As night approached and they still had no sure answers, he grew restless; he knew it was going to be up to him, that he was the one who would have to find a way into the palace, but so far they’d come up with nothing. They had a quiet dinner prepared by the staff. Jenna didn’t seem worried and he put that down to her natural innocence. He wasn’t sure how her mind worked when it came to these things; she had so many different angles, it was almost hard for him to keep up.
“Angel bath.” She made that announcement as they left the table.
“Okay I’ll run you a bath.” He didn’t question the fact that they’d taken a shower not too long ago; maybe she just preferred baths. His mind was so preoccupied that he just ran the bath and got her set up before heading back downstairs with the guys.
“Okay no matter what, I have to find a way into this place, if I don’t do it, she’s going to try and I can’t have that. We have just a few hours left to come up with a plan. Gramps you’ve been here before, do you know anything about the place? Is there anyway to gain an audience or some other bullshit?”
“Uh, ahem.”
“What is it old man?” Gramps was looking rather suspicious all of a sudden, and Andros knew that always spelt trouble for him. “What did you do?”
“Nothing, but, there’s a game there tonight.”
“Game, what kind of game?”
“Well, while you were asleep I put out some feelers and found out that there’s some kind of high stakes game going on there tonight. Lotta the big boys are gonna be there.”
“How does this help me? I can’t just walk in there can I? you usually have to buy into those things.” When the old man didn’t answer but just gave him a look, he still hadn’t caught on. It was Garrett’s ‘oh shit’ that did it.
“JENNA.” HE took the stairs two at a time with his heart already at the bottom of his feet. He heard water running in the tub and bent to hold his knees in relief. He was breathing like a runaway train. Walking over to the door he pushed it open and felt his blood run cold.
He searched the room but he knew she wasn’t there. He turned off the water before running back downstairs. “She’s gone, let’s go.” He wasn’t sure what he should feel. Beyond the fear was anger, anger that she would do this even after he’d told her not to. Anger that she was in danger and there was nothing he could do about it. He wasn’t prepared to storm the fucking presidential palace of Cuba for fuck sake.
JENNA
The men scattered around the room were very appreciative of the beautiful blonde as she made her way around the room. She was almost the perfect woman; beautiful smile, amazing body, and she barely spoke. The other women here would talk your ear off, but this one knew her place.
When the private doors leading down to the wine cellar were opened and the nod was given, they knew it was time for the fun to begin. “Who do you have there Pierre?” The man in charge posed the question in his heavy accent, as the others wondered the same.
The women didn’t usually play, they were just here for window dressing, but at one seat, it seemed the roles had been reversed. Though no one would ever mistake Pierre Gaston for window dressing. The man was an over enthusiastic blowhard with nose hair and a bulbous nose that took up half his face.
His gout-ridden body left much to be desired as well, and everyone came to the same conclusion; the young beauty had to be with the old fool for his money, of which he had plenty. Pierre wasn’t interested in what they thought, he had a pretty good idea what was going through their heads but the joke was on them.
This particular young beauty had skinned him out of millions a few months ago. It wasn’t the money that bothered him, he had more than enough for one lifetime, but his pride had taken a licking and he needed to get some of his own back. What better way, than to have some of the world’s foremost billionaires suffer the same fate?
When she’d contacted him with the idea he hadn’t bat a lash, though the location was a bit odd. He’d played here before, everyone knew the dictator loved to gamble, and those in the know knew all about the little secret games held in his dungeon. It had been no trouble at all getting an invite and paying the entrance fee, and so here he was getting some of his own back. Only tonight he wasn’t planning on playing.
“This gentlemen, is my protégé.” They’d come up with that little story together to make it more acceptable to the others.
The smiling coquette was gone, and in her place was a very serious woman who studied her hand like she meant business. The men didn’t make a fuss about playing with a woman, they’d done it before, but she didn’t look the type. The room started out with friendly ribaldry and good joshing as the hands were dealt and the money pile grew. It didn’t take long for the atmosphere to change as they watched the very serious and very quiet young woman win hand after hand.
“Pierre, what’s going on here? where did you find her?” the old man just smiled and shrugged his shoulders as the men tightened their belts and got down to serious playing. They weren’t about to let this newcomer best them, and not a woman at that.
She let them win the next two hands, not giving away too much, just enough to make these men less suspicious. She handily trounced them the next two hands before she beckoned the older man down so she could whisper one word in his ear. “Restroom.”
No one thought anything of it when the request was made, least of all the dictator who was getting hot under the collar at being bested at his own table. He knew most of them let him win, he didn’t care about that; he only cared about winning, however that was achieved.
The kindly assistant showed her the way down the long hallway before returning back to the room downstairs, after ascertaining that she knew her way back. He hoped she’d take her time though; the way things were going he was in for a long night. He’s the one who was in charge of setting up the games. His boss hadn’t been too thrilled about this one to begin with since he had a delegation of very important men arriving soon, and the game had been set up last minute.
He’d had a time of it convincing the man that this would be a good way to relax and unwind, while they waited to handle the other matter concerning the man that was being held even now in another part of the palace. When he’d been contacted and offered a cool half a million to set up the game, he’d jumped at the chance. He had been in a bit of trouble lately and the money would go a long way to easing his burden.
Chapter 31
She knew she didn’t have a lot of time as she threw the dress and the wig into her purse. She got hurriedly dressed in the skintight Kevlar body suit before putting her hair up and shoving it under the cap which she pulled down low over her eyes. Taking the pieces of the gun that Andros had forgotten to take from her backpack, she put it together in less time than it would’ve taken one of the army’s elite.
Each move was precise and calculated. She listened carefully at the door before easing it open and making her way as carefully as she could down the winding hallway heading in the opposite direction from where she’d come. With her keen senses on high alert, she made her way to the other end of the palace where she had deduced that her father was being held captive.
It hadn’t been easy since she’d never been there before, but after studying the blue prints on file, she’d chosen this one by process of elimination. There was no room for mistakes, she would only get one shot at this, and though she’d practiced she knew that this was the real deal and anything could go wrong.
She saw the lone figure sitting outside the door and breathed a sigh of relief. This must be it after all. Staying to the shadows, she made her way stealthily towards the man who seemed to be nodding off at his post. That worked in her favor, she was expecting to use the element of surprise to disarm him before he raised the alarm, but this way was much easier.
She made short work of putting him to sleep with her hand around his neck in the way she’d seen on the tapes she’d been studying since she was a teenager, fascinated by the stuff. When
his body slumped she positioned him just in case someone happened along. She’d learned that trick from watching one of her shows too.
She put her ear against the door as she turned the knob and opened it into the darkened room. Her dad sat up as soon as she entered. He looked haggard and scared but and she wanted to cry out, but there was no time. Her heart beat erratically in her chest as she approached him. “Jenna?”
“Come.” It was all she said as she took his arm and pulled him up from the bed. He wasn’t wearing shoes and was barely dressed, but it would have to do. She pulled him along behind her, totally focused on where they were going. Each time he tried to question her presence she shushed him with a finger to the lips.
It was late and no one was about, as she made her way to the back of the palace. She could hear the drone of men’s voices as they patrolled the grounds outside with attack dogs and semi automatic rifles. She found the trap door that led down to the tunnel leading underground, the dictator’s escape hatch.
It was only then that she felt the fear set in. She was hoping that Angel had discovered her gone by now, she’d left the water running for just that reason, so that she could have a head start but that he’d be waiting there for her at the other end. She hoped he understood the plans she’d shown him earlier.
She didn’t question why she had so much faith in his ability to find her, she just did. It never entered her mind that he would be angry with her, he was her angel; he loved her.
Andros was scared and pissed at once, but there was no outlet for his anger. Gramps kept insisting that she knew what she was doing, which might well be true; but he wasn’t the kind of man who could ever be okay with his woman taking the lead. Especially after he’d told her no. When he thought of who she was beneath all the espionage and bullshit it just scared the shit out of him. His flower was too gentle, too innocent…
They heard the explosion on their second circuit around the neighborhood. He’d decided to follow the map she’d left behind for him, hoping that she was going to come climbing up through a manhole.
“Stop him boys.” He heard gramps’ warning as he threw the car door open and started running. His shoes weren’t made for running and neither was the suit he was wearing but none of that mattered. All that mattered was getting to her. He didn’t doubt for one second that she had something to do with whatever that was that had just gone off behind the high walls that surrounded the presidential residence.
He could hear voices raised in alarm and men running beyond those walls. He didn’t know where the fuck he was going, he just knew he couldn’t sit in that car and wait for her to show up.
Garrett and Jameson were hot on his heels, they were the ones who pulled him back just as he was about to scale the wall. He had reached the point where he didn’t care what happened to him. He had to get her the fuck out of there.
He saw the man first in the distance. He didn’t let himself believe, until he saw the much smaller shadow next to the seemingly injured man. He was running towards her in the dark as the night sky lit up with orange flames.
When he reached them he dragged her away from her dad and into his arms. “Let’s go boss we gotta get outta here.” The guys helped the old man as he pulled her back to the car with him. He didn’t trust himself to speak, didn’t think he could.
He pulled her into the car with him as the others got in and they drove off at high speed, back to the villa. It was a bit cramped back there so she had to sit on his lap. She started rubbing his hand as soon as they were settled. He knew what she was doing, but it wouldn’t work this time.
His fear turned to pure anger as he felt his heart finally settle. No one said anything as they made their way through the darkened streets. Sirens blared going hard in the other direction and he held his breath until they cleared the gates.
“He needs care, it looks like they worked him over pretty good.” Garrett imparted that little tidbit as soon as they left the car. “Too fucking bad we’re not hanging around here call ahead and make sure the plane is ready to leave as soon as we get there.”
They only went inside long enough to collect their stuff, which wasn’t much, before they were headed back out. He’d sent one of the planes back so there was only the one left.
They couldn’t appear too suspicious as they made their way, so they had to drive at an almost sedate pace while the rest of the island seemed to have come alive. News of the explosion had already spread and he had no doubt that the army or someone might call for a lockdown soon and he wanted to be in the air before that happened.
He didn’t breathe easy until they were boarded and the jet was cruising down the runway. It was a three and a half hour flight to Toronto. He spent the time in silent contemplation as he held her hand gripped tightly in his. His heart was finally beating somewhat normal again and his vision was clearing from the rage. He never wanted to feel that sick helplessness ever again in his life, and he knew he had to find some way to get it through to her.
“Angel.” He didn’t answer her, neither did he look at her, he couldn’t. He was afraid that if he did, he would lose his shit and do, or say something that would hurt her. He was going to need some time here; time to put everything he’d learned in the last few days in perspective. He knew now that what he’d believed in the beginning isn’t what really was. Along with her innocence and beauty was this other being that was capable and strong. Strong enough to do whatever it was that she’d done here tonight.
The others were talking in hushed tones as they sensed his mood and knew to steer clear. Her old man had tried talking to her, until Andros turned such a look of hatred on the other man, that he’d limped back to his seat and dropped into it as if all the air had been knocked out of him. he’s lucky the younger man hadn’t chucked his ass out a window already.
He guessed Garrett was right and the man needed medical attention, but he couldn’t find it in him to give a fuck. Had they taken more care with her, none of this would’ve happened. She wouldn’t have had to put her life in danger and scare twenty fucking years off of his. She tried once more to get his attention but he kept his head turned to the window. He was holding her hand, let that be enough for her for now. There was no way he was going to let her off that easily, no fucking way.
When they finally made it back to American soil hours later, they were a tired group of people who walked to the waiting car that would take them back to the estate. Andros still hadn’t said a word to anyone in all this time. He was very well aware that she’d cried herself to sleep on his shoulder the second time he’d rebuffed her. She was too exhausted from her little escapade to feel it when he kissed her hair, or to hear his softly whispered promises of love.
He took her up to bed, after leaving her old man in the care of Willie. The senator and her husband were still in residence and had been asking questions before they’d retired for the night. He’d almost forgotten that they were here and had to remind himself to find out in the morning from his men what had gone down with the would be assassin. He was too tired to deal with much of anything else now though, so he just took her upstairs to bed.
She watched him with sad eyes as he silently undressed her for bed. He was finally able to check her over for injuries, finally able to reassure himself that she really had survived the night unscathed. “Angel.” This time she turned his face to hers. He could still see the evidence of her tears and it hurt his heart just a little that he was the cause of them. He never wanted to bring her pain or sorrow, but she’d put him in a tough position.
He realized as he knelt at her feet looking up at him that he was more upset that she hadn’t needed him, than anything else, and that was fucked up thinking. Alice had been vulnerable; she’d needed him at every turn. He’d fought her dragons and kept her safe until he wasn’t here and she’d been destroyed.
Jenna didn’t need him to fight her dragons; she was probably more equipped than him. He no longer felt the need to lash out at her, to rant and ra
ve until she promised to never do anything like this again. Instead he just felt tired all of a sudden. “Let’s get some sleep little flower, we’ll talk about it in the morning.” He kissed her forehead and helped her under the covers before heading to the shower.
She was out by the time he got back into the room and climbed into bed with her. He pulled her into his arms and wrapped them around her until he too gave in to the weariness of the long night.
The dream started out like so many others he’d had over the years. She was running through a field of flowers and he followed, calling out for her to wait, to not enter the woods where he knew danger awaited. Like always she kept going and he felt the fear hit him in the bowels like it always did as he tried to catch up. No matter how fast he went, he could never make up the distance between them.
This time the dream changed though and she waited for him at the edge of the woods. She looked…different, somehow. Her face no longer carried the soft roundness of youth; instead he was staring down at an older even more beautiful version of the little sister that he’d lost. He looked down between them as she reached out and took his hand. It felt so real in his, that little hand that he remembered so well.
“Stefano.” He was taken aback by how real that sounded, how real everything appeared. He knew he was asleep, and that this was a dream, what else could it be after all? but it felt so completely different from all the others that had come before.
The Gambler Page 20