Flawless Danger (The Spencer & Sione Series Book 1)

by Rachel Woods

  “About nine hours,” he said.

  Frantic, she stared at him, hoping he wasn’t serious. “Nine hours?”

  “It’s ten thirty-seven ... in the morning.”

  “Oh my God, I can’t believe you let me sleep that long.” Raising up from the pillow, she stared at him. “Wait a minute. Why are you in my bed?”

  “That last bottle of wine knocked you out,” he said. “And I was a bit drunk, too, so—”

  “A bit?” she challenged, raking fingers through her tangled hair.

  Sheepishly, he laughed softly. “Okay, I was very drunk. We both were and I couldn’t remember how to get back to my casita. Then you said I shouldn’t venture out into the jungle and risk being attacked by a jaguar, and I’m glad.”

  “Because you might have been attacked by a jaguar?”

  “Because I might not have been here when you woke up this morning,” he said, gazing at her. “Next to me.”

  Her gaze dropped to his chest and she stared at the ink etched into his brown sugary skin. “And yet, you were sober enough to take your shirt off?” Spencer asked, examining his chest, trying to make sense of the tattoos.

  John shrugged. “I didn’t think you’d mind.”

  She looked at him. “Excuse me?”

  Smiling, he said, “You’ve already seen me with my shirt off.”

  Spencer sighed. “What do all those tattoos mean anyway?”

  “It’s a story,” he said.

  “A story?”

  “Come here.” John reached for her.

  Wary, Spencer leaned away from his grasp. “Why?”

  “I’m going to tell you the story.” He took her hand, pulling her into his personal space, so close she could feel the warmth from his skin.

  Honestly, she was too close, but she couldn’t seem to figure out how to move away.

  “See the tattoo on my neck,” he said. “The story starts there. Long, long ago—”

  “How long ago is long, long ago?” Spencer asked, gazing at the parabolic-shaped whorls swirling down his neck and over his shoulders.

  “I’d say a pretty long time ago,” he said, quite serious, though she had a feeling he was trying not to smile. “Way, way before you were born, definitely.”

  “That long, huh?”

  John laughed a bit, boyish and adorable, and Spencer felt her stomach gearing up for the onslaught of a thousand butterflies.

  “Okay, so, a long time before you were born,” he started again, “a good and noble man, who cared very much for his people, was betrayed, tricked into giving up the most precious thing to him.”

  “Which was what?” She glanced at her fingernails.

  “His love,” John said, in a tone so solemn, she couldn’t help but look up at him.

  She felt like a fool as he grinned, snickering at her. Crossing her arms, she said, “Go on.”

  “So he left his village,” Sione said. “Set out on a pilgrimage, seeking love, so he could help his people because without love, he was no good to them.”

  “How unfortunate,” she said, trying not to hang on to every word.

  “He searched and searched—”

  “And searched?” Spencer supplied, giggling.

  “And searched,” he confirmed and then grabbed her hand. “And finally, after a long, long time of searching—”

  “And searching some more,” she said, trying to keep things light, trying to ignore the effects of his voice and his fingers mingling with hers.

  “He came across a beautiful girl,” he said, “and when he saw her, he knew he had found love and he would be restored, but she was afraid of him.”

  “Why?” Spencer asked, following the swirling patterns along his arms and chest, looking for the good and noble man and the beautiful girl.

  “She was afraid of the love inside of her,” he said, looking at her. “And even though she knew the love was there, she spent most of her time trying to hide it, pretending it wasn’t there, because she was afraid to share that love.”

  “Maybe she had a reason for that,” she countered, feeling a bit defensive for some reason. “Love is dangerous.”

  He gave her an odd look. “Dangerous?”

  “There is an element of danger in love,” she said, thinking of her mother. “It’s dangerous to love someone. It’s dangerous to be loved. I mean, that’s my opinion, anyway. Finish your story.”

  “Well, the beautiful girl was afraid to love him,” he said. “So, she ran away.”

  “And he ran after her?”

  “No,” he said. “He let her go.”

  “I don’t understand.” She shook her head. “Why didn’t he go after her? Why didn’t he just take what he wanted?”

  “He wanted to wait until she was ready to love him,” he explained, serious again, without the silly smile. “He couldn’t make her love him because love is patient and kind, you know, so he waited.”

  “And she came back?”

  “He’s still waiting.” He drew her attention to an odd pattern that stopped just above his navel.

  “He’s still waiting?”

  Chuckling, John said, “The tattoo isn’t finished.”

  “So, there’s no end to this story?”

  John shrugged. “Well, I’m guessing she’ll eventually come back and decide to love him, but who knows.”

  Spencer sighed. “Um ... listen ... I think we need to talk about something.”

  “Something?”

  “About what happened between us last night.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “The kiss,” she said. “It shouldn’t have happened.”

  “Why not?” he asked, grinning. “Didn’t you like it?”

  “Maybe I liked it a little bit,” Spencer admitted, scooting away from him. “Still, it doesn’t matter. It can never happen again.”

  Sione grabbed her wrist, stopping her. “Why can’t it?”

  Spencer stared at him, knowing it was a waste of time to fantasize about being with him, knowing they could never be together. She wasn’t on vacation, engaging in some kind of wanton jungle fling. She was being forced to do a “favor” for Ben Chang. And she would have to deal with the threat of the cops banging on her door to question her about the money and watches she’d stolen if she didn’t do what Ben told her to do.

  Find the envelope.

  “Because you don’t believe in love and romance and all that foolishness, right?” Sione ran a hand down the back of his head.

  “I can’t get involved with anyone right now,” Spencer said.

  “Are we getting involved?” he asked, his smile sly.

  Frustrated, she shook her head. “Now is not a good time for me to fall in love.”

  “So, you’re planning on falling in love with me?”

  “I can’t start anything with you, John, because I won’t be able to finish it.”

  “What does that mean?”

  Spencer swung her legs over the side of the bed and then stood. “It means—”

  Three loud chimes cut through the cozy, lazy morning atmosphere. Spencer froze for a few seconds, knowing the significance of the chirping.

  Sione sat up. “What was that?”

  “Um … it’s my phone.” Heart pounding, Spencer hurried to the dresser across from the bed and opened the Birkin sitting on the mahogany surface. Reaching into the purse, she grabbed the burner phone and retrieved the text.

  Have you found the envelope, sweet girl

  Her heart punching, Spencer glanced back at John and found him staring at her.

  “Um, it’s a text from my sister,” she said. “Give me a sec.”

  A wave of apprehension washed over Spencer as she re-read the text once and then again, her legs threatening to give way beneath her. Ben wanted to know if Step Three was complete. What the hell was she supposed to tell him? She hadn’t really thought about the damn envelope. She was too busy being hung over and distracted by some silly love story told in the tattoos
spread across John’s muscular chest. Her face flaming with panic and guilt, she sent a reply, fingers moving furiously over the miniature keyboard.

  Still looking

  The burner phone trembled in her hand. Waiting for the reply, Spencer glanced back at John, trying to read the look he was giving her as he grabbed his shirt from a side chair near the French doors before making his way back toward her.

  The burner phone chimed again. Spencer read the message: sweet girl, you need to use the GHB. Drug him and find that damn envelope!

  “Everything okay?” John asked, maneuvering his head through the opening in the tan polo shirt and then slipping his arms into the short sleeves.

  “Yeah.” She gazed up at him, fighting the urge to lean against him and let him envelop her in his warm, protective embrace. “Just my sister complaining about her boyfriend.”

  “Listen.” He slipped an arm around her, pulling her closer to him. “I know you don’t need a hero and you don’t want anyone to fight your battles, but …”

  “But?”

  “I really think it would be best if you came back to my casita,” he said.

  “Why?” she asked, trying to read his hazel eyes, suspicious of his motives. “You really think that Asian guy is going to come back and try to hurt me again?”

  She wanted to ask, Do you want me to come back to your casita because it would be easier to watch me? Are you just trying to find out why I had money and fake passports delivered to me?

  “I don’t think we should tempt fate,” he said. “Besides, I wasn’t able to get the surveillance guys out last week, so they’re coming tomorrow to install more cameras around the area.”

  Nodding, Spencer said, “Maybe it does make sense for me to stay with you.”

  She wasn’t really sure. Maybe John just wanted to keep tabs on her and was looking for proof to confirm his doubts about her. She wasn’t going to put up a fight, though. She needed unrestricted access to his casita to look for that envelope.

  “Why don’t you pack your things,” he said. “I’ll send someone to pick you up in about an hour.”

  chapter 75

  San Ignacio, Belize

  Belizean Banyan Resort - Honeymoon Casita

  Moments after John left the honeymoon casita, Spencer returned to the bed and stretched across the duvet, heading for the pillow John had fallen asleep on. Despite feeling foolish, she grabbed the pillow. It smelled like him, and for a few seconds, she pressed her face against the downy softness and imagined he was still with her. For a moment, she felt as though she were waking up in his arms again, residing in his embrace, listening to that silly story of the tattoo, which she figured he’d made up.

  That tale of love was most likely his indictment of her opinions on love and romance. He probably thought she was afraid to fall in love, and maybe he was right, but she didn’t think she deserved to have stones thrown at her because she was scared of losing her identity and her dignity and everything else that was important and fundamental.

  Spencer had seen her mother go down that lonely road. She didn’t want to follow, and she wasn’t about to take one step down the path of heartbreak and self-deprecation.

  Spencer tossed the pillow away, sat up, and scrambled off the bed. Tonight, she was moving into John’s casita, but she was conflicted. On the one hand, she was wary and nervous. John knew she’d lied about the contents of the banker’s box. She was sure of it. She was just as sure that he’d opened the Xanax boxes and had found the money and passports. And somehow, someway, he’d found out about the side venture. He’d known she was going to Xunantunich to switch bags with a woman named Carla Garcia, so he’d followed her and took photos of her every move.

  She couldn’t help but wonder if the invitation to stay with him was some kind of setup, but part of her was giddy and excited. Thinking about being with him, remembering how it felt to fall asleep in his arms and to wake up in his arms, made her wish she were moving in with him under different circumstances. Pushing away the silly fantasies, Spencer grabbed the burner phone and frowned when she saw the onslaught of texts from Ben. She decided to call him.

  “I do not like being ignored, sweet girl,” he said as soon as he answered. “Don’t play games with me. When I call you, or text you, I expect—”

  “I haven’t found the envelope, but don’t worry.” She walked back to the bed. “I’m moving in with Sione Tuiali’i.”

  “Moving in with him?”

  “I’m going to be staying in the owner’s casita while more cameras are put up around the honeymoon casita,” she said. “It was his idea.”

  There was silence, followed by a clipped exhale, and then he said, “Sweet girl, I must say, I’m impressed.”

  Wary of the strange tension in his tone, she said, “Well, you wanted me to get unrestricted access to his casita, right?”

  “Is that what you are giving him? Unrestricted access?” Ben asked. “Is that why he asked you to move in with him?”

  Sitting on the edge of the bed, Spencer said, “You wanted me to get close to him.”

  “But not too close,” he reminded her.

  “What do you care how close I get to him?” Spencer asked. “As long as I find that damn envelope.”

  “Believe it or not, and you probably won’t,” Ben said. “But I don’t want you to be disappointed, sweet girl.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Sione may appreciate your beauty, sweet girl,” Ben said. “But he will never choose to be with a woman like you.”

  “A woman like me?”

  “Sione was influenced by a good man, a very pious man,” Ben said. “And that man warned him that a disgraceful woman is like cancer in a man’s bones. Sione will heed that warning.”

  “Who the hell says I want him to choose me?” she asked. “Who says I’m interested in him?”

  “Sweet girl, don’t make the mistake of getting too close to Sione Tuiali’i,” Ben said. “He won’t want you when he learns that you are a liar and a thief.”

  chapter 76

  San Ignacio, Belize

  Belizean Banyan Resort – Manager’s Office

  “I meant to ask you,” D.J. said as he walked into Sione’s office. “Did you talk to your dad about his visit to Moana?”

  “Not quite sure where my dad is these days,” Sione said, grabbing several loose sheets of paper to stack, trying to avoid his cousin’s searching gaze. “Anyway, did you find out anything else about the situation with Spencer?”

  “So, she’s Spencer now?” D.J. smirked. “Well, according to one of my contacts, a body was found on Ambergris Caye,” D.J. said, leaning back in the chair positioned in front of Sione’s desk. “It was missing a hand.”

  “Was it Maxine Porter?”

  “Body hasn’t been identified,” D.J. said. “But that’s what I’m thinking. Oh, and I found out that Maxine Porter worked at Kwik Kash, too. At one time, she was the supervisor of Carla Garcia and Karen Nelson.”

  “Did she have a criminal record?”

  D.J. nodded. “Suspicion of money laundering.”

  “Money laundering?”

  “Which is interesting,” D.J. said. “Because about six months ago, Kwik Kash found itself under investigation by the Feds.”

  “What kind of investigation?” Sione asked.

  “A multi-agency joint task force,” D.J. said. “The FBI got in bed with the IRS to investigate predatory lenders. But as the task force looked into Kwik Kash, they realized the company was doing more than charging one thousand percent interest rates.”

  “Kwik Kash was suspected of money laundering?” Sione asked.

  “And then it burned to the ground,” D.J. said. “Along with a lot of business records and other items the federal government had subpoenaed but never received because they didn’t survive the fire.”

  “Convenient,” Sione said.

  “Now, the interesting thing is,” D.J. went on, “that I may have found a connection b
etween the three women and Spencer.”

  Wary, Sione asked, “What kind of connection?”

  “The manager of Kwik Kash where the three women worked was William Bermudez,” D.J. said. “Bermudez is the guy who gave Spencer that gift.”

  “You think Bermudez told Spencer to deliver the money and fake passports to the three women?” Sione asked.

  “It’s possible,” D.J. said. “Jared could ask Spencer about her connection to Bermudez. Of course, first you’d have to tell Jared what Spencer is up to.”

  “But I don’t really know what she’s up to,” Sione said.

  “Which is why you need to tell Jared about her,” D.J. said. “So he can find out.”

  Sione glanced toward the windows that gave him an unrestricted view of the jungle. He knew D.J. was pissed at his hesitation. And he knew it was past time to get Jared involved. What Sione didn’t know was the reason for his reluctance, but he had his suspicions, most of which he didn’t want to admit—especially not to himself.

  “You know, I’m starting to get the feeling that you’re not interested in finding out the truth about Spencer,” D.J. said. “You asked me to find out what she’s trying to pull, and I’ve done that, but you couldn’t give a shit, and you know why?”

  Sione exhaled and then said, “I’m sure you’ll tell me.”

  “Because I’m not telling you what you want to hear.”

  “What the hell do I want to hear?”

  “You want me to tell you that Spencer is sweet and innocent,” D.J. said. “You want me to tell you that she’s being set up, or taken advantage of, by evil, nefarious people who mean to do her harm. You don’t want me to tell you that she’s a lying, scheming bitch, but I can’t do that. Because she is a lying, scheming bitch.”

  “I know she’s lied,” Sione said.

  “I don’t have to waste time giving you evidence against this woman that you’re just going to ignore,” D.J. said. “I have other things I could be doing. I turned down several jobs to come here and help your ass.”

  “That’s not true,” Sione said. “You came down here because you needed the distraction. That’s what Micah said. But I understand that. I could use a little distraction myself, especially right now.”