Declan (Undercover Billionaire Book 4) Read online

  “Yeah, you don’t deserve her,” Declan said with a clap on his brother’s shoulder. The words were followed by a real smile, erasing the sting.

  “I know I don’t, but she sure as hell loves me so I’m not going to tell her that,” Owen said.

  They both turned back to Angela. She had to admit she enjoyed being around whenever the brothers were together. It was fun watching them talk and seeing how much they cared about each other. She also didn’t like their focus on her. It was intense, to say the least.

  She finally sighed. “Why are you here, Declan?”

  “I think we’re beyond asking questions as if we don’t know what’s going on. You witnessed a drug deal, saw who we believe is the head of the entire organization, and the more I dig, the more I see a connection from your incident four years ago. I asked Owen to come because he’s been working the case with me and can fill in any blanks. Can we go somewhere and talk?” Declan asked.

  “I left for a reason. I don’t want to talk anymore. I pointed out the man I saw, gave my statement, then left,” she said, feeling her heart pick up its pace. He raised a brow as if to tell her she wasn’t going to hide. She knew better than that, but she could sure as hell try.

  “We need to ask you more questions.”

  She looked from Declan to Owen and back again—and her shoulders slumped. She hadn’t been able to run from her past. And the present was even scarier. There didn’t seem to be anywhere far enough away to hide.

  As good as Angela was about keeping her composure, she felt tears building behind her eyes. This was something she didn’t want to face. But with everything that had happened it appeared that was no longer a luxury she could afford.

  “What do you want to know?” she asked. The bell rang and two people walked inside.

  “I think we should do this in private,” Declan said. He reached for her and she tried to pull back, but he took her hand. She wanted to run, but she’d already done that, and it obviously hadn’t been far enough. There was nowhere she could hide from this man. It had been so easy for him to find her. She wondered if the cartel could as well. Maybe her feelings of being watched were genuine.

  “I don’t understand why you’d chase me all the way here,” she said.

  Owen got a phone call and apologized as he took it and walked away, leaving her alone with Declan. She wanted to call him a traitor. She absolutely didn’t want to be alone with Declan.

  “You saw something I wish you wouldn’t have seen, but you did, and we need you as a witness,” he said. She flinched. Of course it wasn’t personal. As if he could read her thoughts again he squeezed her fingers. “I also want to make sure you and Timothy are safe. That’s my top priority.”

  “I’m afraid, Declan. I don’t want something to happen to my son. They go after family members to keep a witness silent.”

  “I won’t let anything happen to you or Timothy,” Declan said with a glint in his eyes that told her he meant what he said. But even if he were Superman he couldn’t guarantee that. There was no way for him to be with her twenty-four/seven. The thought of that was almost scarier than the criminals getting their hands on her.

  “I’m fine here. Just ask your questions, get it out of the way, and leave,” she said. He flinched. “I’m not trying to be mean. I’m sorry. I just don’t want to go back.”

  “You aren’t safe here, Angela.” He didn’t add more, and her eyes narrowed.

  “What are you talking about, Declan?” He didn’t answer fast enough. “Please just spit it out.” She was growing more and more agitated.

  “You shouldn’t have run away. I can protect you.”

  “You can’t be with me all the time, Declan.”

  “If for some reason I couldn’t be there, then my brothers can,” he pointed out. “At home. This is about Timothy too.”

  She flinched. “That’s a low blow, Declan. You know how much I love my son.”

  “Yes, I do. But people don’t think straight when they’re scared. You can’t do this on your own. And more importantly, there’s no reason to when you have friends willing to lay down their lives for you.”

  She was shocked at those words. “Why would any of you do that for me? I’ve only been there a few years.”

  “And it only took a day for us to care.”

  The look in his eyes told her he wasn’t just spouting words. She didn’t know what to think or feel about what he was telling her. It was hard to stay defensive when she knew Declan didn’t lie. He also didn’t say something just to hear himself speak. He was a man who said little, but meant everything that did come out.

  “I’m so grateful for everything your family has done. Arden took a chance on me and gave me a job, letting me in his house. You’ve embraced Timothy and invited us to family events. You’ve gone above and beyond. But you have nieces and nephews to consider now. If someone truly is after me, I should be far away from you. I can’t repay your kindness by putting everyone you love in jeopardy.”

  She hated that she was trying to talk him out of helping her. She could tell herself all day long he was just doing his job, but she knew this went beyond his badge. He cared about his family. He’d do anything for them, and since she was friends with them that made him feel more responsible. That’s just how honorable he was.

  She watched his eyes narrow. She was making him mad but didn’t understand how. She was speaking from the heart and didn’t feel she was doing anything wrong. She could easily give him her statement from here and then go back and testify when the man she’d spotted was safely behind bars. Though she knew even if he was in jail she wasn’t necessarily safe. There was no way a man like that had gotten where he was without having people in his pockets. She knew of witnesses who ended up dead even when the main villain was in jail. It happened more often than people realized.

  There was nowhere far enough away to hide when someone really wanted to get to them. Hell, people were even slain in jail.

  “Your pride will get you killed,” he said. She stepped back from him. She knew it wasn’t a threat, but he didn’t have to be so blunt.

  “They have to find me first,” she replied. “Or they’ll move on to someone else.”

  “You can’t bury your head in the sand and hope this goes away. Help me get this guy and take down this organization, and I’ll take care of you.”

  “Whether I can bury my head or not, I’m going to continue to do just that. You can’t physically remove me from this place.” She was finally finding her backbone.

  He shook his head. “I’m trying not to scare you more, Angela,” he told her. He didn’t break eye contact as he waited for her reply.

  “What aren’t you telling me?” she asked. There was something he didn’t want to say, and she wished he’d just spit it out.

  “You are in serious danger, even down here.”

  She waited.

  He didn’t say more.

  “Why do you keep saying that?”

  They stood there for at least a full minute with a thousand questions running through her mind. She wasn’t going to ask more. She’d wait to see if he’d just lay it all out. They could dance all day long, but she wasn’t going to change her mind unless he gave her a good enough reason to do just that.

  Finally he shrugged. “How do you think I found you?”

  “You’re some super-secret ninja spy,” she said only somewhat kidding.

  That got the smallest of smiles to show on his firm lips. He shook his head.

  “That’s true, but that’s not it. You aren’t as stealthy as you believe.”

  “Why do you say that? I didn’t even take my cell phone with me.”

  “Your house was broken into the day after you left and you had notes jotted down. It didn’t take me long to figure out you went to California. It just took me a while to find out where. And I have a lot of resources at my fingertips. But I guarantee you they aren’t far behind me.”

  “Was it them?” she asked, her
voice quiet, fear truly seeping in. It was always there in the back of her mind, but it was in full force right now. She wanted to get to Timothy, assure herself he was safe and where he was supposed to be.

  “It’s them, Angela. You might be the only witness to see this man at work. He won’t stop until he finds you. The only way to keep him from accomplishing his goal is for me to be at your side. I can do that so much better at home.”

  “Closer to him?” she gasped.

  “There is no place far enough. My house is a fortress.”

  “They know who I am?” she asked, tears filling her eyes. She assumed they did, but to hear it confirmed scared her. They’d know she had a son, know that would be her biggest weakness. They’d be correct. If testifying put Timothy in danger, there was no way she’d do it.

  “Let’s get Timothy and get out of here. I don’t like it. There is nothing at all safe here.”

  “I don’t want to go back,” she whispered.

  “I know. But let me do my job. Trust me to do what’s best for you.”

  She looked at him, not knowing what she wanted to do next. Making rash decisions didn’t seem to be getting her anywhere so she needed to slow down and think. She couldn’t do that with him standing in front of her.

  Chapter Five

  Declan’s phone rang and he cursed. He was making progress with Angela, and he didn’t need the interruption. He let it go to voicemail, but it rang again, and he glanced down. Dammit!

  “I have to take this,” he told her.

  “It’s okay. I need a minute to think. I’m just going to step out front.”

  Declan didn’t like that one bit, but he wasn’t too worried since Owen was out there. What in the world was taking his brother so long anyway? They needed to get out of this place. Declan didn’t like being in unfamiliar surroundings. He’d rather be in a territory he knew.

  He answered.

  “Make this quick. I’ve got limited time,” Declan said.

  “Is that any way to speak to your boss?” Director Dorsey asked, sounding tense.

  “You’re eating up your time,” Declan replied.

  He normally liked chatting with the director. The man was good at his job and Declan respected him and the work he did. But right now he was anxious and in unfamiliar territory, and the last thing he wanted was to lose sight of Angela.

  “There’s trouble here, Declan,” Dorsey said, getting to the point. They might be able to quip with one another but now wasn’t the time for it.

  “What’s happening?” Declan asked. His entire body was tense. He wanted this job over and done with. He wanted the bad guys in jail where they belonged.

  “There was another bust.”

  “Did we get him?” Declan asked, not holding out a lot of hope.

  “No, but we got someone who’s giving us info,” Dorsey told him.

  “Who?” Declan wanted to know.

  “The kid’s name is Don Klien, but he doesn’t matter. The info he’s giving us is what counts. We know this all comes down to Mario Vasquez, but it’s bigger than we initially thought.”

  “Explain,” Declan said. He didn’t want this drawn out.

  “We know Mario is heading this operation in Edmonds. We also know it stretches farther than this town. What we didn’t know was Mario has a brother,” Dorsey said.

  The line went silent at those words for several tense seconds.

  “How did we not have this information?” Declan growled. He was pacing in the small café, grateful the place had emptied.

  “They have different fathers, and they’ve been very smart in keeping it hidden.”

  “How reliable is this Don kid?” Declan asked.

  “We’ve looked into it already and Mario does have a brother. Emilio Coronado. He belongs to a cartel, the Coronados, that’s been rising on our radar.”

  “Of course I know who they are. I can’t believe we didn’t know the connection to Mario,” Declan exclaimed. “They are wanted here and in Mexico.”

  “The amount of crime they’re responsible for is shocking. We’ve never been able to corner Emilio. He’s a ghost. No one has ever seen his face. And now Angela is one of the few who have seen Mario.”

  “If it was Mario she saw,” Declan pointed out.

  Dorsey let out a groan. “We need her home, and we need her protected. With this new info she’s in more danger than she could possibly realize. They know who she is, and she stands in the way of a lot of money for them.”

  “I know that,” Declan said, his voice going dangerously quiet.

  “If Mario sends Emilio after her, she could pass him on the street and have no clue who he is. But they don’t need to go after her on their own and risk being exposed. They have a lot of minions willing to do their dirty work for them,” Dorsey pointed out.

  To the outside world, Declan would’ve looked calm and in charge. No one would know his blood had run cold or his heart was thundering. He knew he could protect Angela, but he also knew how evil these cartels could be. He was afraid for her, and he wasn’t sure how he was going to get her to listen.

  “Why is this kid giving up info?” Declan asked. He had to focus on the case. The sooner he solved it, the sooner he could assure Angela’s safety.

  “He wants out. He’s afraid,” Dorsey said. “He promised us all the information he has if we place him in witness protection.”

  “Then the cartel shouldn’t be as focused on Angela,” Declan said.

  “They’ll want them both,” Dorsey said, popping that bubble.

  “I know. I’m just grasping at straws,” Declan told him.

  Declan was feeling confined. He moved to the front of the café and stepped outside. He didn’t see Owen or Angela. He moved down the sidewalk while he continued speaking to Dorsey. Where in the world were they?

  He was on high alert as it was, but something inside him was screaming that all wasn’t right. He never ignored his gut instincts, and right now they told him he needed to have his eyes on Angela, and he didn’t think it was just because of this call. These men wanted her, and he’d found her far too easily. They could too.

  He moved about a block down the street and turned a corner to find a crowd of people. What in the hell was going on? He couldn’t keep talking.

  “I’ve got to go. I can’t see Angela,” he said.

  The director didn’t argue. “Call me back as soon as the situation is resolved,” Dorsey said, and the line went dead.

  There were vendors in the streets and crowds of people, women, children, dogs, strollers—lots of targets. And too many in the way of finding the woman he needed to take care of.

  He wanted to keep her safe for the case, but he wasn’t going to lie to himself and say it was only that. He cared about this woman. He didn’t know why or how it had happened, but sometime in the past couple of years he’d begun looking at her in a different light. And he wasn’t sure what in the hell that meant. He never would know if some criminal got to her. He’d never forgive himself if that were to happen.

  He was more scared now, knowing Mario was associated with Emilio Coronado. This operation stretched so much wider than he’d imagined. Mario had almost taken down their entire town with his fires. This man wasn’t afraid to run over anyone who stepped in his path. And unfortunately, Angela had done just that.

  Declan picked up his pace as he pulled out his phone and dialed Owen. There wasn’t an answer. His gut continued screaming. Something was wrong. He just didn’t know what in the hell it was.

  He put his phone away and moved. He had no idea if he was going in the right direction, but he couldn’t stand still. He wouldn’t feel better until he laid eyes on the woman he needed to care for.

  He skirted around pedestrians, most people instinctively moving away from him, like the sea parting. His eyes had to look wild, and the firm set of his lips was enough to make anyone pause. He wasn’t a small man. Many people had pointed out that he looked as if he should be a linebacker on t
he football field. Right now he didn’t mind, because he was willing to plow through anyone to get to Angela.

  Where in the hell was she? Apparently she hadn’t taken his warnings seriously or she never would’ve wandered off.

  The longer it took to find her, the more his gut clenched. His instincts had saved him more than once in his years in the military and the FBI. He wasn’t going to stop listening now. He moved forward.

  The crowd grew thicker as he continued through the busy vendors. Kids laughed and cried, dogs barked, and strangers brushed against him. His eyes continued scanning, looking for dark hair and a red sweater. Thank goodness she had a penchant for bright colors. But in a sea of people that wasn’t as helpful right now.

  The call from Dorsey hadn’t helped ease his sense of foreboding. His need to keep her safe was pushing him on. He had no choice but to make her listen. And if he needed to tie her up and drag her home, that’s exactly what he was going to do. This wasn’t a game, and they didn’t have the luxury of taking their time, not when they were dealing with a gang as powerful as the Coronados.

  She might think she was safe a couple of states away from Washington, but she was in their playground in California. She was in far more danger there than back home with Declan and his family.

  This gang was smart. She’d run back to a place she was familiar with. It wouldn’t take much guessing on their part to hunt her down in this city. While it might not be small, it wasn’t impossible to find her. It had been far easier for him than he’d liked. He’d been grateful for that when he’d located her, but he knew that meant they could too.

  The only proof that Angela was in danger right now was his gut. But that was all the evidence he needed. He pushed through another large group of people . . . and prayed he wasn’t going to be too late.

  Chapter Six

  Angela knew she shouldn’t have wandered off. She was very aware Declan was going to be furious with her. But she was scared, frustrated, and needed to think. She hadn’t seen Owen outside, so she’d decided to take a walk. She was sure if Declan had found her once, he’d certainly find her again. But that didn’t give her a lot of time to figure out what she was going to do next.