Buried (Hiding From Love #3) (28 page)

“Who knew Gabe Thompson was such a romantic?” I tease.

“I’ve been in a war zone, Beth. It makes you realize that there aren’t many chances in this world to find that one perfect person and make a life with them. Juan’s your one perfect person, I could see that when you introduced us to him. I want to help you make a life with him like you’ve helped me make a life with your sister.”

I throw my arms around Gabe, tears running down my face. “Thank you so much,” I gasp out as I sniffle into his neck.

He chuckles. “Wait till I get him out. Then you can thank me.”

After I leave Max’s and head toward home, I realize that getting Juan back might just become a reality. I only hope he wants to be with me the way I want to be with him.

I
T’S
been nearly two months since Beth left, and the days blend into one another. I have meetings, I look over financial records, and I try to understand the complex network of mules, distributors, pushers, and manufacturers that make up the Santos Mexicanos. My father takes two brief trips out of town, but I’m not invited along. I figure that’s because he doesn’t want to risk my getting away. I’m still shadowed night and day by the security staff. It’s couched as being ‘protection,’ but I know they’re really just high-end jailers.

It’s late in the afternoon on a Wednesday, my father is in Guanajuato for the day, and I’ve been going over some records he asked me to review. When my eyes start to cross from all of the numbers, I leave the office and step outside to the patio, thinking about whether I want to take a swim and have an early dinner then go back to the work. I hear voices and see three men walk around the corner of the pool house. As they approach, I notice that one is Latino, but the other is blonde—and American. I watch, partially hidden by the pillar I’m leaning against under the pergola.

“My buddy here was one of the best mechanics we had in camp even though it wasn’t his job. He’d be happy to do some work on the cars on the property too. You’ll get double duty out of him,” the Latino says to Ryan, who leads them along.

“
Señor
will like that. He always feels more comfortable when things are done in-house. Less chance for security breaches that way,” Ryan tells the guy.

The American obviously doesn’t speak Spanish, so he’s not really participating in the conversation, but he’s watching, taking everything in. He’s casual about it, but it’s obvious he’s casing the place pretty carefully. I need to know who these two are and what’s going on. If they’re from a rival syndicate looking to raid the place they’ll be after me as well as my father. I don’t feel like dying today.

I step out from behind the pillar as they get within shouting distance and feel my heart stop when I realize that the American is Gabe Thompson, Alexis’s boyfriend.

I swallow the shock down and work very hard to pull on my mask. I remind myself that, just like with the RH, my ability to cover my emotions and responses could very well be the thing that saves my life.

“
Señor
Juan,” Ryan says, smiling as he leads Gabe and the other guy to me. “I want you to meet our two newest staff members.
Señor
hired them last week and they’ll be officially on duty starting tomorrow. This is Jorge and Nate. Nate doesn’t speak a great deal of Spanish, but maybe you’ll enjoy having an American around since you grew up there.”

I give a lukewarm smile to Ryan. “I had no idea we were hiring new staff. But welcome. I’m Juan Martinez,
Señor
Ybarra’s son.” I put my hand out to Jorge and then
Nate
.

Both men shake my hand, and Gabe holds my gaze for a moment longer than necessary. My heart races with thoughts of what the hell he’s doing here. Could it be that he’s been with the feds all along and they’ve sent him after me? I’m desperate to get him alone so I can find out. I don’t know if I can trust him, but right now, I don’t really care. I just want answers.

“So, will you be staying here on the property?” I ask Gabe in English. About half of the staff live on site in cottages my father’s built for them. The other half live in Leon and commute.

“
Señor
Ybarra has offered us a place here,” he answers. “My friend and I are former US military and heard there might be security work for some of the families in this area. We’re very grateful to be working for your father.”

I give him a quick smile, and Ryan moves the tour along. I watch them as they walk away into the house and wonder what in the hell they’re doing here. But my guess is that I’ll find out sooner rather than later. I just hope that whatever it is doesn’t involve me in a Mexican prison. I’ll take Huntsville over that shit any day.

It’s nearly midnight when I hear the light tapping at my balcony door. I turn the bedside lamp off and tiptoe to the door. I pull the edge of the curtain back a fraction and look directly into Gabe’s grinning face.

As I open the door and he slips in, I whisper harshly, “What the fuck,
ese
? Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“Dude, I’m smarter than that. Benji’s down at the cottages running a poker game with all the guys. He’s managed to get half the staff distracted because they think he’s too stupid to understand Mexican money. They think they’re going to make a killing off of him. Dumbasses. He’ll take them all to the cleaners as soon as he knows I’m back safe and sound.”

“So you’re here, a thousand or so miles from home, why? And does Alexis know? And again, are you fucking trying to get yourself killed?”

He chuckles softly and shakes his head. Then he slowly strolls around the room. “You ever watch TV this late at night?” he whispers.

I nod and grab the remote, turning on a boxing match that’s pretty loud. I motion to the sofa so we can sit.

“Are you okay, man?” he asks, looking concerned.

“Yeah, I’m safe and sound—as long as I keep playing my part. Who sent you? The feds? Are you here to take me in?”

He shakes his head. “Yes and no. Beth sent me—“

“What?” I exclaim before Gabe puts a finger to his lips, reminding me to keep quiet.

“Just give me a minute to explain. It’s complicated. Beth and her Uncle Max went to the feds. They got immunity for her and then she gave them testimony about everything you two went through with the RH and during the week she was here.”

“Oh fuck,” I say, raking a hand through my hair. “
Madre de Dios
. Why would she do that? No one knew she was involved at all. All she had to do was get home and go back to living her life.” I put my head in my hands and try to breathe.

“You do realize you’re talking about one of the Garcia girls, right?” Gabe looks at me, incredulous.

I sigh. “All right. What else?”

“She got the feds to give you a deal.”

“So I need to go back to Huntsville?”

“No, man. She got you WITSEC.”

“Witness protection? What do I have to do? Rat out the RH?”

Gabe looks at me like he’s examining a bug under a microscope. “No. You have to rat out your dad.”

I think my breath and my heart both stop for a full minute. There is nothing but empty air inside me. Then, like a light flickering before it turns back on, everything reboots. My brain sparks, my lungs inflate, and my heart pumps once, twice, three times.

I stare at him, and everything inside me is a tangle of conflicting impulses. Part of me collapses in relief—a chance to go home, start fresh, leave all the old Juans behind. Another part is disbelieving—it’ll never really happen. This is just one of a thousand dead ends. And strangest of all, there is a third part that barely dares to whisper, but I hear it all the same.
He is your father,
it says in the darkest corner of my heart.
He is your father, and in his way, he loves you
.

“Why?” I ask. “Why did Beth do this? I mean, she’ll never see me again either way. Why would she do this?”

Gabe looks uncomfortable as he shifts around on the sofa and looks down at his hands briefly. “Actually, the deal is for both of you.”

“No.” My head is ringing, my heart pounding. “She didn’t. She wouldn’t. Fucking hell.” I stand up, no longer able to sit and digest information like this.

Gabe looks me in the eye. He’s a boisterous, friendly guy but deeper and more perceptive than you realize at first glance. “Dude, she’s the one, right?
Your
one?”

I swallow and consider lying, but I know he’d never believe me. It’s far too late to deny it. “Yeah. She’s the one. The only one. Ever.”

He nods. “Then there’s nothing else to say, is there? She’s waiting for you. David and Alexis and Max helped plan this whole thing. All we need is for you to agree and we’ll get this party started.”

He stands up and walks to the balcony doors. “You’ve got twenty-four hours to decide. I’ll be back tomorrow night, same time, and if you’re coming, then be ready to go. Benji and I have figured out how we’re going to do this, and we have a car stashed just outside the property. We’ll head for the border right away and not stop until we get there. The car’s got an extra gas tank. Hopefully no one will realize that you’re gone until the morning so we’ll have a good head start.”

“Okay,” I choke out, still so overwhelmed by all of it that I’m not sure what to think, feel, or say.

He pauses at the doors to the balcony, and I briefly wonder how he scaled the damn house.

“Dude. She loves you and you love her. Trust me—that’s all that matters here.” Then he’s out the doors, disappearing into the dark with incredible stealth for such a big guy.

I flop back on the sofa, my mind a whirl of chaos. I close my eyes and try just to breathe for a few minutes. Then I go through what Gabe told me again, slowly, trying to really understand it all. The idea that Beth is willing to give up everything she knows, everyone she loves, in order to be with me is overwhelming. I’ve done nothing to deserve that kind of devotion and love. I’m so worried for her that I almost can’t bear it. I want nothing more than to see her, touch her, talk about this with her. This isn’t the kind of decision she should have ever made without me, and I don’t want to make it without her either.

But I have twenty-four hours, and I have to choose. I realize that I’ve been given a second chance with Beth, a chance I never thought I’d have. I also realize that, if I don’t take it, I’ll never get another one. It’s this or give up Beth forever.

I think about my father then. The way he looked when he first laid eyes on me in the RH headquarters. The praise he’s given me at every point since I’ve begun working with him. I think about his words to me when we played that first game of fútbol together. The idea that, if you truly love something, it’ll always be there. You’ll find it again and again. No matter what. My father found me again. I know deep in my heart that, as far as he is able, he truly loves me.

And although I’ve only known my father for a few weeks, he’s had a greater impact on my life than any other person ever, including my mother. He’s the reason I ended up being raised in the US. He’s the reason I joined the RH. He’s the reason I ended up in prison. He’s the reason I lost the woman I love, and if I take this offer of witness protection, he’ll be the reason I get her back.

Because I think some part of me loves my father no matter how much I also hate him, I decide that, just once in my life, I want him to be the reason I get something good, something I want, something I love. I want my father to be the reason I find my true love again. I want my father to bring me back to Beth.