Dance With Me (15 page)

Javier choked on bile as Major circled Amaya. Major shot him a withering glance when he noticed the evidence their earlier lovemaking. Fucking, he corrected himself. Not lovemaking. “I didn’t rape her. We made lo…had sex before I caught her with the needle.”

“Ah.” Major nodded and kept walking to kneel by Amaya’s head so he could speak to her. He pulled the gag from Amaya’s mouth, tilted his head and said softly, “Do you know who I am, Anam Hasni?”

When Amaya heard the name, her eyes grew wide and she struggled wildly on the bed.

“Javi, help me, please!”

Javier closed his eyes, unable to hear her beg with the voice that he’d fallen in love with.
Dios, esto duele!
But not watching was worse, so he opened them again.

Major shoved the gag back in her mouth, stood, and placed a hand on the small of her back to keep her still. Javier had taken a step to defend her before he stopped himself. A small part of him still wanted to be her knight in shining armor, but it was quickly dying as her deception fully sank in.

When she stilled, Major knelt and spoke again, in a language Javier identified as an Arabic dialect, but couldn’t understand. When he finished talking, Major jerked the gag out again.

Amaya morphed then, from the sweet British girl with an Indian background into something Javier had never seen. She screamed at them all, spittle flying from her mouth, her words unknown to anyone but herself and Major. After several minutes of the tirade, Major shoved the gag back in.

“Now we’re going to do this in English for our friends.” Amaya shook her head violently, tears trickling into her hair. Javier reminded himself of who she was and what she’d done in order to stifle the overwhelming need he felt to comfort her. Habit, he corrected himself. Not need. Not anymore.

Major looked up at Javier and said, “Are you ready for this?”

Javier jerked his head once in a nod.
Jesus, no, I’m not ready.
“
Sí
.”

Major turned, still kneeling and looked at Lieutenant Commander Paulson. “What about you, Paulson? Are you ready for it?”

He nodded and said, “Fire away.”

Major turned back to Amaya and said, “Tell them your name.” He took the gag out and Amaya whimpered and looked at Javier. He turned away, watched Major instead of Amaya. He couldn’t look into those dark, lying eyes. Major sighed and pulled a pocketknife from his pants and opened it with a soft
snick.
Javier winced.

“Let’s try this again. Tell them your name.”

Amaya whimpered again, her eyes wide and focused on the blade. “My name is Anam Hasni. My husband is Naseem Ayed Javid. He sent me here to find someone in this team of American soldiers…”

“SEALs,” Javier growled.

She whimpered again and continued, “Yes, SEALs to convince in any way possible to tell me what information they have on my husband’s organization.”

Major slid the blade along her eyebrow, lightly enough that the wicked edge didn’t cut. “And tell them what your husband calls himself within his little club.”

“Naseem is the prophet.”

Paulson froze and Javier glanced over at him. He was stiff and watching Amaya—Anam—with murder in his eyes.

“Now tell dear old Javi what you planned to do before you left next week.”

Javier died a little inside. He already knew.
Dios,
she didn’t have to say it.

“I was supposed to return to my husband because someone was getting too close to finding me. Someone—I don’t know who or how—knew you were here. I was supposed to kill Javier before I left.”

Javier squeezed his eyes closed against the agony those words caused. He’d fucking
loved
her and she’d been plotting his murder.

Amaya pleaded with him, “Please, Javi, I couldn’t have done it. I…”

“Enough,” he whispered, unable to stand it for another second. When her pleas continued his control snapped and he roared, “I said
enough!
”

She stopped talking then and closed her eyes.

“Where is your husband now?” Major slid the blade along her spine.

“I don’t know,” she sobbed.

“Guess.” He pressed against a spot at the base of her spine and Amaya screamed. Blood welled up, but not enough to signify a serious injury.

Amaya screamed again into the pillow, her body shaking. Javier turned around. He couldn’t watch.

She screamed again and he squeezed his eyes closed.

“London!” She screamed, hysterical now. “South London! Brixton! He uses a Middle Eastern food store to hide when he’s there. It’s the only one there! When he leaves London he goes to Slovak! I don’t know where though! Please, no more! No more!”

Javier jerked around to put a stop to it just as Major stood up and turned to him.

“You know what has to happen now.”

Javier swallowed and nodded. Black Ops meant one thing. Everyone knew that.

“I’ll make it quick. Painless.” Major spoke softly, as though afraid Javier would snap.

Javier nodded and closed his eyes again. “Fine.”

Major put a hand on Javier’s shoulder and said, “Or you can do it. It’s up to you. But if you decide to take care of it, I still have to confirm.”

Javier jerked his eyes open and stared at him, stunned to his toes. Could he do it? Could he kill the woman he’d loved for two years? Javier shook his head. The woman he loved was already dead. He couldn’t forget that. This woman lying in his bed with his semen still warm inside of her was a traitor. A terrorist. She’d sent him and his team straight into an ambush countless times, had even planned to kill him.

“I understand.” The major had misunderstood the headshake.

Major turned away and Javier said, “Wait.” He took a deep breath, walked over to Amaya and squatted down next to her. He kept his voice low, his words meant only for the two of them. “Was there ever a time when you loved me? Did you even once mean it?” When she opened her mouth to speak, Javier interrupted, “Whatever you tell me won’t make a difference. I just want to know.”

Her eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed in a glare. “I could never feel anything but hate for such a vile, rutting animal like you.” She spit in his face and Javier wiped it away slowly.

He nodded and stood, unable to look at her any longer. “
El que de vosotros esté sin pecado, sea el primero en tirarle una piedra.”
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. It’s certainly not me.
Javier met Major’s hard stare and said, “I’ll do it.”

Major nodded and said, “Fine. But first, you need to know what to do afterward. You’re not going to be in a mood to listen once it’s done. You’ll need to try and file a missing-persons report tomorrow. They’ll tell you wait a few days, but all we need is the attempt. Make it seem like she disappeared and took nothing with her. Sulk. Brood. Mourn her like you still loved her and she’d really left you. If they knew I was here, there’s another leak very close, and I need whoever that is to let Javid know how distraught you are in case I don’t get there in time.” Major growled a little and said, “It also means I have a leak of my own to report.” He pulled a vial from his pocket and handed it to Javier. It contained what looked like a tiny Hershey’s Kiss. “Cyanide. Same thing they give astronauts. Fast, painless, and extremely effective. If you choose to go that route.”

Paulson spoke up beside him, “I thought that was a myth.”

Major looked over at him, his face expressionless and said, “Of course it is. Everyone knows Kill Pills don’t exist.”

Javier took the tiny vial and turned it over and over in his hands. This was better than the gunshot he’d been picturing. Not quite so…messy. “I report her missing so when they find her…”

“She won’t be found,” Major cut in. “It’s so Javid believes she left without killing you. He won’t know she’s dead. Intel will be loose while he scrambles to figure out where she is, who has her. His source will be missing, and it’ll give me the chance I need to take him down.”

“No!” Amaya screamed from the bed.

“Yes,” Major said, looking at her. “The man you wronged is going to kill you. But I’m going to kill your husband.”

Amaya shot daggers at them with her eyes, and Javier turned away. He couldn’t look at her anymore.

“So do we take her somewhere or…?” He swallowed, unable to finish.

“Here. Easier cleanup.”

Javi nodded and turned to look at the woman he thought he’d loved. Instead he saw a traitor.

Amaya was silent and despite his years as a SEAL, Javier felt sick for the first time over the thought of killing a terrorist. Though it had more to do with the wide-eyed stranger he’d been sleeping with for two years than the blood on his hands. He could feel her staring at him and struggled to keep his eyes averted.

Javier said a quick “Our Father,” crossed himself, and turned to Major.

“It’s not too late to change your mind.” Major stared at him, his eyes hard and unblinking. Paulson remained quiet, staring out the window with a pained look on his face.

“No,” Javier said. “I’ll clean up my own mess.” He turned to Amaya and pulled the gag out.

“Javi, my love…”

He grabbed her jaw in his hand and squeezed. He’d never in his life wanted to hurt a woman before. But Amaya wasn’t a woman; she was a monster.

Major spoke from behind him, in that Arabic dialect that Javi couldn’t understand.

Amaya hissed and tried to jerk her face away. Javi held tightly though, and she ground out a few words despite his grip.

Major sighed and said, “She’s done. She doesn’t even want to clear her conscience. We’ve got all we’re going to.”

Javier let go of her jaw and felt a hand grip his shoulder for a few seconds before Paulson said, “It’s time, Javier.”

Paulson hadn’t called him by his first name in years. Not since Lt. Montgomery was killed and Lt. Paulson took over as team leader. The significance of the almost fatherly gesture from a man less than two years his senior didn’t escape Javier.

He’d been clenching the vial in his hand the entire time, dreading the task before him. He tugged the cap off the tiny bottle and shook out the poison. Amaya turned her head away but he jerked it back and forced her mouth open. He pushed the tiny toxin as far back in her throat as he could, holding it down with his finger when she gagged. Then he forced her mouth closed and held it until she swallowed.

“You always did give a lousy blowjob.” But he’d loved her anyway. Loved an illusion. A lie.

Amaya seemed to struggle with tears, then suddenly laughed. Javier frowned. It wasn’t the tinkling laugh he’d cherished but a sinister, horrible sound. It really sunk in then, that he’d been literally sleeping with the enemy.

“Your redheaded slut will die too. They were going to take her last night before you went to find her. Hasan probably has her now.”

Redhead? Javier looked at Paulson in confusion. His fiancée was a busty brunette.

“What the fuck do you know about her?” The hoarse words came from Major, and Javier jerked his head around to look at him.

Paulson whispered, “Rebecca?”

Major had gone pale, his eyes narrowed, and his hands fisted at his sides.

But Amaya simply turned her head and said, “I’m done talking.” Sixty seconds later she was dead, having managed to remain silent despite Major’s attempts to force her to speak again.

Major turned to Javier,
el diablo
in his eyes again.

Paulson ground out furiously, “I told her to stay away from you. I shouldn’t have had to tell you.”

Major nodded and said, “I know.”

But the Lieutenant Commander wasn’t done. “If she dies, her blood is on
your
hands, not theirs.”

Major croaked, “I know.”

Javier heard the exchange, but wasn’t able to take his eyes from Amaya—Anam. Major had been right. He wasn’t in a good state of mind, couldn’t think straight, couldn’t stop looking at her body, paleness seeping in as the blood stopped pumping. Slowly going cold and stiff against the pale yellow sheets she’d bought just a few weeks ago.

Javier was startled out of his trance when Major muffled a curse. A phone was glued to his ear and he spoke rapidly into it.

“The stray has been put down. I need a cleanup at 3255 Marlin Drive.”

Javier winced, and glanced back at Amaya. The code name they were using labeled her as nothing more than a stray dog. Just a few hours before, she’d been so much more to him.

“…but I have a problem.” Javier glanced up when he caught the tail end of Major’s protestation.

Major paused and looked down before saying, “I know that. I’ll take out the hive. But someone needs to find the kitten.” His eyes went wide and he choked out, “Understood,” then snapped the phone closed.

Javier watched in fascination as Major fought back anger. He’d been a cool cucumber until Amaya mentioned the redhead. Major squeezed the phone in his hand and Javier heard it crunch as it crumbled like a soda can. Major turned to Paulson.

“I need a favor. You have to get Rebecca. I have to go after Javid.”

Javier spoke up then. It just wasn’t possible. “You know we can’t do that. We can’t go OFP the way you can.”

Major nodded solemnly and said, “I know. This is a personal favor. And if you’re caught or killed, you’ll be branded a vigilante. But she’s innocent.”

Paulson cursed under his breath and turned to Javier. “You don’t have to do anything Martinez. I’ll take care of it.” He looked back at Major and said, “Where are they taking her and why can’t you go get her?”

Major squeezed his eyes closed again and whispered, “One life for many.” Javier glanced at Amaya for a split second, unable to keep from looking at her. He glanced quickly back at Major. Major looked as though he was in pain, his eyes still closed and his lips tight. Finally, he opened his eyes and explained, “In all likelihood they’ll take her somewhere secluded. Somewhere they can get to within a few hours. They have sleepers everywhere and that’s who they would have called. And there’s the second leak to consider. Javid is going to get information, and quick. I can’t get her because this is a very narrow window. I have less than twenty-four hours to get to Javid before he figures out I’m coming and goes underground again.”