Fury flashed through Nash and his bear urged him to wipe the smug look off Diego’s face with the swipe of a large paw, but he kept his face stoic. On the outside, he would show Diego nothing but a cool, calm, steely facade, even if on the inside he was a hot mess.
“I’ll tell you what your concern is,” he said. “Your involvement with a certain drug cartel. Do you realize you can go to prison for that involvement? For a very long time.” He planted his hands on the table and leaned his weight on them, glaring at Diego. “Is that what you want, Diego—to rot in a jail cell for years? Because it’s looking like a real possibility.”
For the first time since they’d brought him in for questioning, Diego looked genuinely afraid. Clearly, the idea of incarceration didn’t appeal. Nash could work with that. Flint’s superiors had given him permission to offer Diego a deal.
“There is a way that you can avoid prison,” Nash said calmly.
Diego narrowed his eyes. “How?”
“We want two things from you. Tell us where they would have taken Aria for questioning, and give us the location of Juan Martinez.” He straightened. “If you do that and your information helps us to rescue Aria and arrest Juan, we will give you immunity from prosecution. Plus, if you testify against him, you can go into witness protection.”
Diego pretended to mull over the deal, but it was only for show. He would take the offer. It was the best one he was going to get, and he knew it. Otherwise, Nash would make sure he went to prison for a long time. It was the only place he would ever be safe from the bear shifter if he allowed any harm to come to Aria.
“There is a house the cartel takes people to when they want something from them,” Diego said. “She might be there.”
Hope started to swell in Nash’s chest. “Give me the address.”
He nodded slowly, and Nash passed him a pencil and pad.
“And Juan’s location?”
“He has a mansion he rents here in Miami. If he’s in the country, he’ll be there.”
After Diego had given him the two addresses, Nash all but ran from the room. His stomach twisted painfully as he went to the office where the rest of the team awaited the results of Diego’s questioning. They were gathered together in a group and all looked his way as he entered the room.
“I’ve got them,” he said, by way of a greeting. “The two addresses. Let’s move out.”
If Flint had issues with him giving orders, he let it slide. The team leader had procured the assistance of another SWAT team that would go with him and Ice to apprehend Juan. Nash, Cole, Hawk, and Kit were going to the house where Diego believed Aria was being held. They took two cars in the hopes that there would be more of them on the drive back. But the drive to the location was painfully slow, and it felt as if they hit every damn stoplight on the way there.
“We’re gonna get her back,” Cole said into the strained silence.
Nash could only nod. He didn’t trust his voice right now. Yes, they would get her back, he was sure of it, but what condition would she be in? Would they have tortured her for Diego’s location? She was brave, he knew that. She had to be to have put up with Diego’s crap for so long—and all to help her mother. She was completely selfless. He loved that about her. He might have only just met her, but he already had the measure of the type of woman she was, and it was the type of woman he would gladly have at his side for the rest of his very long life. He didn’t want to face it without her.
“We’re here,” Cole said.
Nash looked up, surprised to see that the vehicle had stopped moving. He took in a calming breath, pulled his shoulders back, and put on his game face.
“Let’s do this.”
Chapter Ten
Aria
The man had quickly grown tired of just tormenting and groping her and moved onto the next stage of his vile plan. She took in the evil smirk in his dead eyes and knew she was in trouble.
“I untie you now,” he said. “Remember, you play nice, or I cut you, no?”
Aria didn’t care if he cut her from ear to ear. She would rather have a scar running the length of her face than have this disgusting man on top of her and inside her. She nodded meekly, hoping he would fall for her ruse and believe she was terrified into compliance, and waited for him to reach behind her and untie the rope that bound her.
When the rope slid from her wrists, the cool air was like a soothing balm on her bruised and battered skin. But it was short-lived. The man grabbed her roughly and tossed her to the ground. The move was so unexpected that she toppled and fell awkwardly, twisting her ankle with a yelp as she fell.
He lunged for her and she tried to push away from him, but pain shot through her ankle, stealing her breath and freezing her in place. He grabbed her arms as his big, smelly body came down heavily on top of hers.
“Get off me!” she shouted. “Get off me!”
She brought her knee up and tried to roll them, but the man merely laughed in her face, enjoying her efforts to escape. The rancid smell of his breath made her stomach roll uncomfortably and she wondered what he would do if she actually threw up.
He had both of her arms pinned above her head, but from that position he was unable to open his pants to do anything more than grind himself against her. He was trying to secure both hands with just one of his, but Aria was giving him too much trouble.
