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  “Sonofabitch.” Ghost bit out the word, recognizing the man who’d almost killed him, Dani, and Raider. “Is that who I think it is?”

  Tracker leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “If you’re thinking Abdul-Bari Zahir, you’d be right.”

  “Do you recognize the man next to him?” Gunner asked.

  Jaw clenching, Tracker’s nostrils flared. “Antonio Quintero.”

  Chapter Nine

  “How did you hear about this place?” Picking up her wine glass, Julia looked around the rustic décor of the large steakhouse. “It’s really quite nice.”

  Cara pursed her lips, her gaze slipping to Tessa, Dani, and Becca before landing on Julia. “Do you remember us telling you about Robbie’s, the bar the Eternal Brethren named after a fallen friend?”

  The wine glass stilled as it touched her lips. “Yes. I believe you said they own the bar.”

  “They do. Robbie’s last name was Hawthorn. The club decided to open a more upscale eatery using his last name. Hence, we have Hawthorn’s.”

  Tori lifted her head from studying the menu. “Do you mean the club owns both?”

  “I believe this is the fifteenth business they own in or around Liberty Lake.” Setting the menu aside, Ghost’s wife, Dani, took a sip of her scotch on the rocks. “The boys are dedicated to making each business successful.”

  Wrangler’s fiancée, Becca, rolled the stem of her glass between her thumb and forefinger as her gaze wandered over the restaurant. “Each of the members has a job at one of the businesses, Julia. Wrath is basically the CEO over them all. Ghost, Rock, Wrangler, Tracker, Moses, and a couple others function as managers. They have regular meetings. During one of them, somebody mentioned the idea of opening Hawthorn’s.”

  Tori’s eyes widened a fraction. “Moses and Tracker manage a couple of them?”

  “They do.” Cara stopped long enough for the waiter to take their orders before continuing. “Moses manages three mini-storage locations.”

  “Big ones,” Tessa added. “Two have about five hundred units each, and the third has about three hundred.”

  Tori leaned forward, fascinated. “Are they profitable?”

  “Very.” Leaning back, Tessa waited as the waiter refilled their wine glasses, topping off Cara’s iced tea. “They were barely breaking even when Wrath asked Moses to take over. All the men are excellent at business.”

  Julia listened, captivated by the turn in the conversation. She knew little about the Brethren except what she’d learned from the four wives, and the fact they were an outlaw motorcycle gang. Her attention turned to her sister in time to see her give an almost indiscernible wink before Tori asked another question.

  “And what does Tracker manage?”

  Before anyone could answer, a striking man in an impeccable suit walked toward them. Julia almost choked on the wine when she recognized him. He flashed a devastating smile at each of them, lingering a little longer on her.

  “Good evening, ladies. I hope you’re being treated well.”

  Cara returned his smile. “Hello, Tracker. We’re being treated very well. You’ve done an excellent job with this.”

  Placing a hand on the back of Julia’s chair, he glanced down at her before answering. “We were able to hire some of the best people from the valley. So many of them want to leave the congestion of the bigger cities. We offered them the opportunity.”

  “Ghost told me you’re going to hire interns from the college. I think that’s a wonderful idea.”

  “Whatever we can do, Tessa. It’s easy to let them have a chance to decide if the restaurant industry is what they want.” He removed his hand from the chair, letting it brush Julia’s shoulder. “I’m interviewing a couple tomorrow.”

  Dani glanced between Tori and Julia. “Tracker also manages two other bars the club owns. I might be working in one of them for a while.”

  “What?” Becca lifted a brow. “But you work for your father.”

  “And I will continue working for him once we open the new headquarters for White Eagle Security in Liberty Lake.”

  Tessa stared at her, stunned at the news. “I can see we have a lot to talk about tonight.”

  “I’ll leave you ladies to your dinner and conversation. Let me know if you need anything.” Tapping the back of Julia’s chair, Tracker glanced down at her once more before walking away.

  Julia stared at the ceiling, the same as she’d done since slipping under the covers hours before. Seeing Nate, learning more about his work within the Eternal Brethren, had stunned her. Being so close, his hand brushing her shoulder, had made it hard to breathe. After all this time, and to her utter frustration, he still had the ability to make her body heat with just a look.

  When he’d left their table, she’d felt the loss of his closeness as deeply as she had six years before. Julia no longer tried to fool herself about the man she’d loved more than her own life. He’d been the one, and no matter how many other men had passed through her life, Nate was the only one her body and heart craved.

  Tossing off the covers, she slipped into a robe, careful not to wake Tori in the other bed. Plodding into the small living room of their hotel suite, Julia stared at the kitchen. Maybe eating something would help her sleep.

  A short search yielded nothing except a bag of corn chips from the deli across the street, bottles of water, and a wrapped pickle. They’d run out of milk and cereal the day before and hadn’t replenished them.

  Scanning the counter, she spotted a box of mixed tea bags. Selecting one saying it induced relaxation and sleep, she placed it into a cup with water and heated it in the microwave.

  Thirty minutes passed as she drank the tea, feeling no more sleepy than when she’d left the bed. The reason wasn’t a mystery. All she could think about was Nate.

  For six years she’d played back their time together over and over. Nothing in his actions or words revealed him as a man who’d seen her as anything other than an assignment. It had always been the opposite.

  Tori had urged her many times to seek Nate out, give him a chance to explain. Her sister enumerated her reasons, the biggest one being it would bring Julia closure. She’d ignored the advice.

  When they’d returned to their room after dinner at Hawthorn’s, Tori had started in on Julia again. She’d insisted there was more to them coming to Liberty Lake than Tessa learning of an opening at the pediatric clinic. Nate being here, the way they kept running into each other was more than coincidence. It was fate.

  Julia had been given a second chance to learn the truth. Tori had left her with a last parting shot before going to bed.

  “You’ll regret it the rest of your life if you don’t take this chance.”

  Tori was right. Julia would regret not taking the opportunity to clear the air. The chance to finally put the past behind her and move forward.

  Looking up, she saw the clock on the kitchen counter flashing four o’clock. Too early to call Nate, but not too early to start planning. And to put up the protective walls that would get her through what she intended to do.

  Tracker poured over the data from their latest mission. The Demons Blood assault on the Night Devils and theft of the merchandise. Antonio Quintero appearing at the rendezvous point with Abdul-Bari Zahir. At first, they’d seemed an odd paring. The more Tracker considered it, the more certain he was of the reasons.

  The fentanyl brought over the border would yield hundreds of thousands of dollars in the U.S. The perfect way to fund both a terrorist cell and a drug cartel. He guessed Drago and his men were given a cut. Ten percent would be a huge benefit to the Demons Blood and their desire to destroy the Night Devils.

  Drago hated Burn and his tactics. Although not as ruthless as the club’s previous local president, Poison, Burn’s vision of expanding the club included more subtle methods of getting what he wanted.

  The biggest unknown to Tracker was who the Devils had partnered with to transport the drugs across the border. He’d assum
ed it was the Nuevo León Cartel, but Antonio’s appearance blasted that theory to bits.

  They needed access to Jif. But Grayson and his contact in the DEA had the agent locked down. Tracker guessed Jif had been transported to the Air Force base in Southern Arizona. They didn’t have a hospital, but there was a clinic which provided post-surgery care, internal medicine, and physical therapy. It was a secure location, safe from the long reach of either the Devils or the Nuevo León Cartel.

  Even without speaking with Jif, the pieces began to slide together. Enough to warrant contact with Agent Delphine.

  Reaching toward the secure phone provided for task force use, his hand stilled when his personal phone rang. Since so few had the number, he didn’t bother to check the ID.

  “Tracker.” He waited a moment for a response. “Yo. Is anybody there?” He was about to end the call when he heard a soft, hesitant voice.

  “Is this Nate?”

  Sitting up straight, his eyes flashed as he gripped the phone tighter. “Julia?”

  “Yes. I know it’s early. Probably too early.” She paused a moment, rethinking her decision. “I’m sorry to bother you.”

  “Julia, do not hang up. Please.”

  It was the please which stopped her from ending the call. Placing a hand to her stomach to relieve the butterflies, she tried to focus on the reason for contacting him.

  “Julia? Are you still there?”

  Sucking in a slow breath, she nodded, then realized he couldn’t see her. “Yes, I’m here.”

  He lowered his voice to a calming cadence. “Good. Now, tell me why you called. It’s okay if you’re checking to see if I’m alive. I am, so you still have a chance to shoot me.”

  Despite herself, she chuckled at the reference to something she had thought about the first year after their split. “The thought had crossed my mind a few times.”

  “Not surprising after what I did.”

  Closing her eyes, Julia swallowed the large ball of fear and regret clogging her throat. “That’s just it. I don’t know exactly what you did or why.”

  “Have you decided you want to know both?”

  After a long pause, he heard her long exhale. “I’m not certain. I mean, whatever you say won’t change the course of either of our lives.”

  Leaning forward, he rested an elbow on the desk, the hand holding the phone shaking the tiniest amount. “Are you so sure?”

  Julia considered the question, already knowing they could never go back. “Yes. All I want is the truth about what happened. Beyond that, I neither expect nor want anything from you, Nate.”

  He could live with that. For now. “All right. Where and when would you like to meet?”

  “It’s Friday, so I have to be at work in a couple hours. Lunch is iffy, so how about dinner someplace quiet and private?”

  “Sounds good. Do you still like Italian food?”

  Her chest squeezed at the question. It had been years, yet he still remembered. “Yes.”

  “Rosario’s is at the south end of town on the main highway. They have great food and are located in an old house with lots of private alcoves.”

  Her heart beat so fast she was sure Nate could hear it. “Sounds perfect.”

  “How about seven tonight?”

  “Seven is fine. And, Nate?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thanks.”

  Before he could respond, she ended the call, leaving him feeling a little adrift. After six years, it seemed ridiculous. He’d had other women during that time, traveled all over the world, and been selected for an elite team of undercover SEALs. His life was fine. Perfect even.

  “What a crock of shit,” Tracker muttered to himself. He’d missed Julia every minute of every hour since she’d learned of his deception.

  If talking to her about what happened would give her some peace, he’d do it, even if it meant they’d never again be more than distant friends. It was a huge step forward from her hating him.

  Shaking off the sense of melancholy, he stared back down at the papers before him. The mission, cartel, terrorist cell, and Agent Delphine.

  Julia’s call had sent him into a tailspin. Now he had to refocus on what he needed to accomplish in the hours before their meeting at Rosario’s.

  Setting down his own phone to grab the secure one, he called Jaeger Delphine.

  “What do you need, Tracker?”

  “We can do this over the phone, but a meeting might be best.”

  “Where are you?”

  “At home. I can meet you partway between here and your location in the valley.”

  After a slight pause, the DEA agent responded by rattling off an address. “Ten o’clock this morning.”

  “See you then.” Tracker slid the phone into a pocket.

  Now all he had to do was tick off the hours before seeing Julia. It was going to be a long day.

  Chapter Ten

  Tracker pulled his motorcycle off the highway and onto a narrow, paved street six miles from Liberty Lake. The address Jaeger gave him was at the end and down a long, dirt drive. He parked in front of an older, nondescript stucco house.

  Dismounting, he looked around, spotting a light gray sedan he assumed belonged to Jaeger at the side of the house. Pocketing his keys, he reached under his cut, confirming the Glock at his back.

  Taking the few steps to the front door, Tracker knocked, again scanning the area around him. A moment later, the door opened, Jaeger motioning him inside.

  “Water or soda?”

  “Water would be great.”

  Tracker took a seat at the table where Jaeger had left an open file. Drawing it to him, he reviewed the documents, eyes widening at the name at the top of one page.

  Torero Cartel. Hector “El Oso” Alcado.

  Tracker had heard little of Alcado or the cartel in years, assuming they’d been taken out by a rival organization.

  Jaeger set two bottles of water down. “Wrath provided a summary and images of the mission.” He tapped one of the pictures. “Antonio Quintero and Zahir being together is a bad sign, but not a surprise.”

  “If they’re working in a partnership, who transported the fentanyl to the border?”

  Jaeger tapped another image. “We believe it was Hector Alcado. El Oso.”

  “The Torero Cartel,” Tracker said.

  “Correct. Over the years, they’ve grown by absorbing smaller organizations and expanding north. Hector has been able to avoid confrontations with Los Zetas or the Nuevo León Cartel. I don’t expect that to last much longer.”

  “The theft of his merchandise will require reprisals.”

  “We can’t let that happen.”

  Tracker’s head snapped up, eyes locked on Jaeger. “What do you mean?”

  “Armando Quintero is our target. Once his organization is taken out, it will be easy to remove Hector. We’ve had eyes on his home in Saltillo for a long time. His security isn’t in the same league as Quintero’s.”

  “So the Blood attacking the Devils and stealing the shipment worked in our favor.”

  “Yes and no. We now know Zahir is in deep with Quintero. Funding is the most critical factor for all terrorists, and their leaders will do whatever is needed for cash flow.”

  Tracker looked at each photo in the file, setting each aside to refocus on the image of Antonio and Zahir. “Trusting Quintero is a bad idea.”

  “Of course it is. The best outcome would be for them to take each other out.” Jaeger smirked.

  “Won’t happen.”

  “I know. We are the ones who must dismantle Armando’s organization. Put him in jail, at the very least.” Shoving his chair back from the table, Jaeger crossed his arms. “You are key to making that happen.”

  Warning bells went off in Tracker’s head. “What do you mean?”

  “It’s critical you renew your friendship with Juliana Quintero.” Jaeger held up his hand when Tracker opened his mouth to protest. “She and her sister have been in contact with the
ir father several times a week since moving to Liberty Lake. He paid cash for both of their houses and plans a visit in two weeks. Juliana needs to be prepped and ready to get the information we need during that visit.”

  Knocking the chair over as he jumped up, Tracker rested his hands on the table, leaning forward. Anger building, he kept his voice low and menacing.

  “Julia will not be used that way again.” Straightening, he paced several feet away, whirling around at Jaeger’s next words.

  “I can put another agent on it.”

  “You do that and you’ll never see another Christmas.”

  “Is that a threat?”

  “No, Agent Delphine. It’s my promise to you.” Stalking forward, he stopped a couple of feet from Jaeger. “I will handle this my way. No interference from you or anyone else on the task force. And God help any man who gets in my way.”

  By the time Tracker entered the clubhouse, he’d calmed down enough to face the expected reprimand from Wrath. By now, Delphine would’ve informed everyone on the task force that he’d been threatened.

  “Weak sonofabitch,” Tracker muttered, slamming the back entrance open, heading straight to Wrath’s office. Knocking, he heard the familiar “Come” and walked inside.

  “Sit.” Wrath pointed to a chair as he continued to scan a document in front of him. A few minutes later, he set it aside, clasping his hands together on top of his desk. “I received a call from Agent Delphine.”

  “Knew you would.”

  Wrath’s lips twitched, but his face remained impassive. “He says you threatened him.”

  “I did.”

  “Explain yourself.”

  “He’s insisting I use Julia to get information on her father. I refused. Delphine told me he’d put another man on her.”

  Wrath’s lips twitched again. “So you threatened him.”

  “I simply told him if he did that, he wouldn’t live to see another Christmas.”