There was still that hint of shadow in his eyes, as if he knew something she didn’t—and she conceded he probably did. She didn’t expect it to be easy to watch him with Imelda Cortez, the thought frankly sickened her, but she wasn’t going to lose him. Not again. There had to be a way for them to get through this intact and still get the children out. She glanced up to see they were getting close to the others. A few more feet. She caught his arm.

“Whatever it takes, Conner. I would hope you wouldn’t even have to kiss her, but I’m not going to put limitations on what I’ll accept. You can’t go into a life-threatening situation with that on your mind. If we do this, we both commit. Together. Agreed?”

He groaned softly and pulled her close again. She could hear his heart. “I know you believe you’re that strong, Isabeau, and I love you for it, but your cat is going to have her say and it isn’t going to be easy. Cats are jealous and temperamental and we can’t always control them. You saw me with Jeremiah—and I like the kid. If you despise a woman, how do you think your cat is going to react knowing I’m flirting with her—or worse?”

“If your cat can handle it, then mine will have to, won’t she?” She lifted her chin. “I want the children back—all of them—but especially Mateo because he’s ours. And he was Marisa’s. I want this woman stopped. If anyone comes up with another way into her stronghold, we’ll take it, but if all we’re left with is securing an invite through you, then we’ll have to take it.” She suddenly caught her breath. “Elijah! Conner, Elijah could do it.”

He shook his head, dashing her hopes. “Three reasons. One, Mateo is my brother, and pretending to want to sleep with this woman will be a crap job I won’t push off on someone else. Two, Elijah, as good as he is, and he is good, very cool under fire, is relatively inexperienced. And three, Imelda won’t go for someone she would conceive of as being equal to her. She wants a dominant male, but not one her equal. I’ve studied her, and Elijah would pose a threat. He might want to take over her position of power. A bodyguard wouldn’t do that.”

She let her breath out and forced a smile. “Then we go with our plan.”

They returned, hand in hand, to the cabin where the others waited. Conner mapped out several escape routes through the rain forest, showing them the safest areas where they might shelter the children and keep them moving as well as the best campsites for them. They’d have to go in and mark the drop sites.