Mambo (Sultry Nights 5)

By Melanie Munton

Mambo (n): a spicy, sensual dance with a high energy level, sometimes described as raunchy; characterized by a free and spontaneous style

Sophie Fuentes didn't get her family out of Miami. Now, el diablo has the most precious thing in the world to her. She has to put all of her trust in DEA agent Max Romano--trust that has been severely tested--in order to keep those she loves alive. But it's not easy when the bullets start flying and cars start exploding.

Max has already risked his life to protect Sophie, and he'll risk it over and over again until she's safe. This all started because he couldn't keep his hands off her, and it will end because he's too obsessed to ever let her go. Her enemies are now his enemies. And taking them down is nothing short of a life or death scenario.

But those enemies also have no idea what lengths he'll go to in order to protect the woman he can't live without.
Whether he actually lives through it or not.

**This is a SHORT story series. Each volume is a short story serial and is an average of 30,000 words. This is NOT a full-length novel series.**

• Language: English
• Publisher: Melanie Munton
• Release date: Nov 19, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463244562

Melanie Munton

Traveler. Reader. Beach-goer. St. Louis Cardinals fan. Pasta-obsessed. North Carolina resident. Sarcastic. Bit of a nerd.Author of the Cruz Brothers, Possession and Politics, and Timid Souls series, Melanie loves all things romance, comedies and suspense in particular because it's boring to only stick to one sub-genre! From light-hearted comedies to sexy thrillers, she likes to mix it up, but loves her some strong alpha males and sassy heroines.Go visit Melanie's website and sign up for her newsletter to stay updated on release dates, teasers, and other details for all of her projects!http://www.melaniemunton.com/You can also follow Melanie on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Goodreads.

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Mambo

Sultry Nights

Volume Five

Melanie Munton

Copyright © 2019 Melanie Munton

Mambo

Sultry Nights, Volume Five

Copyright © 2019 Melanie Munton

All rights reserved

Cover Design by L.J. Anderson at Mayhem Cover Creations

www.mayhemcovercreations.com

eBook Edition

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This is a work of fiction and any similarities to persons, living or dead, or places, actual events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters and names are products of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Bonus Scene

Sneak Peek of Lace and Lies (Brooklyn Brothers #1)

More Books by Melanie Munton

Acknowledgments

About the Author

More books by Melanie Munton:

Sultry Nights:

Salsa (Sultry Nights 1)

Tango (Sultry Nights 2)

Rumba (Sultry Nights 3)

Standalone romance:

King of the Court

The Unforgettable Kind

Slow Seductions series:

Casual Affair (Slow Seductions #1)

Sweet Attraction (Slow Seductions #2)

Cruz Brothers series:

Playing for Kinley (Cruz Brothers #1)

The Art of Sage (Cruz Brothers #2)

Always Mickie (Cruz Brothers #3)

Timid Souls novellas:

Stubborn Hearts

Unexpected Love

Possession and Politics Trilogy:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Chapter 1

Sophie

I never want to leave the safety of Max’s warm embrace.

So much has happened in the last hour, I don’t have the wherewithal to process it all yet. I’m only half-listening to what Max and Kai are talking about in this dark, empty parking lot. Most of it doesn’t make any sense, and I’d rather focus on the heat coming off of Max’s body, anyway. It’s comforting, it’s familiar, and sometimes I feel like this—his mere presence—is the only thing holding me together.

Max sticks out his hand to the other man. Thank you. Truly, thank you for what you did.

He’s talking about how FBI agent Kai just saved my ass from being sold into sex slavery by Diego Suarez.

I shudder at the memory of being tied to that chair in Diego’s safe room, wincing as I relive the moment he backhanded me so brutally, the slice from his pinkie ring still mars my cheek. The blood seeping from the cut has dried, but the painful throbbing remains.

Kai, the tattooed beast of a man, smirks at Max but takes his offered hand. The man just revealed he’s been undercover with the FBI for the last six months, yet knowing he works for the good guys doesn’t soften his appearance in the least. He’s still one of the scariest-looking men I’ve ever seen in my life.

You’re welcome, Kai says. I’m just glad I was there.

I rub Max’s back softly, trying to ease some of the tension there. Then his cell phone rings, and his muscles stiffen all over again. He takes the device out of his pocket and puts it on speakerphone as he answers, Yeah?

"Agent Romano."

Diego.

Cold shivers shoot down my spine when his evil snarl comes over the line.

Kai and Ian, Max’s partner, both move closer to the phone to hear better. Their bodies are backlit by the headlights of the vehicles we arrived in, making the scene all the more ominous.

In the flesh, Max says with his signature bravado. What can I do for you, Suarez?

Oh, you’ve certainly done plenty for me, haven’t you, Agent? Infiltrating my organization, stealing my drugs, killing my best man, altogether lying your fucking ass off.

I suppose Diego was bound to discover Max’s true identity at some point. But knowing el diablo has a new vendetta against the man I love leaves a bitter taste in my mouth and turns my stomach sickeningly.

Max wraps his arm around my waist. Did you call for an apology?

Diego chuckles. "I called because the situation has just shifted in my favor. You might have gotten what you wanted today, but I now have something that you want. Or should I say, something your woman wants."

Now, it’s my turn to tense up.

My gaze clashes with Max’s. What the fuck are you talking about? he snaps.

The line crackles before a hesitant female voice comes through. S-Sophie?

The scream that’s ripped from my throat is cut off by my own shaking hand. "Manny?"

"Sophie, help me! Please!"

Ay dios mío.

No, no, no, no. This can’t be happening.

The next thing my brain registers is Diego’s voice. Such a beautiful girl.

Don’t hurt her! I beg. Please, Diego, don’t—

Oh, I’m not going to hurt her. Remember what I told you in the safe room, Sophia? Well, your sister is now taking your place.

"NO! Please, no!" My head is swimming. I think I’m about to pass out.

He wants to… He’s going to…

Not my sister. Not Manny!

Your move, Romano. Diego hangs up, hurtling the four of us into an abrupt and unwelcome silence.

The silence lasts for a millisecond before Max explodes and launches the cell phone at the broken asphalt, shattering it to pieces.

Me? I’ve gone numb.

I feel myself going into a sort of trance, as if my brain is engaging its automated defensive mode. The last line of defense I have, really, before my sanity completely unravels.

It’s actually a small blessing. I don’t feel the full force of the agonizing pain from my breaking heart as Diego’s words from the safe room run on a loop inside my head. Do you know what the man who buys you will do to you? He’ll use your cunt until it’s mangled beyond recognition. He’ll fuck your ass until you bleed and tear. He’ll turn you into a whore, my little Sophia.

I double over as nausea builds inside me. Not my Manny!

Max takes me by the shoulders and lifts me, supporting me. Sophie—

He’s got her, Max, I sob. "Diego has my sister. And he’s going to…sell her."

I try to maintain my grip on that numbness, but it’s slowly fading. I can feel the tears stream down my face, can feel the burn in my throat as my cries tear through the night. Knowing he’s got her, knowing what he’ll do with her… I can already feel reality slipping away from me.

"We won’t let that happen, Max vows, his voice fierce and protective. I swear to you, Sophie. We’ll get her back."

His words aren’t enough to penetrate the bubble of fear surrounding my mind because they’re just words. I want her back now. But something does occur to me, and it sends bile rising back up my throat.

"How did he get her? I thought she and Mamá were being watched at the house… My eyes fly up to find Max’s wide ones already on me. Mamá."

His head whips around to Ian. You heard from Pendergrass?

Alicia Pendergrass is the female DEA agent assigned to guard duty at the safe house tonight. The one who was supposed to be protecting my mother and sister.

No, nothing, Ian says, pulling his phone out of his pocket. I’ll call her.

As he holds the device to his ear, seconds tick by while the air fills with suffocating tension.

He eventually shakes his head, his expression grave. She’s not answering.

A whimper escapes my mouth. "Oh, God."

What if something happened to Mamá? How was Diego able to take Manny from the safe house without harming her and Agent Pendergrass?

Max is already pulling me to the car he and Ian arrived in. "Let’s go. We have to get to the safe house. Fucking now."

I don’t remember the car ride to the house. I barely register Ian driving while Max holds me in the back seat. I only caught half of Kai’s clipped words about following us in his SUV before we all took off. My whole body is trembling by the time we pull into the driveway.

Fear has taken over and is rapidly consuming me.

Stay in here until we clear the inside, Max orders, all business now as he switches back to DEA agent mode.

He doesn’t give me the chance to respond before he and Ian have their guns out and are running up to the front door.

Like hell I’m going to stay in here.

Mustering up the last of my nerve, I shove open the door and reach the porch just after they do.

Max’s head snaps around, his eyes blazing. Goddammit, Sophie. I told you to stay in the car.

Yeah, well, I didn’t, so get over it. He opens his mouth to say something else, but I talk over him. "Mamá could be hurt in there, Max. We’re wasting time."

He sighs but moves his attention back to his partner. Bracing themselves, they count down and then Ian enters first, gun raised. Max bites out, Stay behind me, before following Ian into the house.

Stepping carefully, I enter the living room, my gaze darting over every inch of space. The only light comes from an overturned lamp by the recliner and the glow of the TV that is still on. Max and Ian sweep through the room—

Alicia! Ian suddenly shouts and drops behind the couch.

Max and I rush over to find the female agent lying on her back, eyes closed, her stomach coated with blood.

Ian’s fingers reach for her throat. Got a pulse. Just barely. We need a fucking ambulance.

My heart gives a small sigh to hear she’s alive, at least for now. I don’t even notice that Kai is in the room until he’s putting his phone to his ear and saying, Got it.

"Mamá?" I call out.

Panic once again grips me when I’m met with silence.

I’m squeezing the life out of Max’s arm as he leads us down the hallway. The door to Mamá’s bedroom is cracked and splintered, the lock broken as if someone kicked it open.

My breathing turns erratic.

Max nudges the door with his foot, the hinges creaking when it eases open. His hand goes to the wall and clicks the light on.

The first thing I see are her feet. "Mamá!"

I push past Max and rush over to the other side of the bed where she’s lying on her side, pressed up against the wall. I fall to my knees beside her before I collapse in a heap. Her eyes are closed, her hair matted with blood. It looks like blood has stained the carpet beneath her head, but there’s not a fresh pool of it, which is good, right? Where’s it even coming from? The back of her head? Was she hit with something? Or shot? I have to stop the bleeding—