Taking Aim by Elle James

isn’t about you and me. It’s about bringing my sister back alive.”
    “And the sooner we get back to civilization, we can work on that.”
    A hole the size of Texas opened in Jacie’s heart and she looked across at Zach. “We will get her back, won’t we?”
    “We will.” Zach’s gaze bore into hers, his dark brown eyes so intense they appeared black. If anyone would fight to free her sister, Zach would. But he’d do it his way. Not ride off without a plan.
    * * *
    Z ACH SAT IN the backseat of the king cab pickup with Jacie beside him. Richard drove, Humberto rode shotgun and Bruce and Trey sat in the truck bed. Since the others had returned, Zach hadn’t spoken a word, his mind churning over what he’d learned and the information he still required to determine the whereabouts of Tracie Kosart.
    As Bruce had said, the dead men in the four-by-four had been members of the Diablos. As soon as Zach had seen the tattoos, he’d known. He’d studied the gangs prior to taking the assignment to infiltrate the Diablos gang area in the border town of El Paso. He and Toni had crossed into Juarez as honeymooning tourists. Only someone in the bureau must have leaked the fact that they were undercover agents. Within twenty-four hours, they’d been captured and the rest was the awful history he would never forget.
    His hands clenched into fists. If Los Lobosknew Tracie was FBI, she’d be in for the same treatment as Toni.
    Zach’s gut knotted. He vowed to himself to find her before they went too far. He glanced at Jacie. She was better off not knowing what her sister faced. It would only make her more reckless and determined to go to her sister’s rescue. One lone woman against an army of thugs.
    She sat quietly staring out the window as if she might see her sister walk out across the dry Texas land. Her forehead was creased with worry lines.
    As soon as they got back to the ranch, Zach would start asking questions. If there were cartel members crossing the border nearby, there were cartel members on the U.S. side aiding them.
    As soon as the truck pulled up to the Big Elk Lodge, Zach jumped down and rounded the truck to assist Jacie. She’d already slipped from her seat and stood beside the truck. “What next?”
    Zach cupped her elbow and turned toward the other men. “If you need us, we’ll be in town.” He gave half a smile. “Seems I left home in such a hurry I forgot a few things I hope to pick up at the local stores.”
    “We have shaving cream, razors and toothbrushes in the lodge, if that’s what you’re missing,” Richard offered.
    “Thanks, but I’d rather go to town.” Zach winked at the owner of the Big Elk. “Getting away will help keep Jacie occupied while the FBI and DEA do their thing.”
    Richard nodded at Jacie. “Don’t worry, darlin’. They’ll get her back.”
    Jacie’s lips formed a tight smile. “I know.” Her entire countenance read failure is not an option . Zach could have kissed her again. She was strong and tough. The few tears she’d shed had been more out of frustration and real fear for her sister’s life.
    “Come on, honeycakes.” He led her away from the group toward the tiny cabin where she lived. “We’ll take my truck. It’s not as well known around town.”
    “Where are we going?”
    “To Wild Oak Canyon.”
    She let him open her door as she turned to face him. “Why are we really going to town?”
    “Your sister came to visit, and from what it looks and sounds like, she had an idea that something was going to go down last night, or she wouldn’t have insisted on riding out with you and the two DEA agents.”
    “So what does that have to do with going to town?”
    “How did she find out about who and what might be happening?”
    “Through her contacts at the FBI?”
    “It might have started there, but she wasn’t the only one around here who knew something was going to happen. Those DEA agents wouldn’t have gone down into that canyon without