Page 8 of Deadly Lies

“What? I know you’re trying to help with Sienna, and I’ll appreciate that to the day I die. You have truly been there for me, and you didn’t have to be. But I’m a fucking mess. My life is a joke right now. I get it if you want to end things with me. Actually, that would probably be for the best. I need to focus on my family.”

Sorrow swept over me. This was my chance to run. The chance to back away like a coward and hightail it out of there when the feelings got real. A chance I always took. The second a man was real and raw with me, I bounced away like a pogo stick.

Not this time.

I exhaled.

“No. That’s not what I want. I can’t stop thinking about you. The truth is, I’m crazy about you. I just wish I was with you now.”

“Really? You don’t need to say that.”

“I know I don’t. But I want to. I mean it. Actually, I’m naked in a bathtub right now. Thinking how much I wish you were here with me.”

His tone turned from sad to gruff.

“Yeah, baby?”

I smiled.

“Well, first, I kiss your neck, breath in your scent.”

“And then what.”

“I’d whisper into your ear about how much I wanted you. How wet you make me. How much I can’t wait until I suck your cock.”

And with those words, I did actually get wet. Imagining Mitch’s muscular thighs, his incredibly tight ass, his huge cock. He was ridiculously sexy. And I wasn’t just teasing him—I meant every word I said.

“And then, baby, I’d undo your belt buckle and release your cock. I would tease you, blowing kisses on your tip until I took you in my mouth. And I’d suck you off until I could taste your hot cum dripping down my throat. Would you like that?”

“Damn, Ash. Come back to me now.”

“I can’t, babe. But we will be together soon. Tomorrow, Mia and I are going to sniff around here a little longer and then come back to you,” I lied.

I constantly lied, which was definitely not the best basis for a fledgling relationship. I could not tell Mitch what we intended to do.

We were going to head up to Marin and pay Mr. Cruz a visit in prison. My throat dried, and guilt overtook me, but I wasn’t trying to be shady. Mitch needed to stay in Anaheim and focus on finding Sienna. And Mia and I would follow our own leads.

Because I was certain that my new information about Joaquín would shed some light on this case. I had no idea what my game plan was. No idea if she should try to talk to him or if I could get any information out of him.

But I knew one thing. I wasn’t going to stop until I broke Joaquín. And I found out once and for all, what kinds of secrets the Se7en Deadly SEALs were hiding.

5

Mia

AFTER SEARCHING EVERY INCH OF April’s house last night, Ash and I had come up empty-handed. Nothing. No leads. Though Ash had grabbed some hair from April’s brush and given them to me to send into the lab—I guess she wanted DNA profiles on everyone.

I checked in with Grant this morning. No new updates with Sienna. Julián was safe with our friends back in San Diego. I was desperate to get back to him, get back to Grant, get back to my family. Seeing what Mitch had lost had reinforced in my mind what was important.

It wasn’t my NCIS job. It was my family.

And that family included Joaquín. Until the day I die. Until my dying breath. Joaquín may not be my flesh and blood, but I carried him in my heart.

Ash drove up the freeway. We had another long drive ahead of us. This one was even worse than Anaheim to Vegas. I had begged Ash to go with me to visit Joaquín.

And for some reason, she had agreed.

“Oh, there’s an In-N-Out up ahead. Let’s stop there.”