Jack didn’t even ask how he could tell. The place was filthy from dust, storms, animals; mud had caked and dried in the corners from where a storm had blown through a broken door in the back.
Though the place was remote and would seem like nowhere to Peter Blair, they were only an hour from the city limits of Monterrey. But they were in the mountains, and going in virtually every direction, except east, would land their captive deeper into the jungle.
Kane had been particularly moody, and Jack realized that they weren’t far from where his brother Liam had been killed—and where Liam had nearly killed Kane. Kane didn’t talk about it, but Jack knew those events had nearly broken him.
Jack didn’t have the same feelings, though he understood what Kane was going through. Jack hated Liam. He’d put Lucy in grave danger all because of money. Jack didn’t have any remorse for his death.
But Liam had been Kane’s family, even if estranged, and family was complicated. There was a time when Jack didn’t talk to anyone in his family. His father had virtually disowned him and Jack couldn’t forgive him for the circumstances surrounding those events. Jack still didn’t have a good relationship with his dad—they couldn’t quite get beyond those old hurts—but at least he had his family back. He was closest to Lucy and his twin brother Dillon, and had tried to rebuild relationships with his other brothers and sisters. It was, at least, better. He was married, and having Megan in his life gave him a peace he had never known before he’d met her. No matter what he did, how dangerous the job, Jack had a home and someone who loved him as much as he loved her.
He’d hoped after Kane married Siobhan four months ago that he’d realize there were more important things than fighting other people’s battles. But Kane had been in the business longer than Jack; he’d taken longer to find the right woman; and leaving it behind was hard.
Especially when you were Kane Rogan, who thought he was the only one who could save the world.
Fucking jerk. Jack loved him.
And hoped this situation wasn’t going to be his undoing.
Peter Blair stared at them, trying to look tough, but his fear betrayed him. “My men will come for me.”
His voice was strong, but his body trembled, his eyes darted back and forth, looking for an escape that would not come.
Ranger was patrolling. Jack stayed with Kane to make sure he didn’t go too far with Blair.
Jack squatted in front of their prisoner. His hands were zip-tied behind him. Jack tied his ankles together. Rats and rodents scurried, heard but unseen.
“I’d suggest you talk,” Jack said, his voice low and deep. “Neither of us are in the mood for grandstanding or games.”
“You got the girls, what’s the problem? You want more?”
Jack punched him in the stomach. It took the wind out of Blair, even though Jack checked his punch to avoid doing serious damage to both Blair and his own hand.
He stood, walked to the only piece of furniture in the room, a table in the opposite corner. Jack pulled a water bottle out of his pack. Drained half of it in front of Blair, who watched, eyes wide. One thing Jack knew from his training, the hood made you thirsty.
He capped his bottle and put it back in his pack. Psychological torture was more effective than physical torture, but a combination of both usually broke most men.
Especially a soft asshole like Peter Blair.
Kane leaned against the wall, only feet from Blair, and didn’t say anything.
Blair started talking. Not anything important. Empty threats. Then pleaded for his life. Then more threats against friends and family. The usual.
Kane ignored everything.
Jack had patience, but Kane had always impressed him with his ability to remain still and silent.
Finally, Blair said, “What the fuck do you want? If you wanted to kill me, you would have killed me. You have the girls. You killed two of my best men, what do you want from me?”
“Sean,” Kane said. “Talk.”
Blair looked confused. “What? Who?”
Kane didn’t say anything.
Blair shook his head. “I don’t know what you want from me!”
Kane pushed off from the wall and walked over to him. With Blair on the floor in the corner and Kane—though not a particularly large man—standing over him, Blair looked pathetic.
“The girls were a trap. I let you capture me to find out why. I