Dangerous to Hold Read Free

an American.”
    Jesus! Jake’s fingers dug into her arm. “This is no time to be discussing nationalities. In case you aren’t aware of it, my associates don’t like norteamericanos much more than they do their own people who resist their cause. Come on.”
    She dug in her heels. “Tell that…that murderer…to get his hands off Teresa.”
    The wiry rebel understood English a whole lot better than the sister understood Spanish. He spit out a phrase Jake was glad the woman didn’t grasp. The situation, he decided, was rapidly going from dangerous to nasty.
    â€œThe children are slowing us up. He’s only going to put the girl on the packhorse, for God’s sake.”
    She panted with a combination of fear and desperate determination. “For his sake, that’s all he’d better do.”
    Jake released her arm, wondering what the hell she thought she could do if any of these men did try to harm the children. Bludgeon them with her rosary beads?
    â€œLook, Sister,” he warned, his voice low, “you’d better understand that you’re in a pretty precarious situation here.”
    She drew in a ragged breath. “No kidding.”
    Jake sliced her a quick look, surprised at the terse response. Either convent life was an even tougher boot camp than he’d realized, or this was one gutsy lady. Unfortunately, he’d found over the years that gutsy tended to get people killed. If he was going to keep this woman alive long enough to figure outwhat to do with her, he’d better make damn sure she understood what was ahead.
    â€œDon’t think that veil you’re wearing will protect you if you get their hackles up,” he stated with brutal candor. “The only thing that saved you back there in the village is the fact that one of their pals died last week from a nasty case of gangrene. They’ve decided that it might be nice to have a médica around the camp to prevent such little unpleasantries in the future.”
    She gave a small gasp and put a shaking hand up to her throat. Even in the darkness, Jake could see the way her eyes went round with fear. Good, he thought savagely. She needed to be scared. He sure as hell was.
    â€œI’d advise you not to push them too far,” he added softly.
    Muttering under his breath, the rebel beside them stooped and swung the girl onto the horse. Jake slung his weapon over his shoulder and lifted the littlest, a boy of about three or four, up behind her. The third child, a thin, wide-eyed boy of about eight, would have to hoof it.
    The men drifted into the darkness to take up their positions in line. Jake tucked his weapon under his arm once more and waited for the signal to move on. The woman beside him glanced at the automatic rifle, and a look of revulsion crossed her white face, visible even in the darkness.
    â€œHow…how many of the villagers did you kill?”
    Jake bit off an oath. He couldn’t tell her that he’d tried to prevent the rampage. Hell, he didn’t dare tell her anything. Talking to her at all was risky, given the group’s simmering frustration over the missed drop. Although Jake had managed to convince these men that he’d sell his country or his soul or both for the right price, he was still a gringo, an outsider they didn’t quite trust. With the least provocation, they’d turn on him like jackals after raw meat.
    â€œHow many?”
    His hand tightened over the gun barrel. “As many as got in the way.”
    She put a hand over her mouth. “God will have to forgiveyou for what you’ve done,” she whispered. “I can’t. Those people were my friends.”
    Jake refused to allow any hint of sympathy or remorse to creep into his reply. “Yeah, well, I just might be the closest thing to a friend you’ve got left right now. And I’m telling you that if you want to survive the next twenty-four hours,