“Please, tell me.” She pulled her head back to look up at him. Her lips fell into a soft pout and her hands pressed over top of each other against the front of his shirt. “I promise I won’t come on to you. I just want to know what happened.”
A sigh breathed through his nose. He brought his fingers up to tuck her hair behind her ear, his knuckles grazed over the silky skin of her cheek. Dread ate through him. Talking about that night would only open up a can of worms… but he owed her some kind of explanation. Leaving her in need that night was not one of his proudest moments.
“I wanted you, believe me.” His voice was rough as he forced the words through his tight throat. He watched her face carefully as a dark pink stain crept over her cheeks. “But I could never betray Ethan like that.”
Her eyes shot to his and her body went rigid. She pushed out of his embrace. “Are you kidding? You left because of Ethan?” Her voice raised an octave and her breasts jiggled in her top as she moved on the balls of her feet.
He rubbed his hand over his face. “C’mon Maddie, it’s not that hard to understand.”
“Yeah, it is. I’m twenty-eight years old, goddammit. Do you think any other man has avoided sleeping with me because I have a brother?”
He clenched his jaw until his teeth threatened to chip. The last thing he needed was an image of Maddie getting screwed by other men. Had she just got done with Carlos? The need to ask burned up his esophagus like acid. “It’s different and you know it. I’ve been friends with him for more than a decade—I can’t just fuck his little sister.”
Her chest rose and fell and the soft lines of her cheeks hardened. “Thanks for the explanation. You can leave now.” She stepped around him. He closed his hand over the soft skin above her elbow and pulled her back.
“We’re not done.”
“I think we are.” She yanked her arm, but he held fast.
“What happened on the yacht?”
Her eyes met his and a loose, brittle laugh bubbled out of her. “That’s none of your business.”
He tightened his hold. She was right. It wasn’t his business. His plan had been to come here and tell her he’d be assigning someone else to the case. But god help him, he couldn’t fucking do it. He couldn’t entrust anyone else with her life. It might kill him, but he had to see this through. “It is my business. You dragged me here and both our lives are on the line.”
Her gaze landed on his hand. “Let go,” she said softly.
“Tell me.”
The top corner of her mouth lifted. In a flurry of movement, she twisted his arm until pain shot through his shoulder. He let out a sharp grunt and then she shoved him against the wall. Satisfaction sparked the hues of her eyes as she folded her arms across her chest.
He massaged his arm and scowled at her, and damn if some of his dignity hadn’t left too. “Fine, don’t tell me.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, then fished out the tiny baggie of rohypnol. “If you get in a tight spot and need to knock him out, slip him two of these. They’re roofies.”
Her eyes sharpened on the plastic bag he held in his palm and she lifted it with her fingertips as if the contents would leap out and into her throat. “Thank you,” she said softly and tucked them into her purse. “He’s leaving on a business trip on Monday for a week. When he gets back, he’s taking me on a cruise to San Juan.”
He rubbed the burning pain in his wrist, but it did nothing to calm the fire of rage inside him. “A cruise? Are you insane?”
Her arms stretched out beside her and her eyebrows lifted. “What choice do I have? He invited me. Had I said no, he would have moved on to the next willing piece of meat and we’d have no means to get on the inside.”
Nate shook his head and paced the small hallway. She was right, but no way in hell he’d admit it. “So you’re telling me I have a fucking week to get my team set up on the ship?”
She lifted a delicate shoulder, fire blazed from her eyes. “I guess you’d better get started.”
He closed his eyes. It wasn’t supposed to go down like this. They were supposed to ambush his next shipment of cocaine at the trade-off point—wherever the hell that was. Not follow him on a wild goose chase into the Caribbean. The cruise could be a decoy, but on the other hand, Carlos could have something bigger going on.
Regardless, there was no way in hell he could let Maddie go by herself. If he didn’t get the clearance to get his team on the ship, he’d have to go himself. He chewed the side of his tongue and straightened his shoulders.
“I’ll be in touch. Whatever you do, don’t slip up.” The words slid through his lips before he could stop them. A hard glint came into her eyes, sharp and defiant. Christ. He hadn’t intended it as a jab, or a reference to her previous operation that had blown up in her face. But maybe right now she needed to be reminded of how quickly things could go south. His fingers curled into his palm, and his index finger hovered in the air inches away from her nose. “And keep that damn phone I gave you on your person at all times. If he finds out you have an encrypted phone, the gig is up.”
He reached for the doorknob and paused.
“And when it’s safe to do so, call your brother. He’s worried sick.”
The door clicked behind him and he strode down the hall. He kept his chin tucked and weaved through the hall of hotel. He needed a damn drink.
Chapter 4
Her nerves vibrated along her muscles, matching the bass of the music near the stage. Her hand shook as she filled a glass with liquor. Carlos had been gone three days, and so far, every night a different man from his entourage had been watching her. Heat crept up her chest and her temper racked up a notch.
Tonight, it was Tony. And out of all three of them, he made her the most uneasy. His nearly black eyes never left her as she moved from table to table. She topped off the glass in her hand with soda and took a deep shaky breath. It took everything in her not to storm across the room and tell him to go fuck himself. But that wouldn’t go over well, and it would ruin the image she’d carefully painted of herself.
After Nate had left the previous night, she’d called Lieutenant Davis to notify him of the cruise she and Carlos were going on. He hadn’t been much happier than Nate about it, but he’d granted her clearance. Not like he could have stopped her anyway. Updating him while on the ship would be tough and risky, so he had agreed to settle for updates through the FBI.
“You okay?” Ginger leaned against the bar, an empty serving tray balanced on her hip. Her voice barely carried over the music, but her lips moved exaggeratedly. “You’ve been off tonight.” Her short red hair framed her jaw and her bright blue eyes focused sharply on Maddie. Ginger had been the only welcoming face since she’d started at GT’s, and pretending to be someone she wasn’t gnawed at her.
Maddie forced a smile. “I’m fine.” The urge to tell her that Tony creeped her out sat heavily on her tongue.
Don’t trust anyone. Nate’s warning rang through her.
“Just a little tired is all.”
Ginger set her tray down and folded her arms across her chest. “Look, I know it’s none of my business, but you need to stay far away from Carlos.” She stepped in front of Maddie, blocking Tony’s view. Her eyes darted around, and she leaned closer. “He’s dangerous, Maddie.” Deep, tense lines raked across her alabaster forehead. “Trust me, I know…” She picked up her tray, sided past Maddie, and returned to the floor.
The bottom of her stomach dropped out and a wave of dizziness washed over her. Lead weights clung to her feet, and kept her riveted to the spot. She didn’t need someone to tell her he was dangerous, everything about Carlos Santiago screamed that. Ginger had gotten involved with Carlos? The urge to chase her down and question her ripped through Maddie. But she couldn’t take the risk.
Heat burned the top of her head. He was watching her.
She lifted her chin, and met Tony’s glare across the dark, crowded room. His long, dark hair reached his shoulders. A dark five o’clock shadow covered his face, making the olive tones that much darker. His fingers moved up and down the beer bottle in front of him, his eyes never wavered from hers. She forced her lips into a smile, but her cheeks ached.
She tore her feet from the smooth laminate floor, picked up the drink, and sauntered to the table of men across the room from Tony. His gaze seared through her back as she moved. She forced him from her mind. She couldn’t let him see her apprehension. If she got on Tony’s radar, everything could blow up in her face.
“You’re still here? Didn’t your shift end at one?” Kiki caught her arm as she turned from the table, and lifted one exaggerated black eyebrow at her. Her platinum blond hair reached the top of her mostly exposed breasts.
Maddie flipped her wrist to glance at her watch. “Oh wow, I didn’t realize the time. I guess I’d better go. I’m off tomorrow, so I’ll see you Saturday.”
“All right, girl. See ya.”
Maddie moved across the floor to the back room. Her eyes burned as they adjusted to the bright fluorescent lights. Fatigue seeped into her muscles. She swung her purse over her shoulder, gripped her keys in her hand, and walked to the back exit. She pressed the long end of her house key through her ring and middle finger. Since Nate had jumped her in her car the other night, she’d been much more careful when leaving the bar.
The warm ocean air caressed her skin as the heavy metal door slammed behind her. She stepped onto the smooth concrete of the parking lot and strode toward her vehicle. It was a nice night, and the soft, earthy scent of rain hung in the air. She missed the rainy nights in Seattle.
A pebble skidded across the pavement. Her heart hurled into her throat. She whirled around, the keys braced in front of her. Tony moved out from behind a truck and closed the distance between them. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” he said. His voice was smooth and even, but her gut twisted violently. “You’re awfully jumpy.” The outside light caught the onyx in his coal-like eyes. She took a step back, and lowered her hand to her side.
Don’t let him see your fear.
“Tony, what’s up?” She pressed the unlock button on her key fob. His body stopped inches from hers. The sharp scent of vodka filled her nostrils. He wavered on his feet and pulled his hand from his pocket. His gaze dropped and slid down her body with the slimy texture of a snake’s tongue. His knuckles brushed down the side of her bare arm.
“I saw you looking at me inside. Figured you could use some company.” The edge of his wide mouth lifted, revealing his stained teeth. Revulsion coiled inside her. Cigarette smoke carried on a wave of his breath. She tilted her head out of harm’s way and gripped the door handle of her car. She swallowed to prevent the curdle of disgust from creeping up her throat.
“I’m not interested.” She gave him a tense smile, and opened the driver’s side door. A shadow crossed over his face. His palm slammed against the window, forcing the door shut. His hands pressed against the car on either side of her, closing her in. His face dipped low and his hot breath invaded her space.
“I have a deal for you,” he began. The smooth tone of his voice turned harsh and ragged. “I won’t tell Carlos that you came on to me if you treat me nice.”
Fire scorched up her back and burned her face. His palm dropped to the side of her bare thigh and slithered under her dress. His mouth crushed over hers and his teeth bit into her bottom lip. Rage coursed through her veins. She shot her leg up between his thighs. Her knee connected sharply with his manhood. He cried out and slumped against her, pinning her to the car. She shoved him off her and he stumbled back a few steps.
His hands opened and closed at his sides. “You fucking bitch,” he ground out. Her teeth gnashed. He charged at her.
The muscles in her body grew taut as she jabbed her closed fist into his Adam’s apple. Tony stopped short, air wheezed out of his lungs like a whoopee cushion, and he dropped to his knees. His hands grasped his throat, and his eyes bulged as he sucked in short, sharp breaths.
Satisfaction settled over her. Her chest rose and fell and her fingernails dug into her palms. His chest crumpled forward over his knees, and his palms rested on the pavement. She stepped closer to him and nudged his shoulder with her foot.
“If you ever come near me again, I’ll kill you. Got it?” She spoke through her teeth.
Tony’s head lifted and his eyes flashed. He shot his hand out and circled her ankle. Her foot tore out from under her, but she caught herself on the car before she hit the pavement. Tony got to his feet and his hands closed around her throat. He lifted her to her toes and pressed her back against the car.
“That was a lucky shot, and you’re going to pay for it.” Spit fired through the thin line of his lips. Fear tickled her spine. She clenched her jaw. As it stood, Tony thought she couldn’t fight. If she overpowered him and broke free, he’d know she was trained.
But she’d be damned if she’d let him touch her.
His knee slid between her legs and a smile slithered over his face. Her blood thundered through her veins with the force of a fire hose. With his leg between hers, her mobility was at a disadvantage.
Nate’s voice rang in her ears. If anything happens, forget the case.
A growl tore through her throat. She raised her right arm over both of his, threw her weight to the side, and broke his hold on her throat, trapping his wrists under her arm. She drove her elbow back and it crunched into his nose. Blood shot out and splattered her driver’s side window.
“Goddamn it!” he yelped. He backed away from her, tripped over his feet, and landed with a thud to the ground.
Her fingers traced her neck where his hold had been. She swallowed and moved her shaking hand to her side. Kicking his ass had put her in more danger. She bent and picked up her keys and purse from the ground and opened the driver’s side door.
“Save yourself the embarrassment and go home, Tony. Don’t worry, I won’t tell Carlos about this. I’m pretty sure he’d fire you, if only for the reason that I just kicked the shit out of you without breaking a sweat.”
She dropped into her seat, closed the door, and punched the lock button. She buckled her seatbelt and peeled out of the parking lot. Her gaze swung to her rear view mirror. Tony stood in the parking lot awash in shadows. His hands were clenched in fists at his sides, staring after her. She turned her eyes to the road and focused on her breath. Ever so slowly, her heartrate returned to normal.
She pressed her back against the cool leather seat and turned the air conditioning up. Her throat ached from where his hands had gripped her, and her back throbbed. The streets were dark and quiet. Her gaze flicked to the rear view mirror again. Dammit, what kind of car did he drive? Could he be following her? No. She’d gotten a good head start. If he were tailing her, he would’ve had to speed to catch up.
Dryness settled over her eyes, making every blink scratch like sandpaper. She wasn’t used to late nights. Her previous position with the Criminal Investigations Unit had been laid back—and it had been boring as hell. Years ago she’d tried out for the FBI, and had made the mistake of telling Ethan. At that time, he’d still been working as an agent and had pulled strings to get her off the list.
Back then, she’d been eager and ready to take on the world. She’d had her criminal justice bachelor’s degree behind her and nearly a year of experience with the Seattle police force… And after what she’d encountered in the last week, had she made it into the FBI then, her twenty-four-year-old self probably would have been killed by now. So maybe Ethan had been right to do what he’d done.
But now, four years later, he was wrong and she wouldn’t let him lord over her life.
After the heist against Carlos, she’d try out for the FBI again. Only
this time, she’d have a hell of a record after bringing down a drug lord like Carlos Santiago. Excitement bubbled through her. Ethan and Nate would have to admit that they had been wrong about her. It would be quite the accomplishment, but that wasn’t the only thing that fueled her. Carlos was an evil man and his drug ring had taken the lives of many innocent people.
If it weren’t for Carlos, Leila would still be alive. Instead, her best friend’s little sister had died in an alleyway in Miami from a drug overdose—drugs Carlos had provided her. He was the scum of the earth and didn’t care about the young lives he’d stolen.
A few minutes later, she pulled into the parking stall at her apartment building. She darted her gaze around the dark lot. It was quiet. Too quiet. She shook her head. She was still on edge. She needed a tall glass of wine and a hot shower.
She stepped out of the car, closed the door, and pressed the lock button on her key fob.
Beep, beep, beep.
The soft noise carried on the wind and disappeared into the night. Her breath hitched along with her footsteps as she skirted the short distance to the well-lit front entrance.
Her fear fell away with the darkness as she used her key to get in the door and took the elevator up to the fifth floor. The door dinged open and once again, dead silence greeted her. She strode to the end of the hall, her keys braced in her hand. The apartment building was old, but newly renovated with soaring ceilings and spacious suites.
She stopped at her door and fit the key in the lock. Her spine stiffened and her shoulders tensed, ready to fight. Her hand gripped the smooth steel door handle and her gaze swept through the entryway of her apartment. A warm glow from the lamp on the end table in the living room cast shadows over the room.
Everything was how she’d left it. She took a deep, shaky breath, stepped inside, and closed the door behind her. Her fingers trembled on the lock as she snapped it shut. The weight on her chest spread to her shoulder blades.
Exposed Page 4