Are there trackers on the luggage?
Cyph
How the fuck am I supposed to know?
Leave it, and I’ll take care of it.
I did as instructed, leaving the luggage in the old room as we made our way down three floors to our new location. Popping the door had been easy, but I’d always lived off my instincts, so when they were firing high, I didn’t dismiss them. We were being watched, even if the cartel wasn’t directly in the room with us.
Liz sat on the bed, clasping her hands in her lap and crossing her ankles. Her eyes followed me as I searched the new room for any small signs. There were none, but that didn’t stop me from continually checking.
I’d gone from the bedroom to the bathroom, back to the bedroom, to the small balcony that faced the other side of the resort, when she stopped me.
“I’m safe.” She wet her lips. “You’re safe.”
I grabbed the bottle of water off the counter and handed it to her. No one knew we were here, and if they ever figured it out, they could just add it to my bill. I didn’t give a fuck.
She took a gulp before patting the spot next to her and offering the water.
I wanted to pace the length of the room, but when she smiled at me, I sat down next to her and declined the water. I’d grabbed it for her.
“I had…a good”—she coughed, taking another sip of the water—“time,” she finished saying, laying her head against my shoulder. “Tell me.”
“How much do you know about Alex’s family?” The Silver Dagger could have killed me, taken her, and walked away clean.
“He has…broth...brother.” Taking another sip, she shook her head. “Never met.”
“The man you saw is his nephew. Kiki Rodriguez.” I tilted my head up, staring at the ceiling as I rolled my neck from side to side. “The boardwalk has cameras to entice more tourists. I don’t know how Cyph did it, but he confirmed Rodriguez had been standing there for a while. We missed him when we walked into the trinket shop.”
The neck roll hadn’t relieved the tension building, and I hung my head, staring at the tips of my worn boots.Am I getting too old to see the signs?
“Necklace?”Liz prodded. She sat up, grabbed my arm, and then laid her head back down on my chest. There was no other option but to hold her. I desperately wanted to ask what she was thinking, how she was feeling, but I wasn’t ready for the answers. I tightened my hold on her, resolving to leave this for another day.
“It had a tracker in it.” I’d been watching the people like a tourist and not like the biker I was. We’d walked by La Daga de Plata, and I hadn’t even registered something was amiss. It wasn’t until Liz had said something that I put it all together. Better late than never, but I couldn’t excuse my stupidity. She could have gotten hurt, and I’d promised her she wouldn’t be alone.
“Why…track…me?”
I kissed the top of her head. “Probably thought he could steal you.” She said nothing, so I continued. “I had a good day, but I let my guard down. It won’t happen again.”
We sat still as the sun set, darkening the room.
There was a knock on the door.
It wasn’t the signal Cyph had told me to look for, so I stood quickly.
Someone started pounding on the door, and my heart matched the rhythm. I didn’t have a gun on me.
The door sprang open, and Pretty’s head stuck through the gap. “Everyone decent?” He was the first brother to walk through the door. “Some honeymoon.” Pretty hugged Liz. “If it were mine, I wouldn’t have even left the bed.”
“Bad…as the…girls,” she laughed, gripping him tightly. “Friends.”
“Denial isn’t just a river in Egypt.” He smirked at her. “Your nieces were in Grace’s SUV with Emily. They lined up, like they thought Sabre was really going to let them come. You’re in so much trouble.”
She shrugged. “Worth it.”
Sabre held out his hand for a fist bump before moving past me. He shoved Pretty out of the way, and the brother jerked dramatically.
“Always trying to kick my ass.” Pretty shook his head, still smiling at the situation.
