“Thank you!” she cried, her hair blowing up around her face, caught in the wild draft.
Brand gave her a nod and Lex yelled an all clear from the cockpit. One by one, she watched them leap out of the plane and jump into the ocean below.
“Keep your comms on,” Brand told them. “See you at the rendezvous point.” Then he leaped into thin air and disappeared from their sight.
Xander shut the door and Essie let out a shaky breath. The plan was in motion, and soon they’d be landing to face-off with José and his men. If José kept his word—and that was a big if—Tomás would be rescued, and hopefully she wouldn’t be farbehind him. But there were still so many moving parts, so many variables. So many things that could potentially go wrong. And her mind spun with uncertainty and trepidation.
“Hey,” Xander murmured, scooping up her hands in his and squeezing. “It’s all going to be fine.”
She gave him a brave nod and hoped like hell he was right. But if she knew anything about her older brother, it was that he was sneaky. Keeping his word wasn’t a high priority, and the fact he’d have a mini army at his back made her scared for Xander and his friends. José Barrera wasn’t a man to be trifled with, and if he suspected any kind of plot or threat against him, he would shoot first and ask questions later.
And that terrified Essie.
“You’re so damn brave, Essie.” Xander cupped her face then leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. “I swear, I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“You’re not allowed to get hurt either. Please, don’t do anything stupid. We get in and we get out. Okay?”
“I’ll keep you protected,” he promised, avoiding her question.
Frustration bubbled up inside her. “What aboutyou?” she demanded. He was hardly being reassuring, especially when he still didn’t answer. “Xander—”
But his mouth cut her words off as he kissed her deeply. Thoroughly.
And as much as Essie loved the soul-searing, possessive way his mouth moved against hers, it almost felt like he was kissing her goodbye.
Chapter nineteen
Lex landedSpitfireon Isla Esperanza’s small, dirt runway, and Xander squeezed Essie’s hand. Outside the window, he saw an SUV and a group of armed men already waiting. No weapons would be allowed, but that hadn’t stopped him from hiding a switchblade in his boot. He was nothing if not consistent with his chosen hidden weapon of choice. It had come in handy far too many times.
“Let’s do this.” Xander led Essie up the aisle, and Lex stepped out of the cockpit. Each man placed a tiny comms unit in his ear. They’d decided it was best not to give one to Essie. If Barrera discovered it, he might get suspicious and search her further. And they couldn’t let him find her tracker. It was Xander’s only connection to her once she left his side after the exchange.
“Hey, Essie, I don’t suppose you have a sister, do you?” Lex asked, all nonchalant charm. “Since it looks like I’m the last man standing, I figured maybe I should see what all the fuss is about.” He sent her a megawatt smile and Xander narrowed his eyes. Alexander Battle was a ridiculous flirt.
“Um, no, sorry.”
“Find your own woman, Battle,” Xander murmured in annoyance. “Now open the damn door.”
With a chuckle, Lex lifted the handle, swinging the door open. A set of stairs had been set up already, and five men holding machine guns waited at the bottom. “Vamos!” A man with a serpent neck tattoo motioned for them to come down.
The moment their feet hit the dusty runway, several soldiers patted each of them down. “All clear,” they reported.
Xander kept his face straight, inwardly thrilled they’d missed his knife. Just like the last time.Amateurs.
“You two, follow me,” Serpent ordered. “The pilot stays here.”
Xander met Lex’s look and gave an imperceptible nod. Already their plan was deviating, but Xander had figured they wouldn’t allow Lex to tag along. Being one man down wasn’t ideal, but on the plus side, they also knew no one would be tampering with their escape route.
Turning away from the plane, he and Essie followed four of the men over to the SUV. The other stayed to keep an eye on Lex.
They climbed into the backseat, and Xander was relieved that the drive to the Barrera house was quick. He didn’t like the way Barrera’s men were openly ogling Essie. Putting his knife in one of their eyes wouldn’t be the smartest way to launch their surprise attack.
The island wasn’t very big, and Essie had said it had been her family’s private getaway. She and her siblings had been born into wealth and privilege. But apparently, that hadn’t been enough for José, and his greed and lust for power had spiraled after Fernando Lazaro took him under his wing.
The SUV turned into a long driveway lined with palm trees and other exotic foliage. Tropical flowers bloomed and jungle creatures chattered. A warm breeze blew through the open windows. He couldn’t see much of the approaching housethrough the dense landscape, but when they broke free and slowed to a stop, he did a doubletake.
“I thought you said it was alittlesummer house,” he murmured, and she shrugged a delicate shoulder.
Calling it “a house” didn’t do the place justice. It was a mansion, one reminiscent of something you’d see in New Orleans’s Garden District. Painted a light pink, the home looked deceptively welcoming. A decorative, wrought iron balcony wrapped around the second level, adorned with hanging potted ferns. The perfect spot to enjoy an ice-cold drink while the paddle fans above spun lazily.
