She motioned to the Uber driver. “Can we please just get to the studio and then talk?” she asked.
Milo nodded, keeping his arm around her. They finally arrived at the dance studio where they’d trained since being in Vegas. They went to their private workspace, a beautiful room that was all windows, mirrors, and hardwood floors. Milo shut the door and said, “I’ve been pretty patient Kiera. You cost us both hundreds of thousands of dollars, not to mention the bad publicity, missing that show. I need some answers.”
Kiera acknowledged the truth of his statements with a nod. She swallowed and said, “I’m sorry I ran out on you. You have been a wonderful partner and friend, and you didn’t deserve that.”
Milo waited for more, but she didn’t know quite how to explain. Truthfully, she didn’t want to explain anything about Creed.
“So Creed’s alive?”
Kiera couldn’t hold his gaze. “Yes.”
“But you’re back here with me?”
Kiera drew in a deep breath and held it. When she thought her lungs would explode, she pushed out the words. “He doesn’t want me.”
There was silence for far too long. She forced herself to stand straight and meet Milo’s gaze. Milo’s eyes were soft and filled with more emotion than she wanted to deal with. “He’s an idiot,” he muttered.
Kiera took the words like a punch in the gut. Creed might be the biggest idiot on the planet to turn his back on what they’d had, but she didn’t want to hear about it from Milo.
“Well, it’s over, and now, I just want to get back to work,” she said.
Milo shook his head. “I know it hurts, Kiera, but you have to know I’ll always be here for you.”
Kiera was bone tired, but she had to address this issue now. “You’re the best dance partner anyone could ask for, but if I haven’t made it clear before now, I need to. I don’t feel anything more than friendship for you.”
Milo’s blue eyes darkened. “You’ve never given me a chance.”
Kiera splayed her hands. “It’s one of those things you just know Milo. There are no sparks between us, and our values are very different.”
“I have been more patient with you than any man would dream of being.”
Kiera thought that might be true. Two days ago, she would’ve argued that Creed would wait for her for an eternity, but apparently, that was false.
“We can still dance together,” Kiera said, but even as she said it, she knew everything was imploding. She was too broken to keep fighting to be on top, to keep performing, to keep working with Milo and yet keep him at arm’s length.
“I deserve better than your scraps,” Milo yelled at her. “Tell me that you’ll give us a chance or I am done!”
Kiera shook her head. “There will never be an us.”
“I’m through.” He pushed out a disgusted grunt then stormed past her to the door. Kiera whirled to watch him leave.
Milo turned, and his glower was so ugly it was hard to believe he was the same compassionate man of minutes before. “I will ruin you Kiera. You’ll never dance in America again.”
Kiera leaned away from the very solid threat he’d just thrown at her. Milo was a big star, but she was the one people raved about. Still, it would be all too easy for him to ruin her. Staying at the top of this game was a precarious dance, and it would be simple to topple off the peak at any time. She didn’t know if she could continue the balancing act any longer.
Milo waited for her response, but her fire, her drive, had been killed by Creed’s desertion. She’d survived these past three months, worked and thrived in her career, for Creed. No more. The weariness she’d been fighting since Creed had been pronounced dead overtook her. His death had about taken her under, but strangely, it was him coming back to life and not wanting her that threw the flowers on top of her coffin.
It was a struggle to stay on her feet. She couldn’t find it in her to care if Milo ruined her or ran her name through the mud.
When she didn’t respond, he simply sneered and stormed away. Kiera had no energy to get in the middle of some mud-slinging battle, and suddenly, the only thing she wanted was to get away from it all.
She leaned against the mirror, slipped her phone out of her purse, and dialed her agent’s number. “I need two things.”
“Name them.” Ilene sang the words. She was the most upbeat person Kiera knew.
“I want a statement issued right now that I’ve split ways with Milo and we will not be performing in any upcoming shows.”
Ilene gasped, but Kiera wasn’t done. “And I want you to set up a tour for me. I want to be anywhere but America. I’ll teach dance lessons at resorts in Cabo or do benefit shows for children in Africa. I’d prefer the last, but I honestly don’t care. Just please get me away from here.”
“What … what happened?” Ilene asked.
“Just do this for me, please.”
Silence came for a few beats. Then Ilene muttered, “If you’re certain.”
“I am.”
“Then it’s done.”
It was done. She’d given up her hard-earned career, but at the moment, she couldn’t find it in her to care. Creed had given up on her. Nothing could be more devastating than that.
Chapter Five
Two months later
Creed had settled into his room at the all-inclusive Cancun resort and was pretending he was like any other tourist who’d just arrived at the sprawling getaway. The massive buildings formed a wide u shape. The pools, restaurants, fitness center, and spa were nestled in the open middle of the buildings, with the beach and ocean visible beyond them. There were twelve sections of rooms with almost two hundred suites in each section. The place was like a gigantic cruise ship on land. Kiera had always wanted to go on a cruise. He rolled his eyes. Not thinking about Kiera.
He wandered through the buffet and tried a few things. He walked the length of the private beach and watched families playing volleyball, digging in the sand, snorkeling in the ocean, kayaking, or paddle-boarding. He checked out all eight of the massive pools, lost track of the number of hot tubs, and took a tour of the exclusive spa and well-equipped workout area. Of course, he also looked at the menus of each of the six restaurants.
To anyone watching, he appeared to be a tourist excited for vacation at the luxurious five-star resort, but he was far from it. Vacation and happiness held no appeal since he’d seen Kiera kissing Milo. He was on a job for Sutton Smith, and that meant being as vigilant as he’d ever been in the Navy. Sutton was a good man, but he didn’t tolerate mistakes, and this job may be the most important of Creed’s assignments thus far. Creed was stalking James Gunthry, former Duke of Gunthry, ex-husband of Sutton’s lovely new wife Liz, and all-around slime ball. Creed had followed a trail through the Caribbean that had led him to Cancun and this very resort. After the duke had escaped during a prison transfer with the help of two well-paid guards, he had altered his appearance, going from dark hair to blond. He had added contact lenses that made his eyes green and had done botox to appear younger. He’d even gotten a new nose, more regal than his last one. He’d also put on twenty pounds of muscle, changing from weaselly to having a little bit of a build. However, Creed could, and would, still kick his trash when the time came.
The duke’s only mistake since escaping prison three weeks ago was getting desperate enough to access a fund that had been in his and Liz’s names in Grand Cayman. Sutton had been alerted immediately, and they’d been able to retrieve the footage from the financial institution. Now, they knew exactly what the duke looked like. Creed, along with his former SEAL teammates Logan and Jace, had spent two weeks tracking Gunthry from island to island—Creed with feet on the ground and the others doing their hacking and probability analyses from Sutton’s home base. It was payoff time. The duke was here. He could feel it.
Creed went to his room and hurried to shower and dress in a short-sleeved white button-down shirt and tan linen pants. He left a few buttons undone on the shirt s
o he would look like he fit in with the laidback vacationers. His skin was always a dark brown, and with his deep brown eyes and short facial hair, he figured he looked relaxed enough to blend in.
The Mexican restaurant he tried out was delicious. The guacamole and fish tacos rivaled the best he’d tasted. He wanted to try the carne asade too, but it had been Kiera’s favorite. He wouldn’t think about her, wouldn’t allow himself to wonder if she still loved carne asade. Her love for him had changed, why not her taste in Mexican food?
He forced himself to eat slowly and casually, grateful the restaurant was open air so he could keep an eye out for the duke. He finished his meal and popped in the mint the waiter offered him. “Gracias.” He pulled out a hundred and slipped it into the waiter’s palm.
The waiter smiled at him and leaned closer. “What you need, señor?”
“How do you know I need something?” Creed elevated an eyebrow.
“Generous tips are included in your room fare and extra is discouraged. You’re wanting a woman?”
Creed shook his head. A woman. He hadn’t wanted a woman since Kiera. He wondered if she’d ever tried to contact him. How she’d reacted when she found out he was alive and she realized she’d thrown away their love on that Milo guy. He shook his head. That train had long since been derailed. He was focused on work now. He only felt guilty when he called home and heard the longing in his mom’s voice. He would see them all soon. He was going home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. He would fit in a few football games, some time with his brothers, and of course, he’d be there for Emmett and Cambree’s wedding in February after the Titans’ season was over.
For some reason, he hadn’t been able to bring himself to go home for the past two months, and Sutton had kept his promise of assignments that kept him away from America and any knowledge of social media and the danger of hearing Kiera Richins’ name. Surprisingly, even his SEAL teammates had honored that request, not updating him on Kiera’s status or rubbing in his heartbreak.
You would think he could forget, but there were too many memories of Kiera. She’d betrayed him, and the anger festered, simmering below the surface. He’d saved himself for her through pain and torture, and she’d shacked up with the first guy she had found after Creed had been pronounced dead. It hurt too much to even think about it. His mom had tried to bring up her name a few times, but he’d shut that conversation down quickly.
“A man?” the waiter asked.
Creed nodded, and the waiter looked him over. “I would not have guessed that.”
“Not like that.” Creed rolled his eyes. He pulled out the picture they had of the duke. “Have you seen this guy?”
The waiter studied the picture and crumpled the bill in his palm. “I’ve seen the idiota, yes.”
“He’s staying here?”
The waiter nodded.
Creed stood and clapped him on the shoulder. “Gracias.”
“Be careful, señor.” The waiter sort of shuddered. “Bad man. Bad connections.”
Creed exhaled through his nose. “Believe me, I know that.” He glanced steadily at the waiter. “What do you know?”
The waiter studied him. “I know little, but he has recruited help that is rotten.”
Sutton warned him Gunthry would never be without henchmen.
Creed waited, appraising the man, wondering if he knew more. The waiter didn’t flinch, and Creed finally released his gaze. “We never talked.”
The waiter nodded vigorously. “I happily remember that.” He bustled away.
Creed felt a chill wash over him. He knew the duke was one of the vilest men on earth. He’d abused his wife and daughter, treating them like slaves. He’d had an entire village annihilated to frame Sutton Smith and steal Liz from him when they were young. The duke had even been heavily involved in human trafficking. Creed could usually detach himself from missions, but he felt a personal connection here. Sutton and Liz had been good to him, treating him like family. Liz’s daughter Ally had married River Duncan, a man Creed had looked up to his entire life. A fellow Long Islander with lots of brothers, River had joined the SEALs a couple years before Creed had, and Creed had played football with River’s younger brother, Tennison. Creed had heard one too many awful stories about the duke, including how his men had beaten, drugged, and tried to drown River in the ocean in Kauai. Creed didn’t want to live in a world where James Gunthry ran free. And he didn’t want James Gunthry running free in a world where people he cared about lived.
He wandered along the softly-lit pathways through the multiple pool areas. He heard Latin music and immediately thought of Kiera. He cursed himself. Her memory assaulted him at the worst possible times. Though she had excelled at ballet, salsa had been one of her favorite styles of dance. Creed could easily recall the feel of her in his arms as she taught him how to dance. Then he had taught her how to kiss. His stomach heated up, and he forced the memory away, walking toward the north end of the property where the music filtered out of an open door.
This wasn’t one of the areas he had seen today. It was a large theater for visiting comedians, magicians, and local entertainment as well. The front desk staff had boasted that even the Blue Man Group had performed here. When he’d toured the facility earlier, they’d been getting the theater ready for tonight’s performance. Maybe the duke was inside enjoying the show. Might be one of the last things he enjoyed before returning to prison. Creed smiled as he eased in the back door. He just had to get a visual then Sutton would be en route. He couldn’t wait to see Sutton slam the duke to the ground before shipping him back to an English prison.
Creed scooted along the back wall, noting that the crowd was large and very involved in the show. He didn’t spot the duke on his first perusal and he focused on the stage and the performer. His smile disappeared, and his heart started racing. Creed’s body chilled and exploded with heat at the same time. He couldn’t move, and catching a breath was difficult. How was it possible?
Dancing on the stage, beaming for the packed theater was Kiera. She moved around the stage effortlessly, beautifully, the Latin music pulsing through the room, and Creed’s pulse slammed against his throat. He felt like he was going to either choke or pass out. He wanted to sprint up there, leap onto the stage, and pull Kiera into his arms. How could she be here? Why? When he’d last seen her in Vegas, she was at the top of the performing world. She was dancing on the biggest stages with the biggest stars. He’d even heard that she was hosting a dancing show on television. And here she danced, in a silky floral dress that was too low cut on the chest and too high cut on the thigh for his blood pressure. He cast an angry glance around the room and could see the crowd was mostly men, gawking and leering at his Kiera. Yet she wasn’t his Kiera, not anymore.
He searched for the blond guy she’d been with in Vegas and didn’t see him, but he did finally spot another blond man. The duke. Right in the front row, lapping up Kiera’s every move.
“I need a partner.” Kiera called out. Men rushed at the stage, and she laughed seductively. Creed was going to thump every one of them. He started forward but froze as Kiera pointed right at the duke. No!
The duke strutted onto the stage. Creed supposed women would think Gunthry was fit and handsome if they didn’t know what a snake he was. The duke wrapped his arms around Kiera’s bare back, and they started dancing. Creed was going to vomit, right after he ripped the Duke’s arms off. He wound his way through the crowd, hardly able to stand watching Gunthry touching Kiera. She was all smiles, and Gunthry was all sultry looks. The man deserved to die, and Creed was going to happily fulfill the job. Then he’d kiss that smile right off Kiera’s beautiful face. He’d probably get arrested and thrown in a Mexican prison, but Sutton would come and get him out, thank him for killing Gunthry, and give him a new assignment so he could somehow forget Kiera. He prayed for strength for the upcoming encounter. He’d kill Gunthry bare handed so he didn’t risk hurting Kiera or anyone else. He doubted his prayers were doing
any good. He was pretty sure the good Lord must hate him to play such a cruel trick on him—Kiera in Gunthry’s arms.
He felt his phone buzz in his pocket when he was still twenty feet from the stage. Yanking it out, he glanced at the screen. Sutton. He glanced up at Kiera and Gunthry. Sutton might not approve of him tearing the duke apart when he was only supposed to find him and then back off and wait for Sutton and the guys from MI6.
Rage filled him. Luckily, the music was loud enough to cover the growl that escaped. The couple closest to him looked at him strangely. Creed held up his phone as an excuse and stalked back the way he’d come. He would take the call outside, and maybe he’d cool off enough to listen to Sutton’s advice on how to proceed. Maybe.
“Yes?” he muttered into the phone.
“Everything all right?” Sutton asked.
“I found Gunthry.”
“Good.” Sutton paused. “Why do you sound like somebody scalped your cat?”
“He’s dancing with Kiera right now.” Creed snarled, grasping the phone so tightly he wondered that it didn’t crumple in his grasp.
“Kiera Richins?” Sutton’s voice was surprised. Sutton was never surprised. He had more intel and knew more than anyone on planet earth, or so it seemed.
“Yes.” Anger rolled through him but so did a longing for all that had been good in his life. Before he and his team had been captured. Before he’d lost Kiera. Three months of torture and imprisonment seemed to pale in comparison to this.
“I thought she was in Africa.”
Creed didn’t have time to demand why Kiera was in Africa. “Well, she’s dancing with Gunthry right now.”
“And you didn’t cut in?” Sutton asked drily.
“You called, or I would’ve killed him.” He admitted.
“I’ve been there,” Sutton muttered.
Creed felt closer to Sutton at the moment than his own father. “Sir, what do you want me to do?”
The Stealth Warrior: Navy SEAL Romance 2.0 Page 4