“Good morning, gentlemen,” Mitch greeted in his deep, rumbly voice. His attention zeroed in on Essie. “Miss Barrera.”
The way he said her name made Xander shift closer to her. He didn’t like how Mitch looked at her like a pawn he was ready to play.
Nothing escaped the very perceptive man, and his attention moved over to Xander. “Welcome back, Hawke. It’s good to see you still alive and kicking.”
“Thanks,” he responded dryly.
“I hear you’re against me taking Miss Barrera into custody.” Leave it to Mitch to get straight to the point and not dick around.
“I think there’s a wiser course of action,” Xander said carefully.
“Which is?”
“End the Lazaro Cartel. For good.”
“And how exactly do you plan on doing that?” Mitch asked.
“By using Essie to lure out Barrera. Then we cut the head off the snake, kill as many of his soldiers and underlings as possible and send them scattering.”
“I think it might be wise to implement Plan B, too,” Brand suggested. “For good measure.”
“Blow up the bunker and mine?” Xander asked. Now they were talking.
“Hell yeah,” Chaz agreed, pumping a fist in the air.
“Divide and conquer. A couple of us can escort Essie to the meeting with Barrera—”
“I’m going,” Xander interrupted Brandon, voice firm.Too eager.He cleared his throat, rolled his shoulders back. Tried to appear more relaxed… and failed miserably. “Ineedto go. Essie and Brand know why. Because—” All eyes focused on him and, suddenly, it felt like his throat swelled shut and he couldn’t get the words out.Dammit.
“Because he’s been hunting my brother,” Essie finished for him. Beneath the table, she pressed her leg against his, and the gesture somehow reassured him. She was protecting him from having to say the words. Words that hurt his soul on every level because they shone a bright light on his biggest failure and the gut-wrenching guilt that haunted him. “Ever since he murdered Xander’s sister.”
All around the table, the men reacted with low curses, shaking their heads in sadness and disgust. Essie’s hand disappeared beneath the tabletop and reached for Xander’s, her delicate fingers wrapping around his and squeezing.
God, who was this woman? How could she sit there and comfort him—support him—when all he did was threaten to destroy her family?
“That explains a lot. Why you faked your death and went off grid.” Mitch studied Xander. “Revenge doesn’t always solve things, though.”
“Maybe not. But it’ll give me the peace I’ve been seeking.”
“I hope so.” Mitch turned his attention to Essie. And very carefully dropped his bombshell. “Are you aware your younger brother is back in Mexico?”
Her mouth dropped open at Mitch’s words.
Younger brother?Xander turned to Essie, brows furrowed. “I thought you said your other brother died?”
“Miguel did die, but I convinced José to send our youngest brother Tomás to boarding school in Europe.” Essie shook her head, clearly upset, and this time Xander squeezed her hand. “H-he can’t be back.”
“We picked up satellite images of him being driven from the airport to the bunker,” Mitch confirmed.
“This changes things,” Brandon muttered.
Essie tilted her chin up. “I need to get Tomás out of there. With or without your help.”
Xander exchanged looks with his teammates. His friends who were now so happy and in love with their women. Another trip to that bunker could turn into a suicide mission. An absolute clusterfuck. He couldn’t ask them to risk everything.
But he also hated seeing Essie so upset. She’d been through enough. Lost enough. Was about to lose even more.
“I’ll get him out for you.” Her gaze snapped to Xander’s, their hands tightening. His thumb circled the back of hers in a light, promising caress.
