him so far. It was time to get his shit together.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Drew glanced through his rearview mirror. He switched lanes, keeping left on I-90 W. The traffic was beginning to build up. He pressed on the gas, zigzagging. His exit was a few miles ahead and his internal danger signal was buzzing like mad.

  “Is everything okay?” his companion asked, a slightly nervous tone in her voice.

  “Fasten your seat belt,” was all he said. He had his eyes darting from the mirror and back to the road.

  Almost out of nowhere, there was a sudden jam on the highway. Drew hit the brakes and stifled a curse as the car slowed to a crawl. They were moving, but barely. His eyes fixed on the cars behind him through the rear mirror, he noticed that the cars tailing him were now directly behind him.

  He first noticed that they were being followed almost as soon as they left Midway airport. He thought he’d managed to shake them off, but they showed up again and this time, there was a third vehicle.

  The traffic began to move. One of the cars tried to come along side Drew.

  “I want you to open the glove compartment and hand me the gun.”

  Janey shot him a nervous look before slowly opening the glove compartment. She passed the gun to him. He noticed the slight tremor in her hands.

  “What’s going on?”

  “We’ve got company.”

  He watched as the pursuing car gained speed. The back window slowly went down and Drew found himself staring at the muzzle of a revolver.

  “Put your head on your knees and whatever you do, don’t look up.” He spoke tersely.

  Janey nodded and put her head on her knees.

  Drew scanned the area. In front of him, cars were moving, even though the highway was quite busy that time of the day. He noted the other car edging to the side of their car on the other side. So they were trying to sandwich him. Interesting.

  He kept his eyes on the one that had suddenly come alongside him; the one with the gun. He needed to make his move at just the right moment. In this game, timing was everything. He waited, keeping steady pace, neither increasing nor decreasing his speed. Then suddenly, he hit his brakes and swerved to the right, changing lanes without warning.

  There was a loud bang as a gun went off. Tires screeched and the sharp sound of metal hitting metal as two cars that were behind him collided. He saw that one of the cars that was following them had lost control and hit the concrete barrier on the side of the road. That one was out of commission for sure, which left one more nuisance. If he did not change lanes again, he would miss his exit. Without warning, he switched lanes again, causing more honking.

  He looked at his mirror and noticed that the cars were closing in.

  “Do you know anything about guns?” he asked the woman who still had her head down.

  “Yes.”

  “Can you hit a target?”

  She lifted her head and gave him a cool look, which he saw from the corner of his eyes. “If you need me to shoot something for you just ask.”

  He shot a look her way, then handed the gun back to her. “Take out their tires.”

  He heard her take a deep breath and let it out in a rush. Then she took off her seatbelt and climbed on her seat.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  She did not reply but instead crawled to the back seat. What was the woman doing? Drew began to think he had made a mistake by asking her to handle the other car. He should have given her the wheel instead.

  He noticed that she kept the weapon down so that it was not visible from outside. When she crouched at the back and slowly lowered the glass, he realized that she might know what she was doing.

  Drew waited a few tense minutes and yet nothing happened. They were approaching the exit now.

  “Woman, are you waiting for that gun to fire itself?”

  “You will not address me that way again,” she said coolly without sparing him a look.

  He opened his mouth to reply when he heard the gunshots. Two, in rapid succession. The car that had been tailing them suddenly careened, spinning out of control as it collided with two other vehicles.

  “You shot off two tires?” He could not believe it.

  She crawled back to the front seat as he took the
exit. “I grew up on a farm. I learned how to handle myself,” she said as she returned the gun to the glove compartment.

  “I’m impressed,” he said as he flashed her a smile.

  “That’s all of them, right?”

  He glanced at his rearview mirror as he took the exit on to Ohio Street. No suspicious vehicles on their tail. “Yeah.”

  She slipped on her seat belt and turned to stare at him. Drew could feel her looking at him.

  “What now?”

  “Is this sort of thing the norm with you guys?”

  He thought about it. Most of their jobs were usually mundane bodyguard duties, offering protection to those who could afford their services like celebrities or some rich businessman. People who did not really need protecting from anything except their fame. But every once in a while, they had cases like Sierra Newman. Now, that was an interesting woman. Ace was going to have his hands full with that one.

  He shrugged. “Not usually.”

  “I’m actually feeling a bit high,” she confessed with a grimace.

  “It’s the adrenalin. But you were cool under pressure. You’d make a good military person.”

  “Thanks, I think.” She turned to look out the window, lapsing into silence.

  He sensed the shift in her mood. “What’s up?”

  “Those were the senator’s people, weren’t they?”

  Drew had his suspicions, but he had no way of proving them just yet. “I’m not really sure.”

  She shook her head and turned to him. “I’m scared.”

  Drew switched lanes twice, then turned onto another street. He turned to give Janey a measured stare before returning his attention to the road.

  “Talk to me.”

  “You think my sister is dead, don’t you?”

  He opened his mouth to tell her that her sister was definitely still alive and they would find her, but he could not in all honesty say that with certainty. So he opted for the truth.

  “I don’t know. But we will find out what has happened to her. That much I can promise you.”

  She glanced at her hands then lifted her head. “I guess I’ll have to make do with that.”