Then she stopped caring, because what had been a blurry movement on the edge of the darkness a second earlier became clearer. And though she’d known he had to be nearby, the sight of Jon walking into the sphere of the dual spotlights brought hope surging through her veins.
Six armed men jumped to their feet and even Jenna recognized the sound of weapons being hoisted and readied.
Jon made a show of sweeping his unreadable stare across the space, letting it linger in the direction of the cage he probably couldn’t see into well.
Drew set down his beer and unfolded from his chair without any urgency at all. “Now, now, boys,” he said, “this here is Jon. We invited him, remember?”
Jenna sucked in a breath. She’d had enough time to remember that photo he’d taken of her, and him typing something out. That was the most likely time he’d done it. There wouldn’t have been anything she could have done, though, even if she’d known what he was up to.
Steph leaned closer as the cartel guys lowered their guns about halfway and whispered, “I-is that … the military guy?”
“Yes,” Jenna replied with a small wince. “And he’s here to save us.”
“Good of you to join us, Jon,” Drew said, his voice pitched and his arms out like he was greeting a friend at a dinner party.
“Parker,” Jon said, the anger carrying on that single word alone. “Did you lock my woman in a fuckingcage, like an untrained dog?”
One of the cartel guys snickered.
Drew outright laughed and planted his hands on his hips. “Yes. Yes, I did. Are you interested in the conditions for her release?”
Jon folded his arms across his chest. “I’m almost impressed. You have some idea what I’m capable of, and you had the balls to call me out with just a few poorly armed amateurs for backup.”
Another of the cartel guys spouted something in response, gesticulating with his weapon.
Drew opened his mouth. “They don’t like—”
Jon spoke over him, responding to the other man. In Spanish.
Of course he kept up with his Spanish.
The realization that they didn’t have a secret language they could speak in front of their foe seemed to make the entire group uneasy, and several of them raised their guns again.
Jon didn’t look bothered.
Drew sputtered, waving an arm toward his comrades and losing his composure. “I don’t know what you’re feeling so confident about, Johnson. There’s not a drop of water here.”
“You’ve been drinking,” Jon said, his tone even.
Jenna rolled her lips between her teeth, anticipation crawling up her chest.
“Beer and soda,” Drew replied.
“Are you really that dumb?” Jon paused, but he didn’t let Drew respond again. “You were drinkingliquid.” Jon pointed out, in the direction of Drew’s chair and the beer resting in the cupholder. “Beer? Soda? Just water with some shit added in.”
Drew barked out a laugh. “You can’t be seri—”
“Come to think of it,” Jon continued, “that pretty much sums up all of you.”
Drew fell silent.
“Nothing more than water with some shit added in.”
Drew’s fists clenched at his sides and Jenna knew Jon’s words had snapped whatever cool, calm, and in-control plan he’d tried going in with. He took one step backward, pivoting partially around, and said, “You know what? I’ve had a change of heart. Youbothdie today.” His arm extended out, pointing to the cage.
To her.
“Kill the bitch.”
