Mason’s skin tightened, awareness prickling over him. He didn’t need Gray’s air quotes to tell him that the “statement” in question could be Maddie. The chopper blades started up, drowning out all other sound as the bird got airborne. Maddie was supposed to stay safe. She hadn’t asked to be drawn into an international drug operation, and she had no idea that she was now the finish line in a race between a SEAL unit and a drug trafficker. He didn’t want her to feel threatened or scared. He’d keep her safe, get her through this and then he’d bug out like he should have done from the beginning. A woman like Maddie deserved a hell of a lot more than a man like him.
13
HURRY. HURRY. HURRY.
No. Turn the emotions off, let the training take over. Mason couldn’t afford to miss anything, and rushing could be fatal. Never mind that the moment the Black Hawk touched down on the naval aircraft carrier cruising Belizean waters, he was itching to move. Swimming to shore seemed like the better option, but he’d wait for the Zodiac like a good little SEAL.
“Gave Ashley a heads-up.” Gray prowled toward the railing that Mason was haunting. “She’s armed.” A statement of fact. “If Santiago did come back here and somehow beat us, Ashley’s got your girl’s back.”
There was no point in pretending protecting Maddie wasn’t personal, so Mason nodded sharply. “I hear you.”
“Since there’s a credible threat, we’ll take her to a military base until we’ve found Santiago. We’ve got leads on the man. Cell phone and email chatter. That kind of stuff.”
“Santiago’s mine.” He’d enjoy taking the drug trafficker apart piece by piece. Those photos of Maddie had been creepy as hell, and the man needed to go down, fast and hard. No way Mason allowed the other man to get anywhere near Maddie.
Gray gave him a hard look. “We’ve got other orders. We pack up here; we ship out. Do not go vigilante on me.”
“Copy that,” he agreed, but they both knew he’d do whatever it took to keep Maddie safe. Gray would have felt the same way if it had been his woman in danger. No one hurt Laney on Gray’s watch.
Ten minutes later, they were in the Zodiac and gunning for Fantasy Island. As the sailor brought them in, focusing with laser-like precision on the small break in the reef, Mason kept his own eyes trained on the shore. If Santiago had made it here first, he could be laid up in the jungle, waiting to open fire, or he could be making his way to Maddie’s place. The island seemed as serene as ever, although a boatload of armed SEALs wasn’t going to help the look any. Mason had to hope no one was watching, or they’d attribute an inflatable full of armed men to the Belizean navy, but waiting until dark wasn’t an option.
As soon as the Zodiac hit the beach, he vaulted over the side, boots hitting the water hard. He’d get under cover. Fan out and head straight for Maddie. Gray’s hand on his arm pulled him to a halt. Not good.
“Get Maddie and bring her back down to the beach. We roll in an hour.”
“On it.” There must have been something in his eyes—something he didn’t want to examine too closely himself—because Gray nodded and let him go. Mason didn’t waste time, either, heading straight for Maddie’s villa at a dead run. Ashley would be undercover, eyes on Maddie, so Mason went around back. If Santiago showed up, she’d trigger the alarm.
Breaking in through the bathroom was too easy. The villa had one of those exotic outdoor bathrooms, and it took mere seconds to hoist himself over the wall and drop down into her shower. The damned door didn’t even lock—he just eased it to the side and he was in.
The bathroom looked as if it had been hit by a Category Three storm. Lingerie, dresses, flip-flops and a million teeny bottles of stuff were scattered everywhere. He paused. Listened. Clear. Cracking the door, he swept the room visually.
Maddie was asleep on the bed. Probably not on purpose, since she still had her laptop with its hot pink cover parked on her lap. Her head had fallen back, red hair fanning out over her pillow, a little whuff that was an almost snore escaping her. The sound would have been cute as hell if he hadn’t been scanning the room for possible intruders.
Holding the gun down at his side, he moved swiftly to the bed. Sleeping Beauty needed to wake up and get with the let’s-get-rescued program. Gently but firmly he covered her mouth with his hand, leaning down to whisper against her ear.