Bad Men - Piper Stone Page 0,41
of his bottle in my direction, waiting until I clinked mine against his. “I like a woman who can admit that. I really do.” He continued to chuckle as he took another long gulp.
“Do you regret the decision you made?” I dared to ask.
“I regret that I left my sister in Cuba, that I wasn’t able to keep my promise.”
I shifted closer, not realizing that I’d placed my hand on his arm until he glanced down in the darkness, his breathing even more scattered. “I’m so sorry. When was the last time you saw your sister?”
“So long ago that she wouldn’t recognize me.”
“Have you tried to contact her after all these years?”
He hesitated, looking up at the stars before answering. “Trust me, Lindsey, she wouldn’t want to talk with me. I’m certain she was told I abandoned her, became a vile criminal who never wanted to see her again.”
“Who would tell her such a thing?”
“Oh, my father wouldn’t hesitate to make certain she knew what I’d become. He was a brutal man. And no, I’ve never tried to contact her, but I do know she turned out all right after all. She lives in New York now with her husband and two children. From what I can tell, she’s very happy.”
There was such agony in his voice, his shoulders slumping. “She knows you love her,” I attempted.
Diego shook his head. “You’re still an optimist after all you’ve been through. I admire that as well as your courage.”
“We all find the courage when we need to, even if we’re simply forced into doing so.”
“Hmm… Sounds to me like you were running away from something in DC.”
I took a sip of the beer, closing my eyes. “My life.”
“Ya wanna talk about it?”
“Same story that a bazillion people have. A controlling father, an asshole boyfriend, and a need for a significant change.”
“Ah,” he said in a low voice. “That’s why you ran.”
“Maybe I did. When the opportunity came up, I truly believed karma had sent me a sign.”
“That happens, Lindsey. The sad thing is that not enough people listen to their gut or the little voice inside their head. They plow through life trying to make ends meet, never seeing outside the box or trying something new.”
His words seemed so heartfelt. “Is that why you became a mercenary?”
When he laughed again, another series of vibrations shifted down my spine. “An interesting term.”
“That’s what you are, aren’t you?”
“We are…” Diego hesitated. “Maybe you’re right. That’s exactly what we are.”
“Who are you working for now? Are they any better than this drug lord? Why can’t you tell me anything?”
Chuckling, he gripped my knee, the way his fingers dug in possessive. His hold also sent shivers along every inch of naked skin. “Nice try. What we do and who we work for is off the table. As I told you before, we are very skilled at what we do. We’ll make certain you’re safe. That’s all that matters.”
“What if you can’t? What if this is all some nightmare that we’ll never be free of?”
He seemed to be stumped by the question. His hold shifted into a gentle caress, his fingers brushing in lazy circles on my knee. “With Jack and I working together, I doubt there’s any obstacle that we can’t handle. Stop worrying. We’ll hunker down for a couple of days then this will all be over.”
“I don’t know, Diego. I have a very bad feeling that this is much larger than my abduction.”
“Interesting. Why would you say that? Is there any reason to think your abduction was about anything other than the Serpent’s disgusting proclivities?”
“Nothing I can think of.” I heard the strange clip in my tone and bit my lower lip. Even though I tried to hide the fact I was lying by taking a sip of the beer, I had the distinct feeling he knew I wasn’t telling the truth. “As you told me. He is a sick man.”
His hesitation was unnerving.
“That he is, but he usually does things with a purpose. He’s certainly no fool, even if he is an arrogant son of a bitch. Jack is right. Something doesn’t fit about this entire situation. While I can’t put my finger on the reason right now, I will. I do hope you’re not lying to us, Lindsey. That won’t bode well for your continued safety.” He tipped his head, as if waiting for a reply then chuckled. “But that’s not for tonight. You need to get some rest and I don’t