Chapter 9: Trojan Crown: Chapter 8

“I still think you aren’t physically ready,” Matt grumbles from across the jet.

We’re on our way to Texas, where we’re meeting up with the men of WRATH before heading to Mexico.

“Yeah, well, good thing it wasn’t up to you.” Laying back on the leather headrest, I take in a centering breath, preparing myself for whatever lies up ahead.

“Want to talk about the nanny?” Jack’s words cut in, interrupting my mental pep talk like a needle scratching a record player.

“No.” It’s all I give him, my eyes remaining closed.

“Okay. Let me rephrase this. Let’s talk about the nanny. I’ll go first.” He doesn’t wait for me to respond, just trudges right on. “She’s married. Did you know that?”

This has my eyes opening and head whipping toward him. “Yes, I fucking know she’s married. What does it even matter, anyway?”

Jack raises a brow, unfazed by the bite in my tone. “Just wanted to make sure you knew, because the way you held her out in the field… it didn’t seem at all the way an employer should hold an employee.”

I scoff, bitterness flowing through me like a lifeblood. “Isn’t that rich. The uncle who usurps his relationship with his niece, giving me a reminder on what’s appropriate.”

Out of my periphery, I see Jace snort, a little of his whiskey spraying out. “He’s got you there.”

“Nobody asked you,” Jack bites back.

“In all fairness, you can’t get on your high and mighty morality horse when you skirted that shit with Pen.” Matt is giving Jack side-eye, making me wish I’d been here to see how that situation went down.

I know I wouldn’t have let them get close that way. Hell, I’m not even sure how I’m going to handle it when we get her back. If we get her back.

I run a hand over my face. “Fuck, we have to get her home.”

Hunter raises his glass. “To getting Penelope back and watching you tear out Jack’s throat when you see them together.”

Jace snickers, Matt shakes his head and Jack shoots imaginary daggers at Hunter—but me? I’m just praying Hunter’s prediction isn’t an omen of what’s to come.

More blood on my hands, all from this blind rage that consumes me every second of every day, eating away at what little of a soul I have left.

I’m tired as hell, having seen enough bloodshed to last me a lifetime. But as our plane descends into Dallas, I suspect that this is just the beginning and that I should brace myself for the war that lies ahead.

Nobody said dealing with cartels was going to be sunshine and rainbows, something I should have thought of before thrusting myself into this world.

There’s no going back now, and for better or worse, I know this violence will forever be a part of my life.

“WE HAVEN’T BEEN able to get eyes on anyone from the Las Cruces cartel.” Aiden, the former Navy SEAL who’s leading this recovery, is talking. All eyes focused on the screen splayed front and center of the conference room we’re in.

“What were their last known coordinates?” My brows push together, wondering how one of Mexico’s largest cartels just up and vanishes.

“We think they were the ones who emptied the gas tanks up at Hunter’s cabin a week before your retrieval.”

“I bet they’re the fuckers who gutted our horses, too.” Aiden’s words had my brows pushing up, but it’s Jack’s words that have fury raging through me.

“What?! Why didn’t anyone tell me about this? Are the horses up at the ranch all new?”

Hunter nods while Jack clearly can’t answer, his jaw clenching so hard I can hear something cracking.

“Jesus. These are fucking monsters.”

“Understatement of the century,” Jace mutters.

“Yes. We think it was their sicarios who were responsible for the horses.” Aiden walks over to his computer and presses some buttons, making images of four men pop up on the screen behind him. “They were last seen by a park ranger, Ericson. According to him, they’d been trekking through his territory. Something he found odd since the area was still heavily covered in snow and that part of the mountain rarely sees visitors this time of year.”

“Is Ericson okay?” Hunter speaks up, probably wondering whether his old friend held his own against these savages.

“Yes. We spoke with him yesterday, wanting to make sure he hadn’t seen them again.” William, one of the other men on the recovery mission, answers. “He said that all’s been quiet up there.”

“Where the hell did they all go? I doubt they’d just give up on Penelope. From what we’ve been briefed on, it wasn’t even their cartel who arranged the kidnapping of Pen and the kids.” I dig my fingers into my hair, resting my elbows on the table and trying to make sense of it all.

“Correct,” Aiden answers. “The therapist Jack had hired was paid off by the Cárdenas cartel, all in an effort to get his sole heir home.”

The hair on my neck raises. “What do you mean sole heir?”

Aiden rolls in his lips and looks toward William. There seems to be a non-verbal exchange before Aiden finally answers. “Word is he wants Penelope to take over the cartel in the event of his untimely passing.”

“Over my fucking dead body!” Jack slams his palms down on the table, making the whole thing shake. “She’s coming home with me, even if I have to kill every last one of them with my own fucking hands.”

William walks over to Jack, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I understand, brother. Trust me. I understand. We’ll do everything in our power to get her back safely and with as little bloodshed as possible. But if it comes down to it, we’re prepared to do whatever’s necessary.”

Aiden is looking back and forth between Jack and me, and I can tell there’s something he wants to say.

“Go on. Spit it out.” I raise a brow, begging him to tell me I’m wrong and that there’s nothing that’s eating at him.

“Look, I don’t like surprises. Especially on a mission that’s as delicate as this one.” Aidan waits for my response.

“And?” I answer, not understanding where he’s going with this.

“Jack’s relationship with Penelope. I want to make sure you’re aware.” Aiden raises a brow, waiting for me to confirm or deny.

“What? Do I know that my brother went after my stepdaughter when he thought I was dead?”

Jack makes a noise, something between a growl and a gargle. “It wasn’t like that, Austin, and you fucking know it.”

“No. I don’t know it. And to be honest, I don’t want to fucking know it. I just want to get Penelope home and we can worry about the logistics of what happens later.”

William cuts into our stare-off. “I think what Aiden was asking was whether you’ll feel the sudden need to throttle Jack when you see him and Pen in the same room. We can’t have you finding out halfway through our mission and jeopardizing our safety.”

“And trust me, nobody understands your position better than I do. I practically murdered William when I found out he’d been seeing my daughter behind my back.” Aiden waives a hand over at William, his eyes narrowed and brows furrowed. “You want to take it out on Jack? Be my guest. We just ask that you hold off until the mission is complete.”

“Hey, I’m not paying you to give my brother ideas,” Jack huffs, but the rest of the room erupts into much needed laughter.

“Yes. I give you my word that I’ll be on my best behavior.” Raising a brow, I look toward Jack. “Although, all bets are off as soon as we land back on American soil.”

“Good. Now that we’ve addressed the elephant in the room, we can finally get back to the matter at hand, bringing your stepdaughter home.” Aiden goes back to his computer, clicking buttons and pulling up a floor plan of Cárdenas’ villa.

Regardless of what’s transpired between Penelope and Jack, I just want to make sure she’s where she belongs—with her family. Everything else can be figured out later. Preferably without my actually seeing it.

I’d rather maim and decapitate a thousand men than deal with my barely eighteen-year-old daughter shacking up with Jack. Nope. Lord knows I’m not ready for that shit.