Nico lifted his arms. "I'll come with you." He had to get Carmela and her men out of the resort.
"No!" Paige yelled.
Nico turned to her. Cupped her cheek. "I will come back for you."
"I'm sorry I forced your hand. I should have listened to you."
He spoke against her lips. "Don't be sorry. You are the best decision I ever made. Don't forget that."
Paige was shaking her head, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Don't go. They'll kill you."
"They can try," he said, forcing a smile. "They won't be the first ones. They won't be the last ones either. I love you, and I will come back for you."
She grabbed Nico's arm when he turned to leave. Wiped her tears. "I love you too. Give them hell. I'll be waiting for you."
So courageous, his woman. "Will do, Goth girl."
As they walked out, Nico saw Jack approaching. His face was all business. He'd noticed something was wrong.
Nico shook his head. This was not the place to start a fight. Too many innocent people around. Jack followed his lead and gave way.
"Stay out of it," Nico ordered. "You didn't see me. You didn't see any of this. Make sure nothing happens to her." Jack nodded.
Nico didn't have to tell him to get his people out of there. Jack knew the drill.
"Let's go," Nico said to Carmela.
Time to face the music. It had gone on for too long already.
* * * *
Paige looked at her cell for the umpteenth time. No messages.
Two long days since Nico had walked out of the Eternal Sun. Since the Bowens had gathered their wives and children and flown out of Florida, with her as a very unwilling companion. She had wanted to stay, but Jack had been adamant-Nico's instructions were to be obeyed.
Not that Jack himself had followed them. He'd stayed behind. Tried to extract Nico, as he'd called it. But Nico Grabar's official residence had been surprisingly empty. Wherever things were going down, it wasn't in a place Jack or the police knew about.
Paige had kept herself busy as best as she knew how. After a week of the restaurant being closed, the regular patrons of Rosita's had come en masse, ready to hear all about the wedding.
Still, nothing helped. She was a wreck. Asking Elle and Nils and Tate and anyone she could to call her cell to ensure it was in working order. It was, damn it, and yet not a word from Nico. For the life of her, she couldn't decide if that was good news or bad. She changed her mind from one minute to the next, panicking in between. Heck, panicking 24/7.
That Jack had gone under and was still MIA was not helping either. Neither was the news running on an endless loop. SOUTH AMERICA'S MOST RUTHLESS CARTEL BROUGHT TO ITS KNEES read the newspaper headlines. It had been the top story on television since yesterday. She'd checked all the channels. "Huge victory in the war against the cartels … " "Multiple locations raided in several countries … " "International sex-trafficking ring dismantled … " "Dozens of arrests … "
And not a frigging word about Nico.
"I like that new addition to the wall of fame," one patron said as Paige rang him up. It was a wedding picture of Elle and Jack looking at each other, the ocean as background. "Nothing beats Cole and Christy's, though," he added with a laugh.
"Yep. Nothing beats a wedding party of aliens." Or Cole's face.
"Here's the man of the hour," the patron said as the front door opened. A very tired, somber-looking Jack entered.
Elle ran to him, hugging him tight. They spoke, but Paige couldn't hear what was said.
"We need to talk," Jack said to Paige.
As she turned, she saw Nico's mug shot on the bar's TV. Breaking news. Cartel boss found dead, execution-style, in a remote location in Colombia read the ticker.
She darted for the remote control and turned up the volume.
"Nico Grabar, boss of one of the most ruthless South American drug cartels, and several of his lieutenants have been found dead in a remote location in Colombia in what looks like score settling."
The anchor continued blabbing about the big crackdown on drugs, the risk of terrorists coming in from the south, and God fucking knew what, and all she could see was that word flashing on the screen: execution.
"Paige … " That was Elle, talking from afar. She was in fact touching Paige, but still, she felt miles away.
"This is part of the cover story, right?" Paige asked. "Right?"
"Sweetie … "
She didn't like to be called sweetie, much less in that soothing tone while eyes full of sorrow stared at her. She looked away and found Jack. "They have to say that. This means nothing. Tell me the truth, Jack."
His face said it all. "I'm sorry, Paige."