by Liz Everly
“Good thing he’s coming. I don’t trust these locals, ” Jennifer said.
“D’Amico is obviously not local,” Sasha said.
“But he works for them,” Jennifer responded. “And he’s an arrogant SOB.”
“I thought he was nice. He seemed like he liked you,” Sasha said.
Jennifer beamed. “Of course. But it means nothing to me.”
Sanj slid his arm around Sasha. In the back of a police car, Sasha’s imagination flashed on handcuffs. Silver shiny ones wrapped around Sanj’s chestnut-brown skin. What would he think of her if he knew she fantasized about cuffing him to the bed and spanking his beautiful ass?
“You look devilish. What are you thinking?” he whispered.
“Trust me,” she said. “You don’t want to know.”
An eyebrow lifted. “Yes, I think I do,” he said.
She grinned. “We need to find Maeve . . .”
“Yes, but in the meantime—”
“You need to clear your mind?” she said and laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Jennifer spun around from the front seat to ask.
Sanj cleared his throat. “Nothing. Never mind.”
Jennifer turned back around.
Each one of them went to their separate condos, much to Sasha’s and Sanj’s chagrin. A private guard was posted outside their condos, and they were ordered to stay in their separate places. Jennifer’s condo was farther away, but Sanj and Sasha’s were across from one another.
“I’m sorry,” Sanj mouthed to her before he slipped into his condo.
Me, too, Sasha thought. How could they even be thinking about sex at a time like this? Humans were funny animals. In the midst of danger, of grief, or almost any strong emotion, they still wanted to screw. Was it the adrenaline rush? The comfort of skin on skin while the world went to hell?
Before Sanj, Sasha had not had intercourse in years—since Paul died. And even then, only sporadically. Paul wanted to be collared, wanted to be her submissive permanently. She would have done anything for him. She was very protective of him—even as he continued to want more and more pain and kink from her.
The more successful he became as a chef in the public eye, the more submissive he became to her behind closed doors. She was only too happy to oblige. She began to tingle at the thought of sex with Paul.
Sasha lit a chocolate-scented candle next to her bathtub, then slipped into the water. She closed her eyes and remembered the last time they were together. He had told her he was leaving his wife. He wanted to live with her, for her to quit working for Sam. He would take care of her, he said—which is when the trouble between Sam and Paul began.
She choked back a sob as her body began to relax in the warm bubbly water. He was gone and she needed to move on. Sanj helped. But she knew she could never rely on anybody to help her get over Paul. This healing was hers to do alone.
She opened her eyes and looked out over the dark sky. The water sparkled from the moonlight and lights from some of the condos were turned on. Was that Sanj’s condo? A light there. A movement. Oh my. There he was, looking out the window in her direction, with unmistakable interest and longing on his face. A tilt of his head. Could he see her in the candlelight?
Sasha lifted herself out of the water and stood naked, facing Sanj, who leaned forward and grinned. Sasha had the perfect view of him. She dripped water, so she reached for a towel, leaned over, and lifted her leg to the tub, allowing her breasts to rest on her thighs. She took the towel—thick, cocoa-colored, and soft—and started at her feet and wiped her legs, ever so slowly. Her senses popped. She loved how he watched her. Had no idea it could be so titillating. She wrapped the towel around her body and reached for the chocolate-scented oil. She turned her back on Sanj as the towel slid from her body.
She splashed the oil all over herself and rubbed it in with long, sweeping swipes of her hand. Her own hand. And he watched her.
What was happening to her? Fallow parts of her emerged. First, allowing herself the pleasure of a lover, and now feeling the soft, spreading warmth of her own hands and the unmistakable wetness between her thighs. Could anybody else see her? She didn’t think so. The condos consisted of weird modern angles and tropical landscaping—certainly it was a fluke she and Sanj saw one another.
Should she?
She could not remember the last time she’d pleasured herself—not simply as a way to excite a lover or client as a show. Men loved it. She’d not even had the desire for it.
But his eyes were on her. Something about him. Something about his stance as he watched her.
She sat on the edge of the sink and found herself.
Chapter 27
Sanj wanted to do more than see her. He wanted to feel her writhing beneath him, on top of him, everywhere. He didn’t know where these emotions came from. He wanted to grovel at her feet, submit to her in every way. An Indian man does not grovel to women.
“Get ahold of yourself, man,” he said to himself. A security guard was right outside the door. They’d asked that they not leave their condos until morning. Well, not really asked, more like ordered. Sanj thought they were suspects and were certain the police were doing background checks on all of them. Hell. Soon they would know who he was—and things would take on a different tone completely. It always did.
Is Sasha really doing that?
Her skin glowed in the candlelight. Too dark to see everything. A breast in the flickering shard of light. The rounded mound of her ass in another slice of light. Then her hand moving between her thighs. Her head dropping back; a strand of wet dark hair falling on her shoulder. Her hand moving faster in circular motions.
Then her face coming close to the window. Blowing out the candle.
He stood watching the dark window as if somehow he could will himself across the walk and into her arms. He felt himself hard and pressing against his trousers. Damn, not again. He was a walking boner these days—this harked back to his teenage years.
His phone buzzed. “Yes,” he said.
“I’m here,” Josh said. “Where are you?”
Sanj gave him the condo number and told him to be prepared for questioning by the guard.
“They have you under surveillance?”
“Calling it protection,” Sanj said.
“Okay, no harm in that, I guess. Be right there,” Josh said. Good old Josh. Always watching out for Sanj.
Within a few minutes he was standing at the door and answering questions about who he was and so on. Finally, with all the identification shown, the man was finally let in.
“What a fucking mess,” Josh said. “Have you heard from the kidnapper again?”
“Yes, I know what he wants—and he’s not getting it,” Sanj said, and explained.
“Look, this Sasha? She’s a criminal,” Josh said, scratching his beard.
“I know. But she is trying to start a new life.”
“Sanj, man, you’ve got to stop this bleeding-heart crap,” Josh said. “She’s a pro. She’s probably up to no good. So let’s say she wants to start a new life. And she means it. The recidivism rate for prostitutes is ridiculous. She has no other skills. She’s a coke head. She’ll be back to turning tricks in no time.”
Sanj ignored Josh, hoping to make him squirm a bit. He walked into the kitchen. “Can I get you a drink?”
“Any beer in the fridge?”
Sanj smiled and handed him a bottle. They sat down on the couch.
“I know what you are saying is true. I was suspicious of her when we met in Ecuador. But she was in trouble and I helped her out. Then it turned out she was searching for Maeve. I think Maeve thought very highly of her. I trust her instincts.”
“Aw, c’mon. Maeve is a bleeding heart too,” Josh said after swilling another drink. “I’ve seen it so often.”
“Well. It’s not just Maeve,” Sanj said with some hesitation. “I really like her.”
“What?” Josh said, slamming his beer on the table.
>
“Now wait—”
“Now you wait, Sanj. What are you saying? Are you fucking her? Are you in a relationship with this woman?”
Sanj didn’t answer him. After all, he paid Josh; he didn’t have to tell him shit. But Josh was more than an employee, he was a longtime friend.
“Fuck,” Josh said. “I told you not to get involved with Jennifer and look what happened.”
“I know,” Sanj said. “Look, it’s different with Sasha.”
“What are you going to do, marry her?” He sneered and took a swig of beer.
“We’ve just met. And you know it’s very complicated in my situation. I can’t just marry anyone,” he said. “I’m aware of that.”
“Look, if you’re, ya know, sleeping with her, it’s one thing. But it sounds like you like her. I don’t want to have to pick you up from another heartbreak,” he said, meeting his eyes. “Sir.”
He made it sound like Sanj had so many women. Had he?
“So back to Maeve and the fact we don’t trade a woman for a woman and deal with a criminal in such a manner.”
“Then we need to find her. Do you think she could be on the estate?”
“It’s a possibility,” Sanj said. “It’s also possible, of course, that they were here and are long gone. They could be anywhere in the world.”
“But they found her scarf here. She was at least here that we know of. Any other clues?”
“Jennifer has a journal that Maeve was keeping. Would you like to see it?”
Josh looked out the window with a look of subdued rage. Sanj knew his expressions by now. “Jennifer is here?”
“Didn’t I tell you?”
He shook his head. “I don’t think you did, boss.”
“She met us in Ecuador and came along. She’s looking for Maeve, of course.”
Josh grinned. “You have your ex-fiancée and the woman you are sleeping with now, um, sort of together?”
“Sort of.”
“Only you, Sanj,” Josh said and slapped his knee, and laughed uproariously.
“Okay, okay. Calm down,” Sanj said, trying not to smile. “So do you want to see Jennifer tonight or tomorrow?”
“I’d prefer not to see her at all,” he said with a serious tone.
Chapter 28
Sasha received a phone call as she exited her morning shower. Yes, another shower. After months of not bathing or showering, she still couldn’t get enough of them.
“What are you doing?” It was Sanj.
“Just toweling off,” she replied. “You?”
“Um, trying to get the image of you toweling off out of my mind and other things,” he said, chuckling.
“You’re so naughty, watching me last night. I saw you. Maybe you need a spanking.” It was out of her mouth before she thought about it. A spanking? Not that she wouldn’t like to administer a nice spanking to him, but she was unsure what he felt about such things. She wondered how much pain he would take until he’d feel the hot rush of endorphins brought on by just the right amount of pain. She’d like that.
“Hmm,” Sanj said, cleaning his throat. “Interesting suggestion. I’m in a private dining room. We are having a breakfast meeting and I was calling you to tell you about it.”
“Of course I’ll be there, but could we steal away at some point?” she asked.
“I don’t know. Let’s keep our eyes open for opportunities,” he said with a raspy voice.
“Good morning, Sanj,” Sasha heard a female voice say over the phone. Jennifer. Damn her. “What’s she doing there?”
“Everybody is invited to this. Josh wanted to see Maeve’s journal,” he said.
“Who is Josh?”
“He’s one of my assistants and a private investigator. He arrived last night.”
Sanj had his own PI? Interesting. What the hell was Sanj anyway? She thought he’d said he was a physician, but physicians didn’t have their own PIs. She remembered Jennifer asking him if Sasha knew about him. She didn’t want to pry, but now her curiosity was piqued.
“I’ll be there as soon as I’m dressed,” she said.
“I can’t wait to see you,” he said, almost mooning like a high school boy, which sent tingles of longing through Sasha.
Sweet.
As Sasha dressed, images of spanking Sanj played in her mind. He had a nice, firm round ass, with two indents on either side where she rested her palms when having sex with him. Next time maybe she’d swat him and see what happened. But she lacked the proper instruments. Her favorite paddle was long gone. Maybe she could find one somewhere on this island. Perhaps even a cane. The men who like being spanked were usually not searching for real pain, though some did. But many of them longed for the sting, the vibration of all of his parts by the paddle, strap, or cane.
But maybe, with Sanj, her hand would do.
She felt an unraveling in her lower regions, which she intended to ignore. Still, as she walked out her condo, she could not help but feel as if she were slinking along the sidewalks. Thoughts of Sanj traveled through her body.
So warming. So delicious. So, so . . . dangerous. For him. For her. Focus on the here and now. On finding Maeve. But thoughts of Sanj kept interrupting. And the fact that he was in the condo across from hers wasn’t helping. It was like dangling a piece of fine chocolate in front of her face, allowing her to smell it, see it, but not to taste it.
Maybe this would get all squared away today. Maybe by tonight they would be back together in the same bed.
The police officer waiting outside her door escorted her as she made her way to the dining area. Sasha looked around as if she didn’t know where she belonged.
“Here,” he said to her, and led her to the room.
When she entered the room Sanj stood, as did the man who sat beside him, who took all of Sasha in with one sweeping glance, cocked an eyebrow, and offered his hand.
“Sasha,” he said. “I’m Josh, nice to meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine,” she said, taking the seat next to Sanj.
The spread of food was impressive—heaps of local tropical fruit, breads, muffins, jellies, butter. The chocolate scent of these huge muffins beckoned. Sasha’s mouth watered.
“Please,” Sanj said. “Eat.”
“I’m so hungry, hadn’t realized it until now,” she said, reaching for a muffin and the butter.
“I think everybody is here,” Detective D’Amico said, standing. He was definitely in charge. Sasha noticed how muscled he was. He was wearing a more revealing shirt, with no jacket. She glanced over at Jennifer, whose face was flushed. Oh yes, she had noticed too. “I want to thank you all for coming. Consider this a briefing session. Glad to see you here, Josh. We’re going to need all the help we can get.”
He held up a remote control and a huge computer screen clicked on. Jackson Dodds faced them on the screen.
“Can you hear us?” the detective asked.
“Yes,” he said. Greetings were exchanged.
Sasha’s stomach clenched as Jackson eyed the crowd. Then his eyes stopped on her. “Is that who I think it is?” he asked.
“Who?” said Sanj.
“Is that? No, it couldn’t be . . .”
“Yes, Jackson, it is me, Sasha,” she said. Her voice came out weaker than she intended.
“How? What?”
“We’ve plenty of time to get into that later,” Sanj said. “Let’s proceed.”
“We are still checking all of you out to see if your stories add up. In the meantime, we’ve not found Maeve Flannery, or anything else belonging to her. The scarf has been sent for DNA testing. We are still holding Mozingo, but will have to let him go soon, if we can’t find a reason to charge him,” Detective D’Amico said.
“Reason?” Jennifer said. “We found Maeve’s scarf there.”
“What is your name again?” he asked, leaning in Jennifer’s direction with bemusement on his face.
“You know my name,” Jennifer said and crossed her arm
s. “Jennifer.”
“Okay, Jennifer. So, at this point it’s your word against his,” he said. “Even if we get DNA results back super quick and it shows the scarf is hers, we still have no proof he knows anything about it.”
“That sucks,” she said.
“I have a picture of her wearing the scarf,” Jackson said. He held it up to the screen. Evidently the police had been in contact with him about the scarf already.
“It certainly looks like it,” D’Amico said.
“Yep,” Josh said examining a police photo of the one being tested.
Sasha bit into her muffin and felt someone’s eyes on her. Out of the corner of her eye, she surmised it was Josh. Yes, of course he was suspicious of her.
“But as far as Sam Everidge goes,” the detective went on. The sound of his name made the hair on the back of Sasha’s neck stand at attention. “We have authorities across the world attempting to shut him down. It is the quickest way we know to get his attention,” he said.
“And then once you’ve gotten his attention?” Sasha asked. “What will you do then? He is not a man to be trifled with. He has more money than you have seen in your life and more power as well. He is unafraid to use it. I have to wonder if any of you realize just who you’re up against. Not only is he rich and powerful, but he has no conscience. None.”
The room settled into a stunned, shocked silence.
“And this is the man who has my wife?” Jackson asked.
“We are pretty certain,” D’Amico said.
“Pretty certain?” Jackson’s face contorted with anger. “What the fuck is happening over there? While you are all making nice with procedure, my wife is missing! I’m coming over as soon as these assholes give me the clearance. And I’m getting my wife back.”
Chapter 29
“Jackson, get a grip, my friend,” Sanj said.
Jackson leaned closer to the camera.
“We are doing everything we can,” he said.
“Really?” he said. “I don’t believe that, Sanj. Why are these cops involved?”
“No choice, the way things went down,” Sanj said. He knew Jackson would be pissed about the cops. But timing was everything. And Josh had just gotten in last night. By then the investigation was under way.