Against the Law (28 page)

Dev made no pretense of not worrying. Instead, he ignored the coffee and paced like a caged cat in front of the fireplace. Fortunately, Chrissy was still asleep.

The minutes ticked past but no word came from the don.

“I'm tempted to track him down,” Dev said, “find out what the hell is going on. We're supposed to be his guests, aren't we? Not his prisoners.”

“I don't think that's a good idea.”

“If I was in Cabo with Cantrell and the others, we might be able to do the job ourselves.”

“It wouldn't work and you know it. You need Don Ricardo's help or we wouldn't be here, so you might as well relax.”

He laughed harshly. “Oh, yeah, like that's gonna happen.”

She might have smiled if she weren't feeling so edgy herself. A few minutes later, a light knock sounded, and both of them whirled toward the door. It wasn't a message from the don. It was a servant arriving with a cart full of breakfast goodies: eggs and tortillas, bacon and ham, pastries and an array of fresh fruit.

Chrissy must have smelled the delicious aromas for she padded out of the bedroom rubbing her eyes and searching for food.

“I'm hungry.”

She was always hungry, it seemed. But then she was a growing girl. Lark reached over and took her hand. “Come on, sweetie, I'll fix you a plate.”

She fixed one for all three of them and they sat down at the pretty glass table in the kitchen. Dev was preoccupied, mostly toyed with his food and said little. Chrissy was busy eating, and Lark was…well, Lark was just worried.

More time passed. There were coloring books and some dolls to play with in a box near the sofa. Used to entertaining herself, Chrissy sat down to color, humming quietly to herself as she worked with the colorful crayons she found.

“It's almost ten-thirty,” Dev said. “What the hell is going on?”

Since neither of them knew the answer, it was a relief to hear a second knock at their door. Dev strode over and pulled it open.

Alejandro Castillo stood on the front porch step. “Don Ricardo requests your presence in the study. He would like to speak to you both.” He stepped back and Lark saw the woman, Conchita, who had watched the children last night.

“The señora will take your child to the playroom.”

She trusted the heavyset older woman, who seemed truly concerned about the children in her care. Lark turned to Chrissy.

“Go with Señora Conchita, sweetheart. I'll be there in a little while.”

Chrissy looked up at the black-haired woman. “Will Soledad and Stefano be there?” she asked in Spanish.

The woman replied that they would.

“Come,” Castillo said, holding the door for them to pass.

They followed him along the walkway, weaving their way through the dense green foliage that overflowed the flowerbeds, making their way back to the house. Stepping through the heavy wooden French doors, Alejandro led them down the hall to Don Ricardo's study. Castillo and Dev both waited as she walked inside, then they followed her in and Castillo closed the door.

De La Guerra didn't offer them a seat. “There has been a change of plans,” he said, and her stomach sank like a stone.

Dev's jaw hardened. “You gave us your word.”

“I said that I would help you. I also said that I was taking care of things.”

“What are you saying?”

“A rather timely
accident
has occurred. During the flight from Hermosillo to Cabo San Lucas, as Alvarez's plane was flying over the Golfo de California, there was some sort of malfunction. The plane exploded. All of those on board were killed.”

Lark's knees went weak. She felt Dev's hand at her waist, helping her stay on her feet.

“Perhaps the señorita would like to sit down.”

“Thank you.” She sank down gratefully in the nearest chair, her mind filled with images of twisted metal and bodies flying through the air. “This
accident
has been confirmed?” Dev asked.

De La Guerra nodded. “Señor Alvarez and his top lieutenant, Jorge Santos, were both on board at the time of the explosion, along with Alvarez's mistress, Francisca Miramontes, and four of his personal bodyguards. And of course, the unfortunate pilot. It was a shame about the others, but sometimes death is the price a man pays for the company he keeps.”

Dev released a breath. Some of the tension seeped out of his shoulders. “So it's over.”

“For you and the señorita, yes. My position will also be improved. You see, the new head of the Las Garzas cartel will now be Alvarez's second lieutenant, Paulo Zepeda. Señor Zepeda is an intelligent, sensible man, and a longtime acquaintance.”

“So that's how you knew.”

The don merely smiled. “I told you before, I know everything that goes on in my world.”

“It was Zepeda, then, who arranged the explosion.”

He shrugged his shoulders, though clearly he knew. “The man has a number of loyal followers, men Alvarez dealt with quite harshly. Some of them wanted to see him dead even more than you did.”

“I guess you reap what you sow.”

“In this case, clearly that is true.”

Lark felt Dev's light touch, urging her up from her chair.

“You're a man of your word, Don Ricardo,” he said. “And a generous host, as well. Now, with your permission, I'd like to take my family and leave.”

Lark's gaze swung to his. He hadn't meant to say it. She could tell by the surprised look on his face.

“You do that, Señor Raines,” the don said with the faintest of smiles. “It has been a pleasure meeting you…and your family.”

Dev worked hard not to look at her.

Lark almost felt sorry for him.

A
s soon as they left the house, Dev made the necessary phone calls, informing Cantrell, Riggs and Montez of the drug lord's unfortunate
accident.
Alvarez was dead and they could all go home. He called Trace and then Clive, who both sounded relieved.

“I guess your plan C worked after all,” Clive said with a smile in his voice.

“Yeah, even better than I could have planned. You feeling all right?”

“Molly's babying me and I'm loving every minute.” He chuckled. “You might want to stay gone for a while, though.”

Dev laughed and shook his head.

The next call went to Colin Mercer, the pilot of their chartered Baron.

“Any chance you got that engine problem fixed?”

“Sure is,” Mercer said. “Good mechanic here. Got the old girl running smooth as silk.”

“I'm damned glad to hear it. We're in Ciudad del Cordon. You know where that is?”

“Sure do. I'll pick you up at the airport in less than two hours. That work for you?”

“You bet.” Cantrell and Riggs would both be heading back on their own, Riggs flying into L.A. from Cabo while Jake planned to fly back to del Cordon to pick up his Jeep and drive to Texas for a job with Trace Rawlins. Montez was heading south to Puerto Vallarta. Dev had come to respect the man. If he ever did another job in Mexico, he'd want Montez on his team.

“So we're heading back home?” the pilot asked.

“Roger that.”

“Damn, I'm ready,” Mercer said.

“Me, too.” Dev closed the phone and looked over at Lark. “Mercer's picking us up. He'll be landing at the airport in a couple of hours.”

She brightened. “I can hardly wait.”

Both of them were more than ready to leave. That morning they had said polite goodbyes to the don and his wife, and Lark had thanked them for a
lovely visit.

He wouldn't quite call it that, but their meeting with the don had kept them from confronting Alvarez and maybe getting themselves killed. Thanks to Don Ricardo, the leader of the Las Garzas cartel was no longer a threat.

They were safe.

And they were going home.

They headed for the airport and he parked the Jeep under a leafy tree in the parking lot. If Mercer's Baron hadn't been ready, he would have had to find them
another way home. Fortunately, that wasn't going to be a problem.

“I'd like to call Marge Covey and some of my friends,” Lark said. “I know they're worried sick.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

He waited till Lark had finished her calls then phoned Scottsdale and talked to Town.

“Man, am I glad to hear from you,” his friend said. “Trace called a couple of days ago so I knew you were alive—at least then.”

“We're on our way back. Everyone's fine. I'll fill you in once we get to L.A.”

“You better call your brothers. They must have phoned a dozen times.”

He knew they would be worried. It was part of being a family. “I'll call.”

He phoned Jackson first. “I hear you've been looking for me.”

“Damn straight. Town said you found the little girl. Everyone okay?”

“All of us are alive and well. Alvarez isn't—which means Lark and Chrissy are safe.”

“That's great news.”

“Sure is. Listen, I gotta get going. I'll call you when I get back home.”

“Good enough.”

His conversation with Gabe went much the same.
I'm fine. Everyone else is fine. Alvarez is dead and every-

one's safe.

“Mattie feeling all right?” he asked. She was only
a couple of months pregnant, but Gabe was already handing out cigars.

“She's feeling great. Has that pretty female glow pregnant women get.”

He just smiled. His brother's wife was a beautiful woman and Gabe was crazy about her.

Then his brother added. “So…you bringing the two of them home with you?”

He didn't have to ask which two Gabe meant. “Lark is staying in L.A. She has her own life, big brother, and I've got mine.”

“Sorry, I was kind of hoping that might change.”

But nothing had changed. It wasn't going to. Dev ignored the burning in his stomach. “I gotta catch a plane, bro. I'll call you when I get back to the States.”

“Take care of yourself.” Gabe hung up the phone and Dev blew out a breath.

Once he was in Arizona, his life could return to normal. All he had to do was get Lark and Chrissy back to L.A.

His stomach burned. He told himself it was just that he had never liked saying goodbye and saying goodbye to Lark and little Chrissy after all they had been through was going to be even harder than usual.

You'll be fine once you get home.

Things would be just like they were before.

He told himself that was exactly what he wanted.

He just wished he were more convinced.

 

As the twin-engine plane descended through the darkness to the Burbank airport, Lark had never been so glad
to see the lights of L.A. They sparkled jewel-like in the blackness below, reminding her she was finally in the good ol' U.S.A. She and Chrissy were home and they were safe. Everything was going to be okay.

She glanced over at Dev, who sat across the aisle. She knew every line of his face, the little cleft in his chin, the beautiful blue eyes, the way he looked like a pirate in the mornings before he shaved. She knew how strong he was, how loyal and caring. He was as good a man as she had ever met and she was desperately in love with him. Dear God, she was going to miss him.

“By the time we get back to the house it'll be pretty late,” she said. “You're not planning to fly on home tonight, are you?”

His eyes found hers. “I talked to Mercer, asked him to take me on to Phoenix. But a storm's coming in and both of us are tired. It's smarter to wait until morning.”

“I was hoping you would stay. It doesn't seem right for you to just go off in the middle of the night.” But then it didn't seem right for him to be leaving at all. “I mean…it wouldn't be fair to Chrissy.”

His gaze held hers across the aisle. “No…I guess it wouldn't be fair just to leave.” But his expression said Chrissy wasn't the only reason he was staying.

She loved him so much. She wished she had the courage to tell him. Maybe it would change the way he felt.

Her heart squeezed. Telling him she loved him wouldn't change a thing. There had never been any doubt about the way all this would end.

The plane continued its descent, the wheels lightly touching down, settling, skimming along the tarmac,
slowing, slowing. Mercer turned the aircraft around and taxied back to the executive terminal. Chrissy was sound asleep when Colin Mercer turned off the engines and the propellers rotated to a stop.

“I'll take her,” Dev said, unfastening her seat belt and lifting her into his arms. When they stepped down to the pavement, they found Mercer unloading their luggage from the plane.

By the time they had picked up a rental car and loaded their bags into the trunk, dropped Mercer off at the Hilton next to the airport and were on their way downtown, Chrissy had fallen asleep in the backseat of the car.

“Poor little thing is exhausted,” Lark said.

“It's been a long day.”

“There's been a lot of long days for all of us.” Long and frightening days. She didn't think she would have made it if it hadn't been for Dev.

“Will Mrs. Covey be at the condo when we get there?”

Lark shook her head. “She said everything was ready but she wouldn't be over until tomorrow.”

Dev's gaze flashed to hers. Once Chrissy was put down for the night, they would be alone in the house.

Neither of them said what both of them were thinking: that the need that had been building between them wasn't going to let either of them get any sleep.

“It's starting to rain,” Lark said as small drops began to ping against the windshield of the car.

“According to Mercer, the storm's supposed to be over by morning.”

He turned on the wipers and the
swish, swish
of the blades filled the silence as he drove the car through the increasing downpour. He pulled into the underground lot and turned off the engine, got out of the car, then leaned into the backseat and lifted Chrissy out, propping her against his chest as he carried her into the house.

“I'll come back and get the luggage,” he said and because she was so tired and utterly depressed, Lark just nodded.

She hurried ahead of them and used her key to summon the elevator, then raced down the hall and unlocked the door to her condo. She hadn't thought of the shooting until that very moment, hadn't realized the impact being there again would have.

Her heart jerked into gear and her palms went damp. Her gaze shot to the hall, but there was no body, no trace of the man she had shot that night, no blood or any other evidence of what had happened.

The place had been thoroughly cleaned and everything put back in order. Marge had obviously been there. The kitchen was spotlessly clean, the sofa pillows plumped, and beds had been turned down as if awaiting her and Chrissy's return.

Lark breathed a sigh of relief. Her heartbeat slowed and a feeling of normalcy began to slip over her.

Carrying the child down the hall, Dev turned into the little girl's bedroom and Lark followed. He settled the sleeping child on the narrow bed and gently pulled up the covers. Chrissy stirred, slowly blinked awake, then glanced around, trying to figure out where she was.

Then her eyes widened in fear. “Uncle Dev, I'm scared!”

Dev sat down on the bed beside her, reached out and smoothed back a lock of her shiny dark hair. “It's all right, muffin, you're home and you're safe. The bad men are gone. No one's ever going to hurt you again.”

Her eyes remained troubled. “Are you sure?”

“I'm sure.”

“How do you know? Are you gonna stay here and protect us?”

Something moved across his features, then it was gone. “I'll be here tonight, so you don't have to worry, okay?”

Lark's heart twisted.
One night.
One more night was all they had.

Chrissy relaxed against the pillow. “Okay.”

“Your mama's going to tuck you in, all right?”

She nodded. “Good night, Uncle Dev.”

He bent over and kissed her forehead. “Good night, muffin.”

Lark walked over and sat down, taking his place on the edge of the bed.

“I'll get the luggage,” Dev said gruffly, and then he was gone.

“Is Uncle Dev gonna live with us?” Chrissy asked, her eyes full of hope.

Lark's throat tightened. “No, sweetie. But your uncle Dev and his friends took care of the bad men. They're gone forever so we don't have to be afraid.”

“Truly?”

“Truly.”

“He's very brave.”

She forced herself to smile. “Yes, he is.”

“I wish he would stay with us forever.”

Tears burned her eyes. She prayed that Chrissy wouldn't see. “So do I, sweetheart.” She pulled up the covers, leaned over and kissed the little girl's cheek. “Good night, honey.”

Chrissy's lashes drifted down, lay thick and black against her plump cheeks. After what had happened, Lark had worried the child might be afraid to sleep in the room by herself. But Chrissy wasn't afraid to sleep alone. She had survived being abducted and slept in a drug dealer's house. She had napped by herself in one of Gracie's bedrooms in a tiny house deep in Mexico. She'd slept in shabby motel rooms and never made a peep. For a four-year-old, she was amazing.

Lark smiled sadly. Chrissy would learn to live without Dev, just as she had learned to get along without her parents, without her nana Lupita. She would adapt, even flourish.

Lark hoped she would fare as well. But for her, loving a man didn't end the moment he was out of sight.

One thing she knew. Losing Dev Raines was going to be the hardest thing she'd ever done.

 

The storm grew wilder, more intense. The trim on the roof was made of corrugated metal and the rain beat down with the rhythm of a Jamaican steel drum.

Sitting on the sofa in the living room, Dev leaned back and closed his eyes, the steady patter almost hypnotic.
It was his last night with Lark, the last time they would be together. The thought made his chest ache.

Hearing the faint click of a door being closed, he sat up and turned to see Lark walking down the hall in his direction.

“She asleep?” he asked.

“She was exhausted.” Her gaze found his. “She's really going to miss you, Dev.”

His eyes ran over her face, memorizing the soft curves and valleys, the soft lips and pretty green eyes. “What about you, Lark? Will you miss me, too?”

He caught a flash of something in her eyes before she glanced away. “You know I will.”

Maybe she would, at least for a while. But there was no way he could know for sure.

He thought of Amy. She'd said she loved him and he had believed her. It wasn't the truth. How did a man ever really know what a woman truly felt for him?

Lark sat down on the sofa beside him. “I owe you so much. You risked your life for me and Chrissy. I'll never forget what you did for us.”

He looked into her face, saw there were a few new freckles after her days in the sun. He reached out and ran his thumb over her full bottom lip. He had never wanted to kiss her so badly.

“It wasn't all hard work,” he said. “There were certain perks that went with the job.”

Her mouth curved up. “Like taking me to bed?”

“Yeah.” He smiled softly. “The only problem was I never got enough. I kept wanting to make love to you again.”

“Is that what you want right now?”

His heart was pounding, beating nearly as hard as the rain. “I've never wanted anything so badly.” He moved closer, slid his fingers beneath the silky hair at the nape of her neck, and drew her toward him. Leaning down, he settled his mouth over hers. It was a sweet, gentle kiss, the kind that told her how much he cared.