Page 58 of Her Guarded Hero

“Shadow them Griff, I want to make sure they get here safe, and we can hand off Carmelita and her kids. I want to get back to the team ASAP.”

“Ditto,” the other man said grimly.

Shit, shit, shit. Nothing sounded good.

It was ten more minutes before a ragtag group of six men proceeded Griffin Porter through the front door of the hacienda. Two of them were carrying rifles that had probably been manufactured fifty years ago, however all of them had wicked looking knives.

Before he could go down and start a conversation with the oldest man, a younger man pushed him aside and bounded up the stairs.

“Carmelita,” he yelled at the top of his lungs. “Carmelita! It’s your brother, Jose!” he shouted in Spanish.

“Griff,” Dalton yelled out. Then he darted down the hall as the door to the bedroom swung open.

“My brother Jose is here?” Carmelita cried. “Take me to him,” she demanded. “Please take me to him.”

Dalton sighed. He wanted to ensure that everyone was who they said they were, but really, was there any doubt?

“Carmelita, have your children stay in the room until we’re sure everything is safe, okay?”

“I want to see my brother. I want to see my Papa.”

“Tell your children to stay in the room and not come out until you come back for them, got that?”

“But-”

“Carmelita, do what I say.” She still hesitated. “Now.” His voice was a low roar. She winced, then ducked back into the room. She came out and glared at him. He bit back a smile. It made him happy to see someone who had been so sorely abused not afraid to go head to head with him.

“Stay behind me.”

They went to the top of the stairs where Griff and the man named Jose were waiting. It was then that the waterworks started. Dalton had always thought his command of the Spanish language was excellent, but there was no hope of him keeping up with the two siblings. They literally fell into one another’s arms. Then came the father. Now that man he could understand, but that was because he was mostly talking about defiling a dead man. Dalton understood vengeance.

“Wait. Wait.” Carmelita held up her hand. At last she was speaking clearly, and Dalton and Griff could keep up. She grabbed her dad and brother’s hands then tugged them down the hall. Shouts of delight were heard as they were introduced to their young relatives. Griff and Dalton were left staring at the other four men who had accompanied Carmelita’s family.

“Everyone is dead, eh?” A man with dead eyes asked.

Dalton couldn’t get a read on this man who held such a huge knife.

“Everyone but Carmelita and her son and daughter,” Dalton answered.

“You kill them?” Another, younger man, asked.

“Who are you?” the first man asked as he looked over his shoulder toward the front door. “There’s a big mess in the courtyard. You do that?”

Griff looked at him too. “Yeah, did you?”

Dalton gave his friend and exasperated look.

“We’re Americans.” Dalton said answering the first man with the knife. “We’re with the United States Navy, and yeah, some of what happened out in the courtyard was my fault.”

The man’s blank expression finally turned fierce. “Those motherfuckers have killed many of my people. They should have died slow.” He easily stuck the knife into his belt and stuck out his hand for Dalton to shake it. He had a firm grip and looked him straight in the eye. “Thank you. From the bottom of my heart and for all the people in my village, I thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Dalton said solemnly. “My teammate and I need to leave now. Are you going to be okay?”

“Yes,” the man said firmly. The other three men around him nodded in agreement. “Thank you again.” He turned and shook Griff’s hand, then all four of them headed up the stairs as Griff and Dalton took the stairs two at a time so they could head toward their team.

* * *

“Bout’ time you got back.” Wyatt waved.