Page 59 of Wicked Intention

“Does your promise not to hurt me in any way hold indefinitely?”

“It holds forever, loquita.”

Zo nodded. “You can stay here for a few days. I’ll show you the guest room.”

Without waiting for his agreement, she went down the hallway behind them. Finn followed, taking long strides until he caught up to her. She stopped at the first door on the right and opened it. The brilliant lime green accent wall made him wish he was wearing his sunglasses, but the rest of the walls were white. The bed was white with a zebra print comforter, and there were two black-and-white striped rugs on the gleaming white floor, a black dresser, and a bright yellow chair near the window. Even the art on the wall behind the bed was black and white.

“This room has its own bathroom,” she gestured toward a closed door to the right of the bed. “I have to leave. Archer doesn’t tolerate tardiness. If you need to go out, the spare key is in the kitchen drawer closest to the front entry,” her voice trailed behind her as she walked away.

Finn caught up with her in time to see her scoop up her purse and her phone. “I’ll tell the front desk that you’re aguest. I’m sure they have no idea you’re here,” she added dryly.

“Thanks,” he got out as she reached for the doorknob.

Zo opened the door, stopped, and turned to look at him. “I’m going to check out your story. If you lied to me, you better be gone when I get home.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Near San Isidro, Puerto Jardin

Present Day

ZO REALIZED she was holding her breath, and she exhaled quietly. This could be anyone—the Puerto Jardinese military, mercenaries, Ramos’ men, another drug lord’s hit team, or a wild card like the guards for an illegal logging or mining operation. Her next inhalation was shaky.

“Keep your hands where they can see them,” Finn told her, his voice so soft she barely heard him over the pounding of her heart.

She nodded, more a slight incline of her chin than an actual motion, but she knew he’d pick up on it. Adrenaline had thrust her drowsiness away, and Zo was fully alert now. She was also as scared as she’d been running from Ramos’ men in Rio Blanco.

“Hands over your head.”

The order came in Spanish, so it was a small surprise when the three men who came out of the bushes were American.Mercenaries then, Zo decided. Since most of the skirmishes in the civil war were currently taking place in the northern part of the country, it meant they probably worked for Alfonso Ramos.

One man kept his weapon trained on them while the other two took their packs and then patted them down. The kid who checked her for weapons was businesslike about it, but it was strange to have a teenager search her. He took her machete, the guns, her knives, and everything else that could be used to cause harm.

“Well, Stone Man,” the guy who searched her said when he finished the pat-down and stepped away, “it’s a sad day when your woman has you out-armed three to one.”

“Really?” Finn drawled. “I look at it as proof I chose well.”

Zo’s brain whirled, connecting dots as quickly as it was able. “These guys are your former teammates?” she asked him. Her arms remained over her head since she hadn’t been given permission to lower them yet.

Finn nodded. “Meet Lurch”—he gestured with his chin toward the kid who’d searched her, then inclined his head to the guy who stood near him. “That’s Pruitt, and the dude pointing the assault weapon our way is Mazz.”

“I’d say nice to meet you, but it would be a stretch given the situation.” The men appeared rough—except for Lurch, who looked as if he should be in high school.

“Sorry, ma’am,” the kid said.

“Can we at least put our hands down?” she asked.

“Go ahead,” Pruitt said.

“You realize you took away the weapons the captain gave me a few hours ago,” Finn said dryly.

Pruitt shrugged. “When we were given orders, we weren’t told you were excluded. We’re supposed to disarm any interlopers and bring them to camp.”

“Camp? I expected you guys to settle around Trujillo.”

Instead of answering, the kid made a gesture with his rifle. “Let’s move.”

The going was difficult, and while Pruitt and Lurch walked at their flanks, Mazz remained behind the two of them. A quick peek had shown his weapon pointing at the ground, but he was ready to raise it in an instant. It didn’t seem to bother Finn—he chatted easily with his friends as they made their way through the rainforest—but it unnerved her.

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