Uncaged Love, page 8
Oh fuck.
“Yes, sir.” Rafe actually sat up straighter. This could be bad.
“I understand that Narváez has kidnapped an ATF agent. Can you confirm?”
That didn’t take long. Interagency communication was usually nonexistent, and cooperation even more rare.
“Yes, sir, he has. She’s here at his western compound.”
“Do you have access to her?” She must be very important for someone so high in the agency to be concerned.
“Yes, sir.”
“What is Harper’s condition?” The familiarity, and real concern, of the DD with Narváez’s captive couldn’t be missed.
Rafe quickly explained her allergic reaction to the knockout drug and following illness for over twelve hours. Then he told the man who was second in charge of the CIA about the slap at supper and Harper’s takedown of Narváez.
“That’s our girl,” Gillpatrick said with pride in his voice. “I want you to know just how important Harper Tambini is to our government. She has knowledge and skills that could change the balance of power in the world. Now, tell me exactly, how is she?”
Holy fuck. Could this get any worse? “She’s weak but getting stronger.”
“No torture, though, right?”
“No, sir, not for her. Narváez has threatened to kill her whole team if she doesn’t cooperate with him.”
The DD was quiet for several beats. “Where’s he getting his information?”
“I have no idea, but he knew the names of everyone on her team and when and where to set the ambush. He’s also having them followed stateside. He refuses to talk to me about his intel, but it’s on the money.”
“Damn.” The DD drew out the word. “I’ll take care of the U.S. tails.”
“When is her extraction, sir?” Rafe hoped it’d be soon.
“We’re working on it, but it’s a unique situation.” He heard the deep exhale on the other end. “To be honest, it’s a clusterfuck. The ATF contacted me when your name popped on the Narváez file. State Department had to get their worthless nose in on it under the guise of Standard Operating Procedures. Harper doesn’t work for us, although she’s trained with us in specific areas. Don’t be deceived. There’s a lot more to her than meets the eye. Her Army training parallels yours as a SEAL. Speaking of SEALs, you’ll get to say hello to an old friend when they arrive to retrieve her. Matias Rivas asked to lead this mission when he heard you were involved.”
Rafe hadn’t thought about Mat in years. It would be great to see Preacher again, and Harper would be in good hands with his old running buddy. “That’s wonderful, sir.”
“What does Narváez have planned?”
“He wants her to make some kind of special bomb out of CL-20 and HMX.”
“Fuck.”
Rafe barely heard the whispered word but was sure that was what the DD had said. Rafe said nothing.
After a long pause, DD Gillpatrick announced, “That’s what we were afraid of. Does he have the components?”
“Yes, sir.” Rafe had wondered what his old friend was up to when he began to stockpile HMX, an explosive that had been around since World War II and Rafe had used often as a SEAL. When containers of CL20 arrived last week, curiosity had been replaced by worry. What kind of war was Narváez starting and with whom?
“What’s Narváez’s mental condition?”
“He’s been sampling his own merchandise with increasing frequency. He’s getting paranoid.” It was a sad fact for Rafe. Carlos was no longer the man he’d roomed with in college.
“I expect you to keep her safe, School Boy.”
Great. It seemed everyone wanted the same thing, especially him.
“Yes, sir,” was his only response.
“Very well…hold.” Rafe heard faint voices in the background. “Extraction is set for tomorrow night. SEALs are in motion.”
This was his chance. He had to take it. Rafe knew, deep down inside, that he might not get another opportunity in a long time, and Narváez would be a target for elimination after his kidnapping stunt.
“Sir, I want to leave with her. I’m ready to come home, and this is an excellent opportunity to exit. Is Narváez sanctioned now?”
“Of course, from the moment he ambushed the ATF team.”
Rafe didn’t miss the fact that his request wasn’t answered. “Thank you, sir. I plan to execute him myself.”
“You may have to fight Harper for that privilege. Keep her safe. Make sure she’s fit and ready to go. You’re a long way from nowhere, and extraction won’t be easy. I’ll notify the SEAL team that there’s two to extract.”
“Thank you, sir.” Yes, thank you. He was headed home. Spending time with Harper Tambini on the way there was just another benefit.
“Gillpatrick out.” The line went dead.
An hour later, Rafe stood on Harper’s balcony and watched her sleep. He’d slipped undetected over the railing from his rooms next door. Christ, the Deputy Director of the CIA was involved. Rafe was responsible for Harper’s safety, and he vowed he’d die before he’d allow anything or anyone to hurt her.
He glanced at the mechanism in his hand. To most, it looked like any hunter’s GPS. He pointed it slowly around the room to detect audio or visual equipment. Good. None. Carlos had become so paranoid in the past few weeks that Rafe wouldn’t put it past him to bug Harper’s room without telling him, even though he was in charge of security. Satisfied, he slid the device into a side pocket in his black cargo pants.
For nearly two years, Rafe had run the entire operation. From growing the flowers, fruits, and vegetables—and yes, the coca plants—to the picking, processing, packing, and shipping to the United States.
Harper stirred. He crept to the bed and bent to shake her shoulder to awaken her.
She grabbed his arm and flipped him onto the bed face down, arms locked behind his back. She held a knife to his throat. His legs splayed, and her knee nudged his crotch.
“Harper,” he choked out in English, “I’m CIA. I’m one of the good guys. Let me up.”
She held her position. “You’re very high ranking in this organization to be CIA. How long have you been under cover?” She kept her face close to his and spoke in undertones.
She was good. He’d never expected that move. “I started at the top. Narváez and I were college roommates. Now can you get off me?”
His heart beat rapidly for what seemed to take forever. The cold steel at his throat didn’t quiver. He heard her sigh and the pressure of her knee at his crotch ease. She finally removed the knife and slid off his back.
“I’d hoped someone was inside, but I didn’t think it was you.” She moved quickly away from him and braced herself on her knees, the knife still held in fighting position.
Rafe rolled onto his back and sat up. He rubbed where the blade had pressed, thankful not to feel any blood on his neck. “You’re better than I thought you’d be. I never saw you steal this from the supper table.” He glanced at the satisfied look on her face.
“Yes, I am good. The hardest part was to find some place under that dress that it wouldn’t imprint. The last thing I wanted was Narváez to strip-search me at the supper table.” She shuddered.
He fluffed a pillow and leaned against the headboard as he stretched out his legs that had gotten a nice little workout in the past two hours. The climb up the mountain wasn’t strenuous, but a gain of a thousand feet over two miles wasn’t a stroll on the beach. It was his crotch, not his burning thighs, that he wanted to rub. He was too much a Southern gentleman to make such a crude move.
Harper’s tan, rounded breasts swayed under her lace nightgown as she crawled into the bed beside him and pulled the sheet over her naked legs. Damn, she had great legs. All the right curves, and well developed, too. He wanted her to wrap those legs around his waist as he drove into her. She made him instantly hard. He hoped the night and his baggy utility pants would keep his condition hidden.
Remembering how close she’d come to hurting him just a few seconds ago, he forced himself to study the room.
“Did they recruit you in college?” Harper settled next to him, a polite distance away.
“Yes. I had a five-year commitment to the Navy after graduating from VMI. Carlos went on to grad school. He came home to Colombia while I finished out my Navy tour. They approached me again and asked if I’d come here. Nothing was holding me in the States, so here I am.”
All his plans to get married to Beth after they’d completed their tours had been buried with her in a closed casket. The Taliban had abused her body beyond recognition. The forensic team at Dover had used DNA to identify her remains.
No, nothing had been left to hold him in the U.S.A. back then. But now, five years later, he was ready to return home.
“How about you?”
“I was Army ROTC at the University of Michigan. I also had a physics scholarship and was able to finish my master’s before I went into the Army. I’ve always liked working with demolitions, bombs, munitions, but as a female, those military occupational specialties were banned. Fortunately, I was able to get assigned to the ATF as an explosives specialist, but I still work for the Army.”
Huh, Army. He’d never seen any soldiers as beautiful as Harper, but there were many good-looking women who wore uniforms. There had been a growing number of women in all the military services in the past ten years. Beth had worn Navy uniforms, except when she went under cover.
“They let you finish your master’s?” Rafe asked. “They had us shipping out within days of graduation.”
“Yeah. ROTC took a lot of my free time, so I worked in the lab year round to make up for it so I could keep my scholarship. Within four years, I had both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree.”
“Year-round school, huh? Didn’t you ever go home?” He treasured his time away from school and with his family. He’d needed the breaks.
“I didn’t have a home.” Her statement was spattered with pain. “Well, I guess my dorm room was my home back then.” She exhaled a long breath. Changing the subject, she asked, “So what’s the plan? When’s extraction?”
Chapter 10
So much for small talk. Harper got down to business, and Rafe liked that for some odd reason. There was something special about her. She definitely had physical strength, but it was more an internal power that shone through and undeniably drew him to her.
“Tomorrow night. SEALs are on their way. I’m supposed to be sure you’re fit and ready to roll, so we’ll get in a run and maybe some gym time later this morning.” He looked forward to seeing her in workout gear and sweaty. Still, he’d rather have her sweaty in this bed. “By the way, I’m leavin’ with you.”
“Who is there to take over the business then? Not that I really care, but I am going to kill Narváez, you know.”
Truthfully, Rafe didn’t care what happened to this place, or any other property that he’d been forced to manage over the past several years. The other members of the cartel could fight over it. He’d feel bad for the workers, though. Some of the capos beat the workers, tortured them if production was down. They had no idea how to lead people.
He and Carlos had a strong workforce and treated them right. At least they had until the past few months. Four months ago, he’d watched Carlos put on a show for a visiting capo by grabbing an old man off the processing line and beating him because he didn’t work fast enough. Rafe could have killed Carlos right then.
“He’s been sanctioned, by the way.”
“I’m sure. Probably from the minute he took me.”
“You may have to fight me for the privilege of killing him.” He hated what his friend had become. This paranoid, trigger-tempered sadist wasn’t the save-my-country economist he’d known in college.
“We’ll see.” Harper smoothed non-existent wrinkles in the duvet and crossed her ankles under the sheet. “So, you’re to protect me until the rescue. Do you plan to stay by my side until the SEALs arrive?” Her gaze met his. “I don’t trust your guards, and I’m still too weak to fight them off if it came to that.”
“I know. I saw the way they looked at you last night.” Rafe recalled the hungry glances that started during the ambush. He was also sure some had copped a feel while in the limo. He wanted to kill any man who dared put a hand on her. Unfortunately, it was impossible for him to keep her within arm’s reach all the time.
“We know they’re coming within twenty-four hours,” Harper said, “but no one else does, so whatever we decide, it needs to appear long-term. We should also consider a contingency plan, in case they can’t get to us. How do you want to play this?”
Harper was right. His SEAL team had been delayed, turned around mid-mission, and even had ops called off before their gear was packed, usually due to politics. The DD had insinuated those games were in play, so they’d better plan longer term.
Rafe had ideas. All involved him and Harper naked in this bed. He shifted his hips to accommodate his throbbing erection. “I think we should be lovers.” Rafe rolled over and cupped her face. He bent in to kiss her.
“Pretend to be lovers.” Harper quickly pushed him away. “We’re professionals here.”
“Fine. We’ll pretend to be lovers.” He propped his chin on his hand. “Narváez already thinks we’re headed that direction, thanks to your little performance at supper tonight. It’s a good cover for us to be alone a lot. Also, if you’re mine, no one will dare touch you. They know I’m your protector, but that wouldn’t mean much to some men. As my lover, the other men will keep their distance and show you respect.”
“Will Narváez buy it?” Her tone was more businesslike than worried.
“How good an actress are you?” Rafe was only slightly worried. She’d proven Oscar worthy a few hours ago.
“Very good. We should start tonight. How did you get in here?” Harper was very take charge. Rafe wasn’t sure how he felt about that but he was totally in favor of this plan.
“Balcony. My rooms are next door. It’s more like an apartment than a bedroom.”
“That’s convenient.” She rolled on her side to face him. “Go back to your room and come in through my door. We’ll make appropriate noises. The whole house will be discussing our tryst at breakfast. Do you normally spend the night, or are you a bang-and-go guy?”
“I don’t ever sleep with women in this house or any other Narváez property.” He most often found satisfaction in Cali with Melina, or if they were in the Narváez East Compound, he’d go into Cartagena and spend quality time with Isabella or Valentina, but he wasn’t going to tell Harper that. He got up from the bed and strode to the balcony.
“Oh, that’s right,” Harper teased, “the house honeys were so disappointed that I made you smile and they couldn’t.”
He cringed at the thought of those women and wondered how many were in Carlos’s bed right then.
Rafe watched a sly smile spread across her gorgeous face as she suggested, “Take off your clothes before you come back in. You were supposed to be asleep, dreaming of me, so now you want me. Wear your boxers.”
“I sleep naked.” He smiled, a sexy grin that usually melted women. Her return smile was more a dare than shock at his words.
“I usually do, too, but I think I’ll wear a nightgown while I’m here. This bedroom has too many people who just walk in. Maybe you should wear a robe. We’re only pretending to be lovers. You leave here with a hard-on, and they’ll know something isn’t right.”
“What makes you think you turn me on?” Although he was hard as a rock under his black cargo pants, he’d hoped she hadn’t noticed in the dark.
“Reach down…and we’re just talking.” She looked right at his crotch then back up. She grinned. “Wait until we start making sounds like lovers.”
He turned to leave.
“Hey, Segundo, if we’re going to be lovers, I should know your name.”
That stopped him. He turned to look at her.
“Rafe. Actually, it’s Rafael Silva, but call me Rafe. I’ll be back in a minute, through that door.” He pointed to the hall door and disappeared over the side of the balcony.
* * * *
Sixty seconds later Harper heard the click of her door unlocking. Knowing her role, she ran to the door. “Who’s there?’
“It’s me.” Rafe strolled in as if he had the right to her room…and her.
In nothing but dark silk boxers riding low on narrow hips, Rafe was outlined in yellow by the dim hall lights. His broad shoulders filled the doorway. As he moved toward her, light caught raised pectoral muscles and flashed off well-defined six-pack abs. His swagger defined testosterone in motion. He was a specimen of pure male confidence and dominance.
He addressed the guards at the door. “Take a break. I’ll let you know when you need to come back. I’m going to enjoy my woman for a while.” He left the door open long enough for his guards to watch as he claimed Harper, yanking her into his arms and covering her mouth with his.
His kiss was heaven and sin wrapped in one hard body. And he was hard everywhere.
Rafe slipped his hands around her, and she felt their heat through the thin silk of the nightgown. Intensity built quickly within her, and she grabbed his head, shoving her fingers through his silky dark curls. He pulled her forcefully against his body, but she didn’t resist. No man had ever made her feel this way so fast.
At the click of the door, Harper pushed Rafe away. She had to get away from him before she lost her senses.
“That should get them talking.” Her voice was roughened, but she kept it low. “The whole compound will know you were in my room by breakfast.” She walked over to the nightstand and pulled a bottle of chilled water from an ice bucket. She needed to cool down, from the inside out. After cracking the seal, she chugged down half of the cool liquid before setting it on the nightstand. “I’m going to bed.” She glared at Rafe. “And to sleep.”
“We need to make this convincing.” He moved toward her. “Maybe we should—”
“Yes, we should make the appropriate noises,” she whispered. Much louder, in a breathy voice, she said, “Oh, yes, kiss me there again.”
