Page 132 of Last Chance
“Does he know who took her?”
Maria grew pale.
Hernandez cursed and backhanded Maria so hard she fell, sprawling on the floor.
“Diego.” Tears poured down her cheeks. “Please, don’t be angry with me. I thought you would be happy.”
“Not your job, woman. Now, I’ll have another mess to clean up besides the hijacking. That was also your idea, was it not?”
“To get the money David owes you.”
“And the mess you made of the situation with your husband?”
“How was I to know the men wouldn’t do the job right?”
Janie’s heart sank. Maria had arranged to kill David. How could she betray the man she professed to love?
“Go to my room,” Hernandez snapped. “I will deal with you in private.”
Maria scrambled to her feet and rushed from the office.
Once the door closed behind her, Matias cleared his throat. “Sir….”
The boss cut him off with a wave of his hand. “Silence.” Hernandez glared at Janie. “You’ve been nothing but trouble since the moment I laid eyes on you, Ms. Moran. Did my woman and her family blindfold you for the journey, at least?”
Oh, man. This definitely wasn’t good for any of them. “No, sir.”
He closed his eyes and sighed. “Matias, you took her phone, correct?”
“Yes, sir. I swear.” Maria’s brother stood straighter. “No one will find her.”
“At least you did something right.” He sounded disgusted as he turned his attention back to Janie. “What am I going to do with you, Ms. Moran?”
“Take me back to Hartman and turn me loose. Simple solution to your problem.”
He sighed. “If only the answer was that easy, but you know I cannot do that.”
“A girl can hope.”
His lips curved slightly before he sobered. “I will consider options. In the meantime, you will be my guest.” He glanced at the Reyes cousins. “Take her to the training building and lock her in one of the cells. I’ll decide what to do with her later. Report back to me as soon as you have secured Ms. Moran.”
Janie’s stomach knotted. The description of the holding area sounded a lot like what she’d endured in Mexico. Man, she hoped she was wrong. Those hours before Sawyer and his teammates rescued her were horrendous. She never wanted to repeat them.
“Yes, sir.” Lorenzo gripped her upper arm again and propelled her from the office with Matias on her other side.
Once they were outside, Lorenzo glanced at Matias. “We’re in deep trouble, cousin.”
Maria’s brother scowled. “I know. I thought we were following Diego’s orders. I didn’t know Maria had set this whole thing in motion. I should have, the manipulative little witch.”
“Wouldn’t have been so bad if everything had worked out like she said it would,” Lorenzo muttered. “But she lied, Matias. We’ll be lucky if the boss doesn’t kill us all.”
“She doesn’t have to worry.” Matias sounded bitter. “She’s carrying Diego’s baby. We’re the ones who will pay. He doesn’t tolerate failure.”
“You could let me go,” Janie said.
Lorenzo snorted. “That would lead to us being dead sooner. No thanks, baby. I’d rather roll the dice on Diego’s good will than know for certain I will die.”
Matias slid his cousin a glance. “You could offer to take Janie off his hands.”