“Yeah, I suppose.”
“Besides, he told me if I let it get in the way, he’d replace me.”
“Then you must be doing a good job of keeping your emotions in check.”
He raised an eyebrow. In the shadowy light, he looked darkly dangerous. “I’m doing my best, but let me tell you, it’s a constant battle. I want to...” He shook his head and turned back to the coffeemaker.
“I was thinking,” she said. “We’re a lot like Pena. One thing happened and our married life was over.”
He spun to look at her. “You remember?”
She shook her head. “But that’s what you told me, right?”
“Right.” He faced the coffeepot again.
She inhaled the tantalizing scent filling the air and waited for his cup to finish and for him to join her. If, in fact, he planned to sit with her instead of going back to his room.
She polished off her Cheerios, and he came to the table. His eyes were dark with anguish.
“Bad dream?” she asked.
He nodded and looked down at his mug. “I think it’s the deadline fast approaching and creating so much tension. Thisevent is supposed to go down tomorrow, and we’re no closer to finding the guns than when we started. I’m in charge and failing to bring everything to a close. Failing big-time.”
“And you think that triggered the dream? Want to talk about it?”
“There’s really nothing to say. I was reliving a particularly bad day in the Middle East. Lots of gunfire and civilians in the way.” He took a long sip of the coffee. “If you’d been next to me...” He shrugged.
“I would’ve woken you before horror played in your brain for very long.”
He set down his mug and rested his hands on the table. Beautiful, strong hands that could also be so tender. “And how might I have responded?”
She leaned forward and took his hand. “I don’t know, but God knows. We have to stop thinking what if and let Him take charge.”
“Easy for you to say.” He slipped his hand free. “First, you can’t remember how badly I hurt you. Second, you aren’t the one doing the hurting.”
“But I’m still half of the equation, and my opinion should count for something.”
He crossed his arms and leaned back, physically withdrawing from her. And, she suspected, mentally going to that place in his mind where she was off-limits.
He met her gaze and held it. “There’s really no point in discussing this. Not until your memory returns. And after the nightmare I just had, maybe not even then.”
Chapter 21
MACK MADE SUREthey were at the bodega the moment the doors opened. They had no time to waste today. The gun transport went down tomorrow, and they had to stop it. He scanned the strip mall in an impoverished area of the city and immediately spotted the bright colors of the place. The morning sun reverberated from the red-and-orange paint chipping from the walls. A small green fence ran along the front but was falling down in places. Several of the stores in the mall were vacant. The others held sketchy tenants such as hydroponic growing supplies, a marijuana shop, and a tattoo parlor.
Mack parked in front of the bodega and took off his sunglasses. “Not the best part of town.”
Addy leaned forward. “It’s what I expected, though.”
He pulled the key from the ignition. “You think Zamora chose this location at random or he has an affiliation with the place?”
She reached for her door handle. “Let’s go find out.”
He clasped her free arm. “Be careful, okay? I doubt Razo is here, but you never know.”
“Got it.” She slipped out of the vehicle.
He hurried to catch up with her, taking in the parking lot and surrounding area as he moved. He spotted a homeless camp on the corner and obvious drug deals going down in broad daylight. It was hard, but he ignored it all to open the bodega door for Addy.
