Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“There have been some developments,” Carter began.
Worth frowned. “What kind of developments?” His knee bounced restlessly as he squeezed my hand. He was scared. He’d been trying not to show it because he was worried about me, but I wanted him to be free to show how worried he truly was. He didn’t need to protect me from his feelings. No matter how confidently he stated that they’d find Beck and bring him home, I knew there was a possibility that it might not happen.
Carter glanced toward Miles; Miles nodded.
“What the fuck is going on?” Worth asked.
“We received a request to make a trade. They want Matteo in exchange for Beck,” Carter said.
Worth shook his head. “No, absolutely not. We’ll find a way to get them out without putting you in that position.”
Carter held up his hand. “We’re going to get your brother back. You’re exactly right. I know what I’m doing, and I know how to run this operation and give everybody the best chance of coming out of it safely.”
Matteo spoke up then. “I’ve allowed myself to be bait before, and I’m sure I’ll end up doing it again.”
Carter scowled and I swore I heard a little growl emanate from him. “We have a plan to extract Beck.”
“So you know where he is?” Worth asked.
Carter nodded.
“How long have you known? When did this request for a trade come through? Why haven’t you been telling me what’s going on?”
“It all happened while you were on the plane. There was no reason to upset you when you couldn’t do anything until you got here.”
Worth snarled. “You told me you would keep me posted on everything.”
I scooted closer to Worth. “They told you as soon as they got here. You’re not being left out. Let’s hear the plan.”
Miles smiled at me. “I like this. I like this a lot.”
Worth scowled at him. “This is not the time.”
Did that mean he did know something? Worth must have told Miles during one of their conversations while we were in Aruba.
Carter explained that they thought Beck was being held at a home owned by one of the cartel members under an alias. It was in Lower Manhattan, so not far away, but they needed to wait until it was fully dark to go in. They had a plan, but if they were caught, they would use Matteo as bait.
“And once they take you, you think they’re just going to go easy on you?” Worth asked. “Do you think they’re just going ask you to work for them again?”
I looked between Worth and Matteo. “What do you mean work for them again?”
“I was undercover with the cartel as part of a CIA mission,” Matteo said.
“What? Is this…am I supposed to know this?”
Matteo grinned. “Absolutely not, but you’re part of us now, and I doubt you have any reason to spill my secrets.”
“No one would believe me if I did, but I wouldn’t. Beck and Worth are my only friends.”
Miles shook his head. “No, you have all of us now.”
That wasn’t true. I wasn’t part of this group. How could I ever be? “I don’t understand. I’m just a friend of Beck’s who got to take his place on a trip to Aruba.”
“You’re so much more than that.” Worth captured my gaze. I froze for a moment. The intensity of emotion in his eyes made my heart skip a beat.
“I…Thank you.”
“To answer your question,” Matteo said. “I don’t think they’re going to invite me to work for them again, but Carter and I have a way to get me out.”
“And you’re not going to tell me more about this plan?” Worth asked.
“There are about a hundred contingency plans,” Carter explained, “so that would take too much time.”
Worth looked at Miles. “Do you know more?”
“I know that I trust the two of them, and we have a lot of resources behind us if something goes wrong.”
“I don’t want any of you sacrificing yourselves.”
“Do you think Carter would let Matteo do this if he thought that’s what would happen?” Ford asked.
Carter laid a hand on partner’s thigh, then looked at Worth. “We’ve got this. Trust us.”
“I want to come with you.”
“No. That’s not—”
“I’m not giving you a choice,” Worth said. “I’m in on this. I’ll stay back. I can hang with Ford and take care of communications, but I want to be there. I want to see my brother the minute we get him out.”
Again, Miles and Carter exchanged a look.
“Stop trying to say things to each other and leaving me out.”
Miles scoffed. “We didn’t say a thing.”
“You did! You did the eye thing.”
“Fine, you’re coming with us, but only under very specific conditions.”
“I’ll come too,” I said. “I want to help. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Beck.”
“Absolutely not,” Worth argued. “You’re going to stay here with the guards. I’m not going to let you put yourself at risk. Beck wouldn’t want—”