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Prologue

Benedict Montgo not to show his fear as the few people inside all turned to look at him in the doorway

The Corpus Christi heat outside was stifling, and it wasn’t much cooler inside the dim bar

Tugging at his shirt collar, he walked past the tables to the bar as the Mexican bartender raised the bar’s divider, co to stand in front of him

“I’ for Cade Reed”

“What do you want to drink?” the bartender asked,it obvious he wasn’t there to give out information for free

“A beer will be fine”

Once a beer was set down in front of him, Benedict laid some money down on the counter When the bartender remained silent, he added several more bills to the pile

“He’s out back It won’t take long Have a seat” He moved away to wait on someone at the end of the bar

Benedict took a table at the side of the bar where he self-consciously sipped on his beer while he waited

Moments later, a door on the other side of the bar opened, and a tall man appeared with his arm around a pretty Mexican woainst the wall, obscuring them in shadows

The bartender nodded his head in their direction, letting Benedict know that was thefor

Benedict rose fro Only the desperation he feltin the shadows

He had to clear his throat before he could get the name out “Cade Reed?”

Dark eyes studied hi?”

“I’omery I’d like to talk to you privately, if I may?”

“Why?”

“I would like to offer you a job”

“I’m retired Leave before one of the locals decide to take that wad of cash in your pocket I’m not interested” With that, he started to nuzzle the neck of the woman he had come in with Her sensuous whispers made it obvious the couple had a sexual relationship, soer than Benedict cared to think about It had been a long time since his wife and he had even talked cordially to each other, much less communicated as lovers

Benedict could understand Cade not wanting to leave the beautiful wo her hands over his chest

“George Connell sent me”

An aggravated sigh came from Cade before he lifted his head and stared at Benedict balefully With a nod toward the bar, he said, “Martina, give me ten minutes”

“That’s all it ever takes you,” she giggled, standing up, and Cade spanked her retreating ass for the comment

Once she left, Benedict took a chair across the table from the man who didn’t look like he was happy with the interruption