my demons, wanting it to mask things over...the...the pain of losing you."
Blood pounds in my ears. "But, you didn't?"
She swallows hard and shakes her head. "No."
I kiss her. "I'm proud of you."
A tiny smile forms. "I knew you would be."
"I am."
She slides her hand on my back and freezes on my bullet wound. "Rollover. I want to see your wounds."
I obey her.
For several minutes, she traces my scars. "I'm so sorry."
"Just be happy it didn't ruin my V," I tease.
She kisses my shoulder. "That would be a tragedy." She dips down and kisses each wound, then brings her arm around my waist and snuggles her warm flesh against my backside. "I want to think we're out of danger, but we aren't, are we?"
I turn into her and glide my arm under her shoulders. "No. And you might not like what we have to do next."
"What is it?"
"We need to go back through Mexico and into the United States."
"Why?"
"We can't get on a plane in Belize or Mexico or anywhere else in Latin America. You won't make it past the ticket counter."
"But how will we get past the U.S. border?"
"Tinker knows a guy. He's on sick leave but supposed to be going back to work soon."
"Okay. What are we going to do there?"
"My family is there. They will help us figure out how to get to Bermuda."
"Isn't it dangerous going to the U.S.?"
"Yes. But not any more than staying here."
"All right. Whatever you say."
I put my hand to my ear. "Can you say that again?"
Her lips twitch. "When it comes to my safety, you can make all the choices."
"Sorry. Still didn't hear. Can you repeat that?" I tease again.
She rolls on top of me. "So, we're going to the U.S.?"
"Yes."
She goes to kiss me, then stops.
"What's wrong?"
She sits up.
"Zoe, what is it?"
"Did you see Penelope and Vanessa?"
"Yes. I could only save you. I didn't know they would be there. When we get to Bermuda, I'll talk to the guys about how to rescue them."
"Julieta was back on the plane."
My heart drops. "What are you talking about?"
"She was beaten up. Bad. I saw her today."
“Who did it?”
"I don’t know. We couldn’t really talk.”
Silence.
“Santiago is dead, correct?"
"Yes, that is what the news is reporting."
"And I killed Jonas, and you killed Jorge?"
"Yes. Why did all the color drain out of your face just now?"
She furrows her brows. "No one said anything about Jonas dying. They haven't announced it. No one asked me, yet my manager and the embassy hotel employees knew I went up to his room. Now all three heads of the drug cartels are dead."
"What are you trying to tell me, Zoe?"
"There has to be a reason no one has reported Jonas Torres dead. And Jorge Cano wouldn't have publically been in the embassy. So they aren't going to report him dead from tonight, but what if they don't report it soon?"
"I'm sure Jonas, Jorge, and Santiago had seconds in command. Their cartels will survive."
"But how smart are they? What if the Global Leaders are hiding their deaths, and the public only believes Santiago is dead?"
"Jorge only got a bullet tonight."
"But they can't. It was in the embassy. Jonas should have been found somewhere by now, and it should be all over the news. If they hide Jorge's death too..." Her eyes widen. "Can the Global Leaders take over the Belizean and Mexican drug cartels? What would that do to the War on Drugs?"
I begin to catch on. "Give it more power than it's ever had before and accelerate their ability to control the world population."
"Yes," she whispers. "What if we killed the heads of two of the most powerful drug cartels in the world, only to give more control to the Global Leaders?"
I pull her into me, and silence fills the van. For the first time in my life, I wonder if I killed an evil man, only to create more destruction.
No matter how much I try to put the thought out of my head, I can't. And now, more than ever, it's more important I get back with my team of guys to try and figure all this out before it's too late.
26
Zoe
I wake up in the middle of the night, flesh to flesh with Dirk, and a need like I've never felt before to have sex.
He's sleeping, which I've not seen him do a lot of. Normally, I'd watch him, but a desire so potent for him consumes me.
I roll onto his chest and kiss him while stroking his