“Who is the man talking to Collin? He looks important.” Thelma held Athena’s chin, guiding her to where she was talking about.
“That’s the kingpin Thadeus Kitchner.” Lorraine didn’t bother to hide behind anything. She leaned over the balcony, staring down at the men in an intense conversation.
Athena joined her, noting the security detail that hovered in easy reach. She looked at Collin, wondering why he was talking to this man. His arms were animated as he continually banged one hand into the palm of the other hand. Whatever the conversation, Collin wasn’t happy.
“Looks like Kitchner is conducting business.”
“I can’t see Collin working with a drug kingpin.”
“Oh, Kitchner is into more than drugs. Prostitution. Government corruption. He is quite a multitasker.”
“I’m going down there.” Athena turned to leave.
“No, you’re not.” Lorraine grabbed her by the arm. “You don’t want to be in his crosshairs. I’m sure Collin doesn’t need our help.”
Athena didn’t budge and with Lorraine’s grip on her arm, she couldn’t move even if she wanted to. She’d find out from Collin later why he was talking to such a bad character. Hopefully she could accept his answer, whatever it was.
Before they could duck out of sight, Kitchner pointed in their direction. Collin looked up at them. Athena didn’t mistake his fury, although he showed great restraint.
Lorraine sniffed. “Let’s hope he didn’t sell his soul to the devil.”
Chapter 10
After all the planning and coordinating, Collin couldn’t say that he remembered how the field trip wrapped up. Kitchner making a surprise visit to ensure face time with him had the effect of exploding any sense of euphoria. Every point the man made added notches to raise Collin’s anger. He recalled ending the conversation with lots of gesticulating and definitive statements colorfully decorated with intermittent curses. Kitchner tried to calm him, but stopped when he realized anything that he said compounded the situation. A day later he couldn’t shake the unsettled feeling.
“Why don’t you tell me what happened yesterday?” Athena rolled over and scooted her body closer to him.
“Because it was nothing special. Business. And, no, not school business.”
“You’re being evasive. Although I am curious, I’m not prying into your affairs.”
“Don’t get yourself worked up.” He pulled her closer to his body and kissed her forehead.
“Should I be worried about this Kitchner?” She rubbed his chest. “Or should I be worried about you?”
“How do you know his name?”
“According to my sources, the whole island knows his name.” She paused. “But what puzzles me is why people make innuendos about him and you.”
Collin hadn’t wanted to think about his relationship with Athena. He didn’t want to think about where it would lead. Probing questions full of nasty potential could take things between them a bit too far. How much should he open his heart to her? The trouble was he couldn’t answer definitively.
Athena positioned herself onto her stomach and propped her chin. She locked gazes with him. “You can trust me.” Athena kissed him on his chest.
He’d start with revealing just the basics. “Kitchner delves in illegal business on the island and other islands. I took this property, but nothing else.”
She sucked in her breath.
“I know, you don’t have to issue the warning. But I was desperate. He offered the building and I took it.”
“You paid nothing?”
“I paid, but nothing like what it would be worth on the open market. I also asked him to leave my staff alone and definitely leave the students alone.”
“So…what does he want now?” She slid her body upward to his face, where she rested her forehead against his chin.
“He’s warning me. Nothing in particular.” He didn’t dare tell her that Kitchner’s competitors were threatened by the school. They accused him of affecting their recruiting efforts. Single mothers weren’t as likely to hand over their girls because the girls now had options. The young boys weren’t immune, either.
He’d have to pay another visit to the commissioner.
“You did get rid of him, right?”
“I’d like to think so.” All he’d done was poke at the rattlesnake. Kitchner and his kind had enough venom to make him stay clear.
“You’re my warrior hero.”
“I’ll take the warrior part. The hero suit doesn’t quite fit.”
Athena touched his chin with her finger. “You are either crazy or brave.” She leaned up and kissed his mouth.
Collin closed his eyes and blew out any further thought of Kitchner. The situation had been moved to the back of his mind. The man accused him of delaying the inevitable. But he didn’t want to dwell on the past or be preoccupied with the future. The present contained Athena in his arms and that was all that mattered.
He gathered her in his arms and slipped her under him. She smelled faintly of vanilla, a scent that he came to associate with her. He inhaled deeply, wishing he could erase the ugliness. She held him with a gentleness that nudged at his heart.
“You mean so much to me,” he admitted. He kissed her, softly and gently, waking up her mouth with languid strokes. His fingers slid into her thick, silky hair.
Whenever he held her close, he lost himself in her essence.
“Baby, I can’t get enough of you.” This time when he kissed her, he caressed her skin that was soft and smooth. “You’re like a chocolate sundae.”
“That sounds yummy.” She groaned.
He kissed her neck, blazing a path to the familiar indentation at the base of her neck. When she arched her neck, pushing up her breasts, he acted upon the offer. Each brown tip earned his attention, as he sucked them to a tight bud.
Her hands played with his hair, massaging his temples with a sensual touch. It was his turn to groan with pleasure, pure and unadulterated. He rubbed his cheek against the fullness of her breast, lingering over the continued scent of vanilla. He almost envied her daily ritual of lotioning her body. That was a treat he would have preferred to do.
But he didn’t mind reenacting his fantasy because he had a bottle of massage oil. He popped open the bottle and poured a little in the palm of his hand. Slowly he rubbed his hands together, grinning at her enthusiasm.
Her eyes closed as she licked her lips. Her moistened lips tantalized him, slightly open, teasing, inviting. Just looking at her turned him on.
She took his hands and placed them on her shoulders, moving his hands down over her breasts, not fast, but slow, allowing him to feel every twitch of muscle under her skin. Every nuance about her he looked forward to learning. Massaging the oil around her breasts, along her sides, over her stomach, under her belly button down to the delicate triangle between her legs.
Her legs twitched as he paused before planting a kiss. Each leg he administered more oil from her thigh down to her polished toes. Even her giggle excited him as his finger grazed her instep.
“You know I’m not done with you.”
“I can’t stand it anymore. I want you,” she wailed.
“I could do what you say, but I’m not ready to obey.” He turned her over. “It’s my turn to play the boss.”
“But you are the boss. That’s not really role-playing.”
“And since when have you treated me as the boss? From the time your feet stepped onto the tarmac on this island, you’ve been nudging me, sitting on me and, at times, outright kicking me out of the driver’s seat.” He poured the oil directly on her back in the valley of her spine. Her body jerked, but he held her down. “Nope, I think punishment is due.”
He spread the oil along her back, rubbing from her neck out to her shoulders. She moaned. The sound vibrated through her chest under him.
“Don’t get comfortable.” He kissed her neck. “I’m expecting a heck of a tip for my services.”
&nbs
p; “I want you to know that I have a long memory.”
He rubbed the oil down to the base of her behind, taut and darn beautiful. The sheen of the oil accentuated her lean physique. Again he admired her to the point where his thoughts turned into a ramble. His desire was plain and simple.
Duped by her sudden quiet form, he was caught off guard when she suddenly turned under him.
“Your boss persona has expired.” She held him intimately, stroking him into a blithering idiot.
“Stop,” he hissed. He grabbed her wrists, needing a moment to calm himself, to get back equilibrium.
“Then give it to me.”
He growled. Groaning wasn’t working on her.
From her small chuckle, growling didn’t work either.
She raised her hips, sending him a private invitation. He accepted, promptly sliding into her. And once they were united, he set the rhythm.
They moved together, as one, fully engaged in the warm blanket of rapture. Pressure expanded. Their energy built. Together they took the express to the top, pushing harder to take them higher and higher, cresting to the ultimate peak. And when the explosion occurred, he gripped her shoulders and buried his head against her cheek, praying he could keep from howling.
She wrapped him in her embrace until the end.
Later that week bored out of her mind, Athena was at the women’s house listening to the weather report. Collin had been out of touch and she had to keep herself busy. She grew worried about the intensity of the storm. Nothing sounded positive, even with the vagueness of the various scenarios. The worst part of what she felt was that she didn’t know how to prepare. The cupboards were stocked. She’d seen enough movies and documentaries to know about the extensive damage of wind and rain. After braving through so many challenges, she didn’t want to be outdone by a tropical storm.
“Every year since the school started, the summer tropical storms have pounded us. Twice we missed the hurricane-force winds because they blew past the island,” Lorraine explained at the commercial break.
“Last year was pretty wicked. But we had enough time to prepare. That seems to make the difference in how much damage we sustain.” Thelma pulled out several flashlights from a brown paper bag. She’d recently done some shopping.
“How much time do we have?” Athena asked, shifting her attention from Thelma to Lorraine, whose mood seemed improved.
“If it blows past the island as everyone is hoping, then we’ll only get the heavy rains in about two days.” Lorraine looked at all of them, then continued. “But if it changes paths, then we may not get a lot of time.”
“What about the kids?” Athena thought about all her girls. She had driven Marigold home this evening. Maybe she should’ve kept her at the house.
“Most times they’ll start evacuating. Some people go. Unfortunately many stay to protect their belongings.”
“Can we bring the kids here?” Athena wanted to do something productive.
“We aren’t equipped to be a haven. It’s a risk.”
“Forget about the risk. We’ve got solid walls. This place is built like a fortress.” Athena jumped up, her adrenaline racing. She didn’t care if she sounded screwy. “I’m going to get as many girls as possible.”
“And what if they have siblings? What about the parents? What about grandparents? Are you really going to be responsible for taking care of several panicked girls?” Lorraine stopped talking, rubbing her forehead with such ferocity that she left a red imprint. “The policy is that if people come here, we won’t turn them away. But we can’t go get them.”
Athena heard Lorraine’s explanation, but couldn’t accept what she said. There was no way that she could sit here, relatively safe, while her girls could be in danger in their homes that couldn’t withstand a stiff breeze.
Frustrated, she retorted, “I’m going for a walk.” She shrugged off their protests and headed outside.
Quick footsteps approached. Cicely appeared at her side. They walked silently toward the beach. The air felt heavy and expectant. Stillness hung in suspended animation around them. The trees didn’t sway. The birds didn’t chirp. Only the loud crunching sound of their feet against the rocky shore broke the silence.
Athena paused to look out toward the ocean. She tried to imagine what the fury of the Atlantic would look like. The gentle rolling waves carried by currents didn’t appear dangerous. She stepped closer, inhaling the salty air. She didn’t feel impervious to the danger, but she also wasn’t going to hide and wait.
“I’m going to get as many girls as I can,” she restated her stance.
“But what about what Lorraine said? She does make sense.” Cicely’s worry came through loud and clear.
“Will you help me?”
“Don’t be stubborn. This isn’t about you versus Lorraine. I’ve noticed that you and her have been going at it.”
“Stop the madness. Why would I have anything against Lorraine?” Athena frowned, feeling uncomfortable that someone else confirmed her feeling. However, Cicely was wrong. She wasn’t trying to battle with Lorraine.
Cicely kept pace with her. “You’ve come in and taken over. The men listen to you. They look forward to talking to you at dinner. When you’re not there, the conversation is dead around the table. The students, even the ones not in your class, talk about you. All of that used to be Lorraine. She is like the blond bomber. And you came in full of all-American-girl energy and looks.” Cicely looked down, kicking at the little rocks littering the beach. “Then there is Collin.”
“What about Collin?” Athena stopped. She couldn’t concentrate on the conversation and walk.
“He used to come to Lorraine for advice and had her lead the projects. He relied on her.”
“But I don’t have anything to do with that.” Athena’s face warmed with the direction of this conversation.
“That may be true, but you just need to be sensitive. Give Lorraine her space.”
Athena walked a few feet to process what Cicely was telling her. She didn’t want to come in creating chaos among the group. But she also refused to back down. She’d come on the job with the intention of doing something meaningful. Facing challenges, not being a coward. Her grandmother had taken on school boards and administrations. She’d done what felt right in her heart.
“Cicely, don’t take this the wrong way, but if I can get Collin to approve what I’m doing, then I will do it.” Abruptly she turned around and headed back to the house.
Athena drove over to Collin’s house, hoping that he was there. She didn’t want to call and make her request. Considering that her idea was going over like a lead balloon, she’d rather appeal to him in person. When she pulled up, there were cars parked in the driveway.
She debated on whether to continue with her visit. With company, she may not get his undivided attention. Her idea was too important and time-sensitive not to be properly addressed.
Lynette, his housekeeper, opened the door the moment Athena’s foot hit the first step leading up to the porch.
“Athena, Mr. Winslow is occupied at the moment.”
Athena stopped short. She was momentarily confused by Lynette’s new guard duty. Her face didn’t show that she was kidding.
“I want to tell him something of an important nature. It’s about the hurricane,” she clarified, sensing that being vague wasn’t going to win over the housekeeper.
“Please wait in the study.”
Athena knew where the study was located, yet she couldn’t edge past the housekeeper, who led the way with deliberate steps. She heard voices, but couldn’t see anyone. Darting into one of the rooms off to the side did cross her mind.
“I’ll get Mr. Winslow. Please have a seat.”
Athena tried the door after the housekeeper left. The door opened, but Lynette was standing on the other side, as if expecting her to try an escape. With a disgusted huff, the housekeeper walked away. Athena, embarrassed, closed the door and retreated into the room.
She sat on the edge of the heavy desk, hoping that Collin wouldn’t be long. Maybe on the way out, she’d get a chance to see who had come visiting.
And it better not be a woman.
“Athena, what are you doing here?”
Now that wasn’t the reception she expected. She waited for him to start laughing and tease her shocked expression. As he got closer, she recognized that he wasn’t playing. She’d come to know the signs when he slid a barrier to keep anyone, including her, out of his business. She played the cavalier role well, pretending that she was too independent to care. Experiencing the hurt from his rejection underscored that lie.
“I’m in the middle of an important meeting. Can this wait?”
“I wanted to know if I have permission to get the girls to shelter with us at the school.”
“What? Why?”
“The tropical storm is coming through and I figured because we had the space and stronger house that we could help our students.”
He nodded, taking in her explanation. But he didn’t look as if he had been persuaded. Several times he looked over his shoulder, as if preoccupied with the other business, much to her irritation.
“Sorry if what I’m saying isn’t important.”
“Calm down.” He motioned with his hands to keep it down. “Lorraine called me to say that you’d jumped off the plank by yourself to play hero.”
“Was that a quote?”
“If you can get everyone to help you, then fine. And I mean everyone. I don’t want any of that superhero crap going on. People’s lives are at stake.”
“Fine.” Athena didn’t expect this chilly reception and condescending counseling session. She brushed past him.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. They stood with bodies pressed against each other. Tension crackled between them.
She knew that he wanted her to kiss him. Hell, she wanted to kiss him. But his message and tone proved that he didn’t really get her point. This effort was bigger than all of them. There were lives at stake.
“Don’t be angry, baby.” He kissed her forehead and raised her chin with the crook of his finger.
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