Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

Near San Isidro, Puerto Jardin

Present Day

FINN REACHED his loquita as she staggered back a step. He immediately put his hands at her waist, steadying her as she caught her balance. For all intents and purposes, Tia Izel had been Zo's mom. Her actual parents were… He pushed the thought aside.

"Why?" Zo's voice sounded reedy, and she cleared her throat before trying again. "Why would Al take Tia Izel?"

"As a bargaining chip! He thinks he will use her to force you to bring him the disk." Alvarez's voice remained heated. "Ramos will not get away with this. We will see to it."

Fuck . Alvarez was too upset to realize what he'd set in motion, but Finn knew exactly what was going to happen. It was a matter of when, not if. He started running scenarios in his head, trying to work out his options.

"His men came into San Isidro? But he knows it's off-limits," Zo said .

"Do not worry, Zofia," Se?or Garcia said. "We will rescue Izel and remind Ramos his actions are not allowed."

In the past, his threat would have carried some weight. The trio had been part of the presidential brigade, but that was thirty years ago. With two of the men pushing seventy and the third in his eighties, letting them go and rescue Tia Izel without help was a non-starter.

Zo straightened, her muscles regaining their strength. "Al wants me to come. I'll go, give him what he wants, and bring Tia Izel home. That way, no one's at risk."

Except for her. There was no fucking way he'd agree to her carrying out this scheme. His hands tightened at her waist, but before he could voice his displeasure, Alvarez jumped in.

"No, I will not allow this!" the innkeeper said. "Ramos is far too dangerous."

"I know Al. He babysat me."

"And that will mean nothing to him," Garcia said.

"You do not know who Ramos truly is." Alvarez sounded calmer. "He conceals his genuine nature when he comes to town. He will not deal honorably, and no matter how clever you are, you do not have the experience to negotiate with him."

"Se?or Alvarez is right," Finn said. She half-turned toward him, and he recognized her expression. "You're wrong," he said before she could argue. "The men you meet with for your job are nothing like Ramos."

"Right. They're ethical and upright," Zo said, pivoting to face him. "Absolutely nothing like Al."

Lowering his voice, Finn said, "You're a client. Someone those men have done business with in the past and might do business with in the future. You don't have that type of relationship with Ramos, and once you hand over the disk, you have zero leverage. Zero . Do you think he took over as head of a drug cartel by playing fair?"

"Of course not, but— "

"No, don't waste your breath arguing. There's no way in hell I'm allowing you to take the disk to Ramos."

"Allowing me?" Zo glared up at him. She was muddy, her clothes and hair were sodden, and exhaustion was etched on her face, but she didn't back down.

"Poor choice of words," Finn said, struggling to keep his expression neutral. "I want you safe, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep you that way."

"Listen to your husband, Zofia," Alvarez said. "He knows best."

They'd let everyone in San Isidro believe they were married—it was easier that way—but for an instant, Finn feared Zo's temper was going to get the better of her. The moment passed, but Ski looked like he wanted to laugh. Finn gave him a hard stare.

"Tio Luis," Zo shifted again to face the man, "you know I'll do whatever I can to bring Tia Izel safely home."

Alvarez took both of Zo's hands in his. "While Izel and I were never blessed with children of our own, we had you in our lives. You, Zofia, are our daughter in every way that matters. Do you believe I would allow you to risk your life? Do you believe Izel would want you to take this risk for her?"

"But—"

"My heart would not survive should anything happen to you."

Zo deflated, then took a step forward to hug Alvarez. Finn had no doubt the innkeeper meant every word he'd said, but it was also true he'd played Zo like a master. This capitulation was momentary, though, and Finn knew it. His loquita would be turning ideas over in her mind, trying to find a way to ride to the rescue, not only to save Tia Izel but to protect the three old men as well.

He had his own plan ready to go—with contingencies because Zo still managed to surprise him. Finn had some small hope he wouldn't have to implement it, but the odds were against him. He'd either have to run it to keep his woman safe or to keep the older men alive.

Stepping back, Zo said slowly, "What if I didn't bring the disk but negotiated for the location of where I hid it? I'd continue to have leverage then, right?"

Finn's sigh was drowned out by protests from Se?ors Alvarez, Garcia, and Otero. So much for the hope that she'd stay out of it. "I'll go," he said, his voice slicing through the ruckus.

The four of them went quiet. Zo turned slowly. "What?" Her question held a sharp note.

"I said I'll go. I can do the negotiating."

Zo moved until she was toe-to-toe with him and glared. "If you think you're risking your life—"

He struggled not to grin. "Zo, I'm trained for this."

"I'll go with you."

The urge to smile disappeared. "The hell you are."

"I'm going. There is no way I'll stand by and let you take on Ramos alone."

His hesitation was brief. "I won't be alone. I'll be working with my team."

Captain Nguyen didn't pause, immediately taking the opening he'd been given. "That's right, ma'am. We'll watch out for him."

"But—" That was as far as Zo got.

"This is the perfect opening to approach Ramos," the captain continued.

"Yeah," Finn agreed, but he wasn't happy. Now he was committed to spending the length of the operation in Puerto Jardin, and it could take months. He hadn't been briefed on the ultimate goal of the assignment, but it was a safe bet it didn't stop with Ramos. He would lay odds it included finishing the job from two years ago—taking down Torres and his network.

"No! We will go," Alvarez said. His two friends nodded, moving to flank him. "My Izel is too important to be used as a pawn to reach some other objective."

Finn nodded. "Tia Izel is important to me, too, Se?or Alvarez." He'd never been given permission to call the man Tio Luis. "Before I do anything else, I'll get her safely out of Ramos' hands. You have my word."

"The word of a mercenary, working in concert with other mercenaries," Otero said. "You will put your interests first."

Alvarez looked uncertain.

"We can rescue Izel and have her home before dinner tonight," Se?or Garcia said.

"Skills deteriorate," Finn said quietly. "I've been out of the game for two years, and I'm not as sharp as I was back then. When did you leave the presidential brigade?" He didn't expect an answer, and he didn't get one. "I have enough edge left to rescue Tia Izel. Trust me to keep my promise."

There was a moment of silence, then Alvarez addressed Zo. "Can I believe him?"

Reluctance dripping from every word, Zo said, "Yes. If Finn makes a promise, he keeps it." She leaned into his side, and Finn put his arm around her.

Pride and reality battled for supremacy, but then Se?or Alvarez's shoulders slumped. He suddenly looked every day of his sixty-odd years. The lines around his eyes and mouth deepened, and his hand shook as he raised it to Finn's shoulder. "Please," he said, "my Izel is my world. Bring her back to me."

"I understand." Finn hugged Zo closer. "I'll take care of Tia Izel."

"Fill us in on everything Ramos said," Captain Nguyen said to Se?or Alvarez.

Alvarez dropped his hand and stroked a couple of fingers across his snow-white mustache. "Ramos does not issue his own threats. He sent one of his lieutenants. Vargas." There was no mistaking his opinion of the man. "The message was short. ‘If you wish to see your beloved wife alive again, you will have Zofia bring the disk to my hacienda. You have twenty-four hours to comply.' I didn't know what he was talking about, but he said Zofia would know. Do you?" he asked, looking at Zo.

"I know," she said. "So does Finn."

BD asked additional questions, but Alvarez didn't know more. The man appeared defeated, scared. Finn tried to imagine being his age, and someone taking Zo. And having a younger man remind him that he no longer had the ability to keep his woman safe. Yeah, he definitely understood how Se?or Alvarez felt right now.

"Winter," Nguyen said, "escort these men back to San Isidro, and make sure they stay put."

"Yes, sir," Winter said.

"Zofia?" Alvarez asked.

"It's okay, Tio Luis. Finn will bring Tia Izel to the inn, right Finn?"

"Of course," he said.

"Zo should go with them," the captain said.

Finn's lips twitched as Zo rebounded to glare at BD. "If you think I'm leaving Finn, you have another—"

"Loquita," Finn interrupted, "you are not part of this mission." She stiffened, but he kept his arm around her. "I can't operate if I'm worried about you the entire time."

She huffed out a long breath, but she didn't argue. It looked as if she wanted to, though.

He addressed BD, "Zo can't go back to the inn. Not yet. Ramos is searching for her."

Captain Nguyen waited until the elderly men were out of earshot before he spoke again. "What's your plan?"

"I'm going to turn up at Ramos' estate, tell him I'm Zo's proxy, and then use the location of the disk to negotiate for the hostage. I'll rely on you to keep Zo safe until we can get her back to the States." When BD nodded, Finn looked down at his woman. "Where is the disk?"

"I don't know."

He put her at arms' length. Holding her shoulders, he said, "Zofia, now is not the time to use this as a ploy to barge your way into the op."

"It's not a ploy. I don't know how to tell you where it is, but I can show you. I think."