Wrong Kind of Paradise

by Suzie Grant

into his carriage.

  “Lead the way then,” said the lieutenant as he climbed in behind Harry.

  Charles knew he couldn’t trust Blac. It was the very reason he’d sent the assassins and had them

  followed. Now a member of Angel’s own crew had betrayed her. Poetic justice, perhaps?

  Charles grinned. It was surprising how easily this scheme to kill Logan and his daughter was

  coming together. Indeed, he couldn’t have planned this any better himself.

  He hadn’t expected this new turn of events, but he was pleased beyond measure. So Blac planned to

  hand over his commanding officer in return for Logan. And Charles was supposed to just watch them walk

  away scot-free.

  Well, Blac you’re sadly mistaken.

  Charles chuckled out loud and the boy’s gaze shot to him in the darkened carriage. “Don’t you love

  it when a plan just comes together with so little effort?”

  The boy’s smile diminished and he shifted nervously in his seat. “Are you going to hurt Miss

  Angel?”

  Charles couldn’t help but rub his hands together with glee. “Oh, don’t get a weak stomach now,

  dear boy. You should’ve realized once you set this action into motion what would happen. Surely you

  aren’t having second thoughts now?”

  The boy swallowed. “I—I don’t know.”

  Charles laughed. “It’s amazing what greed will make even the good-hearted do.” With a single twist

  of his wrist, the hidden sword slid free from his cane and jabbed under the boy’s chin. “I will not tolerate

  weakness of any kind. You came to me. Do not grow lily-livered now.”

  The boy raised his hands in surrender and scooted as far away from the weapon as he could. “N—

  nay! I do not renege on my word, I swear.” His voice cracked in his horror. “I simply asked a question.

  Besides, the bitch never did pay me before she was captured.”

  A rigid silence settled within the dark confines of the carriage. The lieutenant eased back against

  the plush velvet seat and smiled. “I am not really interested in the girl. She’s just a weapon used to inflict

  pain. It is Logan I want. De’Haviland will pay for what he’s done to me.”

  “Logan De’Haviland?” The boy’s eyes widened.

  “Aye, surely you knew you worked for his daughter. Even you cannot be that dim-witted.”

  The boy’s mouth clapped closed. “I had not realized — I did not put the two together. He is The

  Black Logan you speak of?”

  “Do not talk of him as if he is a god. You cut him and he bleeds, a fact of which I look forward to

  proving on the morrow. You should stick around. After all, I could use a new informant. After I bring the

  tale of Logan’s demise, I shall be the talk of all of London. I am certain to have acquired a few new

  enemies.”

  Charles chuckled and it turned into an almost high pitched giggle. “I cannot wait to tell my father the

  good news.” Perhaps now, Father will give me the respect I deserve.

  After all, the viscount wouldn’t have ever been able to pull this off without him.

  Eighteen

  Morning of June 7, 1692

  Dawn broke over the horizon in a brilliant display of reds, oranges and yellows. Sunlight poured

  into the opened veranda doors and spilled across the hard-wood floors, pooling just beyond the bed.

  Angel cracked first one eye open and then the second.

  Squinting, she reached for Blac’s warmth but didn’t feel him. Movement from the porch drew her

  attention. The slightest breeze tickled her cheek as she eased from the bed and placed her feet on the cold

  floor. A shiver shimmied up her back. She tied the sheet firmly around her chest and headed for the porch.

  He stood next to the banister peering down the cliff to the town below. His dark hair was loose

  around his shoulders, tousled in the breeze. He wore breeches and barefooted and bare—chested, he

  rested his hands on the rail. Angel had to admit he was the most stunning man she’d ever seen.

  He glanced over one shoulder at her and gave a devastating smile. Her heart fluttered and she

  crossed to him. He opened his arms and drew her close, kissing the top of her head. “Did you sleep

  well?”

  She smiled. “Yes, and you?”

  He nodded. The dark stubble on his chin scraped gently across her forehead. He leaned back and

  held her at arm’s length. “Are you ready?”

  She nodded.

  “I don’t know what the outcome of this is going to be, Angel. I hope a good one, but I’m a realist.

  Nothing ever goes the way we plan...do you understand that?”

  “Yes,” she whispered. “I know what you’re trying to do—”

  She attempted to turn from him but his hand on her arm brought her back. “Good. Then listen to me.

  We go by the plan—my plan. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. We do this my way.”

  She threw her hands up in defeat. “We’ve already had this conversation, Blac. What do you want

  me to say?”

  Both of his hands captured her cheeks. “Then realize this...I’m in love with you, Angel. I’ve loved

  you since the day I met you aboard my ship when I found your little arse stowed away and you raised

  those defiant, blue eyes up to me. I’m not going to lose you now. Not because of your stubborn defiance or

  any mistakes.”

  Her heart softened and she raised a palm to his jaw. “I’ve loved you all my life. This is too

  important to me to blunder it now.”

  He seized her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles softly. His intense gaze searched

  her face as though he intended to memorize every detail. “Then understand this — nothing is more

  important to me than your safety. If it comes down to you or your father...”He paused. “Do you understand

  what I’m saying? I want a life with you...life without you would be unbearable”

  Angel placed her finger to his lips and shushed him. “Don’t say anymore. I understand. But...” she

  whispered. “Please understand he’s my father. I’ve loved him all my life as well. Don’t ask me to choose.

  Please.”

  Fear crept inside her chest. She could lose him. Today might be the last time she ever felt his

  embrace. She could also lose her father. Tears burned her eyes and blurred her vision. Blac gathered her

  into his arms and squeezed her close. She buried her face in his neck and smelled the salty scent of the

  ocean on his skin. She didn’t want to lose this now but — how could she choose?

  Her heart seemed to crack down the center, and she knew a piece of it would always belong to the

  man who’d raised her. The man who’d tucked her in every night with a kiss and a smile. The man who’d

  over-indulged her and tolerated her tantrums with a chuckle and a whispered, “I love you.”

  What kind of choice is this? How could she ever turn her back on the only opportunity she’d ever

  have to make sure her father escaped an English prison? She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t throw away an

  opportunity just to save her own life. Her own happiness. And she knew this. She just didn’t have the

  strength to tell Blac the truth.

  He took a deep breath and she laid her head against his chest, listening to the air fill his lungs.

  Don’t make me choose, Blac. I’m not sure I can.

  His arms tightened around her and he swooped down to capture her lips in a ravenous kiss. A tiny

  thrill shot down her spine and caused her to quiver.

  A knock sounded and Blac strode to the
door. Angel scurried behind the screen to get dressed. She

  heard the soft tones of the voices, but the words didn’t quite reach her.

  Once dressed, she strapped on her weapons cutlass and dagger, shoving the dual flintlock pistols in

  her waistband. She stepped out from the screen. Blac, Bruno, Rigo, and several of the ship’s crew

  huddled in the middle of the room.

  “Rigo, stick with Bruno,” Blac said as she came to his side. “Go get Logan and meet me just south

  of the docks. Everything must go as planned. No hesitations. If things go awry, leave and we’ll meet back

  up on the ship.”

  “Has anyone seen Harry this morning?” Rigo questioned.

  Everyone shook their head. “When was the last time you saw him?” Blac asked.

  “Last evening before we departed the ship. I haven’t seen him since and neither has any of the

  crew.”

  “Well, keep an eye out but we don’t have time to wait on the boy. If he’s not back by the time we set

  sail...” Blac shrugged to get his point across.

  Rigo nodded and the small group made their way out the door. Everyone filed out, leaving only

  Angel and Blac. She moved to follow but Blac seized her upper arm. He swung her around in another kiss

  and heat exploded through her body. Her arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him close. His hands

  captured her head as if to hold her still but she wasn’t going anywhere. His lips sucked and nipped at the

  corner of her mouth. He tilted his head first one way and then the other, with renewed fever. She loved the

  feel of him. Every second with him was more special than the last.

  “I love you,” he whispered.

  “I know,” she sighed between kisses.

  One last fierce embrace and he turned her about with a pat on her bottom. Whatever happened, she

  couldn’t lose Blac. She wasn’t sure she could choose, but she knew for certain she refused to lose him

  now. Somehow, someway, she would get her father free and live to enjoy Blac’s embrace for the rest of

  their lives. She only hoped the rest of their lives included more than just today.

  ~*~

  Sneaking into anywhere in broad daylight was rash, if not impossible.

  Even Mother-Nature worked against them, providing plenty of sunshine and clear skies. Not a grey

  cloud in sight. Rigo Santiago tugged the wide brim of his hat down over his eyes. He scanned the entrance

  to the lieutenant’s home. The eight-foot wrought-iron gate and brick wall impeded any real view of the

  house. What he could see didn’t look promising. People milled around everywhere, a few guards, several

  gardeners, and a maid on the front porch sweeping off the dust. The stables sat directly to the left of the

  house where several grooms loitered about.

  Rigo made a quick motion with his hand and continued down the cobbled street. The click of his

  boots sounded loud in the serenity of the quiet drive. He crossed the street, walked parallel to the brick

  wall before melding into the brush and trees next to the house.

  Seconds later, Bruno appeared behind him. For a man of his extreme size, he could be as silent as a

  rat.

  They made their way to the rear of the yard where there was less activity and scurried over the

  brick wall. Dropping to the ground, Rigo scanned the area and dashed to the storage building several feet

  away.

  They hunkered down and made several hand signals. Bruno motioned toward the back door. Rigo

  shook his head. “Too obvious.”

  He inspected the rear of the manor and pointed to the opened window on the far right corner of the

  house. Slinking from tree to tree, Rigo dove behind the enormous fountain in the courtyard, hunching down

  as low as he could go. This was madness. They would never be able to make it inside the house without

  being caught.

  When Bruno thudded down beside him, the giant’s hat was littered with leaves and debris. The

  black man smashed his fist into his palm and pointed to the door. Rigo shook his head. “No, we can’t just

  go in there and smack some heads together. Number one, we’re outnumbered, and number two, we’ll ruin

  Blac’s well-laid plans. Remember, he’s supposed to be drawing the attention off of us, lack-brain.”

  Rigo crossed to the corner of the house in about four strides and hovered there, peering around the

  corner to make sure it was clear. Nothing stirred on the side of the house and he waved a hand to Bruno.

  Bruno smacked against the brick wall. “What happened to your grace?”

  The big black man shrugged.

  “You’re just upset you don’t get the chance to go in there a smack someone around, so you’re

  deliberately trying to sabotage this mission.”

  White teeth flashed against the dark face in a boyish grin.

  Rigo rolled his eyes and knelt low. He peered over the edge of the window to look inside the

  house. It was the empty study. He pulled himself inside and stepped carefully to the left. Bruno entered

  next, but his large head bumped into the window frame.

  Rigo ducked and put a finger to his lips.

  Bruno frowned, rubbing the spot.

  Seconds ticked by and no alarms sounded, so he moved to the door and cracked it open. Listening,

  he heard muted voices but nothing close enough to indicate anyone was in this vicinity of the house. So he

  opened the door just a little more and plastered one eye to the gap, searching for movement. Nothing.

  Freeing his dagger, he took a deep breath and stuck his head out the door. The long hallway led to

  the front of the house and he glimpsed the stairs and the front door.

  Deciding to go in the opposite direction, he eased out and moved two doors down. He cracked it

  open and peered in. A closet of some kind.

  If Logan was being held here, he would likely be in the cellar or the lowest part of the house. Their

  only problem was finding it without getting caught first.

  A clang from the end of the hall caused them both to jump and clamber inside the tiny closet. Two

  overlarge men — and one who reeked — in a tiny broom closet did not mix well.

  Rigo held his breath for more than just silence. “You need a bath,” he whispered in the dark.

  The only answer he received was a slap to the head. “Ouch!”

  Bruno chuckled, his barrel- chest shaking against Rigo, who pressed tighter against the door, hoping

  to gain more room. But the door popped open and he tumbled face first to the floor.

  He leapt to his feet and searched for another hiding spot. Without even checking to see if the room

  across the hall was clear, he burst through the door, just as a maid rounded the corner at the end of the

  hall.

  He leaned back against the door to sigh in relief and whipped around. No one was here. Whew! He

  sagged against the door until he heard a noise outside.

  Panic seized him. Another room full of books. The library, he guessed. How many rooms with

  books does one person need?

  There was only one place to hide, and that was under the overlarge desk in the center of the room.

  He lunged for it, dragging the armed chair out and crawling under just as the door swung open.

  Christ! This was suicide.

  He eased the chair back under the desk carefully without making a noise and waited.

  The maid appeared. He craned his neck to gaze around the chair to see what she was doing. She

  fixed a drink from the tray and then moved to open the curtains in the room. Excellent. More light. Why
r />   couldn’t it rain?

  She turned and headed back the way she’d come. He listened for the door to close but it never

  came. He waited. Then he attempted to peer under the backside of the desk to see if the woman was still

  there. He couldn’t bend his frame low enough. He simply wasn’t that flexible.

  God’s blood! If he made it out of this alive, he was going to kill Blac.

  Seconds passed, and he finally pushed the chair back. No sounds were heard. No female shrieks

  sounded. Then he eased forward and poked his head out from under the desk.

  A dagger settled against his throat and he jumped backward, bashing his head on the top of the desk.

  A pair of glittering, emerald eyes lowered and accompanied the face of an angel. “Did you lose

  something, or were you just cleaning out from under the desk?”

  Rigo scooted forward with a grin. “Uh...well, I must admit I am lost, cara mia, and I—I dropped

  something.”

  The beauty stepped back and allowed him to get to his feet. Piles of cinnamon colored hair were

  swept up in a fancy chignon and the pale canary dress she wore exposed her creamy shoulders and long

  neck. Rigo tilted his head and surveyed the woman before him like an animal scrutinizing his meal.

  Indeed, this could turn out to be interesting.

  He took a step forward and she backed away. The knife in her hand shook slightly. Anyone less

  astute would have missed the tremor. But not Rigo.

  “Keep your distance, sir, or I will be forced to use this.”

  He grinned, an almost feral smile. “The question remains, do you know how to use it?”

  The redhead lifted her chin. “Come and find out.”

  A challenge. Interesting. He backed her further into the room and she stood directly before the

  doorway. Although, she’d yet to sound an alarm. “I do so apologize for the fright I gave you, miss. Please

  accept my apology and let us begin again.”

  She shook her head and her tight curls bounced against her neckline. A lovely neck to be sure.

  When Bruno’s gigantic arms wrapped around her from behind and his palm covered her mouth, she

  screamed. But it was too late, Bruno already had her mouth covered muting the shout.

  “Interesting little twist we have here. This mission, suddenly became much easier, as well as, much