Navy SEAL Captive (10 page)

Quentin, Duff and Montana all exchanged sheepish grins.

Natalie snagged the shirtsleeve with the tip of the knife and yanked it up, ripping the sleeve away from his arm and exposing the wound. Still holding the knife, she nodded toward Carly. “Your turn.”

Carly eyed the knife and the woman. “You sure you're not going to use that knife on anything else?”

Natalie laughed. “Do I look like that much of a badass?”

Carly and Jenna nodded and answered as one. “Yes.”

Duff glanced up at Natalie. “It wasn't just me.” And he winked, reaching out to pat her bottom.

“I'll leave Carly to it, then.” Natalie handed the knife to Quentin and walked away. “Silly men.”

Jenna only half listened to the banter, her gaze following Sawyer as he paced the interior of the lounge. A deep frown creased his forehead, and he kept looking at Duff's injured arm. Finally he spun toward the stairs and descended to the lower level of the yacht.

Jenna hesitated at the top of the stairs before going down.

She located him by the harsh sound of his voice, talking fast and angry.

He'd gone into the storage room with the hidden arsenal, leaving the door slightly ajar.

“Get him on the phone now. Tell him it's an emergency. I don't care if he's with the president himself. Do it!” A few moments of silence stretched by.

Jenna decided to let him know she was there and had just reached for the door to open it wider when Sawyer spoke again.

“What the hell did you do?”

For a moment Jenna thought he was talking to her, but he had his back to her, his phone pressed to his ear, his body rigid.

“Don't even pretend to be ignorant. I'm on my damn vacation with a couple of my teammates in Cancún, and I'm getting shot at. When I chase down some of the drug cartel to find out who's responsible, I overhear them talking about Senator Houston's son. Ringing any bells yet? Did you get on the wrong side of a drug cartel in Mexico? Because if you did, you'd better let me know now. One of my guys took a bullet today. And an innocent woman is now being targeted, as well. If she or any of my men are seriously injured or killed, I swear I'll...”

Jenna's cheeks warmed at his mention of her. Guilt at eavesdropping forced her to take a step backward. She could wait to talk to Sawyer after he'd finished his call. Clearly, he'd gone below to complete the call in private.

She took another step backward, her heel catching on something. Jenna teetered and lost her balance, her arms flailing as she fell over a scuba tank, toppling it and the one beside it, making a loud metal clanging sound.

Sawyer threw open the door and glared down at her. To the person on the other end of the conversation, he said, “Great. Just what I wanted to hear. I'll be in touch once I nail the bastard trying to kill me. And mark my words, I'll get to the bottom of this.”

Sawyer hit the end button, reached for her hand and pulled her off the floor and into his arms. “How much of that did you hear?”

Her cheeks burned. “Enough.”

He hugged her close, holding her tightly against him, crushing the air out of her lungs. For a long moment he held her this way.

Jenna wrapped her arms around his waist and told herself she didn't need to breathe as badly as Sawyer apparently needed to be held.

When she thought she might have to remind him she needed air, he finally loosened his hold and lifted his head to stare down into her eyes. “Duff took a bullet for me.” He ran a hand through his hair, standing it on end. “Hell, any one of us could have been killed today. I asked myself why anyone would target me. I'm just a SEAL.” He snorted. “Just goes to prove you can't leave your past behind when your past refuses to go away.”

“This has to do with you being the son of Senator Houston.” She didn't pose it as a question.

“You knew?”

Jenna shook her head. “Not until a little while ago when Lance pulled you up on a screen and showed us who you really are.”

Sawyer frowned. “It's a shame kids can't choose their parents. I wanted to be known for who I am, not for who my father is. He wasn't even a good father or role model. What I've done, I've earned on my own.”

Jenna nodded. “I can't imagine the navy SEALs cutting any candidate slack, no matter who their parents are.”

“Damn right. Either you make it on your own or you wash out.”

“And you made it on your own,” she said softly, glad he was sharing with her. His fierce expression told her he needed to vent more tension.

“But my father's life is still haunting me. Devita's men mentioned the son of a senator. They had to be talking about me. Frankly it's the only explanation for why I've been targeted and no one else has.”

Jenna frowned. “I can understand bringing you in alive. The cartel could stand to make a lot of money off your ransom. But to kill you?” Jenna tightened her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his chest. “Why would they kill someone who could be lucrative to them?”

“It's easier to kill someone than to bring him in alive. If they were offered money to kill me, why take the time to kidnap me and hold me for ransom? My father is known for his stance on terrorism. He doesn't negotiate with terrorists. I'm sure he wouldn't even consider paying a ransom for a son he never gave a damn about.”

Jenna glanced up at him. “Your father has to love you. Surely he would offer the money they would demand.”

Sawyer's jaw tightened. “You don't know my father. He never got to know his only son. He wasn't there for my birth, my first baseball game or my high school graduation. The only times he spoke to me were to point out my faults and tell me how disappointed he was that I chose to enter the navy. And he was even more disapproving of my decision to train to be a SEAL.”

Jenna didn't know how to respond to Sawyer's description of his father. Her own had been there for her throughout her life. He'd been there to walk her down the aisle and had been the one to hustle her out of the church so she could avoid the embarrassment of facing all those people who'd come for her wedding. He was the rock in her life, and she loved him dearly.

“Come on.” His lips twisted into a frown. “I have to break it to the team that I'm not who they thought I was.”

“Don't be so hard on yourself. You're the man they know now.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “Thanks. We really have to get past this mess. You deserve a better time than being stuck fighting a battle you didn't start.”

She gave him a lopsided smile. “What would I do with my time in Cancún? There's only so much sun a girl can absorb before she's completely sunburned and stuck inside, bored beyond redemption.” Jenna squeezed his hand. “And the thing is, I'm not bored.”

“Nor are you boring.” Taking her hand in his, he led her up the stairs into the lounge. “Guys, I have something to say.”

Duff pushed to his feet, his arm bandaged neatly. “You finally gonna tell everyone who the hell you are?”

Sawyer nodded.

Quentin and Montana looked on expectantly.

“You all might have heard of US Senator Rand Houston.”

Montana nodded. “Sure. He's your father.”

“Yeah,” Quentin said. “But we never held it against you. You can handle an M4A1 like nobody's business.”

Sawyer's fingers loosened on Jenna's hand. “You knew?”

Quentin shared a glance with Montana and then Duff. “Sure. Every man on the team knows. So? What difference does it make?”

Jenna tried hard not to smile. She could feel Sawyer's relief in the way he held her hand. Her heart swelled for the love these men had for each other. What a great team to be a part of.

Sawyer pushed his shoulders back. “What difference it makes is that whoever is after me wants me because I'm the senator's son.”

Chapter Ten

In the yacht's vault arsenal, Sawyer dismantled the submachine gun he'd used earlier, to clean it in preparation for the next operation. He found that working with his hands was therapeutic.

After a while, Duff entered with his hand pressed to the bandages on his arm. “You all right, buddy?”

“I'm fine.” Sawyer ran a cloth over the barrel.

“I told you it was a flesh wound.” Duff picked up the bolt and a soft cotton cloth and began rubbing oil into the metal.

Sawyer snorted. “I can't believe everyone knew who my father was and didn't let on.”

Duff shrugged. “Wasn't important.”

“Seems pretty important now. While you three should be enjoying a much-deserved vacation, you're getting shot at and chased by killers.”

Duff smiled. “A typical day in the lives of us SEALs, wouldn't you say?” He handed the cleaned bolt back to Sawyer.

Sawyer inserted the bolt into the gun, fit the retainer pin and finished reassembling. When he had the weapon complete, he set it on the counter. “None of you should have to deal with my problems.”

Duff's eyes narrowed. “Are you saying we aren't good enough to cover your six?”

“No, hell no. You're the best. But this isn't your mission.”

“Like hell it's not. If one of us were targeted by a killer, you would have our backs. It's no different.”

“But none of you are sons of a senator. Because I am, I bring an unnecessary element of risk to the team.”

“And if I were to piss off a terrorist, and that terrorist decided he wanted revenge, you and the rest of the team wouldn't desert me because I was the only one targeted by the terrorist. You'd stand and fight with me.” Again Duff shook his head. “You aren't alone in this. No matter what reason this killer has to place you in his crosshairs, you're one of us. We've got your back.”

Sawyer faced his friend. This man had been through everything with him. From BUD/S training to multiple missions all over the world in some of the most dangerous, godforsaken situations.

Duff stuck out his hand. “We're in this together. Like it or not.”

“Thanks.” Sawyer grasped his forearm and pulled him into a quick hug.

“You two wanna join us up here?” Quentin called down the stairs.

Duff turned and led the way out of the arsenal and up to the lounge.

Sawyer followed, his heart swelling with the knowledge he had the best friends in the world. Friends who were the family he'd never had.

Everyone was gathered in the lounge.

Sawyer's gaze sought Jenna's. She returned his glance with a steady one of her own.

He took comfort in knowing she was there and safe.

Jenna and Carly stood on the periphery of the group gathered around Lance at his laptop. Sawyer joined them and leaned over the computer guru's shoulder to stare at the screen.

“My boss tapped into the CIA computers and found some information on Devita.” Lance had a report pulled up and was skimming through it, the cursor moving along as he read. “Apparently Devita frequents a certain bar at one of the resort hotels, and he has a weakness for beautiful women.”

“What bar?” Sawyer asked.

“It's at the Playa del Sol north of Cancún. He's a regular on Friday nights.”

“What's today?” Sawyer asked. So much had happened, he'd lost track.

“Friday,” Natalie supplied.

“Then let's go.” Sawyer spun toward the door.

“Not so fast,” Lance said. “This report says he takes a twenty-man contingent with him each time he goes. They check every man at the door and only allow women to enter unheeded.”

“Sounds like you need me to get in,” Natalie said.

Duff's brow dipped. “You aren't going in alone.”

Jenna stepped forward. “I'll go.”

“Me, too.” Carly joined her friend. “What do we have to do?”

“All you would have to do is plant a tracking device on Devita,” Lance said. “We can pinpoint his location without the ladies having to get any closer to the man.”

“No way,” Sawyer said.

“Agreed.” Duff puffed out his chest. “The man has been known to deal in human trafficking. Three beautiful women might be too tempting a target for him to resist.”

“It's a resort hotel,” Jenna argued. “Surely they have some security of their own to keep their guests safe from being kidnapped and sold into slavery. Otherwise, the trip reports would tag them as dangerous.”

“Right,” Carly added. “You heard Lance. All we have to do is get the tracking device into Devita's pocket. Then we can leave.”

Irritated, Sawyer turned his attention back to Lance and the monitor. “Show me the map.”

Lance brought up the map of the Yucatán Peninsula and pointed at the red dot that was the location of Playa del Sol.

Sawyer studied the image. “There's only one road in and out of that resort. They could easily set up a roadblock and take you ladies out.”

“Then we go in by boat.” Natalie pointed at the blue on the map. “It would probably be faster, anyway, and the shoreline provides a lot more room to maneuver should we be chased.”

Sawyer glared at Jenna. “You've already done enough for me. I won't have you risking your life again.”

She tilted her chin and smiled at him, making him want to grab and kiss her, despite her pigheadedness. “You don't have a choice. But I do. If I want to help, you can't stop me.”

Sawyer turned to Natalie. “Don't take her.”

Natalie patted Sawyer's cheek. “You can't give orders to us. We aren't in your military, sweetheart.”

“Damn it!” Sawyer pounded his fist into his other palm. “Devita is a very dangerous man. Isn't anyone here at all concerned that Devita saw the same video we did and might recognize Jenna?”

Jenna nodded. “There is that possibility. I'll be sure to wear my hair and makeup differently so that I won't be as easily recognizable. Remember, Devita is also just a man who likes beautiful women.” Her eyes narrowed. “Or are you saying I'm not beautiful and that I wouldn't have a chance to get close enough to plant a bug on him?”

Quentin laughed out loud. “Oh, Sawyer, your best bet is to walk away from that question. Any way you answer is going to get you in deeper than you already are.”

Sawyer opened his mouth, thought about what Quentin said and snapped his mouth shut. He might as well argue with a rock. The women would not be dissuaded.

He took another tack. “Why don't we stage an assault on the bar while Devita is there? We could nab him and take him out without his men knowing.”

Natalie shook her head. “He brings twenty men with him.”

“We've had worse odds,” Montana said.

“That twenty doesn't include the Mexican police and hotel security staff,” Carly pointed out.

“Yeah, and why do it if you don't have to?” Jenna insisted.

“We'll be up against even more of his soldiers if we follow him back to his compound.”

Natalie waved a hand. “You'd be up against his cartel minions. The Mexican government might be happy if you cleaned up a thorn in their side.”

“Undoubtedly,” Lance affirmed. “And staging an attack on his compound can be attributed to one of his rivals, whereas staging an attack on a public resort when there are so many other people besides Devita would be far too revealing to the public eye. You could cause an international incident.”

Jenna touched Sawyer's arm. “Do you want to risk injuring innocent civilians at the Playa del Sol? What would your commander back home say if he found out, via the international news networks, that you have been conducting black ops?”

Montana chuckled. “She's good.”

Cornered, Sawyer couldn't come up with another reasonable argument to deter the women from staging their own covert op. “I don't like it.”

“You don't have to.” Carly hooked her arm through Jenna's. “We'll be fine. We're just three reasonably attractive women, going for a night on the town at an upscale club. If we happen to attract the attention of a kingpin and drop a bug in his pocket...so be it.” She winked at Quentin.

He laughed out loud. “I knew there was something I liked about you. You're not only a nurse but also a spy and a smart mouth? It's a killer combination.” He took her hand and drew her into his arms. “I'd rather take you out dancing again than let you go out without me.”

“There will be time.” She leaned into him and faced the others. “Are we in?”

Outvoted and outmaneuvered, Sawyer was overrun.

“We need to get to our clothes back at the resort,” Natalie noted.

“Quentin and I can take you,” Duff offered.

“I'll go,” Sawyer said.

“No, you need to stay here, out of range of the assassin, whom we have yet to identify.”

“I don't give a damn about the assassin.” Sawyer moved to follow the women to the door.

Duff stepped in front of him. “Two words. Collateral. Damage.”

Sawyer stopped in his tracks, hating that Duff hit the nail on the head. He couldn't protect Jenna when it was his head that was being hunted. Whereas he trusted his own aim, he didn't trust a mercenary to hit him and not the woman standing beside him. “Fine. But let me know when you get there and when you leave.”

“Roger.” Duff hooked Natalie's elbow and ushered her toward the door. He paused, looking back at the men in the lounge. “Make sure we have what we need in the way of boats and weapons. The girls need us to be nearby in case all hell breaks loose.”

* * *

“N
ICE
,” Q
UENTIN
SAID
as he entered before Carly and Jenna to check for intruders. Natalie brought up the rear carrying a gown she'd stopped to collect from her hotel on the way to Jenna's. “But this is the bridal suite.” Quentin emerged from the bedroom, his brows raised. “Something you want to tell me?” And he winked.

“Not particularly.” Jenna entered the suite and headed straight for the bedroom.

“It's a long story and we don't have time for it.” Carly patted Quentin's face as she squeezed past him into the bedroom. “You can wait in the sitting area while we dress.” She turned with her hand on the doorknob. “Help yourself to the champagne. Someone might as well enjoy it.” Then she shut the door.

Jenna stood in the middle of the bedroom. Though it hadn't been long since she and Carly checked into the hotel, it felt like ages ago, and her entire life had been upended.

For a moment she wondered what would have happened if she'd never picked up that case in the lobby. Or if she'd decided to take a nap instead of going zip-lining with Carly that day. She might never have met Sawyer.

And Sawyer could very well be dead by now.

Jenna shivered.

“Are you going to get dressed?” Carly asked, her head in the closet.

“I was just thinking.”

Carly emerged with two dresses. “About what?”

Jenna's lips quirked. “That zip-lining seems a breeze right now.”

“Are you afraid of Devita?” Carly laid the dresses on the bed and crossed the room to her. “We don't have to do this.”

Jenna shook her head. “I'm not letting Natalie go in there alone.”

“I'm fine going in alone,” Natalie said.

Jenna shook her head. “You need backup.”

“Then stay here, and
I'll
go with her,” Carly insisted.

“No way. I didn't bring you to Cancún with me to embroil you in a dangerous operation with drug cartel kingpins and assassination attempts.”

“And you didn't come here to get yourself involved.” Carly took her hands. “We can tell the guys we're out. That we don't want anything to do with this, and that they can walk away and leave us alone. We'll go back to being two women here on a relaxing vacation.”

Jenna laughed out loud. “Do you hear yourself?”

“What?” Carly's brows furrowed.

“There is no going back to that relaxing vacation now. We're in this whether we like it or not.” Jenna squeezed her friend's hands. “And the only way out of it is to find out who is after Sawyer and why, so we can nail the bastard and get on with our lives.”

Carly's lips curled into a smile. “You like Sawyer, don't you?”

Jenna's cheeks heated. “I guess. I barely know him.”

“I've only known Duff since I've been in Cancún,” Natalie said, slipping her dress over her head. “And I can't imagine life without him now.”

“So, Jenna, have you slept with Sawyer?” Carly asked.

Her face burning, Jenna glanced away.

“You have!” Carly whooped. “Good for you, Jenna. Tyler didn't deserve you. He didn't take the time to get to know the strong and incredibly interesting woman you are.”

“You're just saying that because you're my friend.”

“No. I'm saying it because it's true.” She hugged her and set her at arm's length. “And you're beautiful.”

Jenna raised her hand to her head. “I have crazy hair.”

“I'd give my right arm for that curl and color.”

“Keep your arm. You might need it tonight.” Jenna hugged her friend and stepped away. “Now, are we going to plant a bug on Devita or not?” She marched to the bed and lifted the sexy dress Carly insisted she buy as part of celebrating her freedom trip to Cancún.

“That's what I'm talking about. You've got more chutzpah than any woman I know. Let's do this. I'd have given my eyeteeth to see you jump on the back of Sawyer's WaveRunner. That's kickass, if you ask me.”

Jenna shrugged. “Anyone would have done the same.”

“You're wrong. Most folks would have taken that information straight to the Mexican police,” Natalie said. “And they would have been too late.”