True, he was difficult, domineering, and he could be ridiculously controlling, but she had managed to handle him. Another woman could do that just as well.
One thing she knew about men—the grass was always greener—their interest in a particular female lasted only as long as that of a tomcat.
Sooner or later Linc would tire of her and want a replacement and she would be gone.
A sharp pang throbbed in the area around her heart. She knew what it was, recognized the feeling as longing. Linc was everything she wanted in a man, everything she had never found in anyone else. His money didn’t matter. It was the man himself who appealed to her so strongly. A man she could never have.
Which made him more dangerous to her than she could ever have imagined.
An ache rose inside her, a pain that would only get worse after he was gone. She had to do something, had to find a way to take a step back.
She took a deep breath and clamped down on her emotions. For now, her worries about Linc had to be postponed. With all that was happening, she needed to stay in the present, needed to focus on the problems at hand. As long as El Jefe posed a threat, walking away from Linc wasn’t an option. Until Raul Zapata had been dealt with, she needed Linc’s protection.
She ignored a little voice that warned, deep down she didn’t really want to leave. She wanted to stay with Linc forever, wanted to feel protected and safe, the way he always made her feel. Almost as if he loved her.
Carly shook off the thought and glanced out the window of the chopper, saw that they were nearing Blackland Ranch. Vast stretches of open grassland bisected by ravines and meandering creeks lined with foliage stretched off toward the east.
The helicopter swung around, shuddered as it hovered over the asphalt pad, settled, and the rotors began to slow. Carly sighed as the door slid open and they climbed down onto the tarmac.
Besides her problems with Linc, she had a business to run. Tomorrow was Monday. She desperately needed to spend time at the office with Rowena. It wasn’t fair to abandon her friend with only the briefest instructions, hoping her new office manager would somehow be able to figure things out on her own.
She crossed to Linc’s big GMC and Linc opened her door.
“You okay?” he asked, jolting her out of her thoughts.
“As much as I can be,” she answered honestly.
“We’re going to get him,” Linc said as Carly climbed into the passenger seat for the short ride back to his sprawling brick ranch house. “I don’t want you to worry.”
She didn’t tell him Zapata was only one of her worries. “I know,” was all she said.
Chapter Thirty-One
As soon as they got back to the house, Linc went into his office, sat down at his desk, and pulled up his e-mail.
Townsend had sent him a Google Maps link showing the property owned by Raul Zapata. When he zoomed in on the satellite photos, the place looked exactly like the fortress Ross had described. A castlelike dwelling even more outlandish than the mansion Linc’s ex-wife had designed sat in the middle of a big chunk of ground surrounded by an impressive wall. Tall wooden gates blocked the entrance.
Privacy Linc well understood, but this seemed a little over the top. He rubbed a hand over his face. At least they now knew where to find him.
He pulled the burner phone out of his briefcase and phoned Tag Joyner. “Tag, it’s Cain.”
“Hey, man, what’s up?”
“We got something. El Jefe’s name is Raul Zapata. Mean anything to you?”
“Zapata. No, man, ain’t heard of him. You sure it’s him?”
“I’m sure. Lives on four hundred acres over near Big Sandy. Owns hotels and a fast-food chain.”
“So I guess we need to call off the bounty.”
“I’ve got a name and location. Money’s still there if someone comes forward with usable information.”
“Right. That sounds good. I’ll get the word out.”
“Do it with care, my friend. We still don’t know enough about this guy to predict what he might do.”
“I get you, man. Stay in touch and stay safe.”
