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“Copy. Fifteen seconds.”
Another moan from the shadows, this one louder.
Trace’s eyes widened. The voice was feminine. No help for it. He had to see if the woman was in distress. If she was homeless or drunk, he’d leave her alone. Chances were good the thugs wouldn’t bother her.
If she was injured, Trace couldn’t leave her to fend for herself. Plus, she’d bring Torino’s men down on all of them if she didn’t remain quiet until they left the area.
With a quick glance toward the street again to check the position of the four men, Trace eased further into the shadows and scanned the darkness.
A breath hitched and a shoe scraped twenty feet from his location. He moved toward the sound, dividing his attention between watching where he stepped and the street behind him where the thugs were designating an area for each of them to search.
Trace covered the remaining distance between him and the woman in three strides. She lay on her side, slowly moving her hands into position to sit up. Although her hair covered her face, Trace got the impression she was in her late twenties, in good shape, and dressed in jeans, sneakers, and a blouse. No scent of alcohol. The clothes weren’t ragged although her blouse showed dirt and blood.
He frowned as he crouched behind her, analyzing his options. No matter what he did, he would scare this woman. If he didn’t place his hand over her mouth, she could give away their location. Provided he could get her out of here in one piece, Sam could patch her up enough for the woman to seek further medical care on her own.
The woman moved again and Trace looked at her hands. This woman wasn’t Hispanic. Huh. Hadn’t expected that in a warehouse district in Puebla.
When her breath hitched again, Trace knew he’d have to do something before she gave away their location to the wrong people. If he had to, he’d knock her out and ask forgiveness later.
Praying she wouldn’t fight him and draw attention, Trace clamped a hand over her mouth.
CHAPTER TWO
Adrenaline poured into Bridget Monihan’s blood stream as a hard, heavy hand covered her mouth, cutting off any hope of calling for help. As if she would even contemplate such a thing in this crime-ridden town. With her luck, she’d call out and catch the attention of the very criminals who beat her and tossed her into the street like a stray dog.
Bridget hurt all over and couldn’t draw in a full breath. The creeps had done a good job on her.
A dark-clad figure leaned over Bridget’s shoulder and uttered a toneless whisper into her ear. “If you want to live, stay quiet. I won’t hurt you.”
She drew in a breath.
Another whisper in her ear. “Four men are fifty feet away in the street. If you make a sound, we both die.”
Was he lying? Something deep inside insisted she could trust this man.
She heard shouting in the street. Bridget didn’t have to know the language to recognize the tone. Fury and perhaps cursing from the cadence of the words.
The man leaned further over her shoulder to make eye contact with Bridget. One of his eyebrows rose in silent inquiry.
She gave a slight nod. After all, what were her options at this point? She certainly couldn’t fight her way out of this alley, wasn’t altogether sure she could run, either.
Great. She should cut her would-be savior loose. He didn’t deserve to die helping her.
The man in black lifted his hand from her mouth. “Can you stand?”
Bridget shifted her weight and clenched her jaw at the agony wracking her body. Sweat beaded on her brow as waves of pain rolled over her, threatening to suck her into the dark abyss again.
“Will you let me help you stand?”
She nodded. If she could get on her feet, she’d be all right. Maybe. Please, God. Bridget didn’t want to be responsible for this man’s death.
The man shifted something to his back, placed his hands on her waist, and lifted her to standing in one smooth move.
Bridget pressed her lips together, determined not to make a sound. She swayed in his grasp, fighting to stay conscious. Man, those creeps had done a number on her.
“You good?”
When the dizziness faded, Bridget straightened and gave a short nod.
