the guys planned the raid on the compound.
“Is everything all right?” she asked.
He crouched to dip the canteen into the stream. “Yeah, sure. Why wouldn’t it be?”
“I don’t know. You’ve been kind of quiet. Have I done something to offend you?”
“Oh, no, you’re fine.” The smile he flashed didn’t come close to reaching his eyes. “It’s just…well, I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
“Worried about the guys?” she guessed.
His smile slipped. “Something like that.”
“We can go back if you want.”
Hector shook his head as he dropped a purification tablet into the canteen. “No, it’s best we keep moving. I promised Wade I’d deliver you to the consulate safe and sound.”
She smiled, a little envious of the relationship he and Wade shared. “You’re a good friend.”
His laugh sounded more like a scoff. “No, I’m not.”
That wasn’t the response she’d expected. “Why would you say something like that?”
“Because it’s true,” he said simply.
“No, it’s not. You came all this way to help him find justice. I don’t have any friends who’d be willing to do something like that for me.”
“Consider yourself lucky. It’ll be a miracle if he comes out of this alive.” Bitterness crept into his Texas twang. He screwed the cap onto the canteen and clipped it to his belt. “I couldn’t stop what happened to him and his partner. Can’t stop what’s about to happen now. But I can make good on my word to keep you safe, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
The hairs on the back of Hope’s neck stood on end. “What do you mean, can’t stop what’s about to happen?”
He didn’t respond, just stared straight ahead, and alarm bells went off inside her head.
“Answer me, Hector. What’s about to happen?”
He glanced at her as he stood, and the storm in his eyes had gathered intensity. “Nothing. We should get moving; we’re running out of daylight.”
Grasping her arm, he tried to lead her away, but she jerked free from his grip.
He was bigger than her. Stronger than her. Not to mention, he had a gun. Up to this point, she’d considered herself safe with him, but now she wasn’t so sure. Refusing to let her vulnerability show, she jutted her chin and propped her hands on her hips. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on. Better yet, let’s just go back. I think I’ll feel better once—”
“We’re not going back,” Hector snapped, his voice like the crack of a whip. Then he seemed to catch himself, and the harshness in his features faded as he offered a strained smile. “We’re going to Oaxaca, just like Wade wanted, and I’m going to deliver you to the consulate, safe and sound. Then I’ll come back and help him and the guys take care of Aranza.”
For a moment or two, Hope truly believed him, or at least she wanted to. He was maintaining eye contact. He sounded sincere. And yet, something wasn’t quite right; she could feel it in her bones. It was totally irrational, but she felt compelled to go with her gut. “You’re lying.”
When he looked away instead of denying it, her heart sank down to her shoes.
The way she saw it, there were three options on the table: make a break for it, attempt to overpower him, or convince him to tell her what was going on. Her chances at running were iffy at best, and she seriously doubted her ability to overpower him. That left option number three, though she wasn’t all that confident in her powers of persuasion.
Digging deep, she touched a hand to his arm and slapped on what she hoped was a look of compassion. “Talk to me, Hector. Let me know what’s going on. Maybe I can help.”
For a second or two, it seemed as if he wanted to talk. But then he shook his head and let out a heavy exhale. “You can’t. There’s no fixing this.”
“Try me. What have you got to lose?”
“Everything.” One corner of his mouth twitched. “You’re a good person, Hope. The last thing you need is to get caught up in this mess.”
“It’s a little late for that, don’t you think?” She touched his forearm, tilted her head, and caught his troubled gaze. “Please, Hector. I care about you. Let me help. Whatever it is, no matter how bad, we can figure a way out of it.”
Indecision played over his face, while a war raged in his eyes. Finally, after what felt like forever, he said, “The thing is, Hope,