Zoe breathed a sigh through the phone. “Worried sick. You’re in Miami, aren’t you?” Her tone seethed, but pain hung behind it.
Zoe was the one person—besides Nate—that she didn’t have to lie to. But she still hadn’t told her exactly what she was up to. She would have tried to stop her from getting involved with Carlos and the last thing she needed was guilt while trying to keep Carlos’s suspicions at bay.
“Umm… close. I’m on a cruise heading to Puerto Rico.” She lifted an extra towel and scrunched the moisture out of the ends of her hair.
“What?”
Maddie yanked the phone away from the piercing cry. She massaged the outside of her ear with her finger and nestled the phone on her shoulder. “I told you I was going to do something about Leila.”
Silence hung in the air. Okay, so she hadn’t specifically said she was setting out to avenge Zoe’s little sister’s death. But she had told Zoe that Carlos would pay for what he’d done. And she was so close to keeping that promise.
“I appreciate what you’re trying to do,” Zoe said softly, her voice thick with tears. “But I don’t want to lose my best friend too. Why didn’t you tell me? I knew something was up when you weren’t returning my calls. Then you missed two Wine Wednesdays in a month—which is a first. I called your work and they said you were away.”
Shit. She should have known Wine Wednesday would be a dead giveaway.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call, but it was just too risky. I shouldn’t even be talking to you now.”
“Oh God. You need to stop this. Please, come home.”
Her stomach twisted and tears clouded her vision. “I can’t. I’m almost there… this is too big. I’ll call in two days—I promise. I love you.” Her throat tightened as she disconnected, not waiting for a response. She dropped the phone on the bed and covered her face with her hands. She wished she could have told her she was being as safe as possible and working with the FBI, not to mention Nate. But she couldn’t risk it.
She wiped her tears with the back of her hand and straightened. She had to get her game face on. Nate was waiting.
She got dressed quickly and let her hair hang wildly around her shoulders. No point in straightening it when the humidity would turn it into a tangled mess anyway. She shimmied a white floral sundress on, grabbed her beach bag, and shoved her feet in her shoes.
She picked up her phone and roamed her fingers over the screen.
He’s gone. Is it safe to come over?
The device pulsed in her hand seconds later.
All clear. Dylan has his eyes on Hector and Carlos in the dining room.
Her hand shook on the door handle. She took a deep breath and stepped out of the room. The hallway was empty, but most everyone would be at breakfast before they docked. She crossed the wide breadth of the hall and rapped her knuckles against the thick, white-painted wood of Nate’s door.
It swung open as if he’d been standing there waiting. His hand swooped around her shoulders and he pulled her into his suite. She dropped her head against his chest, breathing in his warm, heady scent. He wore a white T-shirt and light blue swimming shorts. Fresh aftershave reached her nostrils and she glanced up, confirming that he’d shaven his stubble. She rubbed her knuckle over his jaw.
“I like this, but I liked the stubble too.”
He leaned forward and pressed his mouth to hers. His tongue coasted through her mouth, washing away the unease that lingered from Carlos. “God, I missed you,” he breathed between kisses. She reached up on her toes, wanting more, but his palm cupped her cheek, stilling her.
“You’d better not stay long and if we keep doing this I won’t be able to stop.” His eyes burned like green embers and his palm warmed her to the bone.
Her lips moved into a pout. With Carlos’s intent on sex clear, she only wanted to be closer to Nate. Her teeth sunk into her tongue. She couldn’t lie to him.
“I think Carlos wants me to prove myself to him,” she said softly.
His eyes search her face and a dark shadow deepened the lines in his forehead. “Did he say something?”
“No… not directly. But he came on to me very strongly.”
Nate’s jaw worked in a back and forth motion and dread curled inside her. His hand fell away and he took a step back. “Stall. We only have one more day.” A beat passed. “You have the drugs I gave you right? If he comes on strong, slip it in his drink.”
She nodded. He sighed, and rubbed his palm over his face. A weak smile touched his lips but beneath his eyes, the skin creased with strain. Small dark circles that hadn’t been there before now sat beneath his eyes.
“I’m going to be honest, this job is killing me.” He dropped his hand to the back of his neck, massaging. She stepped forward and replaced his hand with hers, gently kneading the tense muscles.
“I know it’s been stressful.”
He chortled. “You have no idea.”
She stilled her hands and leaned back to raise her eyebrows at him. “Really? Do you have to worry about people wanting to screw you all day? I went through it with Tony, and then Hector, and now Carlos…”
He grunted. “Yeah, that’s pretty bad. But I still haven’t recovered from yesterday. I thought he would kill you before I could get there. Which reminds me, are you aware that there’s about three million dollars sitting in the back of your closet?”
Air sucked in through her lips and she frowned at him. “No. You were in our room?”
“I was there last night, right before they called you up. I went in to do a quick search for audio bugs and found a duffel bag full of money. When Carlos and Hector came in I had to jump to Dylan’s balcony below.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Nate! You could have been killed.” And she wouldn’t have known what had happened to him. Tears stung the back of her eyes. He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her against him.
“I’m fine. I was more worried about what would happen to you. Be careful with him today. I’ll be close, but don’t trust him for a minute. If he tries to take you somewhere too private or sketchy, just lose him and I’ll find you.”
His words burrowed deep in her chest, but relief that he would be near eased some of the tension away.
“I know. I should get going, he’s waiting.”
A hard glint crossed Nate’s eyes and he gave one sharp nod. She rose on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. His mouth parted and his tongue flicked over her bottom lip. Desire pulsed through her, warming the throbbing flesh between her legs.
“Be careful, dammit.”
She brushed another kiss over his mouth and squeezed his hand.
* * * *
Hours later, her skin tingled from the sun. They’d spent the morning shopping and had eaten lunch at a pretty restaurant overlooking the bay. She fell into step beside Carlos as they boarded the ship. With every sway of her arm the diamond bracelet caught the glare of the sun, and sparkled in her eyes, blinding her.
She made a mental snort. What an ostentatious gift. She was no stranger to diamonds, and something with this carat weight had easily run fifty thousand dollars. Drug lords sure knew how to apologize. If she were any other woman, she’d be drooling over the big cushion cut rocks molded together in platinum.
He’d given it to her over lunch, with a tentative grin on his face—as if she’d bought that. He might really be trying to keep her around for a while, but she wasn’t letting her guard down. She hadn’t seen Nate anywhere. Not even a glimpse of him. Had he sent Dylan or Ashley instead or was he just that slick?
The sun was getting lower in the sky and exhaustion settled deep in her muscles. All she wanted was a tall glass of wine, a hot bath, and bed. Without Carlos.
“Are you hungry?” Carlos’s hand fell to the small of her back as he led her to the elevator banks.
She puffed
out her cheeks and shook her head. “Oh God, no. I’m still full from lunch.”
His mouth lifted in the half-smile that a lot of women found attractive—for reasons she couldn’t fathom. “How about we relax in the suite tonight? We can order room service later if we work up an appetite.” Heat sparked his eyes, singeing her to the spot. Her hand closed over the smooth rail at the small of her back. The club sandwich she’d had for lunch burned a hole in her stomach lining and fire burned up her throat.
Her reflection shone back at her from the mirror behind Carlos, her face stark white, her eyes huge in her face. She nodded and forced a smile but her cheeks trembled.
“Sounds good.”
The elevator slowed and the doors whooshed open. She stepped into the hall before him and a trail of heat scorched up her spine.
How was she going to get out of this?
Her teeth sunk into the side of her tongue and the tinny taste of blood filled her mouth. Carlos had his key out before she could open her purse. He flicked it into the lock and bumped the door open with his hip.
She kicked off her sandals and gripped her purse in her fingers. “I’m going to wash off the saltwater. Pick out a movie?” She strived for a perky tone, but it fell flat. She moved ahead of him toward the bedroom and his footsteps padded close behind her.
“Don’t be too long.” His hand dropped to cup her ass as she crossed the threshold. She pressed her lips together, collected her pajamas from the closet, and closed the bathroom door. The lock snapped sharply echoing in the bright space. She set her purse next to her towel.
There was no way she could sleep with him. She choked on a gag and stepped out of her dress. Her chest constricted. She didn’t want anyone’s hands on her but Nate’s. After the last week, he had claimed her heart and body.
But if she didn’t prove herself to Carlos, everything will have been for nothing. She’d have risked her and Nate’s life, her relationship with Ethan, and Nate’s job. More important than all of that, Leila’s death would go unavenged. She would be just another statistic, a victim of the large, powerful hands of Carlos Santiago. She stepped under the spray and piled her hair in a bun on top of her head. She’d need another shower before she went to bed so she didn’t bother scrubbing her skin yet. Drugging him would be difficult. If she played it right, she might be able to let him think he’d actually gotten laid when he woke up. Otherwise, he’d know something was amiss.
But how close would she have to bring him?
If things hadn’t progressed with Nate, she wouldn’t even think twice about it. She would have done whatever it took to accomplish the job and this would be no different.
Besides, Nate had a million notches in his belt for every one of hers. She had no feelings or emotions for Carlos. All she had to do was put on a show. If she got him really drowsy and was all over him, her plan might just work. She stepped out of the shower and dried off, slipping her bra and panties on. Determination hardened the muscles in her face. Tomorrow they would nail his ass to the wall. She opened her purse and dug into the hole in the liner. She pulled out the tiny zip lock baggie holding a few roofie pills and tucked it into her bra.
She threaded her arms through the housecoat, turned the lock on the bathroom door, and took a deep, shuddering breath. She pressed her shaking hand to her chest and pulled the door open. Carlos’s face snapped up to hers. He sat bare chested against the massive steel grey cushioned headboard. His bare leg stretched over the comforter, black boxers were the only thing that covered him.
His jaw clicked open and the remote fell from his fingers. She closed the few feet to the bed and dropped the housecoat.
“Goddamn,” he wheezed. She pressed her hands into the mattress and crawled across the comforter.
Nate would be furious.
A muscle jumped in his throat as she inched closer. His dark, ebony eyes burned into hers. He grabbed her waist and yanked her down on the bed beside him.
His mouth crushed against hers and the faint taste of tobacco touched her tongue. Her stomach rolled and she squeezed her eyes shut.
“Look at me,” he growled.
She swallowed and opened her eyes. Her heartrate slowed. She hadn’t thought this through. He was a dangerous man and would be no different in bed. His hand moved between her thighs and his fingers slipped into her panties.
If she didn’t take over, there was no telling what he would do.
“Wait,” she panted. Her fingers dug into his scalp and she shifted her free hand to clamp around his wrist. “Let’s have a drink.” She scurried off the bed, and Carlos’s eyes darkened even more.
“Make it a double.”
She smiled and sauntered out of the room to where the wet bar sat in the living room. She dropped two pills into the glass and filled it with whiskey, and then poured her glass. Her pulse ricocheted against her throat. If he found out she’d drugged him, he’d kill her with his bare hands.
The walls of her throat hardened, making it nearly impossible to suck in air. She closed her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath. She had to do this. The cool glasses lowered the temperature of her sweating palms as she turned back to the bedroom. Carlos waited, stretched out on the sheets. She passed him his glass and his fingers circled her wrist. He groaned as she pushed her tongue between his teeth. She squeezed her eyes shut and pictured Nate, his eyes warm and his touch gentle. She swallowed, pushing down the bile in her throat and a silent prayer entered her mind.
Please, God. Don’t let Nate be listening.
Chapter 21
“Dude, you need to get down here. Now.” The sharp, serious tone of Dylan’s voice sent alarm bells shrilling through Nate’s head. He swung off the bed, grabbed his T-shirt from the floor, and shoved his arms through.
“What’s wrong?” He yanked the shirt over his head and snagged his room key from the nightstand. If Carlos had cornered Maddie again he’d rather break down their door than waste time going down to Dylan’s suite.
“I–I can’t explain. You just need to hear this with your own ears.”
The phone went dead. Icicles collected in his veins. He raced to the front door, shoved his feet in his sandals, and closed the door behind him. His feet skidded to a halt in front of Carlos’s door. The muscles in his shoulders bunched with the need to know what was going on behind the walls.
He shook his head and tore his feet from the carpet. He jogged to the stairwell. It’d be quicker than waiting for the elevator. His flip-flops slapped against the concrete stairs as he barreled down the two sets. His breath came out in heavy puffs as he pulled open the door and strode to Dylan’s suite. He’d never been out of breath from a few stairs, but when it came to Maddie, his health was always at stake. He reached for the door handle, but it swung open before he touched it. Dylan ushered him into the suite.
“I heard you charging down the hallway like a herd of elephants. Headphones are beside the monitor. Have a listen.”
Nate dropped into the chair and slid the headphones over his ears. Dead silence filled them and he frowned. He leaned forward, willing an image to fill the computer screen in front of him.
“Ah, fuck baby, you’re so sexy.”
His muscles tensed. He pressed his fingers to the outside of the headphones and leaned closer.
A low grunt sounded. “Get rid of this.” Carlos’s deep, throaty voice reached his ears. Fire spread through Nate’s veins and he turned to Dylan.
“What the fuck is this?” he ground out.
The blood drained from Dylan’s face and he swallowed. “I think they’re… doing it.”
Nate’s lips clenched together and he shook his head. No way. No fucking way. Maddie was bound and determined, but she wouldn’t do something like that.
Glasses clinked together and he snapped his teeth shut. Maddie’s deep, throaty laugh crackled through the speaker as if she were in
his ear, touching him. But she wasn’t. She was on another man. He pressed his fingertips into his eye sockets. In the beginning, she’d been open with him about her lack of conscience when it came to sleeping with Carlos. But that had been before.
Before he’d made her his.
It was possible she’d given him the roofie and was waiting for him to pass out. He couldn’t deny that likelihood. Carlos let out a low moan and pain tore through him. Whether it was an act or not, he couldn’t bear listening as if it were real. He tore the headphones from his head and threw them on the table. He drove his fingers through his hair and got to his feet.
He wanted to storm up there, tear Carlos away from her, and shove his automatic so far up Carlos’s ass—
Dylan cleared his throat. “I’m sorry dude. If it’s any consolation, you know she hates the bastard.”
Nate dropped his hand and shook his head. “No, it’s no consolation.” His throat tightened. “I gave her some roofies to slip him if he came on heavy. I’m sure that’s what she’s doing.”
Dylan winced, and his tanned cheeks crinkled with sympathy.
Nate sighed and waved him off. “I’m going up now. Let me know if anything else happens.” He strode to the door, but Dylan scrambled to his feet.
“You’re not going to listen?”
The muscles in his face ached as he deepened his scowl. “Why the hell would I want to listen to that?”
He shrugged. “If you’re right then he’ll pass out soon.”
“I don’t need to hear it.” He moved past Dylan and into the hall. His hands knotted into fists until the skin at his knuckles threatened to split.
His jaw locked and he stormed into the stairwell, not giving a damn if he disturbed anyone. Fuck, he hoped Carlos would come out of his room. He wouldn’t even think twice about breaking every bone in his face.
He moved his tongue across the top of his teeth. He wasn’t stupid enough to be jealous. That wasn’t what this was about. He hoped to hell she hadn’t let that slimy sonofabitch touch her. She had to know he’d be listening in. The room was bugged for God’s sake.
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