Cold Day In Hell (11 page)

She pressed her cheek against the small window pane, straining to see even a remnant of her native country. Blinking hard to prevent the flood of tears threatening to fall, she stared, frantically taking mental snapshots, as the Airbus continued its ascent.

Next stop, Miami. After that? Would she really wind up in Texas? Who knew? If the American government had a plan, no one had shared it with her.

A hand touched her arm, reminding her that she had an escort.

"You okay?" Jack Fury released his seat belt and leaned closer.

"How would you feel if you could never return to your homeland?" Her words sounded bitter, which suited her fine because they tasted sour.

"Like shit." He nodded, apparently understanding a little of what she was going through.

At least he hadn't lied to her. "I appreciate your honesty."

"I get you're scared. Trust me when I say, you won't be dumped on the curb and forgotten."

The gunshot wound on Jack's arm had required a few stitches. Ana had no doubt he was in pain and was grateful for his help. He'd walked her through filling out the necessary forms for the United States Citizen and Immigration Services. The liaison at the Colombian Embassy had acted as if she should be thrilled, honored that the USCIS had agreed to expedite her paperwork.

Maybe under different circumstances, she'd be happy to live in America, but not like this. She'd stolen out of town under the cover of night as if she were a criminal on the run. Worse yet, her promise of vengeance remained unfulfilled.

Ana glanced toward home once more, but saw nothing but sky out her window. She lowered the shade and turned toward Jack. "How'd you end up babysitting me?"

He smiled, the corners of his eyes wrinkling. His long blond hair had been cut into a short military style, making him look older than when he'd worn board shorts and a T-shirt. The navy suit and white shirt he wore made her feel as if she were in custody.

He seemed to be weighing his answer. "I pulled the short straw." He laughed at his own joke. "It was time. My assignment was over."

"Speaking of over, are you still mad I held a gun on you?"

"No, ma'am. You did what you thought was right. Turns out, you were."

He leaned his seat back and closed his sea-blue eyes. How could he sleep when she had so many questions? They'd cut her off from Ty, leaving her to wonder about his condition.

His boss, Nate Wolfe, had assured her Ty would live. But what about his career? Would he recover completely? 

The thought she'd never see him again disturbed her and left a hollow feeling in her chest. No doubt, this was a case of old-fashioned hero worship. He'd ruined her plan to kill Ortega, but he'd saved her life more than once. In the few short days they'd spent together, she'd developed a deep respect for him. Feelings inside her stirred just thinking about him. Feelings best forgotten.

Guilt rested on her shoulders, a crushing heavy weight. The loss of innocent lives plagued her. That she'd been responsible for Jack being shot and Ty's brush with death sent her spirits spiraling to an all-time low.

She had no one in America. No friends. No family. She'd emptied her bank account, thrown some clothes into a bag, and had been whisked off to await departure. She hadn't been allowed to tell her adopted mother and father goodbye for fear Ortega had people watching them. Thankfully, the FBI had agreed to move them to a safe house.

Judging by Jack's easy breathing, he'd dozed off. No, thanks. She'd keep her eyes open for the three-hour flight, if just to prevent screaming herself awake.

Loneliness swamped her as she considered her future. She'd felt this lost and alone when her parents had been murdered. The pain had been as unbearable as it was at this moment.

Today, she'd turned her back on their memory and on her promise.

Chapter Eight

Ty pushed himself off the weight bench. Placing the barbells back in their slots, he sucked up the discomfort and walked to where Nate stood watching. There were things Ty needed to be doing and recuperating wasn't one of them.

No more lip service. He wanted facts. "Satisfied? You might as well be, because this dog-and-pony show is over. The doctor released me. That should be enough for you. Three weeks stuck in a Colombian hospital, one here in Dallas and then two in rehab. That's six weeks for two bullet wounds. Give me a break."

"I can count," Nate snapped back. "Those bullets gave you a collapsed lung and came damn close to leaving you with permanent nerve damage."

"Where's Ana?"

The sides of Nate's mouth curved downward. It was a look Ty was damn tired of seeing. "That badass glare might work on your bride. Not me."

"I have to be sure you can handle yourself in a fight."

"You're getting ready to find out." Ty stretched to his full six-foot-two. "Answer my question."

Nate chuckled, obviously not frightened. "She's here in Texas."

Ty's long nights of worry whooshed from his lungs. "Why so fuckin' secretive?"

"I told you a dozen times she was all right. The last thing you needed was to jump on your white horse and go try to fix things for her."

"Fix what?"

"Nothing. Other than the struggles of trying to start a new life."

"Exactly where is she?"

"Tyrell." Nate waved a hand in the air as if to erase his spoken word. "Sorry. You've been Tyrell to me since college. It's like Kaycie wanting to be called Kay. I may never get used to it."

"Try harder." Ty lowered his tone. "Third time. Where is Ana?"

A need to see her had eaten at his peace of mind since she'd left for the safe house one day and never returned. He didn't analyze the feeling to death. Concern for her was understandable. Hell, they'd been through more in a couple of days than most people experienced in a lifetime.

Damn, she was tough. Forcing Jack Fury to sit in the back of the boat while she'd turned it around and returned them to Santiago's village must've been hard on Fury's ego. By doing so, she'd saved Ty's life. Again. Just as she had at the waterfall. They shared a bond. That's all it was.

He owed her, and he paid his debts.

"She's working at the Hill County Library. Teaches English as a second language. Holly lives in Hill Top now. She's the assistant librarian and was willing to help out."

"Jesus. How is Holly?" Ty scrubbed the towel over his face, mopping sweat and hiding his embarrassment at not asking about her sooner.

Only a purebred ass would've forgotten her experience. Kidnapped, beaten, and offered up as a trade for evidence, she'd struggled getting back on her feet. She and Kay were best friends, and the two were like family to him. They'd helped fill the void his sister's death had left.

Back in the States for three weeks and all he'd thought of was getting a clean bill of health and finding Ana. He'd worried about her. After all, she'd been his responsibility. He had to follow through and make sure she was okay.

"Holly's still in therapy. But she's coming along. I think being around Kay and me served as a constant reminder of the kidnapping. Holly's a strong woman. It might take awhile, but she'll work through the trauma."

"She's a city girl. What's she doing living in the boonies?"

"Making a new life for herself. She's thirty minutes outside of Fort Worth."

"I need to see them both."

"I know. It was my job to ensure you were a hundred percent before I unleashed you on the world." Nate grinned, sounding more like Ty's friend than his keeper.

"I'm ready."

"Good enough. I'm hitting the shower." Nate picked up his towel. "How about we grab a beer before I go home?"

"Yes" was on the tip of Ty's tongue, but he quickly rethought his answer. He had to make good use of his time here. He was cleared for duty, so Nate could assign him a new case Monday.

"Rain check on the drink." Before he started something new, he had to close the door on Ana's case. Make sure she was settled and moving forward with her life.

Odd how often she'd popped into his mind over the past few weeks. Not only her beautiful face and smartass mouth, but he also seemed to remember tears running down her cheeks when he'd regained consciousness in the hospital. Late at night, he had almost felt her hand on his arm. The next thing he'd known, Jack Fury had been escorting her to America.

Why had she cried? Had she cared whether he lived or died? Why was he curious?

Showered and ready to go, he promised Nate he'd stop by for Sunday lunch and headed out Interstate 75 toward Hill Top.

Time to rejoin the living.  

October weather in Texas was nothing like the damp heat of the jungle. The day was warm, the sun was shining, but the sky? Damn, he'd never seen it so blue.

Happy to be on his own, he turned off the air conditioner and rolled down the windows. The wet summer, a phenomenon in Texas, had painted the trees and pastures a brilliant green. Not quite as vivid as the jungle, but under the cloudless sky the scenery was breathtaking. Fat cattle grazed, calves nursed, and Ty tuned out every sound except the hum of his tires on the open road.

He pulled into the parking lot at the library, killed the engine, and sat staring at the colonial-style brick building. The weird stirring in his heart confused him. His dogged interest in seeing Ana ate away at his stomach lining.

 He'd served with women in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some had caught his interest, but afterward, he'd never actually missed any of them. Yet, here he sat reluctant to go inside. Hell, he was acting like a pimple-faced schoolboy.

He gritted his teeth and shook off the case of nerves. He had nothing to worry about. After all, this was a friendly how-are-you visit to Ana and Holly.

He got out and crossed the lot to the entrance where a sign indicated closing time was at six. He started up the steps. Stopped. He wanted to go inside. No doubt, Holly would be glad to see him. But Ana? She'd moved on. Started a new life.

Fuck. He hated indecisive people. Now he was one.

He spotted a wrought-iron bench in the shade, so he sat and waited.

Chapter Nine

Holly's shriek startled Ana. Loud noises and car backfires still frightened her. Would the fear last forever?

Holly took off in a run. Ana whirled. Her lungs seized. Eyes burned. Chest squeezed.

Ty Castillo walked across the lawn, a big grin spread across his face. He opened his arms wide, and Holly jumped into them. His laughter rolled toward Ana, music to her ears. It was a side of him she'd never seen.

Pain flooded her soul at the sight of him holding Holly in his arms.

His gaze lifted for a second and laser-locked on Ana. Intense heat flowed from his eyes through her system, melting her from the inside out. He abruptly broke eye contact and turned his attention to Holly. He leaned down and kissed the smiling woman on the forehead. Ty picked up a lock of her short brown hair and ran it through his fingers.

Ana held her breath. He was her rescuer, her bodyguard, and nothing more. So why'd his tender gesture send a shard of jealousy knifing through her heart?

"Where's the ponytail and my wild-haired blonde?"

Holly's expression shifted from ecstatic to deadpan. "It was time I grew up."

Suddenly, he and Holly were talking nonstop and at the same time.

The scene felt too intimate to stand around and watch. Ana felt very much like a voyeur. She closed her eyes while the breeze cooled her flushed face.

Regardless of what Holly had indicated, there was more between her and Ty than just friendship.

Ana ran different scenarios through her head, trying to come up with a tactful way to walk away. None came, so she stood her ground and waited for him to take the lead.

God, what a sight he was with his shaved head and face. Even the mustache and goatee were gone. His shoulders were still broad, and the pullover he wore gave testament to his rugged condition. His cheeks seemed to be thinner, giving his sharp jawline a more refined edge. He'd lost weight, not that it detracted from his looks. With his heritage of Latin and African-American blood, his caramel skin and piercing dark eyes would attract any number of women. Holly included.  

Ana opened her eyes and discovered Ty headed her direction.

In long, purposeful strides, he covered the distance quickly. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Ana tamped down the urge to wrap her arms around those broad shoulders and tell him just how damn glad she was to see him. Instead, she extended her hand.

He recoiled. His smile disappeared. What had he expected? To his credit, he recovered quickly, and his fingers closed around hers with a strong grip. Tugging her a couple of steps closer, he used his free hand to cup her cheek.

"How are you?" He inspected her as he had in the jungle, tilting her head to check her neck.

"Fine, thank you." She held back a shudder as his thumb stroked her skin.

"Really?" He made one of his exasperated-sigh sounds, exactly like the ones that used to piss her off. Today, it made her smile. The tension eased.

"Okay," she began again. "I'm a work in progress."

His gaze raked over her from top to toes. "I'd say the outside doesn't need tampering with."

She didn't know how to respond to his comment, so she changed the direction of the conversation. "You're well?"

After all they'd been through in the jungle, she wanted to talk to him. To see how he really was. Or if he had news about Ortega. Truthfully, she wanted to jump into his arms just as Holly had done. Yet here she stood, jaws locked, tongue-tied. The right words were hard to come by. Apparently, she needed bullets flying past their heads to have a conversation with him.

"I am." His eyes grew darker, if that was possible. It felt as if he looked inside her soul. "What have you heard from home?"

"Nothing except what I see on television or read online." She swallowed the lump crowding the back of her throat. Being isolated without friends, she hadn't gotten her footing yet. Or she'd have fought harder for news. Now the need swamped her with a hunger she couldn't shake. "I hoped you had some kind of update."