“I’m not letting you go alone.”
Olivia lifted one brow and gave him a flat stare that suggested he was an idiot. Maybe he was, but he couldn’t let her go off into the jungle by herself to meet with a group of violent men. If she thought he was just going to sit back and twiddle his thumbs while he waited for her to return, she was sadly mistaken.
“I don’t want to go alone,” she said with exaggerated patience. “But what do you suggest? If you come with me, they’ll know something is off. They’ll probably shoot you on sight and then kill me after they get the money.”
Logan shook his head. She was right, but that didn’t mean he was going to give up so easily.
“I won’t let myself be seen. I’ll follow you and stay hidden. If things go wrong, I’ll be there to pull you out of the fire.”
Olivia chewed her thumbnail silently for a moment. “Okay,” she said slowly. “But I don’t think we can be seen leaving together. Maria said I was to come alone. If one of the cartel’s spies sees us taking the path together, they can call ahead and warn the others. We’ll have to go separately.”
Logan nodded. He hadn’t noticed anyone following them when they went out for a meal or an errand, but that didn’t mean they weren’t being watched. When dealing with an organization like Fantasmas, it was best to assume the worst.
“I’ll set out in the morning. Before the sun is up. I’ll hike up to the rendezvous point and find a spot nearby to hide. That way, I’ll be in position before you leave, and before the men arrive.” He made a mental note to fill his backpack with water before setting out. It was warm and humid in the jungle, and if he was going to sit outside all morning, he would need to stay hydrated.
“What will I tell people when you don’t show up to the hospital with me? They’ll wonder where you are.”
“Tell them I’m sick,” he suggested. “Nothing too terrible, since I’m going to recover quickly. Maybe food poisoning or something like that?”
“That could work,” Olivia mused, tapping her finger against her chin. “Do you really think you’ll be okay waiting by yourself in the jungle all morning? It’s not like any forest you’ve ever hiked through before.”
Logan shrugged. “I’ve done my fair share of camping. I’m not a total idiot when it comes to roughing it. I think I can handle myself for a few hours.”
Olivia looked doubtful but she had the grace not to say anything. “I can’t believe it’s really happening,” she muttered, shuddering slightly.
Logan closed the distance between them and drew her in, putting his arms around her in a loose embrace. His larger frame dwarfed hers by comparison, making her seem even more fragile. But he knew that under her delicate exterior lurked a core of steel. He’d caught a glimpse of it earlier when she’d delivered that baby. He had watched the emotions play across her face and had seen the exact moment she’d buried her fears and dug in her heels. It gave him goose bumps just to remember her fierce expression of determination and the way she’d forged ahead, her earlier doubts and worries banished. When Olivia Sandoval decided to do something, she followed through.
And even though she might not realize it now, this assignment was no different.
“I knew they weren’t going to forget about me,” she said softly. Her cheek rested against his chest, and her breath was warm through the fabric of his shirt. It was just the kind of close, personal contact that made his body sit up and take notice, and he pushed down the faint stirrings of desire to focus on her words. He was trying to comfort her, not put moves on her!
“I guess I just hoped if I ignored it long enough, it wouldn’t happen. That maybe it wouldn’t be real.”
Logan ran a hand down the thick cascade of her dark hair. “I know,” he said simply. “And I wish that was the case. But at least now we know what to expect.”
She pulled back and met his gaze, her brown eyes sober. “Are you sure about that? They used a pregnant woman to deliver a message—hopefully she got paid to do it, rather than being forced or threatened.” Her lips drew down in a frown at the thought. “I get the feeling these are not rational people, and that scares me more than anything.”
Logan debated for a moment on how to respond. He didn’t want to make her worry more, but neither did he want to deny her concerns. He’d seen enough of the aftermath of cartel violence to know that her instincts were correct.
“They’re not rational,” he said, deciding to give her the truth. “They’re trigger-happy and quick to casual displays of violence. But they are motivated by money. If you do your part, they should leave you alone.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I am.” He infused his voice with confidence, hoping it would reassure her. “Fear of Fantasmas runs deep. They have to know that crossing the organization would mean their death.”
“I suppose that’s good,” she said, sounding a little steadier.
“Just promise me one thing.” He touched the side of her face gently. “Don’t turn your back on these men. They’re like rattlesnakes. If they can find an opportunity to do harm without jeopardizing their deal as suppliers to Fantasmas, they will. Don’t give them an opening.”
Olivia’s eyes widened and she sucked in a breath. “I’ll do my best.”
“I know you will.” He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. It was a few inches north of where he really wanted to kiss her, but he had to keep things affectionate, not passionate. For now.
“I’ll be there the whole time,” he said, pulling her close again. “I won’t let any harm come to you.”
“I know,” she said softly, wrapping her arms around him and snuggling closer. Her simple declaration of trust hit him right in the gut, and he felt himself slip a little deeper under her spell. A tiny voice in the back of his mind warned that he was getting too close, too soon, but he ignored it. Now was not the time to worry about protecting his bruised heart. Not when Olivia’s life was at stake.
* * *
Olivia pushed a strand of hair out of her face and adjusted the backpack, hoping in vain for a breeze. The air was thick and muggy, and the sounds of the jungle surrounded her, making her very aware of the fact that she was a lone human in a vast, untamed wilderness.
No, not alone. Logan was out there, waiting for her. The thought brought her some measure of comfort and she held on to the knowledge like a lucky penny, keeping it in the forefront of her mind.
A bright yellow spider rested on a wide green leaf and she shuddered, giving the arachnid a wide berth. How many creepy-crawlies were out there that she couldn’t see? It was enough to trigger paranoia in even the staunchest of outdoorsmen. Her skin itched as she felt the imaginary sensation of thousands of tiny legs crawling up her neck, and she took a deep breath to dispel her rising disgust.
Poor Logan! He was sitting out there somewhere, probably making a fine meal for the many blood-sucking insects in the forest. Oh, God, what if something venomous bit him? It wasn’t just insects that posed a threat—there were any number of snakes that could kill. And tree frogs too—all he had to do was inadvertently touch one, and...
Her heart pounded against her breastbone as her mind raced with a thousand scenarios, each one ending with Logan dead or dying alone in the jungle. And it was all her fault. She should have never agreed to let him scout ahead. He had no knowledge of the wildlife in this area, no idea of what was safe and what was dangerous. How could she have thought this was a good idea? It was her own selfish need to feel safe that had led her to agree to his crazy plan. And now he was out there, facing a threat that was more immediate than the cartel. She had every confidence he could handle himself when it came to the dangers posed by humans, but did he know the first thing about surviving in the rain forest, even if only for a few hours?
She felt the sting of tears as her panic threatened to overwhelm her. It was all she could do to keep from running ahead, yelling out his name in the hopes he would respond. But that would be suicide. It was very nearly midday, and the men were probably already close by. If she gave in to her hysteria, they would know she had not followed instructions. Logan had told her they would look for any excuse to do violence, and she couldn’t give them one. Besides, she told herself sternly. He’s a smart man. He’s probably just fine.
Right?
She stopped and took several deep breaths, forcing herself to calm down. If she walked into this meeting with her head filled with worries about Logan, she was as good as dead. He hadn’t let her down yet. She simply had to trust that he was out there, safe and whole.
After a moment her heart began to slow its pounding, and the tightness in her chest eased. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and moved on, determined to get this over with. The sooner she and Logan were back in the safety of their apartment, the better.
Just as Maria had said, the trail opened up into a small clearing. Olivia stepped forward, feeling suddenly exposed after the relative claustrophobia of the dense foliage that had lined the trail. She scanned the tree line opposite her, but saw no movement other than the swaying branches at the top of the canopy. She glanced at her watch. Was she early?
She stood there for several moments, brushing away the questing insects that buzzed around her face. There was no sign of anyone else, and she began to worry. Was she supposed to give some sort of signal? Maria hadn’t given her any kind of instructions on what to do once she arrived, but then again, the woman had just given birth unexpectedly. Perhaps she had forgotten some of the message in the heat of the moment.
Olivia turned slowly, scanning the clearing from one side to the other. Where was Logan? Hopefully someplace close. The vegetation was so thick it was impossible to see more than a few feet into the forest. He could be standing a few yards away and she wouldn’t be able to see him. But then again, she wasn’t used to this environment. Would the men who were meeting her find him through the jungle camouflage? One more worry added to the pile...
A particularly persistent mosquito kept flying around her face, seeking an undefended spot to land. The high-pitched buzz was an annoying distraction, and as the time passed with no sign of human activity, Olivia felt her fears gradually morph into annoyance. She wanted to get this over with, and the sooner the better.
Where are they?
* * *
Logan crouched in the shadows of a downed tree, his eyes glued to Olivia. She’d come charging into the clearing, her cheeks flushed and sweat-dampened tendrils of hair plastered to her neck and the side of her face. He’d caught her worried expression as she scanned the empty space, and he wanted so badly to signal her so that she would see him and know she wasn’t alone. But he couldn’t take the risk. The men could be anywhere, and he didn’t want to blow his cover unless it was absolutely necessary.
He shifted a bit, trying to work out the kinks in his back. The hike in had been mostly flat and fairly easy, if hot. His shirt was soaked with sweat and plastered to his skin, but he didn’t stink. Not yet anyway.
He poured a little water out onto the ground and used his finger to mix up some fresh mud. Moving slowly, he smeared it on his face and neck, patching over the exposed spots of skin left when his earlier application had dried and flaked off. It was an old trick he’d learned during his scouting days, and it was saving him from being eaten alive by bugs right now.
Olivia was not so lucky. She swatted the air around her head, clearly irritated. He glanced down at his watch. Twenty past the hour. Unless Olivia had misunderstood Maria’s message—which was highly unlikely—these guys were late.
Logan frowned, considering. Were they trying to intimidate her by taking their time? Or had something happened to spook them and they weren’t going to show? The politics in this region were fluid—it was possible the suppliers had decided to do business with a different cartel. If that was the case, he was going to have to come up with another plan quickly. He doubted Carlos would be very happy if Olivia came back without the drugs, even if it wasn’t her fault the exchange hadn’t taken place.
The minutes ticked by and Logan had to stop himself from fidgeting. Any extraneous movement on his part would draw the eye and give his position away. He hadn’t spent hours camped here only to make such a rookie mistake at the very end. He wondered at what point Olivia was going to give up and go back to the hospital. Her absence would most definitely be noted if she stayed away for too much longer...
A movement at the tree line caught his eye and he lifted his gun to peer through the sight. Was that...? Yes, that was a person, walking slowly forward into the clearing.
Logan glanced over, but Olivia hadn’t noticed the other man yet. A few seconds later, her body stiffened as she realized she wasn’t alone. She watched the man approach with a wary eye, but her suspicion didn’t seem to faze him.
Additional movement behind the newcomer revealed a group of men moving forward. They stepped into the clearing but made no move to come much closer—it was clear the first arrival was their leader.
Logan took a deep breath and settled into position, keeping the man in his sights. Adrenaline surged in his body, and his fingertips tingled as he watched the man approach Olivia. He was short and stocky, and the scars on his face and hands made it clear he’d been in his share of fights. “If you touch one hair on her head...” he muttered, his protective instincts roaring to the surface. Intellectually, he’d known Olivia would have to conduct this meeting. But he hadn’t realized just how difficult it was going to be for him to watch her from afar while she put herself in danger.
Olivia stayed where she was and let the man come to her. Smart move, he thought approvingly. If things went bad, she was close to the tree line and could quickly dart back into the cover of the jungle. But I won’t let it get that far.
The new arrival stopped a few feet away from Olivia and looked her over, clearly taking her measure. If he was surprised to see a woman there, he didn’t show it. He took one final drag off his cigarette, then dropped it and ground out the embers with the toe of his boot.
Showtime.