Free Absolution by Diane Alberts

on
with my life. Until then, I’m stuck with you and your drama. So,
I’m going to go get us some breakfast. In case you hadn’t noticed,
we have no food. I’ll be back in five minutes.”
    The door slammed behind him.
    God, when had she become such a bitch? She
burst into tears. Why did she continue to yell at him, blame him
for everything? He was right—she’d done nothing except tell him
everything he’d done wrong. She’s driven him further away with each
jab she took. Maybe this time she’d struck too hard. She’d called
him a coward. He, who served in the war in the Marines, worked for
the ATF. She’d never felt so ashamed in her life. She couldn’t even
find the courage to apologize. She should run after him, stop
him.
    She dashed to the door, heedless of her
pajamas and bare feet, and jerked the door open only to skid to a
halt in the hallway. Joseph was gone. A man stood right next to her
door, dressed in black.
    “Antonio? What are you doing here?” she
asked. “How did you find me?” Why would he be in the same hotel? He
couldn’t have tracked her down. Unless…
    He’s Cartel .
    She spun and ran for the room, but he’d
latched onto her hair and stopped her short. Antonio dragged her to
him until her back crashed against his chest and his hand slapped
over her mouth. The tip of a knife pressed on the side her
throat.
    “Hello, darling. You’re going to come with
me, or your precious agent will be dead before he knows what hit
him. Even as we speak, I have a man following him, simply waiting
for my cue. Come with me like a good girl, or he dies.”
    Foul breath dusted her ear, and disgust
rolled down her spine to make her shiver. She bit down on his hand
until he yelped and released her mouth. “You son of a bitch, you’ll
never outsmart him. He’s probably already shot your man and is
heading here as we speak. You’ll be nothing but a bloody carcass
once he’s done with you.”
    She tried to hide the tremor of fear at his
words. Could Joseph be caught off-guard, distracted by their fight?
Maybe he wouldn’t see the attack in time to stop it. When she
pictured him lying dead in an alley somewhere, her heart skipped a
beat. How could she go on with her life knowing she’d been the
reason he died? Knowing her stupid temper had shoved him away,
making him forget to watch his back. Even now, he could be dead.
Because of her.
    But he’d never be so careless, no matter what
she said, would he? He was a professional. He wouldn’t leave
himself open to attack.
    Antonio grabbed her hair and jerked until her
neck arched backward and she was forced to look in his eyes. “I
wouldn’t be so sure. He looked awfully handsome in his green
T-shirt…and missing gun. He had quite the scowl on his face, as
well. Did you fight, perhaps? Make him angry enough so he forgot
his protection? Such a shame for him to go out unarmed in this
town.”
    He twisted the hair in his fist, pressing the
knife deeper. Blood trickled down her neck, and she moaned. A
bluff? Or had Joseph left without his gun? She’d never seen him be
so careless. Of course, she’d never seen him so upset before,
either. She had to save him, or she’d never forgive herself.
    “Why don’t you just kill me and be done with
it? You’ve tried twice already.”
    “The game plan has changed. Your father is
getting too cocky. You’re our leverage. If he fails to do as I
demand, then you’ll be dead soon enough. But, I might need to have
a little fun first.” He used the knife to trace a path down to her
breast, and he groped the globe, squeezing hard. The handle dug
into her skin almost as much as his fingers. Eva squirmed.
    “Weakling. Is this the only way you can get a
woman? With a knife and threats?”
    “Oh, don’t worry. You’ll see exactly how I
treat women.”
    He slammed her face into the stucco and
groped her ass from behind. He bit down on her neck, and she
flinched at the pain. The wall scraped her cheek raw, but