by Julie Castle
“They can’t have gone far. Welch, if that is his real name, has his jet still parked on the tarmac,” James said.
“Damn it all you’d better find out all you can about him and pronto or you’re dead meat.”
Bridget stiffened, murmuring a curse.
Condor went cold inside as the mission suddenly escalated, and he clapped his hand over her mouth to silence her. They couldn’t risk giving away their position. Thank God, the bumble fucks had no idea where they were yet. One thing was certain, he couldn’t risk them stumbling upon the lookout.
Condor slowed his breathing, going into mission mode, mulling over his options. Bridget’s soft body pressed against his helped him focus, much to his surprise, because he had so damned much to lose. Perez wasn’t here yet or he’d drop the net on them all. One thing was certain, Condor wouldn’t allow her to walk back into a possible trap. He’d keep her on ice and have the extraction team whisk her away. Hell, adapt and survive were his personal mottos, but he didn’t like taking chances where Bridget was concerned. There was still doubt as to James’s reliability, and he’d have to play on it. As if Bridget read his thoughts, she let out a grumble, and he cautiously removed his hand from her mouth.
“I’ll take care of it,” he whispered back. Her hot ass rubbed against his morning hard-on. If only they had more time.
“How the hell should I know?” James snapped back at Flattop outside the cave. “They couldn’t have just vanished. Their plane is still here.”
Condor could feel Bridget’s anger at the man rolling off her in waves, and it pleased him. At least she wasn’t hung up on the traitorous jerk, whom Condor would probably have to kill now that James had guessed their identity. Thanks to what they’d overheard last night, they now knew that James was suspicious of them but thought he could play them. His king sized ego might give them the edge they needed to pull this off.
“Come on, let’s head on over to the mangroves,” James said. “That’s where he went yesterday.”
“The swamp? You’ve got to be kidding.”
“Do I sound like I’m kidding? Lola will have both our hides if we don’t find them. So shut the fuck up and follow me.”
Condor waited to move until they noisily walked away. He silently rolled to his feet and gathered up their things. He gazed down at Bridget still lying on the pallet, everything in him fighting what needed to be done.
“I’m going to go lead them astray so they don’t double back and find this cave. Stay here and I’ll have the extraction team come take you out. I’ll tell them you ran off and I was trying to find you.”
“Yeah, right. Based on what we’ve just heard, they’ll never believe you and the mission will be scrapped, and you’ll be in trouble. I can’t let that happen,” she said firmly, gathering her things.
“You don’t want to let go of your pet case,” he said. “Don’t you know by now Clayton isn’t worth dying over?”
“I don’t give a damn about him or the case anymore. It’s you I worry about, and if you don’t understand that, we really need to talk.”
He caught her chin in his hand and kissed her, seeing the truth in her eyes. Whatever she’d once felt for James was dead, and what was growing between them was real. “We’ll go take care of them together, but at the first opportunity or sign of danger, promise me that you’ll head back here alone.”
“I promise,” she said, leading the way out of the cave.
His mind clicked back into mission mode even as his admiration for her ran no bounds. “I’ll give you a week in the Keys for this.”
“I’d settle for a week in one of your seedy motels with a proper bed and room service.”
“It’s a deal.” He took her hand, and they raced to the nearby secluded white sand beach he’d earlier discovered. The sound of the men coming closer made them exchange a wary look.
“They’re going to find us,” Condor said. “So let’s make sure we give them something worth finding.”
He tossed their clothing and took Bridget to the sand in a controlled fall that made her gasp. He smiled at her reaction. “We need to go a few rounds on the mat later.”
She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, and she spread her legs to let his morning erection nestle against her. “I bet I could take you,” she whispered.
Condor groaned, not doubting it for a moment if she distracted him that way. He cupped her breast, and her turgid peak sprung up instantly for him. She was so sweetly responsive, with a feisty, kinky side. There was no way he could do without her when this was over. His cock throbbed against her treasures, feeling her heat, and the scent of her sex hung tantalizingly in the air. The heat between them almost drove business and the others from his mind.
The two men were close now. Soon they’d see Condor and Bridget.
“This is crap having to track over to the…” Flattop started to say.
“Well, well, what do we have here?” James said.
Condor broke the kiss to lazily look up at them, and he took care to block Bridget’s body from their ogling gaze. His shaft ached with a need for completion, and he felt a real annoyance at the interruption. “We’re not interested in a gang bang, gentlemen.”
James scowled and looked at their clothing strewn in the sand, Bridget’s star shaped clamps shining in the sun. He tried to peer around Condor to get a better look at Bridget.
“What the hell are you doing here, Welch? The management got worried because you didn’t sleep in your bed last night.”
“Star wanted to sleep under the stars. Seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I’ve got sand in places you don’t want to know about,” he joked, giving the man a rueful smile. When the man seemed to relax, he let out a breath. He sat up, still blocking Bridget from the traitor’s gaze, and he snagged his shirt and tossed it to Bridget.
From the corner of his vision, he saw her slip into it before giving James his total attention. Flattop stood back watching it all with a wary eye, his hand on the Uzi at his side. James was staring at him hard, and Condor raked a hand through his hair impatiently. Was he starting to place him? With his morning stubble, and his tense body language, he probably looked more like the ghost agent he was.
James arched a brow. “Does it matter how we know? You broke the rules, mister. This side of the island is off limits to guests.”
Bridget sat up, the shirtfront still unbuttoned, and held her hand out to James. “Jimmy, what are you doing here?”
James smiled and took his focus off Condor to reach out to help her to her feet. “I’m saving you, of course. I thought he might have tried to harm you.” He rubbed a possessive hand down her arm.
“I’m fine,” she said, batting her eyes at him. “My master and I don’t need saving.”
Condor saw through her flirtatious, wide-eyed, innocent pose, but clearly James, based on his smirk, didn’t. She was trying to derail the traitor from his militant course of action, and it was working, but he didn’t like it. Condor slipped into his pants, wincing when he zipped up, all the while realizing that Flattop was watching him for any false move. Condor didn’t mind. He was used to having a target on his back, so he’d much rather have his enemy out front where he could see it coming. He stepped over to Bridget and James, and he gently cupped Bridget’s cheek and jostled James out of the way.
“Star’s fantasy was to sleep on the beach with me, and she got it,” he said, feeling like shouting for happiness when she instinctively eased closer to him and nestled her cheek against his hand. A glance at James’s scowl told him that he noticed her change of allegiance and didn’t like it. Condor looped an arm around Bridget’s shoulders and drew her close to him. “Love, gather up our belongings. Now that we’ve been interrupted, we might as well go back to the bungalow and have that bubble bath before lunch.”
James smirked. “You take bubble baths?”
“Sure do.” Condor noted James and Flattop exchanging a mocking look. Apparently, the bubble bath thi
ng made him less of a threat in their eyes.
“Jasmine is his favorite,” Bridget interjected, and she bent to pick up her thong and stars from the sand.
“You two know the way back?” Flattop asked.
“I think we can find it,” Bridget said.
“Why don’t you escort us back?” Condor said, trying to draw them away from the cave.
“Hell of an idea,” James cut in. “Let’s move out and make sure these nice folks get back to civilization.”
Bridget fell into step between James and Condor, feeling pulled in both directions by their macho tug of war, much like a tasty snack two dogs would fight over. Condor had instigated the escort to lead them away from the cave. Still, it didn’t feel good to be in the center of their pissing contest. She sighed, accepting her role, and buttoned up the shirt she was wearing. She was the one who’d insisted on staying and sticking this out. It wasn’t because of any lingering feelings for James. She’d done it for Condor, because she wanted to protect him, and now she might just be risking his life.
A sidelong glance at Condor made her heart ache a little. She was hopelessly in love with her hero, her partner, but she couldn’t tell him. Ghosts didn’t put down roots, didn’t stay in one place. She had to accept that and take him as he was.
They came up onto the compound, and she saw the litter from last night’s party still being cleaned up. It must have been quite a bash after they’d left. No wonder they hadn’t been missed at first light this morning. It was almost high noon and the clock was ticking.
She and Condor made for their bungalow without a word, their escort party still in tow. She noticed James fall back and reach for his cell phone. Heard him saying something low and indistinct about the beach, probably tipping off Lola that they were back. She wrinkled her nose at the thought of having to play nice to the nasty woman who wanted her gone. Did that extend to bumping her off? Lola had another thing coming if she thought she was helpless prey.
They stepped up to the bungalow, and Lola opened the door and stepped out of their suite. Bridget stopped in her tracks, shocked, with Condor behind her. The fury in Lola’s eyes made her ice over. What the fuck was she doing there?
“Where were you two?” Lola demanded, her hands on her hips, and she flicked a dismissive glance over Bridget before giving Condor a harder look.
Shit. She really had it bad for him, and she was coldly, bitterly, furious.
“We found them sleeping on the beach,” Flattop said.
“And that’s not all they were doing,” James cut in sourly from the rear.
Oh, grow up.
Bridget didn’t bother to glance at him. He had no business sounding wounded after what he’d done to her.
Lola’s eyes twinkled with harsh amusement as she kept her focus on Condor. “Sex on the beach? How foolish of you, what with all the dangerous creatures in the jungle.”
Hell, the jungle creatures were nothing compared to this crew. It was time to fall on her sword. Save him so he could complete the mission. Lola wanted her gone, and she’d get her wish. “It was all my fault…” Bridget started to say, but Condor’s hand on her arm made her sputter to a halt.
“No, it wasn’t. I was just fulfilling a few fantasies,” Condor cut in. “You know all about those, Lola, it’s your profession.”
“I do,” she said with a brittle smile, and she shot an enigmatic gaze at James. “I’m going to fulfill one of your fantasies, Jason. I’ve booked that private fishing charter you wanted, so you can have all the blue water you can handle.”
“When?” Condor asked, letting go of Bridget to step closer to Lola.
“Eight this evening,” she said with a softer smile. “I’m told they bite best after dark.”
“Sounds perfect,” he said, accompanying her onto the porch. He took her hand. “How can I thank you properly?”
“Behave yourself in the meantime,” she said, giving him a solemn glance. “Or else I won’t be responsible for the outcome.” She slashed a dark look Bridget’s way. “That goes double for your submissive. Chain her up if you have to.”
…
At seven p.m. Bridget went to the walk in closet and started opening drawers, unearthing bits and pieces of her device.
“I heard about 3 D printers, but I’ve actually never seen a plastic gun made by one before. Nice work.”
She smiled at him, even though she was afraid for him. “I’m glad you appreciate my work. And this isn’t your ordinary 3 D printer, she said assembling the gun. This one makes something else. Hot rounds to go in your new gun.” She unrolled the bullets from a pair of his socks.
“So you were planning this from day one.”
“Actually, since day zero. I snooped at the file while on the plane.” She smiled at him, remembering how shocked she’d been to be caught red handed, to have him discipline her. But he was right, she wouldn’t have been able to carry this off without it, and frankly, she wouldn’t have missed it for the world. “Right before you spanked me for the first time, if you’ll recall.”
“Sugar, I’ll never forget it.”
She warmed at his playful, tender tone. “When I read that the compound enforced a no weapon policy, I knew I had to be ready to arm you in the field in case you couldn’t get back to your cache.”
“So you’re telling me you techies can do this in the field.”
“That’s why most of us went to work for the organization.”
He nodded.
“Be careful out there,” she said, handing him the weapon. She watched him handle it, getting the weight, the feel of it. “I don’t trust Lola one bit.”
“Worried she’s got designs on me?” he teased.
“No, more worried she’s up to something evil. I don’t like the way she said she wouldn’t be responsible. The look she gave James. Do you think she made us?”
“No, I think she’s tense because of Perez’s imminent arrival.”
“That makes sense. He probably drops a bundle when he comes here.”
He nodded and looked at his diver’s watch. “I’ve got to go if I’m going to make Lola’s boat. Don’t worry, by midnight this will be ended and we can get around to that week in the Keys. I’ll even throw in room service.”
She nodded, stepped into Condor’s space to block his exit, and watched him relax and smile. He probably thought the idea of her cautioning him funny, unseasoned as she was. But damn it, she was serious. She placed a hand on his chest right over his heart. “I mean it. Watch your back.”
“Sugar, I’m always careful. And I’ll be extra careful now that I’ve got someone to come back to.”
She savored his declaration that he’d come back to her. “Okay, I’ll be ready at midnight,” she said, watching him walk out the door, fighting the urge to beg him to stay. She wasn’t just his lover, she was his partner, and she couldn’t stand in the way of him doing his job.
Suck it up, lady, you’ve got a job to do, too.
With a scowl, she headed out for her eight p.m. yoga class. Lola wasn’t even trying to pretend that she wasn’t keeping them apart. She headed past Bungalow Twelve and was startled when a whirl of motion caught the edge of her peripheral vision, and she was grabbed. Before she could react, she was drawn hard into a large body, a big hand clamped over her mouth to prevent any screams. She drew in a shaky breath and instantly recoiled inside when she recognized James’s musk aftershave.
Deliberately forcing herself to stand down, she let her body relax and go fluid against his, not fighting him. It was the only thing that kept her from attacking and giving herself away as a field agent. He thought she was an innocent dupe, and she’d have to play it to the hilt. The man was obviously too cowardly to confront Condor, so he was trying for what he presumed to be the weakest link.
He set her down in the middle of the bedroom and slowly let go. She tried not to flinch when he ran his hand over the small of her back. Careful not to move too fast, she slowly turned to face him, whil
e at the same time scanning the bungalow for others.
The place looked lived in, and it smelled like James’s cologne. It must be his temporary digs. James was standing there, watching her with what appeared to be eager anticipation. His blue eyes carried a determined, calculating look she’d never seen before.
“If you wanted to see me, you could have knocked on my door,” she said softly. Instead of saying anything, James walked over to the door, closed it, and locked it, and the snick of the lock sounded loudly in the room. He was trying to unnerve her.
“This is more private,” he said, turning and eyeing her closely. “And we need privacy, don’t we, babe?”
“If you say so,” she said, refusing to rise to the bait and show fear. He was toying with her, trying to feel her out, and he was damned clumsy at it.
“Oh, I do.” He grinned, visibly relaxing now that he’d trapped her.
He flashed a confident smile and closed the gap between them. The man was egotistically sure of himself. It pained her that she’d never picked up on that all those years ago. She could have saved herself so much pain, and Condor so much risk. She let out a practiced sigh of disappointment. “I think this is against the rules.”
“Don’t you know by now? I make my own rules.”
“Don’t I know it, stud,” she said, eyeing him boldly and seeing him preen at the casual compliment. The dope was stuck on himself. “My master doesn’t share, and Lola wouldn’t like it.”
“Welch isn’t here, so what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” he said with a grin.
Was this his way of testing her devotion, trying to trip her up into confirming his suspicions? Or was he just trying to seduce her? Probably a little bit of each. It might be the perfect chance to get inside information. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that. He is very possessive, and he pays extremely well. I wouldn’t want to risk my position.”
“As if you need the money. I’m sure a trust fund baby like you doesn’t need…”
“That’s what you think. I turned them down.” She watched his jaw drop at the disclosure. It was all true. She’d been determined to make her own way in the world, most especially since she’d gone through James’s fake death and had to build back the pieces of her life. It’d been a point of pride to make her own way.