Free Desire & Deception (Entangled Ignite) by Sahara Roberts Page B

up.
    He smiled, handing her a disposable cup.
    Eyes closed, she savored the heavenly scent. The bold flavor assaulted her taste buds, warming her mouth, dragging her awake. “Thank you.”
    He ignored her as he finished his breakfast. “I’ll be away all day,” he said without looking at her. “Make sure you eat.”
    She sipped, hiding her pinched expression behind the disposable cup. Like any prisoner, she’d be afforded a last meal.
    “I won’t come back until late tonight. I left plenty of water and your pills.” He tossed the scrunched up foil into the baggie and headed to the door. “Don’t cause any trouble while I’m gone, Tessa.”
    This time she grimaced.
    “And don’t try to run.”
    …
    Kris went downstairs to see what the guys had to say about their other guest.
    Cruz sat at the table with a mountain of food in front of him. He chewed, oblivious to the bits that flew everywhere.
    Kris grabbed a soda from the fridge. “What’s the latest on Heather?”
    “She never shuts up.” Cruz exhaled in a rush. “Complains about the heat, the cold, the music, and anything else she can think of.” He slurped up a piece of egg that had landed on the front of his shirt.
    Kris shut his eyes, sympathizing with Tessa. Could the guy be more disgusting? “Get to the point.”
    “She’s shoveling a load of bullshit.” He dropped his fork, a sure sign he was upset. “I asked what she was doing here and she said she’d never partied in Mexico.”
    “Great. The product is still missing and we haven’t figured out her plan.”
    “I got skills, jefe . Just say the word.”
    Kris was well aware of Cruz’s sociopathic tendencies. He wasn’t about to unleash him on either one of the girls. “I don’t think this particular guest requires your skill set.” He called for Felipe. “Besides, she’s supposed to be handed over intact .”
    Cruz shoveled more food into his mouth.
    Felipe came in, tucking in his shirt as he reached the kitchen. He pointedly faced away from Cruz, giving his full attention to Kris.
    “I want both of you talking to Heather together. Felipe takes the lead.” He gave them a hard stare. “While she’s hands-off, nobody says you can’t paint her a picture. See what happens then.”
    “So you think Tessa has people?” asked Cruz.
    Kris would be a fool to overlook the possibility. Tessa had secrets she wasn’t sharing. Part of him wanted to turn her over to Juarez and wash his hands of the hiccup in his plan. But the other part of him, the one that wanted to figure her out, pushed to gather whatever information came his way. Not in an official capacity, but more out of curiosity. Either way, he only had to deal with her until the meeting on Thursday. Then she’d be off his hands.
    He checked the old clock above the refrigerator. “I won’t rule out the possibility until I have more information.” Not like he’d be the first guy taken in by a pretty face. “If she does, she should get an award for Best Actress.”
    “Bah!” spat Cruz. “This would be easier with some incentive.”
    “If she goes in bloody,” Kris replied through stiff lips, “you’ll have to account to the boss in Juarez. He wants to get his pound of flesh his own way.”
    …
    An hour later, Felipe pulled into the driveway of another safe house on the other side of the city. The place wasn’t anywhere near being a compound. More of a nondescript home like every other dwelling in the thirty-year-old, middle-class neighborhood—at least from the outside.
    The SUV shifted as Cruz got out and slammed the door. “Hey,” Felipe barked out. “You trying to break the glass or what?” He stalked inside, the vein in his temple ticking in time with his annoyance.
    Which was worse, having Kris be right about interrogating her or having Fat Ass laugh at him for running this menial errand? He didn’t know. Left to himself, Cruz could do the interrogation any way he saw fit. But no, Mr. High and Mighty was