by Amy Summers
A rustling sound from behind made her whirl. The back door was open and a young woman was entering the cafe. Madison's throat went dry, and she began to edge her way toward the stairs. She had no idea who this was.
"Hello," the young woman said, eyeing her without a great deal of warmth. She was very pretty, with flaming red hair and a shapely body, emphasized by the short, tight, gold dress. "Who are you?"
"I, uh, listen, I don't know who you are. Can I do something for you?"
The young woman stared at her for a moment, then shrugged and pouted. "I'm Mia," she said rather resentfully. "Where's David?"
She should have known. One of David's many fans, no doubt. At least she knew David—she'd been afraid Armand might be trying a new tactic. She relaxed. "David's not here right now. May I take a message for him?"
The woman gazed at her with a fair share of hostility. "Who are you? A new waitress or something?"
Yes, this had to be a fan, and she was obviously jealous of anyone who might be threatening her place. "I'm a friend of David's," Madison answered, hiding her smile.
"A friend, huh?" She admired the catlike fingernails of one hand as though appraising the color. "Well, I can believe that. For a minute I thought maybe you and he were—" she shrugged "—you know... but now that I look at you, I can see that couldn't be." She made a face, just this side of mocking. "David likes women with more fire. You know what I mean? I'm sure you're a little too 'white bread' for him."
Madison was momentarily speechless. Mia seemed to think this was some game of one-upmanship for David's affections, and that she was obviously winning. Finally Madison found her voice and asked, making the same mocking face back at the woman, "Are you and David...you know...?"
"Sure." She popped her gum and grinned. "We're an item. I know what he likes."
Well, that really twisted the knife. But she would die before she would let Mia see that it stung. "So you said."
Mia frowned. Evidently she didn't much like Madison's tone. "Tell me," she asked quickly. "Do you have any tattoos?"
"Tattoos?" Madison blinked, surprised by the question. "No, uh, no, I don't. Why do you ask?"
"I have two tattoos." She nodded, pleased that she'd beaten Madison again. "Little tigers. One here.. .and one here.'' She pointed toward two very private locations on her body.
Madison winced and shuddered. "Well, how interesting. It must have been very painful," she added, hoping so with all her heart.
Mia gave her a scornful look. "It was worth it. David likes tattoos. They turn him on." She started for the door. "Tell David to give me a call, huh? Tell him I was lonely last night." And with a toss of her thick red hair, she was gone again.
Madison was still staring after her. She'd never seen such an amazing display of female competitiveness in her life. Was this what she would have to do if she decided to fight for David's affections? Well, heck. She'd always been a fighter. She was ready to try anything.
Rummaging in the little suitcase, she found a bright lipstick and a pair of huge hoop earrings, both of which she put on. Then she searched through drawers for a good felt-tip marker and went to work on her arm. She'd always been good at drawing and in no time she had a kitten on the inside of her left arm. She was just finishing up a flower around her belly button when David came in the same door Mia had departed through.
She rose, fluffing her hair and making kissy motions with her brightly painted lips. "Hello, big boy," she cooed, making her hoop earrings swing. "I've missed you, you gorgeous hunk of male flesh." She swung her hip out and blew him a kiss.
David put down the sack and stared at her, looking like a man on the verge of heading for the nearest exit.
"What is this?" he asked suspiciously, looking around as though he expected something to jump out at him from the shadows. "What's the gag?"
"Gag?" She laughed artificially, a little too loud. "No gag here, honey. Just a wild, wild woman.'' She sashayed up and pinched his cheek. "You had a visitor while you were gone. A woman named Mia. She told me all about what turns you on."
He groaned, then grinned, shaking his head as he looked down at her. "She did, did she?" he commented. "And this was her game plan?"
She frowned. "In a manner of speaking. She says it's always worked for her. But she said I needed a lot of work to really get into it. Unfortunately I'm too 'white bread,' you see. Maybe I can dye my hair red. What do you think?"
"I think you're crazy." His hands snaked around her waist and he laughed softly, looking down at her. "But I like it."
"I knew the tattoos would work," she said smugly, grinning back at him.
His grin died. "Tattoos?" he echoed.
She lifted her arm and flexed so the kitten would move. "See? Are you in love yet?"
"Madison..." Making a face, he covered the little picture with his hand.
"Wait, wait, you've got to see this one.”
But he grabbed her before she had a chance to reveal her newly decorated belly button. "Madison, I don't need tattoos to turn me on, and you know it. And I like you just the way you are—clean and slick and blond, smelling like a fresh day on the ocean, looking like springtime."
She gazed up at him, suddenly serious, her blue eyes full of ghosts. "Then why is it you'll make love with Mia and you won't make love with me?" she asked softly.
He stared down at her for a long moment before he answered. "Madison, I've never touched Mia."
"Then she was lying to me?"
"Well, it's either her or me. What do you think?"
But she didn't have to think anymore. His mouth covered hers and she only had to feel as his warmth poured into her.
It was over much too soon, and he was drawing away, going back to unpack the groceries, chatting about nothing much. But she was glowing. Casual affection from David was worth the wait.
David talked on and on, but his mind wasn't on what he was saying. He was just marking time. He knew he was playing Russian roulette here. He had to quit it. But he couldn't resist. She was so tempting. He couldn't keep his hands off her when she was near, even though she scared him like nothing else in his life ever had. It would be best to get her home and out of his sight.
Evening came and went, and she and the children were ensconced upstairs. Rosa and David were greeting guests downstairs before Madison realized she had been ignoring the most important aspect of what had happened that afternoon. Jealousy had blinded her to the real problem, and that was the fact that Mia had seen her. She might just be feeling a little jealous herself. And if someone were to show her a picture and ask, Mia would probably send them right over. Madison drew her breath in sharply when she thought of it. If she'd been smart, she would have stayed upstairs where she belonged.
But she couldn't stay up here forever. She was going stir-crazy as it was. And so were the kids. Puerto Vallarta was a small town. Sooner or later Armand would figure out where they were, whether anyone told him or not. And when he did...
The nightmare scenario flashed through her mind again, the one where Armand came crashing in the front door of the cafe and David lunged forward to protect her, the one where guns blazed and David ended up in a pool of blood on the floor. She closed her eyes to blot that picture away, but it wouldn't go. She was a sitting duck, and David was doomed if she stayed here like this.
No, she couldn't stand it anymore. She couldn't just stay here, waiting to be found by Armand. She had to take the bull by the horns. It was the only way. She glanced across the room at her sleeping children and rose quietly, slipping down the stairs and waiting in the shadows until Rosa came bustling past. Then she gestured to the older woman and set her shoulders. It was time to stop playing the mouse in this cat and mouse game.
It wasn't until sometime later that David began to notice Rosa disappearing for moments at a time at odd intervals. Finally, when he had a moment free, he followed tier and found her climbing the stairs.
"Hey," he called up softly. Rosa jumped, put a hand to he
r heart and came marching back down.
"Don't scare me like that," she scolded. "I could have done cartwheels right back down and knocked you flat. You never know."
"What were you going up there for?"
She hesitated and looked sheepish. "To check on those kids. You know how darling they look when they're sleeping. I don't know, I just had a lull and instead of taking a break out back I decided to..."
Suddenly it was all very clear to David. He gripped her arm, a white line around his mouth. "Where did she go?" he demanded.
She tried to look innocent, but on her it didn't wash. "David, who said—"
"Don't play with me, Rosa. She went somewhere and got you to check on her kids, right?"
Rosa sighed, her shoulder drooping. "She said she'd be back as soon as..."
A pulse was beating in his temple. "Where did she go?"
"I don't know where, David, I swear to you. She said she had to go out and take care of something and she didn't want you to know because you would worry."
He swore viciously, turning away from her, smashing the flat of his hand against the wall. "Damn her, damn her." He turned back quickly. "I'll have to close up. You stay with the kids. Don't leave them for a minute. You understand?''
Rosa looked frightened. "David, what is it? What's going on?"
"Nothing." He tried to calm himself down, at least for outward appearances. There was no point in getting Rosa as upset as he was. "Nothing, really. Just do as I ask. Please."
She nodded, looking worried, and he went back out into the cafe. There were still four tables with patrons, but everyone was just about finished eating. He hustled them out the door as quickly as he could, ignoring their startled objections, packing up any remaining food in boxes and handing it out, muttering something about an emergency in the family. And then be pulled off the apron and reached for his car keys.
The hook was empty, of course. She'd taken the car. But that wasn't so bad. It would help him pinpoint her location. Not waiting another moment, he was out the door and down the street, jogging at a steady clip, heading for the marina.
He knew where the yacht was. In fact you couldn't miss her. She was one of the largest yachts he'd ever seen, a cruiser, over a hundred feet long. He could only guess at how many people she could accommodate. He'd been at the marina twice in the past two days to check it out. He'd hoped to catch a glimpse of Armand, but he didn't think that he'd done that. There was always someone hanging around the yacht, looking like a thinly disguised guard. But the men he'd seen looked like hoods, and despite everything he thought about Armand, he doubted if he looked quite that much of a lowlife.
It didn't take long to get to the marina. The night was dark, but the lights of the boats were reflected on the inky water like a symphony of fireflies. David spotted his car along the side of the road. Madison was here all right.
He went by to check it out, hoping against hope that she would be sitting there, thinking things over, but the car was empty. As he turned toward the Lucky Princess, dread stuck like a lump in his throat.
Lights were on in some of the cabins. He hesitated in the shadows, trying to see some sign of Madison, but he didn't see anything, not even a guard. She had to be in there somewhere. Grimacing, he started for the plank set down for access. He was going aboard.
The alarm went off the minute his foot touched the plank, and his first impulse was to turn and run. But he couldn't do that. Madison was in trouble. She needed him. So he kept going, fully expecting the guard who came catapulting onto the deck from the left, expecting to feel cold steel on his neck when the guard slammed him back against it.
"You're trespassing, friend," the grating voice of the guard told him as he held him fast, the gun pressed just under his ear. "I think you took a wrong turn."
"You're a real friendly bunch, aren't you?" David replied, reaching up to push the barrel of the gun away. "Do you welcome all your visitors this way?"
The man backed off just a little, enough to let David straighten up against the wall, but he didn't put away the gun. "What do you want?" he asked coldly, his close-set eyes red in the lantern light. "Who are you?"
"I want to see Armand Alexiakis," David said. There didn't seem much else he could possibly ask for. "My business is with him."
"It's a little late for business, friend. Mr. Alexiakis has already retired for the night."
"Has he?" David's gaze slid away from the hood's eyes and ran across the deck and then focused on the porthole. Madison had to be here. Where the hell was she? Did Armand have her locked up somewhere? Or was she loose, slithering through the shadows? If only he knew for sure, he would have a better idea of what would work here.
"Why don't you tell him I want to see him? See if he's still awake." And see if he's got Madison with him. That's all he wanted to know.
"Why should I?" the hood sneered. "You still haven't told me who you are.''
David glanced down the deck again. For just a moment he thought he saw something move. But the harder he stared, the more it looked like simple shadows. He looked away, not wanting to draw attention.
"My name is Jesse Larimer," he said quickly. "I heard your boss was looking for information."
That should bring out something. Either they had Madison and didn't need an informant any longer, or they didn't and would still want anything that hinted at where she was.
The man's eyes narrowed and he waved the gun. "You got information? Spill it. I'll let you know if we're interested."
Well, that didn't tell him much. He'd have to play coy for a bit longer. "No way." David held out his hand. "Mind if I go into my pocket?"
"What for?" the hood said suspiciously.
"I've got a card to show you."
The red eyes smoldered. "Okay. Take it slow."
David reached in and pulled out the card Armand's man had left at the cafe the day before.
"See here? Some guy came into my place yesterday and gave me this. Said if I heard anything about a certain party, to get in touch with Mr. Alexiakis." He shrugged. "So here I am."
The hood squinted at the card and seemed to take it at face value. "So tell me already. I'll pass it on to Mr. A."
David shook his head. "I've got nothing to say to anyone else but the boss," he told the man.
The gun was back at his neck, and none too gently. "Then you've got nothing to say, period. You're out of here, mister."
David tried to turn. He couldn't leave, not yet. There was another movement down at the end of the deck and he was careful not to look at it. He definitely didn't want this creep noticing.
The barrel of the gun jabbed into his neck. "Come on. Scram."
And suddenly a new voice cut into the night.
"Cavon, what's going on out here?"
The hood froze, obviously afraid of the man coming out on deck. The stranger was tall, his dark hair silver at the temples, his eyes a brilliant green.
"What have we here?" he asked as he took a look at David, his voice as sharp and precise as a surgical tool. "A visitor this late? What do you want?"
"He says he's got info for you, Mr. A. but I don't think..."
"No, you don't think very well at all, do you Cavon? Why don't you let me do the thinking? I'm so much better at it."
The hood went into a sulky silence, and David took a closer look at the man who had made Madison so unhappy.
Under any other circumstances, he would have enjoyed making him pay for things he'd done to her. But right now he knew that was impossible.
Suddenly he saw the movement again. A shadowy figure moved from behind a spiral staircase and slipped in behind the lifeboat. He knew it was Madison, and he forced himself not to focus on where she was. She was dressed in black tights and a black sweater with a seaman's cap pulled down over her hair and most of her face. If either Armand or the Cavon creep turned his head, he would see her. David knew he had to work very hard to keep than interested in what he was doing so they wouldn't turn at a
ll.
"I hear you're looking for a woman," he said quickly.
Armand gazed at him steadily, showing no emotion. "Who told you that?"
He produced the card once again. Armand took it from him and smiled a particularly oily smile.
"Well, you've heard wrong, my friend. I don't want the woman any longer.'' He flicked the card into the black water, and be turned back, his eyes glittering. "Now, all I want is the two children she has with her."
David knew what hearing that must do to Madison's state of mind. Stay calm, Madison, he urged silently. Just keep your head and get out of here. Think about this later, once you're safe.
"I've heard there's someone down south who knows something," he told Armand. "With the right incentive, I might be able to find out more."
He looked at Cavon in order to get Madison in his peripheral vision again. She hadn't moved. Run, get out of here, move. Why wasn't she moving? He was urging her on with every fiber of his being. There was no telling how much longer he could keep these two men interested in what he had to say.
"How long will it take you to get the information?" Armand was asking.
David shrugged. "Twenty-four hours."
Armand shook his head. "Too long." His eyes shimmered with reflected light. "I tell you what. Why don't we go now, you and I, and get the information together?"
David shook his head slowly. "That won't work. My informant is unavailable, and he'll disappear altogether if you get involved." He shrugged, trying to remain calm. "I'll get back to you as soon as I can tomorrow, but that's the best I can do."
Cavon waved the gun again. "You want me to—?"
Armand gestured with his hand. "Put that away you Neanderthal. This gentleman and I are conducting business. Don't insult our friend." But when he turned back to David, his voice was cold as steel and rough with threat. "Listen, I want those kids. If you can pinpoint their location, I'll be extremely generous."
David licked his lips. This guy would as soon stab him in the back as smile at him. He was glad he wasn't really going to have to try to do business with him. There was no way to win with a snake like this. "How generous?" he asked.