I wantedto turn and run, but it was too late. The vehicles had already reached the village center, and men were climbing out with the confident swagger of people who owned everything they surveyed. I caught sight of Mateo Silva’s distinctive profile as he emerged from one of the SUVs, scanning the area until his gaze landed on me.
Even from a distance, I could see his smile—greedy and pleased, like he’d found exactly what he’d been looking for.
Logan noticed it too. His voice was calm but carried unmistakable authority. “Lauren, we need to get out of here. Now.”
“Too late,” I whispered.
“Fuck.” He moved slightly in front of me, his body language shifting into something that looked deceptively casual but felt dangerous.
Mateo approached with four armed men flanking him, his expensive linen suit and easy confidence a stark contrast to thepoverty surrounding us. His gaze moved from me to Logan with calculating interest.
“Lauren,” he said in English, his accent making my name sound intimate. “What a pleasant surprise to find you here.”
“Mr. Silva.” I forced my voice to remain steady. “I was just finishing medical rounds.”
“Please, I insist you call me Mateo.”
I nodded, but that wasn’t going to happen. If I had my way, I wouldn’t be calling him anything at all.
“And who is your companion?” His smile never wavered, but something cold flickered in his eyes as he studied Logan. “He’s not one of your doctor team.”
“I’m Logan Kane. I’m with a meteorological research team studying storm patterns in the region.” Logan’s voice sounded much less commanding than it had as I’d been talking to him. More…nerdy and in no way threatening. I admired how quickly and easily he slipped into the cover story.
“Ah, yes. The weather. Apparently a hurricane might be coming.” Mateo’s tone suggested he found the subject amusing, rather than the potential catastrophe it would be for most people living here. He glanced at his men, then back at Logan with sharpened interest. “Tell me, why did nobody inform me that more Americans had driven into our area?”
His guards exchanged uncertain glances, and I felt the tension ratchet up another notch. Finally, one of them cleared his throat nervously.
“Sir, none of our road checkpoints reported any Americans driving in.”
Mateo’s smile widened, but his eyes grew colder. “How fascinating. And yet here you are, Mr. Kane. How exactly did you arrive in our little corner of paradise?”
The tension stretched between them like a taut rope, and I found myself caught between two very different kinds of danger.Logan radiated controlled threat beneath his civilian exterior, while Mateo’s charm barely concealed something predatory and cruel.
“We took three different airplanes to get from our home base in California to here. It was brutal. I ended up in a middle seat.” Logan’s voice sounded so tinny and nonthreatening, I almost couldn’t recognize it.
“Then we cleared customs in the city,” he continued as everyone stared. “Some of our equipment got damaged while in the luggage hold—specifically the wind profiler and radiosonde balloons—but we still have enough equipment for our study, don’t worry. Then I got to ride in a helicopter to this area. My very first one. I was nervous. Helicopters don’t feel natural, you know? I was afraid I was going to…”
The longer Logan talked his rambling nonsense, impressively complete with meteorological details, the less Mateo was interested in him. Which was no doubt exactly what Logan wanted. It couldn’t be easy to make someone of his size less threatening, but Logan was somehow managing it with his word vomit.
Evidently, he wasn’t just a warrior. He was smart too.
“Fine.” Mateo held up a hand to stop Logan from talking, and he faded to silence but still kept his body partially in front of mine.
“Thank you for saying hello, but I need to return to work,” I said, stepping slightly toward the path. “Carlos needs his medication adjusted, and I have other patients to check on.”
“Nonsense. He can wait.” Mateo moved to block my path, his smile widening. “I came to extend an invitation. My family has a villa not far from here, and I would be honored if you would join me for dinner tonight.”
It sounded casual—gracious, even—but the way he looked at me made my skin crawl. There was something in his eyes. Possession. Like he already saw me as his.
“That’s very kind, but I’m afraid I can’t,” I said quickly. “Carlos’s condition is more serious than initially thought. I’ll need to stay with him so I’m sure he’s okay.”
The lie slid out smoothly, desperation sharpening every word. I’d have said anything to sidestep whatever trap Mateo was laying.
His smile didn’t falter, but something in the air shifted. The armed men around us straightened, alert. And beside me, Logan took a subtle step closer.
“Is that so?” Mateo’s tone was still pleasant, but the chill underneath it scraped against my spine. “How inconvenient.”
“Yes. It is inconvenient, and I apologize. But my job is very important. Thank you for the invite. Perhaps some other time.”
