No Boundaries, page 16
You should’ve found a way!
Amelia looked at Renegade. He smiled back. If anything happened to him, she would never forgive herself.
Chapter Twenty
"I still don't like her tagging along," Savage grumbled. "What if she gets hurt?"
"I said I would keep her safe, and I will," Tony said. "She's my responsibility, not yours, and she's a hell of a lot tougher than she looks. Besides, she's the only one who knows the way to his fortress. Trust me, I don't like it any more than you."
Carter came up on the tail end of the conversation. "We can change our plans so she won't be in danger."
Renegade should've known Carter would come up with something. He always did. "What do you have in mind?"
"We get him before he can get to his fortress. When he starts running, we lock him down. Catch him in the crossfire so he has nowhere to go."
Renegade nodded. "I like that idea a lot better, but I thought we already planned to go that route."
Tony shook his head. "You don't know Alejandro. He's like a rat slipping through the cracks in the wall. He'll be gone before you realize it."
"We’ll have the Mexican police working with us. Everything will be coordinated. They’ll raid his places at the same time. He’ll have no choice but to run for his stronghold. I’m bringing in a helicopter to track him. All we need to know is the direction he’ll be headed. We can take it from there."
Renegade looked up as Amelia stepped outside. She saw where they had gathered and walked over to join them.
"Don't be spoiling that horse," she warned him.
He smiled. "I'm glad you saved him. He’s a beautiful animal and should never have been mistreated."
She looked around at the small group of men. "Have you figured out a way where I won’t be involved?”
He was surprised by her question. They looked at each other.
She continued. “Whatever you figure out won't work. You don't know Alejandro."
"That's what I was trying to tell them," Tony said. "They don't listen so good."
"Whatever you were thinking," she continued. "He’ll be two steps ahead of you. He hasn’t stayed alive this long by being stupid or careless."
"We just need the general direction of how to get to the fortress. I think we can find it on our own from there." Renegade was being serious, but she looked at him as if he'd lost his mind.
“It’s not like the fortress is on the corner of Main and Broad. You have to go through the Sierra Madre mountain range. Not over, but through. It's a twisting, turning trail that's more treacherous than you can imagine. If you don't know exactly where the fortress is, you'll never find it. Getting there won't be easy. There are blocks of mountain ranges. In some places, it rises several thousand feet. In others, it drops into deep canyons. If you don't know where you're going, it wouldn't be hard to get lost. You could even die."
"The mountains are cursed," Tony grumbled. "I've heard of people going in there, and they're never heard from again."
"It's a two-day journey to get there, if the weather permits. The only way you can go is horseback."
"Why can't we just go in on the backside of the mountains?" Blade asked.
She shook her head. "You would be picked off before you ever reached the fortress. It's too wide open. They would see you coming for miles. Our only chance is going in the same way they do, but again, they could come from any direction until they reach the trail that will lead them to the fortress. You will still have to be careful, though. Alejandro will set traps to ensure you don't get to him."
"You were pretty young when you went, weren't you?" Renegade asked.
"I was."
"How can you remember how to get there?" Cutter asked.
She smiled at him. "I was bored and tired. I remember the towns we went through and where we stopped to pick up the horses. Then we rode them into the mountains. I was so scared of the drops that I only looked at the mountain formations. Some of them were quite distinct. Like the king wearing his crown, snow white and four of her dwarfs, and, of course, the evil witch with her pointed hat on top of her head."
“They might be different now,” Rader said.
"I doubt much has changed. I know the trails, so I think that will keep us from stumbling across booby traps. You can talk all you want, but I'm the only one who can get you there safely." She looked down at her hands, then back at them as if carefully choosing her words. "I need to be able to help."
"But he's your father. It doesn't matter how evil he is," Savage said. "This has got to be difficult for you."
"On the contrary, it’s not difficult at all. I've never called him dad or daddy. He's always been Alejandro to me. Even when he gave me gifts, rarely did they come directly from him. He was practically a stranger. Everyone called him Alejandro, so it was natural for me to do the same.”
She met Renegade’s gaze. When he smiled, she continued.
“Once, he asked me to call him daddy, but I never could remember to do that. Then, when I got older, I realized he hadn't earned that right. I've always called him by his first name. It would be an insult to me if I called him by any other name. Taking him down will be a release. I don't want him to hurt anyone else."
Renegade straightened. He'd listened to everything they had to say and knew there was only one way to proceed. “Amelia is our only chance to beat Alejandro. We need her help.”
She smiled as if she’d won a victory.
“But that doesn’t mean any of us have to like it. Once we’re near enough, Tony will stay back and stand guard to make sure you’re kept safe. You have to promise you won’t get involved.”
“Of course. I know my limitations.”
Renegade wondered if she did. He had a feeling she would jump into the middle of a fight if she thought someone that she cared about was at risk. She always tried to right the wrongs. He should tell her, most of the time, it was a losing battle. Concentrate on the battles you can win, but sometimes, you have to walk away from the ones you can’t.
“You said you have other men who will be arriving?” Amelia asked.
Carter nodded. "A few, but not as many as you would think. These men are highly trained to take out the enemy. Each man has a special set of skills. Take Renegade, for instance. He's the best man I've ever seen at tracking."
Savage nodded. “He tracked me and Willow through the swamps of Louisiana. I’ve never understood how he did it.” He scratched his head.
“It wasn’t easy. I’m not sure you would’ve ever found your way out.” Renegade laughed.
“I’m not sure I would’ve minded too much. We wouldn’t have had to return and face her grandmother. Man, she’s tough.”
“They’ll make the flight in by a commercial airline, then bring my plane the rest of the way. We’ll be using your airstrip and the hangar.”
Amelia flinched. “There are drugs in the hangar.”
Renegade knew what it cost her to tell him. He was proud of her that she had.
“Yours?” Carter asked.
“I guess you would think that, but no. I think Alejandro put them there so I would turn to him for help if I was caught with them, then falsely accused.”
He nodded. "Is there enough room for the plane, or do we need to move them out of the way?"
“You believe me?”
"Yes, until you give me a reason not to. I was falsely accused of selling drugs once. It cost me a career in politics.”
Renegade studied him. Funny, he’d never heard that story until now.
“I’m sorry,” she said with sincerity.
“Don’t be. I never cared for politics anyway. Sometimes fate has a way of stepping in and setting our feet on the path we’re supposed to take.”
"Since more men are coming, I'll need to discuss a few things with Sophia. If you require anything, please let me know, and I'll do my best to get it to you."
Renegade watched her walk away. He loved how her hips naturally swayed back and forth just a little. Damn, she was sexy as hell. "She's pretty special." When she went inside and closed the door behind her, he turned back and looked at the others. They were all staring at him. "What?"
"Are you going to be able to keep your head in the game?" Kanon asked.
He frowned. "Of course I am. Why would you think I wouldn't?"
"She's a beautiful woman," Cutter stated, shrugging his shoulders.
Renegade still didn’t understand what they were getting at.
Tony didn't look happy, but he began to speak. "They're talking about the fact you're sleeping with her. Sometimes, a woman can throw you off your game, even though they don't mean to. Just having them around can create more problems. And by the way, don't forget what I said. You hurt her, and I'll hurt you. Amelia is special, and I think of her as I would a daughter. She’s family to me."
Renegade’s lips flattened into a grim line. "Don't worry, I'll do my job.” He met Tony’s gaze. “I would never hurt her.”
"Sometimes men don't mean to hurt women, but they do."
He blew out a frustrated breath. “When are the others going to be here?" Why would they even think he wouldn't be able to do his job? Of course he could. Maybe they'd been out in the sun too long. It was frying their brains.
"Probably not until morning," Carter said.
"Who’s coming?" Cutter casually leaned against the wood railing.
"Dylan and Ethan. You might’ve met them when we were helping Wizard overthrow the uncle who stole his country."
“Who would’ve ever thought Wizard would end up being a prince?” He laughed and shook his head.
“He wasn’t happy about that part,” Cutter said.
"Isn't Dylan the one who likes to blow up things?" Renegade thought he remembered him. The guy was obsessed with explosives but damned good at what he did.
Rader snorted. "He's been blowing things up since he was a kid. It's in his blood. His whole family blows up things."
"To be exact," Carter clarified. "He comes from a family of demolition experts. When you see a large multistory building dropping to the ground and landing in one big pile of rubble, that's probably his family." He was thoughtful for a moment. "I only hope he doesn't blow up my plane."
Rader laughed. The others all looked at him. Rader hardly ever laughed or spoke, for that matter. He was deadly, though. It didn't matter what weapon he used. He had an unmatched accuracy with whatever he picked up. He was still a mystery to them. To most everyone, except maybe Carter, and perhaps even him.
"Haven't I heard about Ethan?" Cutter said. "I don't remember meeting him, though."
Rader smiled, as did Carter.
"If the both of you walked into a room full of women," Carter said, looking right at Cutter. "I'm not sure which one the women would run to. For some strange reason, there's something about you and him that women are drawn to."
"Competition." Kanon laughed. "It's about time."
Rader shook his head. "Nope, he's off the market, and believe me, he doesn't want to make his wife angry."
Cutter looked confused. “Why not?”
"She went by the code name Scorpion." Carter shook his head. "The most badass undercover agent I've ever met. She definitely had a sting."
"Good, more women for me." Cutter laughed.
Renegade watched as the stallion pranced closer to the fence where Cutter was leaning. He didn't say anything, though. He didn't think the horse would hurt him. He'd calmed down a lot since moving to the open area where he could run. The stallion put his head over the fence next to Cutter’s head and snorted loudly.
"Son of a bitch!" Cutter stumbled away from the fence, landing on his ass in the dirt. He glared at Renegade. "Don't you think you could've warned me?"
He laughed as he walked closer to the fence, then rubbed the horse's head, patting his neck. “Nah, I knew it would be too damned funny."
They could joke around now, but he knew when it came to the mission, he would trust any one of them with his life. Yeah, he would have his head in the game. No distractions. Not when he worked. It would be no different this time.
His gaze strayed to the house.
Chapter Twenty-one
The next day, Amelia watched from the kitchen window as the men were preparing to leave for the airstrip to pick up Dylan and Ethan. Ethan had gotten his pilot license a few years ago, so he would be flying Carter’s plane.
Amelia could tell Carter was a little nervous about letting him fly it. Renegade said he wasn't concerned about any damage. Carter had more money than Midas. No, he was more worried they might crash.
She shook her head as she watched them. So much testosterone in one group. Savage jokingly punched Cutter on the arm and sent him flying into the side of the van, then sliding down to land on his butt. Everyone seemed to think that was funny. Savage shrugged his shoulders, then held out a hand to help him up.
At first, the team intimidated her. They were big men, and having them all in her house made everything feel small. She quickly discovered they were all good men. Just like now, they might be horsing around, but it was easy to see they cared a lot for each other. Just like Renegade had told her—these men were his brothers.
Her gaze landed on Renegade as he climbed behind the wheel of the Jeep. He was wearing his own clothes now. Soft, slightly worn jeans that fit snugly against his ass, a black T-shirt that showed off the muscles in his arms…
Her mouth watered. Every move he made had her pulse beating a little faster. He moved even better in bed. A flash of desire spread over her. She couldn’t seem to get enough of him. It certainly hadn’t taken her long to get addicted to him.
“He’s a handsome man.”
She jumped just a little and continued washing the plate. “Who?”
Sophia cocked an eyebrow. “Santa Claus. Who do you think—Renegade.”
She shrugged. “I suppose.”
Sophia laughed lightly. “You’re not a very good liar.”
Sometimes, Sophia liked to push her buttons, just like now.
"Are you worried about what's going to happen?" Sophia asked.
“No, they’re highly trained. Why do you ask?”
“Because you’ve been washing that plate so long the pattern is probably washed away.”
Amelia automatically held up the white plate.
“See, I told you.”
Amelia turned her mouth to the side. “It was already white, and you know it."
The maids working at the large center island giggled. The two young maids were putting platters of sandwiches together for when the men returned. It was easier to have a large breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, then a large dinner.
"Let's go to the front porch and drink our tea. We need a break anyway."
Maria looked up, smiled shyly, then downed her head. She was seventeen years old and didn't have a home. Sophia had gone to town for supplies. Maria had been working on a street corner when Sophia spotted her. She hired her on the spot, then came back and begged Amelia to keep her on. Sophia knew Amelia well enough to know she wouldn't turn her away. And she hadn't.
Maria turned out to be a lovely girl. She'd run away from an abusive home in the hopes of a better life, but that hadn't worked out for her until she met Sophia.
"How many sandwiches should we make?" Maria asked.
Sophia quickly counted what they already had. "Maybe twenty more."
Angela's mouth dropped open. "So many? I didn't know men could eat so much."
Amelia smiled. Angela was about the same age as Maria. Their stories were totally different, though. Angela went home on the weekends if she wasn’t needed. Her parents lived on the property, working for Amelia. Angela was earning money to go to college when she finished high school. She was a smart girl, as well as a hard worker.
Amelia already knew what she would get the girl for a graduation present. There was a car in the garage that Tony and Angela's father were fixing up for her. Amelia was also going to pay for her college. Someday, she would make a fine lawyer. She grimaced. At this rate, she might need Angela to get her out of jail.
No, she wouldn't let Alejandro beat her. If anything, she figured Carter and the team would make the drugs in the hangar disappear. That would be fine with her. They could take them out into the middle of nowhere and destroy them as far as she was concerned. She wanted nothing to do with them.
She sighed with relief when she sat in one of the rockers. Sophia sat in the one next to her. Amelia had been on her feet all day, making sure the pantry was fully stocked. With this many people to feed, she only hoped they didn't run out of anything.
"I think you are worried," Sophia said, breaking into her thoughts.
"I would be a fool not to be. I won't be involved in taking Alejandro down. As I said, they’re highly trained in covert operations. I would only be in the way."
Sophia ran her finger around the rim of her glass. “And Tony? Will he be there with them?"
"Why don't you tell him how you feel?" Amelia countered.
Sophia's gaze jerked up. "No! I can't tell him. He has to make the first move. What if he doesn't care for me?"
"Believe me, he cares for you." She looked toward the barn. Tony was just coming out of the building. He'd said they didn't need him to pick up the other men, so he stayed behind. She waved him over.
"What are you doing?" Sophia asked with a touch of anxiety.
Amelia turned and looked at her. "He's about to go on a dangerous mission, and you're worried about him. You're both idiots."
"But you said he would be safe, right?" She hurriedly asked, glancing toward Tony, who was approaching the house.
"I didn't say he would be safe. He won't be involved in any fighting, but that doesn't mean the journey won't be treacherous. The trail we'll be going on is dangerous and full of boobytraps. You'll never forgive yourself if something happens to him."
There was silence until Tony got to the steps. He looked between them. "What's going on?"
Sophia took a deep breath. "You're going on a dangerous mission," she said.
He slowly nodded. "Yes, but it's something that has to be done."
