“Protecting you.”
His answer surprised me. I thought he might be lying, but something in his eyes told me it was at least partially truth.
A ghost of a smile skated across his lips. “Why are you doing this? You yourself declared this a suicide mission. I suspect you are right. So why go through with it?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do.”
His eyes twinkled. “No. There’s more.”
“And what do you think that is?”
“Unlike you, I love a good mystery, mi tesora. I will enjoy uncovering your secrets, layer by layer.” His fingers skimmed up my side a few inches.
I started to jab him with my blade, but he grabbed my wrist and pushed my hand from his neck, trying to turn me on his lap.
I let him think he had the upper hand, then pushed my knee into his crotch, putting as much weight into it as I could.
He released his hold on me, gasping for breath as I got to my feet.
“Don’t underestimate me again, Antonio. It could be the last thing you ever do.” I squatted to pick up my shirt and grab my phone off the seat, then turned off the music. He watched me with darkened eyes, still recovering as I squatted and tucked my blade into my boot. Then I flung the curtain open, my shirt still in my hand. Lea’s angry eyes instantly landed on me.
“I hope that was as good for you as it was for me,” I called over my shoulder.
Ivan was watching me, barely containing his amusement. His gaze landed on my chest.
“They’re called breasts, Ivan,” I said. “Although I haven’t seen them for myself, I suspect Lea’s are quite lovely. Once Antonio recovers from our workout, maybe you’d like to take Lea back there and check them out for yourself.”
Ivan burst into laughter as I plopped down in a different seat, looking at the clouds outside the window, mulling over everything I’d just learned.
Antonio was a pawn. A foot soldier for some group that wanted something from me. Were they trying to find out what I knew about the facility? My connection to Lea? Or something else entirely? It had to have something to do with Lea since he’d worked for Victor in some capacity. What exactly did he expect Lea to do? Was I was missing something?
I nearly gasped as a new thought hit me. What if I was wrong about him being a pawn? What if he was the other Cazador? But surely Lea would have known. Surely she would have told me.
One thing was certain—once we were on the ground, Antonio had to go.
CHAPTER 19
LEA
I dropped into the seat beside Rachel as she tugged her shirt over her head.
“What, no lecture about sleeping with the enemy?” she asked as her head popped through the opening.
“Is he an enemy? I thought he was just a limo driver.” I kept my words even. I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes. “Buckle up, we’re going to land.”
She grunted and did as I’d suggested, but her movements were jerky and full of irritation. “I think he’s a pawn.”
My lips twitched. “You threw yourself at him to get information?”
Across the way, Ivan chuckled. “I wish you’d try to get information from me that way.”
I leaned forward to glare at him, but my words were for Rachel. “What did you learn?”
“Nothing.”
Lie number one. I’d heard Victor’s name tossed around between the thumping beats of the techno music on her phone.
The jet shuddered as the landing gear lowered and I gripped the edge of the seat. We were silent as the plane dipped to land on the runway.
“Lea, tell me you aren’t afraid to fly.” Rachel’s words were a perfect echo of Ivan’s.
I gritted my teeth and took shallow, quick breaths. “No, I’m breathing like this because I’m so turned on by Ivan’s dog smell.”
Rachel laughed. “Now that I’d believe.” She turned to look out the window, lost in her thoughts.
I was buried with my own. The plane refueled and we walked around the cabin until the pilot told us we were ready to take off again.
Rachel seemed less anxious, and she’d had time to sift through her thoughts. It was definitely time to try again.
I sat in the seat next to her and slowly turned to look at her, needing to focus on something other than my fear. “You going to tell me the truth about the pawn now?”
Her face shut down. “I told you, I didn’t get anything—”
So she was going to play it that way. I ignored the disappointment and let the anger course through me.
Whipping a hand out across her chest, I pinned her to the seat. “I heard Victor’s name.”
The silver stake she’d been given was pressed against my throat in instant. She’d been quick enough that I could have been in trouble. Was it a lingering effect of the vampire blood?