Exhaling a deep breath, Kelly dropped her head on the pillow. “We’re in more trouble than you know. These are the men who tried to kidnap me from the dive boat, but neither seemed to recognize me.”
Alex groaned. “Bloody hell, Kelly. You must never let them know who you are.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Another fine predicament we’ve gotten ourselves into, Kelly lass,” he said in an Irish brogue.
Despite her fears, she laughed. He did, too.
“If they can hear us they must think we’re crazy, but our situation is going from bad to worse.”
“If I didn’t laugh . . .” His voice trailed off.
“I think I’d cry,” she finished solemnly. “Here we are handcuffed to a bed by murderers and smugglers. Can this get any worse? How are we going to get out of this?”
“I don’t know. They’ve made it bloody inconvenient for us to leave.”
“I wish we were back on our island. Do you think they’ll let us go?”
He sighed. “We’ll have to persuade them. Just don’t let them know who you are. Now, try to get some sleep. We need our strength to find our way out of here tomorrow.”
She snuggled close to him, but sleep didn’t come easily for her.
* * *
The next morning, Mick, the stubble-faced, younger one, with the camouflage cap, stood over Alex and Kelly. With a sneer, Mick released the cuffs. Alex’s hands tingled as blood returned.
Rubbing their wrists, they were escorted by gunpoint to the living area.
Haggard looking from what Alex guessed was an evening of heavy drinking, Ralph sat at the breakfast table eating a bowl of cereal. Dressed in a pink satin robe, Ming sipped a cup of tea.
How could they convince these people they weren’t a threat to their operation? He glanced at Kelly. Her hair was disheveled and her yellow dress wrinkled from sleeping in their clothes. She returned a brave smile, but her trembling bottom lip gave her away.
Despite the cool demeanor he tried to present, Alex struggled to keep his anger in check. He’d like to further flatten Ralph’s nose for what they were doing to them, and for everyone who had died on the dive boat. But with Mick’s magnum aimed at his heart, Alex didn’t think he would live long enough.
Ralph pointed toward the table. “Take a seat.” Their chairs scraped the wooden floor as they sat. He drummed his fingers on the tabletop. “I’ve made my decision. I’m not willing to let you go until our work is done here. So I’ll make a deal with you, Alex. We could use your help to bring our shipments from the boats to the warehouse. When we leave, we’ll take you and your lovely wife with us.”
Although his insides knotted, Alex had no choice but to agree. “All right.”
Ralph leaned toward Alex. “But, I won’t put up with any bullshit. If you try to escape, I’ll have you shot. Then afterwards, your beautiful, grieving widow can entertain the lonely men around here.”
Kelly’s face paled.
Mick grinned as if he liked the idea and wouldn’t have any problem using the gun resting on his thigh. Mick might even enjoy killing him, especially knowing Kelly would be the prize. How easy was it for these bastards to take a life?
“I have men working for me who haven’t seen the outside of a prison in a decade,” Ralph said, his cool voice unsettling Alex. “Probably haven’t been with a woman in all those years. I’m sure they could make good use of Kelly after your death.”
Alex’s jaw tightened. If he did something now, he’d only get himself killed. He squeezed Kelly’s hand, trying to reassure her that somehow he’d protect her and get them out of this mess.
Ralph leaned back in his chair. “But, if you do exactly as you’re told, I’ll drop you and your sweet wife off at one of the local villages. Once there, you should eventually make your way back to the mainland. However, if you ever even whisper one word of what you’ve seen here, we’ll hunt you down and kill you. Our acquaintances are far and wide. We’ll find you.”
Alex didn’t doubt that. There had to be numerous international contacts in an illegal smuggling operation such as this one.
“Even if you chanced going to the authorities,” Ralph said smugly, “they’d never find this tiny remote island.”
“You can take us blindfolded for all we care,” Alex stated flatly. Still, he didn’t buy that Ralph would help them. These men were ruthless and couldn’t be trusted. They’d use them for their purposes and kill them if they suspected they’d be reported to the police. However, he had no choice, but to go along, for now.
Ralph read his mind. “In case you have other ideas, Alex, while you work, your wife will be our collateral in the deal. You do your part, and she remains unharmed here in the house. But then there’s always that chance that you might willingly leave her behind to save your own hide . . .”
At the man’s insinuation that he’d leave Kelly, Alex’s clenched his fists.
Ralph chuckled. “Well, do you agree to these conditions?”
It was a bargain made with the devil, but he had no alternative. “Yes,” Alex ground the word out between his clenched teeth.
On the way out, he glanced at Kelly. A surge of protectiveness swept through him. He had to find a way for them to escape.
* * *
Alex squinted when he stepped into the bright sunlight. With Mick standing behind him carrying an assault weapon, they headed down the hill to the cove. Tied to a dock was a massive yacht, a luxury speedboat, and a sailboat. Hope rose inside him that he could steal one.
When they boarded the ship, Ralph met them on the back deck. “Alex, you’ll be helping, Sam, Juan, and Joe transport the cargo to the warehouse.”
Alex gave him a terse nod. He assumed the stolen articles needed a cooling-off period, or perhaps would remain here until buyers were found on the black market.
For the next several hours, he sweated and hauled antique furniture and artwork worth a fortune. He searched for anything he could use as a weapon, but Mick guarded him closely. In the warehouse, Ralph photographed and cataloged the items.
The three men he worked with were a nefarious crew—an unkempt but organized gang of thieves. Alex doubted he could make any deal with them to help them escape. Belligerent and rude, they often snickered at him, as if he were on the outside of some crude joke.
That evening, he found out the extent of their humor. Mick escorted him, not to the bedroom he’d shared with Kelly, but to the bunkroom on the first floor. His hands were cuffed securely to a wood slat on a lower bunk bed. Exhausted from the long day’s work, he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
A light flicked on. Still groggy from sleep, Alex twisted with the handcuffs and rolled to his back. Sam and Juan stood over him, while Joe leaned casually against the wall. Alex froze at the predatory gleam in their eyes.
The scruffy man, Sam, nudged Alex’s knee with his foot. “Yep, boys, a guy like him probably gets any woman he wants. While we was doing time, he’s been having himself a helluva good time. I’d enjoy taking him down a peg or two. Wipe off that ‘better than thou’ attitude. Let’s show him what prison would be like for someone like him.”
Adrenaline pumped through Alex. “Get the bloody hell away from me.”
“You know, boys, he wouldn’t last a week in the slammer. Let’s give him a lesson that’ll keep him on the straight and narrow path.” Sam moved closer. “Ready?”
“I think not.” Alex lashed out with a kick to Sam’s groin, sending the man flying back against the wall with a crash.
Sam gasped and doubled over, sinking to the floor. “Sonafabitch. Sonafabitch.”
Juan’s laughter echoed in the room. “Hey, Sam, he knows how to fight, no? Beats you with his hands tied. Now, let’s see how much defense you have against this, gringo.” He slapped a billy club against his palm.
Alex’s heart pounded as if it would burst from his chest. “Stay the bloody hell away from me,” he warned through rasps of breath. He yanked at
the handcuffs that imprisoned him. Pain shot through his wrists.
The door thrust open. Ralph strode into the room. “What’s going on here?” he asked calmly. “I do hope you’re all getting along.”
Alex said through heavy breaths, “You didn’t say in this deal I might be attacked.”
Ralph leveled his gaze on him. “As I said before, these three have been in prison for over ten years. Now imagine what they’d do if they get their hands on your pretty little wife.”
Sam croaked from the floor. “He’s got a woman here?”
“Yeah,” Ralph drawled, “and she’s a real looker.”
Joe cracked his knuckles. “Can we have her?”
Alex’s stomach tightened in knots. He swiped the perspiration from his brow on his arm. How could he protect Kelly, when he might not be able to defend himself?
Ralph chuckled. “No, you cannot. Alex and his wife are my guests. Both she and he are off-limits to you.” Raising an eyebrow, he shot a glance at Alex. “As long as they do as they’re told, you are to keep your hands off them.”
Alex gritted his teeth. Ralph had known what these men might attempt. The man’s earlier words were reinforced, loud and clear and had been for effect––to terrorize, and to make Alex afraid to attempt an escape.
Joe pushed away from the wall. “We weren’t doing nothin’. Sam just wanted to scare him.”
Ralph whirled on Joe. “Sure.” He turned to the other two convicts. “I can’t afford to lose any of you. If you want to earn your money, don’t make trouble.”
Getting up from the floor, Sam leveled heavy-lidded eyes on Alex before turning his gaze to Ralph. “Yeah, boss. Whatever you say. But if he crosses that line, I want to be the first one at him. I owe the punk.”
* * *
During the next week, except for the occasional crude remarks, the ex-cons left Alex alone. Meanwhile, he watched for a means of escape and found something to help when he opened the drawer to get leverage to move an eighteenth-century dresser. He’d barely slipped the tiny switchblade inside his pocket when Juan approached to assist in the move.
That night, Alex discreetly palmed the knife before being handcuffed to the bed. Afterwards, he kept the knife hidden on the narrow ledge of the headboard where he could reach it. Every night, as long as footsteps trampled on the wooden floors upstairs, and sounds from the game machines and the pool table reverberated outside the closed bunkroom door, he worked. He scraped and cut away at the wood from behind the slat they had handcuffed him to, so he could soon break through.
He prayed his attempt wouldn’t be noticed.
* * *
Except for one glimpse of him, Kelly hadn’t seen Alex during the next week. In the main living area, Kelly sat at the table with Ming, listlessly stirring a bowl of cereal, unable to eat. The last two days, Ming had convinced Ralph to allow her out of the bedroom. Having heard murderers had difficulty killing their victims if they knew them, Kelly tried to befriend Ming, asking her if she could assist in cooking or help with the housework.
Despite the thieves she associated with, Ming had a generous nature and treated Kelly kindly. She didn’t consider herself a criminal because she never personally participated in any of the heists. She invited Kelly to watch movies from the satellite dish or from her collection of DVDs.
Sighing, Kelly rubbed her forehead with the palm of her hand. She’d been trying to work up a plan of escape. All she had to do was steal the keys to a boat, and to the handcuffs Alex wore. She’d have to climb out through her third-storey window by tying the sheets together, then sneak into the downstairs bunkroom and release Alex. She exhaled an exasperated breath. Her task seemed insurmountable.
Yesterday, she’d seen the men trudging up the hill, returning to the house. Desperately wanting a glimpse of Alex, she ran to the window and leaned out. At the site of her, the men made loud whooping sounds. Alex threw her a warning look. One of the men elbowed him, and another shoved him, saying words she couldn’t hear. He reared back to throw a punch, but Mick intervened by waving a gun in Alex’s face. He backed down. Embarrassed and worried that she could’ve gotten him killed, she’d withdrawn into the shadows of the room.
“You’re not eating?” Ming asked with concern, breaking into Kelly’s thoughts.
Biting her lip, Kelly shook her head. “I’m worried that Alex and I don’t have a future.”
“It won’t be much longer, maybe a few more weeks, and they’ll be finished with the shipments. Ralph will drop you off where you can find your way home.” Ming added softly, “You love Alex very much, don’t you?”
Seeing no reason to lie to her, Kelly choked back a sob. “Yes. I only wish I could talk to him to make sure he’s all right.”
“Alex is fine, but I’ll talk to Ralph. You’ll see. He’s a decent man.”
Ming might have faith in Ralph, but Kelly knew he was a no-good murderer and smuggler, however, she couldn’t say this. Instead, she asked, “Are you Ralph’s wife?”
“Oh, no, I’m David’s girlfriend. He’ll be here shortly. I love him as much as you do your Alex.” She held out her hand with a large emerald ring. “It’s from David. He likes to give me nice things. I met him when I was a dancer at a club in Los Angeles.”
Los Angeles? Was it a coincidence? Kelly swallowed hard? Was David, the David Lewis? The man wanted for killing her father? Was he ‘Mister X’ and the reason why she had been attacked on the dive boat?
Kelly choked out, “Your ring is beautiful.”
“I know what you’re thinking. How could he be in this business? But at one time, he had legitimate work in the U.S., until some man ripped him off,” Ming said, finishing in a flat tone. “David got into some kind of trouble after that and had to leave the country. He’s always said he wanted to pay back those responsible in the U.S.”
Kelly flushed miserably at more proof that her father had cheated his clients and that many people wished her dead for it.
Ming frowned. “Are you all right?”
Forcing a smile, Kelly nodded. To prove it, she forced down a few bites of her cereal.
Ming patted Kelly’s hand. “Everything will be all right. You’ll see. Come on. Let’s get our work done so we can watch a movie. Not much else to do around here while we wait to for the job to be finished.”
Kelly’s stomach rolled into knots. She had to get those keys before David arrived.
When Ralph returned to the house, she saw him lock a set of keys in the cabinet. He turned and his gaze slid over Kelly as she sat there with Ming. “She’s to be in her room, unless I’m here or Mick is. Do you understand, Ming? Lock her up. I have to go down to the warehouse.”
* * *
The next afternoon, Kelly answered a knock on the bedroom door. She had expected Ming, but at the welcome sight of Alex, she wanted to weep. She would have thrown herself at him, but Mick stood behind him with the gun. Alex stepped into the room.
While Mick remained in the hall, Ming smiled and carried in a tray of food. “I told Ralph you’ve lived up to your end of the bargain and to let you honeymooners have some time alone. He’ll give you until eight. Now don’t make me sorry that I’ve asked for this favor. If Ralph thinks he can trust you, he might let you spend more time together.”
The door closed and the outside lock clicked into place. Although they had been apart for only a week, it had seemed an eternity. She threw herself into his arms.
He hugged her tightly and then held her away by her shoulders. “You look pale. Has anyone hurt you?” he demanded.
She shook her head. “No. Actually, Ming has been nice to me.”
“Good.” Once again, he held her close. “I must smell like a sewer. Let’s continue this in the shower.” Really, she didn’t care that he smelled of sweat. It was pure heaven just to cling to him.
He gazed into her eyes and brushed stray tendrils of hair away from her temple. “Everything will be all right, sweetheart. Before you know it, you’ll be back in the S
tates and this will all seem like a bad dream.” He smiled down at her and her heart sang with love for him.
He released her and went to the window. Tilting the slats of the shutters, he peered out. “Bloody hell. Mick’s below. I didn’t think they’d give us the chance to escape today. Come,” he said, pulling her into the bathroom. “Take a shower with me. Let’s put some color back into those cheeks.”
She managed a smile. “I’ve missed you.”
He shaved at the sink, amazed that a simple action returned a level of normalcy despite their daunting ordeal. They spoke little . . . being together was enough.
After stripping off their clothes, he reached for her. She sighed as he pulled her with him into the steamy shower. He washed his hair and scrubbed his body, then coaxed more smiles to her lips. She became lost in their foreplay.
With his fingers, Alex teased her until she writhed in ecstasy. “Alex, now, please . . . I can’t take any more.”
He led her out of the shower, and after wrapping a towel around him, he took another one and slowly dried her naked body. “I’ve dreamed of doing this.”
“I have, too,” she said breathlessly.
He swung her up in his arms and laid her on the bed. He kissed her lips and ran his hands all over her body. She threw her head back, completely lost to everything but what he did. He took his time nibbling down to her breasts. He trailed a blaze of kisses to her navel––and lower. She moaned with pleasure when he explored her intimately with his tongue and mouth, but whenever she came close to climaxing, he stopped and denied her release.
When he positioned himself on top of her, ready to thrust inside of her, she said, “No.”
“No?” His expression and ramrod hard erection told her he’d have trouble stopping at this point.
“Not yet. I want to please you just as much.”
“I can tell you I’m very well pleased at the moment.”
“No, lie down.” Letting her long hair glide teasingly across his bare, toned chest, she lowered her mouth to take little nibbles of his smooth skin, fresh from the shower. Kelly continued with her tongue, leaving a dampening trail downward. She lingered at his navel before she headed to her next destination. She returned his tantalizing foreplay and smiled to herself when he trembled and breathed just as heavily as she had.
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