I slam my palms down and snarl, “I love Ladd, you son of a bitch. I’ve loved him for twelve years, and I would rather die a million times over than risk a hair on his head. So save your sanctimonious patronizing—it’s a waste of time.”
The room is silent except for someone who issues a low cough of surprise. Talk about making a statement about my feelings, but I don’t have time to be embarrassed. I’ll tell Ladd that sentiment myself once we get him back.
Kynan blinks at me, and I think I may be the only one in this room who has ever talked to him like that. There’s no contrition or apology, but his words are not accusing. “Why do you think you weren’t taken?”
That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? “I don’t think those men recognized me. Mejia knows me as a woman with long, blond hair. That whole kidnapping happened in less than five seconds. I don’t think they spared me a second glance because I didn’t have blond hair.”
“Stupid of them,” one of the men mutters and I don’t remember his name, only that he was in the Vegas group Kynan introduced. Until that moment, I didn’t know he had a Vegas office.
“These aren’t the brightest bulbs,” Cage says, leaning against a wall, his arms crossed over his chest. “But they are trained and have guns.”
“And he probably has Vecindario 18 members involved,” I point out. “They won’t be trained, but they’ll be vicious. Most carry handguns.”
“We can assume your snitch Orellana was in Mejia’s pocket the entire time,” Kynan says, rubbing a hand along his jaw.
I nod. That bastard most assuredly alerted Mejia the moment his cousin passed on our request for a meeting. “The question is, did he feed Ladd and me false information? He clearly let Mejia know Ladd was in country, but he sat right at the table with me tonight, and there was no recognition. We couldn’t tell if he just had a really great poker face, but I’m guessing by the fact they didn’t grab me, Mejia doesn’t know I’m here, thanks to a little bottled color and a decent haircut. Which means he won’t see me coming when I take his ass down.”
“We have to assume the information Orellana gave you as to Mejia’s location is fake,” Cruce says. “So how in the hell do we move on him without knowing where he is?”
“Greer offers herself up in exchange for Ladd,” Bebe says without looking up from her computer.
“No,” Kynan says.
“Yes,” I agree with excitement. Mejia would rather kill me. “How do we make the offer to Mejia to take me in exchange for Ladd?” I ask Bebe curiously.
“Easy… I’ll give you his cell phone number.”
My eyes almost bug out of my head. Of course she has a cell phone number. I’m beginning to understand there’s probably nothing this woman can’t access. I definitely need her story.
“Excellent.” I reach into my purse to pull out my own phone. “Give me the number.”
“Wait a second,” Kynan intervenes. “You cannot exchange yourself for Ladd. He would kill every single one of us in this room if we let that happen.”
“That’s the truth,” one of the men agrees. I think his name is Jackson, but I know he’s from the Pittsburgh office.
I roll my eyes at Kynan. “Ladd isn’t going to kill anybody. Besides… it’s not your decision. It’s mine.” I then swing my gaze to Bebe, my phone poised. “Give me the number.”
Rather than rattling off the digits, Bebe looks to her boss, the expression on her face clearly indicating to me that she’s not doing a damn thing without his approval.
I spin to Kynan. “Every second that you delay, Ladd could be getting tortured. He could be suffering right now because you’re pulling some misogynistic man crap that you think me—as the little woman—needs protecting.”
Kynan’s face flushes. “Hold on a fucking second, lady.” He sweeps his hand around the room. “I’ll have you know that I fully respect women’s ability to do the same job that I do. You do see I’ve got female agents in here, don’t you?”
“Not as many as male agents,” I retort.
It’s a low blow because Kynan clearly respects women’s abilities. But I don’t have time to take his feelings into account. A clock is ticking down on a bomb, and Ladd is the one who’s going to get blown to pieces.
I take a deep breath and release it slowly. “I am going to offer myself to Mejia as it’s the only way to find out where he is quickly. After I make the arrangements and we find out where we can make the switch, then we’ll come up with a very quick game plan. But this is going down right now. We are not going to sit around and make plans and discuss options, and we’re certainly not going to let Dozer put all the information into his computer program to run a simulation as to how the mission can be carried off most effectively. We’re going to find out where Ladd is, and we’re going in guns blazing. We’re going to get him out.”