by Cynthia Eden
He stiffened. “You’re sure?”
“She was going to g-give me to him. After she g-got your money.” Her eyes closed as she sagged against him. “Don’t l-let anyone t-take me.”
“You don’t have to fucking worry about that.” His hold tightened on her.
***
Cole strode into the island’s medical unit. “The seaplane Eric sent landed, but we can’t leave until the storm stops.”
Blair sat on the exam table, now clad in a warm jogging suit. It felt like heaven against her skin, but she was still shivering every few moments. Linc was at her side, and his expression could only be described as—
Fucking infuriated.
The doctor had left moments before. Linc had watched the guy like a hawk, not that Blair had needed a doctor. She was fine, considering.
Considering the boat exploded. Considering I was thrown into the water. Considering I choked down about a gallon of sea water. She’d been lucky enough to grab a life ring, though, and she’d held onto it for dear life. She’d been thinking about swimming for the island when she’d heard the approach of an incoming boat. Since she hadn’t known if the boat held her savior or her would-be killer, she’d ditched the ring and hidden.
Until she’d heard Linc’s voice. Blair is not gone. He’d been so certain.
He’d also been right.
“Tell me again,” Cole instructed, “exactly what Georgia said to you.” He pointed to the door. “We’ve got a mini-army of Wilde agents on the island. They are about to interrogate the hell out of guests and staff. We know Georgia had a partner. It’s just a matter of finding out who the partner is.”
She pulled in a breath. Her throat ached—probably from all the salt water—but the ache was hardly worth complaining about. She’d survived. And that was a whole lot more than she could say for Georgia. “She said…” Her voice was husky. No amount of throat clearing seemed to help with that. “She was going to wait until she had Linc’s five million. Then, after he paid, she was going to pass me off to the next bidder.”
Linc swore. Low. Savagely. Very inventively.
“She said the second bidder was going to kill me. That the bidder was angry with me and had all these plans in place.”
Linc and Cole shared a long, hard look.
“Edward.” The lethal intensity in Linc’s voice sent another shiver through Blair.
“Yeah,” Cole rumbled. “He’s already being watched by a Wilde agent. You don’t have to worry about that.” A pause. “You want first crack at him?”
She could feel Linc’s body tense even as he said, “Hell, yes.”
Before he let out all of his fury on Edward, they had to be certain. “We don’t know for sure that he was her partner.”
“He’s the only one on the island who knows you,” Linc responded. His right hand was rubbing slow, careful circles on her back. Soothing circles. “So, yes, I’m about to go and rip out his throat. Nothing for you to worry about.”
She glanced at him. “I remember…” It was fuzzy. “Someone carried me out of our bungalow.”
A muscle jerked in Linc’s jaw. “While I fucking slept.”
“While you were knocked out.” And that same someone had destroyed her love for chocolate. That someone would pay. “Consciousness drifted in and out for me, but I have a flash of being carried—being thrown over a strong male back. His back was pressing to my stomach. And his voice…” Blair struggled to remember it. “Familiar.”
Cole stepped toward her. “Who was it?”
The voice was just out of reach. “I knew him.” That much, she was certain of. “I just…I can’t quite put it together.”
Linc caught her hand. Brought it to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Then let’s just pretend that you did.”
She frowned at him.
“The perp doesn’t know that you don’t remember him. Let’s go out there and rattle some freaking cages.” He let her hand go.
She gazed down at her nails. They were broken. Bent. She’d need to fix them, and she—
Her breath shuddered out. “My rings.”
“I’ve got them, baby,” Linc assured her. “They are evidence for now, but I will give them back to you as soon as—”
She grabbed his hand. Held on tight.
“I was thrown over his shoulder.” Her voice was still husky, but more certain. “I scratched him,” she told Linc. She could remember that part. Could feel her nails digging into his skin. “His shirt had ridden up near his lower back. I clawed at him before I passed out again. I believe that I scraped him with my ring, too. He’s going to have a mark on him.” She moved her hand to Linc’s back, going to the base of his spine. “Right about here.”
“Uh, Blair…”
Her head turned at Cole’s voice.
He grinned at her. “I think I love you. Remind me later that you are always bad-ass. Even when you’re half conscious.”
Linc caged her faced with his hands. He leaned down and kissed her. A quick, tender caress. “You’re fantastic.”
She didn’t feel so fantastic. She gave him a weak smile in return, but the truth was…
I locked Georgia in that cabin below deck. She was trapped in there, and she couldn’t get out, and she died. The woman had kidnapped her. Georgia was definitely no saint. But…
I haven’t been responsible for anyone’s death in a long time. Having that guilt on you never got easier.
“Let’s go find the bastard,” Linc said. His fingers threaded with hers. She and Cole hurried with Linc to the main building’s foyer, and she saw that several other Wilde agents were there. They nodded to her and—
Ghost?
She stumbled a little when she saw the tall, dangerous-looking male. His codename was Ghost, but his real name—well, semi-real name, anyway—was James Smith. He wasn’t technically Wilde, more of a freelance guy. James tended to get pulled in on the bigger cases.
He was cold, ruthless, and the perfect predator. Scary to his core.
She was so glad to see him.
Before she could approach him, Martin shot to his feet. “You can’t keep us here!” His voice shook. “You aren’t the authorities! You aren’t—”
James rolled his eyes. “Hey, asshole. We’re the closest thing to authorities that you’re gonna be seeing for a while, so how about you settle down?”
Natasha was hunched in the corner. She looked far, far too pale.
“Staff is in here,” James said with a wave of his hands. “Guests are separated from them. Don’t worry. We’ve got eyes on everyone.”
Just how many Wilde agents had arrived on the seaplane?
Martin sat back down, but he sent an infuriated glare at Natasha even as thunder boomed overhead.
Blair jerked. That boom had sounded too much like—no. Shut it down. Go there later. For now, focus on the case.
“You’re letting them do this to us?” Martin fumed at Natasha. “We have rights! We have—”
“Georgia is dead!” Natasha swiped at her eyes. “That boat blew up! She kidnapped Blair Rutherford! These agents—they are hunting for her partner, and I want them to find the bastard!”
Martin’s face was blotchy. “I don’t trust them. I don’t know them. I don’t know them from—”
“I talked to Turner Carthright.” Natasha stood. Trembled a bit. “He and…well, their boss—They were working together.” She motioned toward James and the other Wilde agents. “This was all some sort of sting operation. Carthright said they are in charge.” Her confused gaze returned to Linc and Blair. “You are in charge?”
The staff members frowned at Linc.
“Oh, right.” Linc slapped his chest. “My bad. I’m a Wilde agent.” He squeezed Blair’s shoulder. “And this kick-ass woman here—the woman who escaped her own kidnapper and who marked the second perp—this is my partner, Blair.”
There were murmurs. Confusion.
Blair didn’t think they all quite got it. Whateve
r.
“Anyway, I’m gonna need to see your backs,” Linc announced.
More murmurs. Louder this time.
“You can’t see our backs!” Martin jumped to his feet again. “You don’t have any kind of legal right to see—”
Linc glanced down at Blair. “How did I know he was going to be the first one to refuse?”
She stared into his eyes. When she looked into his eyes, she felt safer. Stronger. Her lips curved into a grim smile. “Because you think the butler did it?”
His smile flashed at her. “Damn straight I do.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw Martin break—and run. He turned and shoved his way through the crowd and headed for the exit.
“Dibs,” Linc called out.
He could have dibs. She’d had one hell of a day, thank you very much. He could chase the bad guy.
So Blair watched as Linc lunged after Martin. He didn’t let Martin get outside. Linc was incredibly fast. Linc slammed his body into Martin’s, tackling him before Martin could get close to the door.
Martin let out a high-pitched cry as he went down. His hands swiped out in futile circles around his body.
Cole sidled closer to her. “Martin’s military background is BS. There is a whole lot about him that I don’t buy. He looks strong, sure, but that guy can’t fight to save his life.”
When Linc had tackled him, the back of Martin’s shirt had hiked up, and, as Blair closed in on them…
He has scratch marks on his back.
When Linc’s whole body stiffened, she knew he’d seen the telling marks, too.
Linc flipped the butler over. Martin swung at him, but the blow glanced off Linc’s shoulder. Linc hauled Martin to his feet. “You took Blair from me in the middle of the night.” He plowed his fist into Martin’s stomach. The man doubled over, but Linc just straightened him up. Prepared to swing again. “You scared her. You were willing to let her die—”
“No!” Martin’s face had drained of color. “She wasn’t going to die! You were going to pay for her, and you’d get her back!”
Blair stepped forward. They had a chatty one on their hands. Probably because Martin knew there was no way out. Scared criminals often got chatty. “You killed Helen Vorten.”
Martin’s stare flew to her. “That was a mistake.” His voice had become high-pitched. Desperate. “We gave her too many drugs. Like…we thought she was going to be okay. But she didn’t wake up. We slipped the drugs into her strawberries, and she just ate too many of them! That’s not on us! That’s not on—”
Linc hit him again.
“Oof!” Martin doubled over once more.
“That is on you,” Linc told him.
The other employees in the room stared in stunned silence.
“You also kidnapped Keli Patrick, didn’t you?” Linc pushed.
Martin groaned. “We…gave her back okay.” His head lifted. “And we…” His tongue swiped over his lips. “Would’ve given Blair back…too. Once you paid.”
Blair’s own hands had fisted. “Bull. Georgia told me about the second bidder! Lying now does you no good.”
He squinted at her. “Second…bidder?” He shook his head. “There is no second bidder. There was just your husband—he was gonna pay.”
More thunder boomed. Rain belted down and blasted against the roof.
“There was no one else!” Martin cried. “I swear it! I swear!”
Did he not understand what was happening? “The yacht blew up,” Blair reminded him flatly. “Someone came on that boat, set the explosives, and rigged it so that when the ignition was turned on again, it would blow. Georgia was down below talking to me, and the killer must have got on the boat then. He was eliminating loose ends. First, he eliminated her. You will be next on his list. So you need to tell us who he—”
“I don’t know!” Martin’s eyes were huge. His breath labored. “I didn’t know about anyone else! Georgia didn’t tell me! She only said we had to take you because you were so valuable! I swear, that’s all I know. That’s it!” His gaze swung back to Linc. “Can we, please, can we make a deal? The way they do on those cop shows? We can make this all work, can’t we? We can do a deal—”
Linc’s face could have been carved from stone. “There is no deal for you. You’re going to be locked away. Thrown into a tiny, stinking cell. You won’t get out.”
“But this isn’t the US! We’re on an island—”
“Dumbass, the US has jurisdiction here. The Feds have been called. The authorities will be coming in as soon as the storm clears.”
Martin seemed to shrivel.
“Then, of course,” Cole spoke up. “There is the little matter of your desertion.”
Desertion? That part was news to Blair.
“Had James and some of my other Wilde buddies to dig a bit for me,” Cole said as he slapped a hand against James’s back. “Seems that Martin lied on his resume to Natasha. He wasn’t honorably discharged from the military. He wasn’t discharged at all. He left half-way through basic training.” A shrug. “Uncle Sam doesn’t take kindly to that kind of behavior. But then, he doesn’t take kindly to kidnapping and murder, either. In short, you’re screwed.”
Martin’s gaze flew back to Blair. “I didn’t want you hurt. I didn’t hurt you!”
Did he expect her thanks? She advanced on him. “You drugged me. You kidnapped me in the middle of the night. Your partner tied me up on a boat and planned to sell me to the highest bidder.”
Martin gulped. “That seems bad—”
“You think?” Bastard. “You hurt me plenty.”
He surged toward her. “I’m sorry!” He reached for her arm. “But you can’t let them lock me up—”
It was her turn to slug him. He’d been grabbing for her, and she wasn’t in the mood to be grabbed. As he fell back, her cold stare raked him. “I can do anything I want. I’m not the one who will soon be living in a cell. Enjoy that not-so-rock-star life, jackass.”
Linc took her hand in his. Pressed a soft kiss to the back of her fingers. Then he turned and strode out of the building with her.
She could practically feel his thoughts, and she shook her head. “Do not say to me—”
“The butler did it.” He was almost gleeful.
Yes, but he didn’t do it alone.
He’d had help from Georgia. Two players down. One dead, one caught. But there was still someone out there. The second bidder. A mystery player.
Chapter Thirteen
“Did you find your wife?” Edward Sharpe asked. He’d been held in his bungalow, under guard by a Wilde agent. The agent was currently outside so that Linc could grill his prey.
Edward stood near the bed, and his body appeared relaxed. Casual. A total lie. Linc could practically feel the tension rolling off the other man.
“Did you find your wife?” Edward repeated. A rougher edge entered his voice. “Or should I say…” Edward held his stare. “The undercover agent pretending to be your wife? Did you find her? Because all of a sudden, these guards—agents or whatever the hell they are—they’re running around like they own the island. So much for paradise.”
Linc kept his hands loose at his sides as he studied the other man. The storm was still raging, and rain drops slid off him. As soon as he’d finished with Martin, he’d headed straight for Edward.
Linc knew the spider’s web of this mess didn’t end with Martin. Martin had been the goon. The one doing the grunt work. Linc wanted the asshole who’d planted the bomb on the boat. The man who’d wanted to get Blair. Probably the same SOB who had shot at her.
“Did you find her?” Edward asked yet again.
Had that been a trace of worry in the guy’s voice? Linc didn’t answer him. Just kept studying his prey.
Edward’s jaw hardened. “See, when I first met you, I just thought you were some love-obsessed asshole who couldn’t see her for what she really was. Blair, I think that’s the name she’s using now?”
Linc st
ill didn’t speak. Sometimes, not speaking was the best way to keep your perp talking. An old detective trick.
“Right,” Edward nodded. “I thought you didn’t get that she was tricking you. That you were just another in a long line of fools who bought her act.” A mocking smile. “I was in that line.”
Linc remained tense and silent.
“Then I realized, you didn’t react the right way when I tried to warn you about her. I figured out it was because you knew the truth. Then, you slipped up. You told me that no one else knew her the way you did. Granted, I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing Blair biblically—”
Linc flew forward. Caught himself right before he grabbed the jerk.
“Hey, hey!” Edward raised his hands, palms out, toward him. “I said I didn’t have that pleasure! That means Blair and I never had sex.”
I know what it means, dumbass. I still just don’t like you. And I don’t like you mentioning sex and Blair in the same sentence. It pisses me off.
“I realized you meant something a little deeper than the physical.” Edward cleared his throat. “Put it all together and knew you had to be working with her. Since agents are now swarming like bees, I figure you and your Blair must be with them.”
That’s right. My Blair.
“You and Blair are a team. You were both trying to screw me over.”
He wasn’t going to confirm or deny anything, but he did really want to attack that jerk. Linc sucked in a breath and fought to stay calm. Unfortunately, calming down was not going to be easy. Adrenaline, fear, and rage had formed a lethal brew inside of him. When he’d stared out at the wreckage in the water and thought that Blair was gone—
No, I couldn’t believe that.
“Say fucking something!” Spittle flew from Edward’s mouth.
“Something.”
Now it was Edward’s turn to lunge forward. He stopped short of touching Linc. “Asshole, is she dead? Did you find her? Did you—”
“You seem awfully concerned about my wife.”
“She’s not your wife.” Spittle flew from Edward’s mouth. “She’s your partner, so you can drop the lie! I don’t like to deal in bullshit.”