Freedom (Blackstone Series Book 3) Page 9

  “Lucky you.” I noticed she leaned into me when she spoke. Catalina was an interesting woman. I liked that she was upfront with her feelings for me to my friends and family. She wasn’t embarrassed; she liked me for me. I’d never gotten that from Lizzy. It was odd when someone new came along and showed you the flaws in someone you never thought they had.

  “Mike?” a familiar voice called out. “How the hell are ya?”

  Catalina’s eyes widened as she jerked her head to see who was speaking. “Hey, Kevin.” I waved. “I’m doing well, thanks.”

  Catalina gripped my shirt and twisted around. She looked like she was about to burst.

  I laughed and covered her hand with mine. “Hey, I want you to meet my girlfriend, Catalina. She’s a huge fan.”

  Kevin smiled. “Hey!” He then smirked and pointed toward his car. “Why don’t you come on down, Catalina, and I’ll give you a tour.”

  “You had me at ‘hey,’” She laughed as Kevin called his assistant to come get us.

  “I’ll see you guys down here.” He waved.

  “Okay!” She beamed up at me with such excitement I felt some of it seep into me. “Girlfriend, huh?”

  “I think we crossed that line when we sprawled out in my thinking spot.”

  She laughed and lifted her eyebrows playfully. “Touché. Okay, but seriously, you know Kevin?”

  “Yes, his father is a friend of my father’s, and when I was growing up, Kevin’s family would visit from California.” I motioned for her to walk and followed her down the stairs and out onto the track where we met Danny Blue, Kevin’s assistant.

  “Hey, Mike.” He shook my hand and handed us some passes. “You must be Catalina.”

  “I am.”

  Danny gave a quick tour, and to my shock, Catalina chimed in with some knowledge about Kevin’s history. She was no poser. She actually knew facts on the sport, rather than just the gossip a lot of women cared about. I hung back to let her have this moment. I had no objection to watching her enjoy herself. She was incredibly graceful in her movements and spoke clearly when she asked a question. Catalina was highly educated and oozed confidence which, in turn, drew lots of attention, mine included.

  As soon as we reached the pit crew, the men started to flock to her side and tripped all over themselves to help her cross over the fuel line.

  “I recognize that accent.” One of the men stepped closer, “Coahuila?”

  “Born and raised.” I could tell she wasn’t exactly proud of this, as there was an immediate drop in her level of excitement.

  “Yikes, that’s a rough area.”

  “It is.”

  “Hey, Top, how are you?” He addressed me, and Catalina looked at me, confused.

  “Well, thanks.”

  “Good to see you with ten.”

  I nodded then followed Danny to our seats just above their pit. We were surrounded by men, and most of them had their eyes on Catalina’s sexy legs. Once we sat, I wrapped a protective arm around her, and Danny handed each of us a beer. Just before he left, she snagged the beer cap from the table and handed it to me.

  “Thanks.” I tucked it in my pocket, pleased she remembered something about me.

  “So,” she grinned at me, “you do this for all the girls?”

  “Nope.” I held her gaze to make my point.

  “Just the ones you want to impress?”

  “Not even then.”

  “Well, then,” her shoulders went up as she beamed harder, “I feel pretty damn lucky.”

  I chuckled as I sipped my beer.

  “Why did he call you Top?”

  “It’s a common nickname for a First Sergeant.”

  “Oh, he’s in the Army too?”

  “He was.”

  “Why did he say good to see you with ten?”

  I pulled my sunglasses free from the collar of my shirt. The sun was hard on my eyes. It was the downside to lighter eyes. I decided to share a little. “I work with explosives. I’m one of the lucky ones who hasn’t lost any fingers yet.”

  “Jesus,” she muttered before she took a sip of her drink, “C-4, huh?”

  “Kind of.” I didn’t want to correct her and open a door to more questions.

  She crossed her legs and turned to me. “You’re a very intriguing man, Mike Irons.”

  “So are you.” I fingered her bare leg, and she reached over and slipped her hand in mine.

  “Tell me something else about you.”

  I rubbed the back of my neck with my free hand, unsure what she’d want to hear. “You make me nervous.” I went with the first thing that came to mind.

  Her eyes narrowed in on me, and I could tell she tried to understand what I meant. “I don’t see you being a nervous man, Mike.”

  “I work with bombs, I’ve been shot, and I’ve been a POW, but you,” I leaned forward, shocked at my lack of filter, “you could hurt me in ways I can’t even imagine.”

  Her mouth dropped for a hair of a second, but I noticed it before she spoke again. “Well, you can’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  “What does that mean?” She turned to watch the track, and my hands fought to know what to do. “Do you plan on hurting me, Catalina?”

  “No, Mike. My plan is never to hurt you.”

  “If there’s something I should know, you can tell me…”

  “Where were you shipped out to? Germany? Iran? Where?”

  “I can’t…”

  “So here we are, right back in that loop where we both hold back something because it’s the rules, or it’s just too risky.” She looked back at me and paused before she spoke. “You make me nervous too.”

  I gently pulled her arm, so she’d come closer, and kissed her hard. Like a fool, I didn’t care. I wanted her no matter what her secrets were. This would carry us through. I was sure I’d kick my ass later because she still wasn’t vetted, but right now, in that moment, I wanted my girlfriend to kiss me.

  Her body sagged into me, and I knew things could get out of hand fast if we weren’t careful. We both were falling fast. Never would I have thought that meeting this beautiful girl at a bar would lead me here so quickly. Only inches from someone I couldn’t get enough of.

  “You can’t kiss me like that here,” she broke the kiss, “not wearing that and tasting…oh, Lord.”

  I laughed, happy I wasn’t alone in the feeling.

  The sound of an engine ripped by us, sending her gorgeous hair all around her. She was incredibly pretty without trying. Her smile alone lit fires inside of me and smothered my brain in thick smoke, rendering it useless and scaring me more than anything I had encountered as a Green Beret.

  She leaned forward in her chair when the race started, and the delicate shape of her spine was revealed when her shirt lifted. Her hair hung in heavy curls and slid with ease across her smooth shoulders. It took everything inside me not to toss her over my shoulder and go find an empty room.

  The race took a turn, and Denny Hamlin crashed into the side of Martin Truex, Jr. and took out some other cars. The race went under a red flag while the paramedics raced to help free the men from the cars. Once they declared they were both okay, we had a good thirty before the track would be clear.

  “Hungry?” I stood and stretched. The seats were entirely too small for someone my size.

  “I could eat.” She attempted to stand when the guy next to her leaned over and offered to buy her a burger. “I’m fine, thanks.” She flashed him a quick smile, but when he went to say something, I stepped up and wrapped my arm around her shoulders and sent him a glare. He held up his hands and let his offer go.

  “I need you for Jeff,” she said and laughed.

  “Who’s that?”

  “My landlord, the greatest sleaze who ever lived.”

  Oh, yeah, Charlotte and Kyle mentioned him at lunch.

  “What does he do?” I used my chest to move her forward through the line.

  “He’s just an ass who thinks he’s God’s gift.
Sexual slurs and all that. He lives above me.”

  Huh. Seemed I needed to pay this Jeff guy a visit. “Good to know.”

  “Mike,” she placed her hands flat on my chest as she looked up at me, “it’s not that big of a deal. I just ignore him, and he gives up.”

  “Um-hm,” I knew that was bullshit, or her friends wouldn’t have brought it up.

  When we got our burgers, we found two free stools in the corner of the bar where we could look out and watch the action on the track. She dove into her burger like a champ. Things just kept getting better. I hated when girls ate like they might mess up their make-up or something.

  “Charlotte says you kicked ass on the Miller project,” I said between bites.

  She nodded as she chewed. “Yeah,” she smiled to herself, “it was really amazing. I love fashion, so it was a real honor to pitch to such a big fashion designer.”

  “I bet. Is this something you’ve always wanted to do?”

  Her gaze went back to the track. “No, I just knew I didn’t want to follow my parents’ footsteps.”

  “Which is?” I rolled the paper from my burger into a ball and started in on my fries.

  “Delivery service kind of thing.” She was very vague when it came to her parents and her past, so I didn’t press further. At least not yet.

  “Any word from your brother?”

  “Yes, he’s at my place as we speak.” The sexy sparkle that lit up her eyes when she was happy returned.

  “Good. When can I meet him?”

  “Let me see what his state of mind is like first.” She rolled her eyes. “He seems to find trouble.”

  I found myself wondering if maybe he brought trouble to her place, but that was unfair. I didn’t know the guy.

  I waited for her to finish before we headed back to our seats. She laughed when she answered her phone.

  “Hey, girl.” She paused and looked over at me. “Yeah, we’re good.” She made a strange face before she hung up.

  “What’s my baby sister have to say now?”

  “She’s just checking in. I guess Lizzy ditched her and Kyle for one of the guys who’s staying at the cottages with us.”

  I felt that twist in my gut that always came when I spent too much time with Lizzy. She played with my emotions until she was bored, or someone better came along. The damage that had already done to my psyche was still something I tried to internalize. Looking back, I saw I was just a fool in love and missed every damn sign that hit me in the face. That was who I was, though. I loved to see the good in everyone. Oddly enough, when it came to work, I was the polar opposite.

  “Oh, my God.” She pointed to a man who walked by looking like he just stepped out of a western. “I never thought I’d see another pair of boots like that.” I laughed when I saw he was wearing gold-tipped cobra boots. “Seriously, you’d have to be a very secure man to walk around in a pair of those.”

  “You’ve actually seen a man in a pair of those before?” I asked, careful to keep my voice casual.

  “Yeah,” she shook her head, “and he wasn’t Hispanic, so save the stereotype.”

  “Was he white?”

  “Most certainly.” She cocked her head, and I felt the mood change. “Why?”

  “When did you see him?”

  Her expression flickered. “A long time ago.”

  “Do you remember his name?”

  “I-I’m not sure.” I could tell she was lying, but I wasn’t about to press too hard. The odds of it being Denton were slim to none. “Why?”

  “I was just curious.”

  “Seems kind of strange of you to ask me that.”

  “Sorry, they’re just some crazy boots.” I moved my attention back to the track and fought off the thought.

  “Okay.” She also began to watch, but the air was still charged with questions unanswered.

  After the race, John joined us at the gate, and he waved me over away from the girls who were making their way back to the car. He fell into step behind them, and we listened to how the girls were excited that Kevin won.

  John turned toward me when he knew they were deep in conversation. “Logan called, said another video was leaked.”

  “Shit.” I cursed and rubbed my head. We had spent the last three weeks chasing shadows through TJ, and just when we thought we had found Elena, we ran right into an ambush. “How bad is it this time?”

  “He wants to make a move soon. He comes in next week so we can discuss it further.”

  I struggled to hear him over the music from the parking lot. Everyone always partied after a big win. Kevin had crazy mad fans.

  I almost bumped into Lizzy, and it took me a moment to see why.

  Three guys were standing in front of their car. The girls seemed to know them, but Kyle hung back.

  “Who are they?”

  “Our cottage roommates.” He shook his head, annoyed. “The tall one likes your girl.”

  That so?

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Catalina

  I hopped out of the front seat and glanced at Mike and John as they pulled up next to us. I nodded from them to Charlotte, confused about why they were here.

  “Oh, didn’t I tell you? They have the middle cottages.” She winked and locked her car. “You can thank me later.”

  “You’re something else.” I laughed and headed inside to change.

  I tossed my belt and kept my jean shorts on. I then swapped my t-shirt for a black halter top. My boobs could use a little help.

  “Why do you have to look like you just stepped out of a magazine all the time?” Charlotte bit the cork off the red wine and spat it in the sink. “Come on, we have one last night here, and I’m determined to play with one of those fine fellows out there.”

  Mike was having a beer with John by the fireplace but spotted me coming over. His gaze made my step waver. Then Lizzy was there to block my path.

  Of course.

  “Ladies.” The guy who had an eye for me wrapped an arm around my shoulders and held up a pack of glow sticks. Mike just stared at me. I kind of liked his protective side, but only because he was also in control of it, which said a lot about a man.

  “Who wants to play Dead Of Night?”

  “I do!” Lizzy jumped toward him, and I made my move to be next to Mike. He slid his arm around me and pulled me in close. The smell of his body wash made my head spin.

  “Pull a card from the bag but don’t share what you see. Just do what the instructions say.”

  He put it in front of me first.

  “Catalina.” He grinned as I plucked a card out and read it.

  ‘Prey.’ Great, so I’m going to be hunted.

  Mike went next, then John, and so on.

  “Keep what you have a secret,” he called as we moved closer to hear the rules. “Okay, so let’s see.” He pointed to me. “Catalina, will you be okay alone in the woods?”

  “She’ll be fine.” Lizzy dismissed me. “Mike, will you help me?”

  Never throat punch a friend.

  “John and I have plans,” he grunted.

  “What? No!” Lizzy whined. “No way are the only two Navy SEALs teamin’ up. We won’t stand a chance. John,” she pouted and didn’t hear Mike mutter that he’d been a Green Beret. “Give me Mike.”

  Maybe just a tit punch.

  I sighed and kept my mouth shut.

  “No teams! Start on the left side of the property.” The guy raised a hand. “It’s a singles’ game. Girls, you go first, but here are the rules.”

  Charlotte waved me to follow, but I paused until Mike finally let me go.

  We were given glow necklaces. We each had to get to the flag from one side of the property to the other without being murdered.

  “If you get shot, you sit by the fire and wait until one of your friends free you by tapping you out on the shoulder. Once there is a collection of ‘bodies’ by the fire, beware, because at this point you might be able to figure out who the killer is. Trust no one
because the killer could pretend to be prey too. Once you make it across the property, you will find a glow stick. Snap it and attach it to the flag and hold it up high, announcing to everyone that you survived the game. Game over. But beware, there could be more than one predator waiting in the shadows. The game lasts one hour, people. Trust no one,” the guy called as we started to scatter. “Are you the predator or the prey?”

  I didn’t get a chance to ask what the murder weapon was. “Char?” I tried to keep up with her, but the ground was horribly uneven, and she was set on getting as far away from the cottages as possible. My neon green necklace dangled from my neck as my arms waved around to keep my balance. “You need to slow down.”

  “Girl, I’m not getting hunted by some predator.” She laughed. “I’m too white to be in the woods. Have you ever seen I Know What You Did Last Summer? Those stories have to come from somewhere.”

  “It’s a game, Charlotte,” I called, but at the same time reined in my inner dick and laughed.

  “Right,” she reached for a branch to stabilize herself, “that’s how a lot of horror flicks start. It’s just a game at first, then one of their friends slips into murder mode, and later you find out you killed their father in some DUI accident.”

  “Seriously, Charlotte, you need some reality TV in your life.”

  “Ah!” She jumped when she spotted something. “Tell me again why we didn’t wait for Mike or John. I could really use his skills right now.”

  Bang! Bang! Two paintballs shot through the air and hit Charlotte in the shoulder.

  “Son of a royal bitch!” She held her arm and whirled around. “I’ve been hit, by a paintball, apparently!”

  Screw this!

  “It’s never the scrappy Latina who gets hit!” She half laughed.

  I dropped to the ground and slid in between a split tree trunk. I tried my best to cover up my lights.

  Charlotte muttered all the way out of the woods. “Can someone please get me out of murder jail?”

  I smirked at her but froze when someone raced by me, kicking dirt up as they ran.

  Yikes! Stay still.

  Once the quiet settled around me again, I stood slowly.