Page 15 of Protecting Bree
And in researching the bitch and the area of California where she’d fled—and the men who’d interrupted his sale in the first place—he’d learned that the two women responsible for fucking up his life so many years ago werealsoliving here.
Fiona Storme and Julie Lytle were propertyof the organization he’d worked for in Mexico. Then the women had been rescued by Navy SEALs. Now they were married to SEALs, as well.
When Mateo realized Bree Haynes was connected to the bitches from years ago, via the man she’d run to for help, he couldn’t shake the idea that formed—he’d takethemtoo.
All three women would be where they belonged. On their backs, making him money.
He wouldn’t keep them, oh no. He already had buyers lined up. Buyers who didn’t care how old the bitches were. One in North Korea, one in Russia…but Bree Haynes would stay in Ecuador. Where he was currently located. She’d join the stable he’d set up that closely mirrored the one del Rio had run. He already had most of the police force in his pocket, and in Ecuador, it was easy to bribe government officials.
He had no need for the fourth woman. Josie England. The woman who’d sold her had demanded next to nothing. It was an insignificant loss.
But Bree’s ex had negotiated a significant sum. And the other two women…that was personal. Mateo just had to be patient. Eventually the SEALs would let down their guard. Or, more likely, the women would do something stupid. Theyalwaysdid.
Right now, the fact that everyone’s attention was focused on Bree Haynes could work in his favor for snatching Fiona and Julie, but if he did that, the SEALs would lock down the third woman. No, he needed to wait. See if an opportunity arose to get all of them at the same time. That would be ideal. Swoop in and snatch them before anyone was the wiser.
In the last few weeks, his men had already learned that all the SEALs and their families hung out at a bar called Aces. He figured it was only a matter of time before all the women gathered there together. The more they hung out, the more opportunities he’d have to grab them.
And while he didn’t have designs on any others…if he wasableto get a bonus woman or two? All the better.
Mateo spotted the smaller pickup truck owned by the man Bree Haynes had latched herself to, narrowing his eyes as it exited the base. Her time was coming, he just had to watch and wait. When she least expected it, she’d be his.
CHAPTER FOUR
Smiley looked over at Bree from behind the steering wheel. They’d just parked outside MacGyver’s small house. “Are you sure you want to do this? We can put it off.”
“I’m sure,” she told him. “I’m a little nervous, but it’ll be good to see the girls happy and not scared out of their minds.”
Honestly, Bree was looking forward to officially meeting Ellory and Yana. When she’d seen them at that shipping yard, they’d been so terrified. From what she could tell from a distance, they’d been doing well since their ordeal. But she wanted to know for certain, to talk to them in person.
And she couldn’t help but want to meet Addison too.
Who was she kidding? She wanted to meetallthe women. She’d been watching them from afar for so long, she felt as if she knew them.
But the truth was, shedidn’tknow them. Not at all. She was the creepy stalker who’d watched them from her car,who’d spied on them. If they knew that, they’d probably not want anything to do with her.
She was well on her way to changing her mind now, telling Smiley that she wanted to leave, but it was too late. He’d gotten out of the truck and was walking around to her side.
Taking a huge breath, Bree tried to give herself a pep talk. This would be fine. She’d meet the kids, Addison, eat what was going to be a much better meal than she’d had while living in her car, then go back to Smiley’s apartment. She had nothing to be scared about. She didn’t need to be best friends with Addison or her kids. People didn’t click all the time. It wasn’t a big deal if all the women didn’t like her.
Shit.
Except it was.
At least to her.
She had no more time to worry because Smiley was opening her door. Like a complete dork, she tried to get out of the car with her seat belt still on. It wasn’t the best start to the evening.
Smiley chuckled, and Bree felt her cheeks heat. When she got herself straightened out, she stood. But he didn’t step back. In fact, he crowded her against the car, getting into her personal space. One of his hands came up and smoothed a lock of her hair behind her ear. Bree couldn’t do anything but stare at him.
“Breathe, Bree. This is going to be fine.”
She nodded.
“If I didn’t think so, there’s no way in hell you’d be here,” he went on. “I’d never expose you to any kind ofsituation where there was the slightest chance you’d be hurt…physically or emotionally.”
“Smiley,” Bree protested, feeling overwhelmed all over again.
“This is new to me,” he told her.
