by Jen Talty
The theme song from Batman raced through her mind.
Taking her phone, she made her way down the long corridor to the kitchen, where the smell of rich coffee mingled with bacon and cinnamon, causing her stomach to growl.
Stay away from starch, especially in the morning, because it will set the tone of the day.
Her mother’s words rattled in her brain. Leandra knew her mother meant well, now. But when she’d been a freshman in high school and weighed in at one hundred and seventy pounds, the words sent her into full-out body shame, something that took the love of a good man to get rid of.
She rubbed her wedding ring finger. Taking her diamond off had been almost as hard as watching the Marine Corps Chaplain and her late husband’s commanding officer walk up the short path from the street to her front door. She’d held the knob for what seemed like an eternity before she’d been able to pull it open, collapsing to the floor, sobbing.
“Good morning.” Ramos leaned against the sliding glass door that overlooked the pool and faced the lake.
Alicia nodded from behind her computer screen. Leandra couldn’t figure her out or what exactly she did for Ramos, but the woman seemed to always be around.
“Morning.” Leandra smiled in her direction, but Alicia barely smiled back.
Leandra turned her attention to the stunning view of the lake. Five boats were rocked in the water not far from the house. Leandra wondered which ones were part of the team Nick had assembled. The resources that man had were astounding.
“Sleep well?” Ramos asked.
“I did, thank you.”
“Did you hear from your man?”
Game on. “He wants to meet at eleven in the morning. Here.” Ramos stood behind her, hands on her shoulders, rubbing. The sensation made her body stiff and cold. His touch felt like a snake coiling around her stomach ready to squeeze the life out of her.
Alicia continued to stare at her computer screen, her fingers tapping away.
“I don’t know about here.” Ramos sat down and waved the cook over, who set a plate of French toast, bacon, eggs, hash browns, and a cup of coffee in front of her.
“You control the situation here over meeting somewhere else.” She sipped her coffee, inhaling the bitter scent as the aroma of cinnamon tickled her nose. She’d always had a healthy appetite and she’d been active, playing field hockey and other physical sports. The idea that a woman should be a twig had been a foreign concept to her, but society dictated the perfect body for women, and she didn’t fit the mold.
“Thank you,” she said politely to the cook, before setting down her mug and cutting into the thick, sourdough bread. Nothing like a hearty breakfast.
Fitting the mold was for those who wanted to blend in, not stand out.
“What’s this man’s name?”
“Nick,” she said, knowing he was on the lake, looking in at her, watching her, protecting her.
An odd thought, because she never thought she needed protecting.
Ramos leaned back in his chair, fingers scratching the small patch of hair on his chin. “And what are you getting out of this, because the finder’s fee I’m paying you doesn’t seem worth it.”
“Nick and I are partners,” she said, doing her best to be casual. Nick remembered everything, something she’d learned in her first hour with him last night. Her memory? It was good, but they hadn’t spent much time developing this plan, which meant the margin for error was greater than she’d normally have.
“Are you fucking this man?” Ramos traced his finger up her thigh toward the hem of her skirt.
“He’s my husband, so yeah, we fuck.” She brushed Ramos’s hand from her thigh. “And he wouldn’t take to kindly to you hitting on his wife.” She swallowed as the word ‘wife’ left her lips. That hadn’t been part of her and Nick’s carefully laid out plan, but she hoped Ramos, who valued loyalty more than anything, would now keep his greasy paws off her.
Alicia peered over the computer screen. “Sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted you to know it’s done.”
“Good.” Ramos continued to dance his fingers across Leandra’s skin. “I think you have a meeting, don’t you?”
Alicia closed her laptop and stood. “I’ll let you know the outcome.”
Ramos nodded. He watched Alicia’s hips sway as she slinked out of the kitchen.
Leandra swallowed the bile burning her throat.
“Alicia is sexy as hell, but a cold fish,” Ramos whispered into Leandra ear. “I don’t like it when people lie to me.” Ramos kept his slimy fingers on her leg. “And I don’t care if your husband would be bothered by this.” His fingers slid under her skirt. “Because I am going to fuck you.”
She choked on a piece of bacon as she batted his hand away. After taking a slow sip of water, she wiped her mouth and turned to face Ramos. “I’m not a liar, so I can promise you, we will not be going to bed together.”
He leaned back in his chair, clasping his thick fingers behind his head. The corners of his mouth tipped up in the kind of grin that made her skin prickle with fear.
“How does your husband feel about you staying here with me?”
She shrugged. “He trusts me and he’d kill you if you laid a hand on me.” She smiled, cocking her head. “But I’d kill you first.”
“I like this side of you.” Ramos adjusted himself.
She kept her gaze on his eyes, not the mound between his legs he tried to get her to notice.
“You’re a sexy woman and I bet you’re a real tiger in bed. I suspect it takes a quite the man to satisfy you. I know you’d be happier with my dick inside you than your husbands’.”
Conjuring up the sensation of having Nick between her legs and the way his lips sizzled against hers, a huge smile spread across her face. “Highly unlikely.”
He waved to the cook, raising his empty mug. “Text your husband, if that is who he is, and tell him the meet is on. I assume he knows I’ll have eyes everywhere.”
She nodded, nibbling on more bacon.
“Do it now.”
The command startled her, but didn’t surprise her. She pulled out her phone and pulled up Nick’s contact information, which had his last name as Manovich.
Hey babe…meet is confirmed, Wifey.
She set the phone on the table, face up, so Ramos could view the text.
Transparency.
Pushing her plate aside, she glanced out the window, focusing on one of the smaller fishing boats. She couldn’t see the man’s face, but he held something in his hands and by his frame, she could tell it was Nick. He didn’t glance up, but at the same time he stuffed something in his pocket, her phone dinged.
Perhaps we move it up? As planned?…HubbyXOXO.
“What does that mean?” Ramos shook his head, dropping his hand to the side.
“Means he’s out there.” She pointed to the lake front, then texted:
Your call…Wifey.
Ramos pushed back the chair, the legs screeched across the tile floor like fingernails on a chalkboard. “How dare you,” he said with a snarl. “I generally kill people who spy on me.”
“It’s a public lake and there are a dozen fishermen out there, only one is my husband, so I wouldn’t call it spying.”
Ramos turned, grinning. The way he sauntered toward her made the hair on the back of her neck stand.
“You’re a smart woman. Let’s hope that husband of yours is as smart,” Ramos said.
“He married me, didn’t he?”
Ramos patted her shoulder as he glanced out at the lake. “If you manage to fuck this up, I’ll kill your husband, but not until after he’s watched me make you cum like no one else could.” His smile turned her blood to ice. The food in her stomach churned.
“I don’t take kindly to threats in the middle of a business deal.” She kept her tone level as she curled her fingers around the coffee mug, doing her best to appear indifferent to his comment. A smile tugged at her lips when she saw Nick pull a smal
l boat up to the dock, though she quickly frowned when three of Ramos’s men pointed their weapons on Nick.
“I don’t know if I should be disappointed he’s stupid, or excited that I’m going to get to taste you.” He ran his thick fingers in her hair, tugging until her face tilted upward, then forced her to a standing position. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Nick stepped forward only to have the men raise their weapons, inching closer.
“Let go of me.”
Ramos laughed as tugged her hair harder. “Time to introduce me to your man.”
***
The moment Nick saw Leandra’s text, calling herself ‘wifey’, he knew he’d be changing the plan. She didn’t scare easily, so whatever made her decide to change their backstory from partners to married, had to have spooked her, even if just a little.
Nick held his hands up while he stared down the wrong end of a weapon. This wasn’t the first time and he knew sure as shit, it wouldn’t be the last.
“Take it easy fellas,” Nick said, eyeing the kitchen. His throat tightened as Ramos ran his fingers through Leandra’s soft hair and then yanked hard enough it forced her to a standing position. “Get your boss out here and tell him to bring my wife.” The word ‘wife’ rolled easily off his tongue.
A little too easy.
“Step up on the dock and keep your hands where we can see them,” one of the guards said.
Nick did as instructed.
The guard that had been doing all the talking, patted him down, finding this weapon.
Nick eyed Leandra as she stepped from the kitchen sliding glass doors, Ramos following two steps behind, and obviously eyeing her backside. He couldn’t decide if he should play the possessive, jealous hubby, or the trusting one.
Or perhaps a little of both.
She smiled and waved. Her feet moving a little faster than a normal walk. Ramos grabbed her arm, yanking her back.
Nick’s blood heated and he maneuvered toward the house, but the two guards lurched forward, aiming their weapons at his chest and head.
“Tell your men to stand down,” Leandra said, breaking free from Ramos’s grasp.
Ramos waved to his men. “Bring him to me.” He leaned closer to her, pressing his hand on her back. “Take a seat at the patio table. Try anything and your husband dies.” He pressed his index finger against his temple and cocked his thumb.
Nick strolled across the grass, his hands at his side, one guard behind him, the other one next to him. Once inside the pool gate, Ramos greeted him, putting his body between Nick and Leandra. She stood to the side, making eye contact. Her steady gaze and her carefree body language indicated she wasn’t concerned by the events, but he knew first hand she’d become a master at masking her true emotions.
Except for lust, which was something he’d have to deal with later.
“I don’t like strangers coming to my house uninvited,” Ramos said. His eyes narrowed. “And I don’t like business plans changing without notice.”
“We had a planned meeting, I’m just early. Besides, my wife is your house guest. Where she goes, I go.” Nick knew changing the meet, making it a surprise, had the potential to backfire, but it would also give him the opportunity to gauge how desperate Ramos was to unload his merchandise as well as how badly he wanted Leandra. “And I didn’t like what I saw in the kitchen, or what she told me about last night and your sexual advances and threats.”
Leandra tilted her head. “He understands.” Leandra’s voice had a natural raspy sound. “Besides, you know I can take care of myself.”
“Sorry, hon.” Nick shrugged. “But I wasn’t going to sit out there until eleven and watch you fend off advance after advance, much less have him pulling your hair.” Nick inched closer to Ramos, puffing out his chest. “I’ll kill you if you touch her again.”
Ramos smiled. He carried himself with heavy dose of arrogance. His power, however, wasn’t exerted by his size or strength, but by the men he surrounded himself with. His muscle, so to speak. That was a good news bad news situation. The good news was all Nick had to do was get this man out of his element, and he’d have the upper hand in seconds. The bad news was that right now, even with his brother and a few other men sprinkled around the lake and house, he was still out gunned, and he could only imagine how much man power Ramos would bring when the deal went down.
“I don’t like being watched.” Ramos stood behind Leandra, his hand on her shoulder. “Or manipulated.”
She shrugged it off.
Nick took a large step forward, but the guards shoved their guns in his face. “If you were in my shoes, you’d be watching me like a hawk.”
“I wouldn’t let my wife spend the night at another man’s house.”
Nick laughed. “As my wife said, she’s perfectly capable of taking care of herself. The only reason she stayed was to get a good look at how you operate both personally and professionally. She was watching you more than I was from a distance.” He made his way around the table, ignoring the protests of the guards. He caught a whiff of Leandra’s shampoo. He couldn’t wait for this to be over so he could have her…once. “We don’t do business with just anyone.”
“Neither do I,” Ramos said, waving his hand at the table. “I don’t like being lied to or manipulated. You showing up at my home unannounced doesn’t make me want to do business with either of you.”
Nick looped his arm around Leandra’s waist. “Excuse me for a moment while I give my wife a proper hello.” He leaned in, inhaling more of her tropical scent as it mixed with the fresh air. “Hey, hon.” He pressed his mouth against hers, parting her lips with his tongue and taking a quick swirl around, enjoying the taste of bitter coffee mixed with bacon.
His body sizzled when she splayed her hands against his chest. “Hi, babe,” she whispered.
Nick squeezed her ass, before pulling away. “Let’s discuss business now, since we’re all here.”
“You’re a cocky son-of-a-bitch.” Ramos pulled out a chair and sat down, waving his hands to various people, who all jumped into action. “I like that.”
“You don’t get anywhere in life by being meek.” Nick held back a chair for Leandra, before settling next to her with his hand resting on her warm, sun-kissed thigh. “This deal has to go down tonight.”
“Why is that?” Ramos asked as he light up a cigar, offering one to everyone.
Nick shook his head. “Because Agent Fielding—”
“Agent Fielding is no one I’m concerned with.” Ramos arched a brow, but his lips drew into a tight line.
“Don’t play dumb.” Nick shifted so the smoke didn’t blow in his face, but it also put him even closer to Leandra. He didn’t need to be so close that his knee touched hers, nor did his hands need to be on her body, but he couldn’t resist the pull she had over him.
Didn’t want to, either.
And that thought scared him more than dying if this operation went south.
“My sources tell me that Fielding is waiting on a search warrant for your warehouse.”
“Under what pretense? I’m a model citizen.” Ramos smiled, then winked.
“Your poker rooms.”
“And how do you know this?” Ramos leaned back in his chair, crossing his ankle over his knee, only the way he held his cigar, tight between his fingers instead of swirling it, told Nick that Ramos was nervous.
Leandra glanced between the two men. “I was on a fact-finding mission here, while Nick did his own gathering of intel, and if we don’t do the deal tonight, it’s not going to happen and we disappear.”
“I won’t be strong armed into a deal and since my men don’t know about Fielding’s plan and I don’t believe Fielding is a threat.”
“I thought you might say that.” Nick pulled out his phone and pulled up the information he’d gotten directly from Fielding when Nick had approached him early this morning. “I have a man inside the FBI and he gave me this.” Nick pushed his phone across the table. “You’ve got a leak ins
ide your operation who has been feeding the Feds, specifically Agent Fielding. My contact says we’ll have a window of opportunity to move the merchandise tonight before Fielding hones in on your casino gig.”
Ramos set the phone down, resting his elbows on the table. “I don’t trust liars and don’t believe I have a leak.”
“If you don’t want to do business, then we can walk,” Leandra said, her hand resting on Nick’s shoulder, massaging gently, making his body want to forget he had an operation to manage.
“I didn’t say that.” Ramos sucked on his cigar with his fat lips. “But I don’t have a leak.”
“You have one, otherwise, you wouldn’t be in this predicament in the first place. Another reason I showed up unannounced.” Nick rotated his neck, eyeing the house and yard. There really was a mole, but thus far, the intel he’d gathered, hadn’t netted much. Nick planned on changing that in less than twenty-four hours. “When this is all done, I’ll hand you the mole on a silver platter.”
“I don’t need you to hand me anything,” Ramos said, his voice laced with disdain.
“You need someone to move the merchandise before Fielding gets permission to legally poke around.” Nick, reluctantly, took his hand off Leandra’s thigh and folded his arms on the table. “I can move the merchandise and sell all of it before Fielding can wipe his ass from his morning shit.”
“If I’m under investigation, and this Agent has all this crap on me, why take the risk? Why not just let me crash and burn?”
Leandra sat up straighter, smoothing down her skirt, and crossing her ankles.
God, she made Nick nuts.
“We have a buyer who wants consistent merchandise,” Leandra said. “We’d like to help you increase your operation, making a hefty profit all around.”
“Sounds like you’ve got this all planned out.” Ramos flicked the ashes of his cigar. The breeze picked them up as they floated effortlessly toward the pool.