Jaxon froze as Libby’s voice echoed through the cold basement where they were working. His eyes sought hers, but she ignored him and focused solely on Ana and Declan. His heart began to accelerate and he braced himself as she walked past, wanting to touch her, but afraid of her reaction.

“How the hell did you break through my protection ward? You shouldn’t have been able to leave your bedroom!” Declan was aghast as his question hung in the air between all of them.

Libby laughed softly at that, but her voice dripped ice and no warmth fell from her lips when she spoke. “Never stopped me in the past now, did it Dec? Some things you just don’t forget.”

An uneasy silence followed her statement, broken by Ana. “Why would it be a waste of time, Libby? I know for a fact that two of the brothers are in the United States and at least one was last seen near the family compound in Texas.” She looked back to her notes. “Two days ago in fact.”

“Well now Ana, it wouldn’t be a waste of time if those two were in fact the brothers that you want. However, I have intimate knowledge of the whereabouts of Degas and Frank DaCosta.”

The lead ball in Jaxon’s belly flipped over and his eyes never left the cool blond that now stood before all of them. Her eyes met his briefly, and inwardly he was shocked at the coldness that lay there.

“Libby–“

“I’m not done talking, Castille. Don’t interrupt me again.” The words were hissed and Jaxon was taken aback at the depth of anger that lay in them.

She turned to him, the violet of her eyes shaded dark and full of emotion. Her breathing had become slightly ragged, but she held her head high and took command as she spoke.

“If you want a chance at the bastards that took a shot at you, then you better put aside any notions you have about Texas and Mexico. They’re not there.”

Libby’s voice softened a notch and she put a hand to her head, as if in pain. “I know where they are, where they’ve been all along.” She looked up to all of them, but avoided Jaxon’s direct gaze. “We need to leave for Belize.”

Ana moved towards Libby, her voice was soft and reassuring as she spoke. “Libby, we have no intel on Belize, it doesn’t make sense to start there.”

Libby laughed at that, the sound harsh as it echoed against the cold tile walls, “Doesn’t make sense? How the hell would you know what makes sense and what doesn’t? It was me they took three years ago. You have no idea what I went through. What they did to me.” Libby’s voice broke and she fought the tears that waited to spring from her eyes, but it was a losing battle. She wiped them away impatiently. “I have marks on my body Ana, scars that were carved into my skin, and burned into my skin, and all because of him.”

She spat as her fingers waved towards Jaxon.

“So don’t you stand there and tell me I don’t know what the fuck I’m talking about. It was me out there in the jungle, with those sick bastards.”

She paused once more, her eyes sweeping the stilled faces that regarded her in silence. Jaxon’s eyes had darkened and his mouth was tense, but he remained silent. When she spoke again, the coolly efficient woman from the past had stepped right back into her shoes with no effort at all.