Page 26 of Her Chosen Protector

They’re bringing my headache back.

He looked across the room to where Raiden, Nic, Ezio, and Max were huddled together. He knew that they were figuring out transportation that didn’t include a food truck, as well as the best routes to the hospital, hacienda, and airport. He caught Raiden’s eye. Soon, Raiden had two ice packs in his hands and was providing them to Asher and Leo.

When Leo looked like he was going to protest, Raiden told him to suck it up. Asher just took his with grateful dignity and placed it against his throbbing head.

“What can I do?” Rafa asked. Asher wasn’t surprised; the kid had been chomping at the bit to get back in the action for the last forty-five minutes. Couldn’t blame him since it was his family on the line.

“Make the call,” Asher said. “Let’s see if your aunt is feeling better. Maybe we can get her to talk this time.”

Asher wasn’t hopeful, but he wasn’t going to tell that to the kid. He watched as Rafa punched in the number. Carlson immediately answered the phone.

“Is this Thorne?” He did not sound happy.

Asher smiled. Glad to see I made a good impression. He didn’t say anything, allowing the kid to speak.

“Can I talk to my aunt?”

“Who’s this?” Again, Carlson was a surly bastard. Who pissed in his Cheerios? Did he have to be a prick to a teenager who was worried about his aunt?

“That’s Rafael Azua, he’s Suzanne Azua’s nephew. He wants to know if she’s okay. Is she?”

Asher bit out the question.

“Look, we don’t have time for that. She’s going to make it. We need to coordinate—”

“This is Eden. Your aunt is resting. This is Rafa, right?”

“Yes, Señora. She’s really going to be all right?” There was a tremble in his voice.

“I promise you, she will be fine. I would worry if she were burning up with fever, but she’s not.”

Instead of answering her, the kid’s head shot up and he looked at Asher with wide eyes. What the hell is that about? The kid should be happy his aunt is fine. What’s going on here?

Asher decided to step in. “Eden, we have a few ideas on how we’re going to get into the bank without alerting Maduro’s men.”

“What are your plans?” Carlson demanded to know.

“They’re fluid right now. Currently, we’re trying to get a take on the number of people that Maduro has surrounding the bank.”

“I have that number,” Eden said. “Or I should say, Angelo Torres does. He is the lead guard here at the bank.” Asher really liked her delivery. She was cool as a cucumber. Now if he could just find a way to talk to her without Carlson around.

Rafa covered the mouthpiece of the satellite phone and gave Asher a determined look. “There is something wrong. Señora York used the code word.”

“What?”

“She used my aunt’s emergency code word. She said burning. Our family was supposed to use

that word if any of us ever got into trouble. Like a robber came into the house or something.”

Ah. Must be why he looked so upset. But was he right? Asher thought through Eden’s sentence.

There was really no reason for her to have said burning up with fever. But if the kid was right, then she knew things were hinky on her end, and Halleluiah for that! Now, to somehow use it to their advantage.

Maybe….

“How much juice on the phone you’re using?” Asher quickly asked.

“I’m at forty-two percent,” Carlson answered.