by Rachel Cade
“And to fuck,” Jay added, like the scholar he was.
“That too.” Kelly chuckled, then he sighed. “Still, I can’t be stupid and underestimate her just because she doesn’t know her place.”
“So you’re going to this yacht party? How is that gonna play out with Beverly Hills?”
“Hm, I don’t know. Those Columbians might get a little crazy. The last thing I need is her running back to Daddy with a horror story.”
“And fuck up your son-in-law plans?” Jay teased.
Jack’s jaw tightened, and he was grateful for his shades.
“Hey, big man, you’re good to hang around a couple more days?”
Kelly was talking to him.
A vicious annoyance tore through Jack at the thought of Ciara being with this guy. Why did she have to get mixed up in this? And her dad was involved? What kind of shit was that?
Jack kept the emotion out of his voice. “You know my price.”
“Are you enjoying the trip?” Marcus asked.
Ciara nodded as she reached for a flute of champagne.
She and Marcus were on the deck of a boat that had brought them a few miles out from the coast. Some other boats were on the water, but they were farther out. All of them enjoyed a cloudless sky and the midday sun’s rays shimmering against the calm sea. The light caught the bright colors of her floral dress, which was cut low in the back and cinched at the waist. Ciara’s brunch was fresh shrimp and salad, along with a side of fruit.
“It’s been wonderful.”
“You’re sure you’re feeling better than last night?”
“Marcus, I told you I’m fine. I had a foot massage this morning before you arrived. And I bought a pair of flat sandals.” She stretched, sitting back against the thick seat cushions. “I had a question for you, though.”
“Shoot.”
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
Marcus’s brows lowered. “Huh?”
“Do you have a girlfriend?” she repeated, emphasizing each syllable.
“No. Where’d that question come from?”
“When I was at a shoot before I left for the trip, I was harassed by a woman who said she’d been with you for a year.” Though she kept her voice light, she stared at his face to make note of his reaction.
“You got harassed by a girl?”
By repeating the question he gave himself time to put together his lie.
“Mmm hmm.” She tilted her head, keeping her pout light.
“Ciara, I apologize about that happening. I had a girlfriend that I broke up with a few weeks before we met at the fundraiser. We’d known each other from high school and she’s been having trouble letting it go.”
“Letting you go,” Ciara corrected. “How does she know who I am? Is she stalking you?”
Marcus’s brow raised. “I don’t… think so. Maybe she saw us at the fundraiser. She knew I was going to be there.”
“Is this going to be a problem? She threatened me, you know.”
“What the hell did she say?” Marcus leaned forward. His mouth was tight before he caught himself and lowered his eyes for a moment. “You know what? I’m going to handle it. That won’t happen again. I guarantee it.”
“I hope not. I was very uncomfortable. That kind of behavior isn’t something I’m used to. I want to go snorkeling. Have you ever tried it?”
Marcus was visibly relieved she’d changed the subject. “No but like… I don’t want to get bit by a shark or something.”
Ciara laughed.
“Before we do any of that, I wanted to let you know I hired some bodyguards. You might see them. They carry guns and I don’t want you to get scared.”
Her amusement fell at that. “Bodyguards… why?”
“I’m not wealthy. Yet. But I do well for myself. I live the kind of lifestyle a lot of the people around here covet. It’s not like the States down here, Ci. The crime can get a little crazy, and I just like to be prepared.”
“Are they here on the boat?” she asked.
“You’re already looking paranoid. This is why I didn’t want to tell you.”
He was way off; the bodyguards weren’t an issue. The possibility of Marcus being behind Jack’s paid vacation was.
“I asked them to stay out of the way until I told you. They’re below deck. Ciara-”
She held her hand up. “I’m fine. It’s fine. I completely understand. I just get in my own bubble sometimes and forget that really bad people exist in the world.”
“Yes, and it’s unfortunate.”
“Well, you’ve told me now. You can let them come up and walk around. What’s the point of having them if they aren’t doing their job?”
Marcus’s mouth lifted. “Tell me about it.”
“I don’t think your friend Jay likes me either.” Ciara stabbed at some of the fruit before lifting a juicy piece to her mouth.
“I’ll throw him in the ocean.”
“Does he think I’m bougie? Should I tell him wearing logos from head to toe reeks of new money?”
“You’re kind of saucy, aren’t you?”
Ciara just offered a sly smile.
“No, no. I kind of like it. I like my women with a little mouth. Just a little though,” he added with a wink.
A strong whiff of marijuana came across Ciara’s nose. “Jay.” Marcus called his friend, who must have been behind her somewhere.
“There’s, like, no reception to get a phone call down there.” Jay was annoyed.
Ciara continued eating her brunch, hoping a good gust of wind would come get rid of the smell, and him if possible.
“Ciara’s under the impression that you don’t like her.” She looked up at Marcus from her plate.
“What?” Jay rounded the table. “Why would you think that?”
Her mouth flattened under the scrutiny, but Marcus seemed a bit amused.
“I’m going to work on my manners. So you can see me more like Marcus here.”
Marcus shook his head. “That’ll never happen. Let the guys know it’s cool to move around. Get out of here.”
Jay shrugged and thankfully disappeared.
*
“Hey, big man.” Marcus raised his hand. “Come over here a second.”
Ciara chewed down hard on her shrimp, but didn’t get a chance to chase it down with champagne.
“Ciara, this is J.T., one of my guards.”
She didn’t want to look up. She could feel his presence over her left shoulder. Thankfully the sea breeze kicked in to distract her reaction as she lifted her hand to pull some flying hair away from her face.
“Ma’am.”
Ciara turned her top half to look up at him and was met with bright golden orbs set in a hard face that sent all her skin ablaze.
“Hello. Nice to meet you.” Her voice was a little lighter than usual.
Jack offered no response and his eyes pulled away when Marcus started speaking. “I just didn’t want her nervous about you guys being around.”
Ciara turned around shortly after she heard his footsteps taking him away.
“I’m ready for this snorkeling thing but we have to find some shallow water.”
“Marcus? Marcus, is that you?”
They both looked up from the table toward the sea at the sound of a voice coming from a bullhorn.
A few hundred feet away was another yacht, much larger than theirs, with a woman with long straight black hair calling him.
There was a faint sound of Latin music coming from the boat now that Ciara was paying attention. They seemed to be having a party.
“Who is that?” Ciara asked.
“Come party with us! You need to dance! We have too much alcohol,” the woman laughed.
Marcus looked agitated.
“She obviously knows you. Did you break up with her before the fundraiser too?”
He shot Ciara a look and she realized her sarcasm wasn’t appreciated.
“We have a business relationship.
That’s it.”
Ciara realized her food was getting cold and grabbed her fork to finish it. “Sounds like she wants to party with you. That’s a sweet yacht she’s on.”
“Tell your wife it’s okay. She can come too.”
Ciara’s brows raised and she stopped her fork before the shrimp hit her mouth.
Jack wondered if he was going to have to climb on top of the boat to get some damn reception. Sam had called him, more than once, but he couldn’t accept the call.
He just needed a nice tree on a quiet piece of land with fish and some damn coconuts.
“Jack?” Sam’s voice was scratchy over the connection, but decipherable.
“Yeah, man. What’s up?”
“Damn, I’m glad I got you. I was able to ID one of the guys on the camera footage from your place. You’re not gonna believe it, but he was CIA.”
“Fuck you.”
“Listen, I wish I was playing but I’m not. You’ll be back here tomorrow, ri-”
“Sam? Sam?” The connection was gone again.
Jack’s hand tightened around the phone.
“We’re heading to another boat to spend some time with some Columbian girls. Looks like you get to stay here and have a sausage party.” Garcia, one of the other mercs, offered him a smile as he pulled on a blazer.
Jack faced him, ignoring the jab. “What’s going on?”
“Kelly’s taking his girl on Estino’s boat. You didn’t hear all that yelling? Man, where were you?”
“Downstairs gettin’ food.” He didn’t explain himself to people, but he spoke on instinct while his mind was getting pulled in two different directions.
Why would Kelly put Ciara in Estino’s orbit? Was he out of his fucking mind?
Ciara didn’t mind a little adventure.
She wanted a tour of the yacht but doubted she would get one.
Marcus seemed surprised by her familiarity with boat ladders as they got off their dinghy and had a little trouble climbing it himself. But they made it intact and well-dressed to board the boat and mingle with the crowd.
“I’m Estella.” They were greeted by the woman with the bullhorn standing, holding out her hand towards her.
“Hello. I’m Ciara Kimball. A pleasure to meet you. I’m not his wife, though.” She glanced at Marcus with a smile as she shook the other woman’s hand. “He’s just a kind man treating me to a much needed vacation.”
“That is very kind.”
“Should I leave you two alone to talk about me?” Marcus cut in.
“No. Of course not. I want you to relax have a great time. Indulge,” Estella gestured as she gracefully turned in a circle. “We have everything you could want floating on water.”
“She seems a bit eccentric,” Ciara said once Estella had left them, her male entourage following closely behind her.
“I thought it would be rude to refuse.” Marcus quickly grabbed a drink from one of the passing waiters.
“What kind of business do you two do together?”
Marcus was drinking when she posed the question and he took his time swallowing before he answered. “Wholesale clothing.”
“Oh!”
“Not designer; you wouldn’t be interested.”
Her brows lowered and he laughed. “You want something to eat? Let’s get dessert or something. I have to prepare myself for your diving thing.”
“You think you know me so well,” she observed. “There’s more to me than just being attractive.”
“I’m sure there is.”
Another waiter came by, but this time, instead of drinks, he held a round mirror glass with cut lines of cocaine on it. He stopped in front of them, offering up the table.
Marcus looked down at it, then glanced at her, waiting.
Her heart rattled inside her ribcage with each beat. It made her think of her hard partying days when she’d have easily cleaned two lines and gone back for more.
Ciara held her hand up, politely dismissing the man.
“You okay?” Marcus asked.
“Yes. It’s kind of crazy that they just have drugs on open display like this.”
The waiter stopped in front of a couple who promptly leaned over the mirror before Ciara looked away.
“So you’ve never seen cocaine before?” Marcus asked.
“I didn’t say that. I’m just surprised by the openness.”
“In South America, they do everything in the open. It’s a different culture.”
“I see.”
“No coke?” Estella was back. She must have sent the waiter over to them. “We have weed, but the heroin’s gone. That always goes first.”
“We’re fine, Estella,” Marcus said.
“What’s your vice then? Alcohol? Sex? Because the sex-”
“No. We actually had an afternoon planned, but we’re thankful for your unique invitation,” Marcus quickly cut her off.
“Sounds like you’re leaving us. I’m sad. You’re both so beautiful together. I hope we meet again, Ciara Kimball.”
Ciara offered a bright smile and nodded.
“You gonna swim over there like Rambo if some shit goes down?”
Jack wanted to roll his eyes at the sound of Jay’s voice at his side, but he didn’t. He hated being caught staring at them on the side of the yacht, but it also made him seem like he was doing his job. In truth, he was only watching Ciara.
Jay laughed hard when Jack cut his eyes at him. “You’re a merc, man. That’s badass. This is the first time Marcus ever hired your type. It’s crazy. We need to get some drinks and trade stories.”
Jack would make no such fucking plans.
“Shit, looks like they’re coming back. It was so nice without her around looking down her nose at folks.”
“She’s his girlfriend?”
“I don’t know what the fuck she is. But I hope she drops his ass, ‘cause I can’t stand a bougie bitch.”
Jack imagined himself grabbing Jay by the back of the neck and flipping him over the boat’s beam. Whether he could swim was of no consequence.
As far as he was concerned, no body had permission to talk bad about High Heels.
She didn’t belong in Marcus’s world or his.
Irritation gnawed at him with the thought of leaving this island when the job was over, not knowing if she was safe.
Chapter Twelve:
Impulse
A storm was coming in.
Their captain alerted them when they arrived back on their boat.
The snorkeling plans were canceled, which made Ciara irritated; the last thing she wanted was to be stuck indoors.
Jack stayed out of their way except for one sighting when they first returned.
Her reaction to him seemed to be something she could never truly control. She wished they could be alone to talk. She could sense he was angry about something, and she wasn’t sure if it was the kiss.
“I’ll take you back to your hotel if you want,” Marcus offered.
“I don’t know if you’ll have time for that,” the captain chimed in, “if it’s far from you. The rain is going to be heavy, near monsoon. It’s best to get off the road as soon as possible when we dock.”
Ciara glanced at Marcus. “Sounds like your place is the best bet.”
“I thought I was never going to hear from you again. Has Marcus swept you off your feet into a romantic elopement?”
“God no,” Ciara spat, but she was so thankful to hear Kim’s voice.
“Has he been Prince Charming or an asshole?”
“Maybe a bit of both.”
“How is that?” Kim asked with genuine interest.
“He knows how to impress. But at the end of the day, it just doesn’t matter.”
“So he’s not it, huh?”
“No,” Ciara answered. Not with the lies about the girlfriend and whatever his true occupation was. But this wasn’t the place to get into it too much.
“That’s what happens when you let your dad s
et you up. Don’t ever do this shit again.”
“I don’t plan on it. Luckily by Sunday evening I’ll be on a plane headed home.”
“At least you’re in your own hotel, so you don’t have to worry about him trying to cross any lines.”
Ciara made a noise.
“What?”
“That’s not the case right now.”
“Why not?”
Ciara quickly explained the situation.
“Be careful with that,” Kim warned.
“Kim?” Ciara could hear the rain outside. Her friends voice cut off and when she checked her phone, sure enough there was no signal.
Ciara sighed, once again feeling very much alone in the middle of paradise.
It rained for hours, from the evening into the night. She took a shower and went to bed early, leaving Marcus after dinner to hang out with his friends.
As hard as she tried, she couldn’t fall asleep. There was no thunder, but the endless sound of rain hissing outside couldn’t be ignored. Instead of being soothed, she was just annoyed.
She went to the patio doors and looked out through the blinds.
The moon gave the large deck some faint light, and Ciara was stunned to make out a crop of blond hair right before it disappeared down the wooden steps that headed toward the beach.
“Jack,” she whispered.
What was he doing out there?
A lil rain never killed anybody.
She smiled, recalling his words.
This was far from a little rain, though.
At almost 2 a.m., the house was silent.
If she went out there, she’d be drenched as soon as she took a step from the threshold.
Her nightgown and slippers would probably get ruined. More importantly it would be a stupid and crazy thing to do.
When she opened the patio door, the sound was almost deafening.
The shock of cool rain smacked against her skin, causing her to gasp. Making sure the door wasn’t locked behind her, she pulled it closed.