Dressed to Kill (COBRA Securities Book 22)

by Velvet Vaughn

  “We all do,” she argued.

  They chatted as the salads arrived and then the main dishes. Conversation flowed, as did the wine. Brooklyn couldn’t remember when she enjoyed herself more—not counting her one-on-one time with Gage.

  No one seemed eager to leave as they lingered. Eventually, the restaurant began to close, so they reluctantly left. Black clouds gathered overhead, promising a storm. They motored to their cottages, waving as they each peeled off to their bungalows.

  “I had a wonderful time tonight,” Brooklyn said.

  Gage opened the door and ushered her inside. “Me, too. I haven’t worked for the company long, so seeing my bosses so relaxed was a kick.”

  “I love every one of them. Who knew Harlow Duquesne Oldham would be so funny? Or Peyton Durant Addison so fearless.”

  “They are great,” he agreed as he toed off his shoes. Thunder boomed in the distance.

  Brooklyn tugged on his arm. “Let’s watch the storm roll over the water.” She guided him to the hammock beneath the covered terrace. He jumped in first and grabbed her around the waist, causing her to squeal with delight.

  They’d just settled when the first bolt of lightning streaked across the sky. There was something both dangerous and romantic about watching a storm over the churning gray seas. Despite the force of Mother Nature, she felt safe in Gage’s muscular arms.

  Turning her head, she kissed him, loving his taste. He’d become so important to her in such a short amount of time. She couldn’t imagine how she’d survive when he left.

  Brooklyn jumped when thunder sounded overhead and then laughed at her reaction. Gage’s arms tightened around her. An acrid scent teased her nose. “Gage, I smell smoke.”

  She scrambled out of the hammock with Gage on her heels. She gasped when she ran inside to discover their bungalow was on fire.

  Gage grabbed a fire extinguisher as she called for security. The resort had a vehicle equipped with a water tank in case of a fire. After she disconnected, she gathered her dresses and shoved them in a bag.

  “Brooklyn, get outside,” Gage ordered.

  “I’m going.” She swiped the box of Streamline bathing suits on her way out. When she realized Gage wasn’t with her, she ran back inside. Smoke filled the space, making it hard to see. “Gage!”

  “I’m coming.” He emerged carrying his laptop case. They stashed the bags in the golf cart and moved away from the cottage. The flames were high on the roof as the rain came down in sheets, helping the cause. Somehow, he alerted his coworkers because Noah, Sawyer, Mason, Luke, and Logan all arrived with fire extinguishers in hand, but the flames were too high to reach.

  The water truck rolled to a stop, and soon, an arc of water doused the flames. Once the fire was out, they surveyed the destruction. The main structure survived the fire, but the roof was heavily damaged. Since it was raining, that meant the inside was getting soaked.

  “Is everyone okay?” Bob Warren asked. When she assured him they were fine, the head of island security called his crew to bring tarps to cover the roof until it could be repaired.

  #

  While Gage had been lulled into a sense of contentment, their bungalow had been burning down around them. Granted, it was only a portion of the roof that suffered the damage, but he’d let his guard down and look at what happened.

  “Do you think it was lightning?” Logan asked. The rain had let up, so they were standing outside, watching the crew work. Portable lighting had been set up, and the workers used ladders and tarps to cover the gaping hole.

  “Possibly. One strike sounded close.”

  “Too many incidents,” Luke muttered, and Gage agreed. How could so many occurrences happen that appeared unrelated on the surface? Each event could be reasonably explained away.

  His coworkers and their wives—who’d arrived to comfort Brooklyn—returned to their cottages. He gathered the rest of their smoke and water-soaked belongings and placed them in the cart. Brooklyn directed him to the bungalow on the opposite end. It was the same layout and design, but he preferred the original location, probably because it was the first place he’d made love to her.

  Gage was drenched from the rain, and he reeked of smoke. Brooklyn took his hand and led him to the bathroom. They undressed slowly, taking the time to enjoy each other’s bodies. Then they christened this bathroom.

  Once they were curled beneath the covers, she asked, “Do you really think it was lightning?”

  He didn’t have an answer. Someone had gone to great lengths to make it seem as if Brooklyn wasn’t the target, but he was beginning to suspect that she was.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Late Sunday afternoon, Brooklyn returned to the cottage. She wanted to shower, rest, and maybe indulge in a little Gage time, not necessarily in that order. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be found.

  It’d been a long day of finalizing details and ensuring everything was ready to go for Monday morning and the show’s official start. Everything was on track. The women had settled into their house, and though the camera crew notified her of a few minor blow-ups, they were getting along for the most part.

  She was tired, so much so that her bones ached. It’d been a hectic few weeks leading up to the show. Now that they were on the cusp of it taking off, she was exhausted. She wanted to crawl into bed and rest for a week—in between bouts of spectacular sex with her hunky bodyguard.

  After showering, she donned one of Peyton Durant Addison’s swimsuits and picked up the matching sarong. She tied the top two corners around her neck and secured it with a double knot before twisting the scarf in front to create a keyhole. Then she gathered the edges, wrapped it around her back, and used another double knot to create a halter dress. By the time she finished, Gage had appeared.

  “Oh my,” he breathed as he took in her attire. She’d styled her hair and applied makeup since the concert would be filmed. The bikini and sarong she selected featured a black base with red, orange, and pink flowers.

  “You look incredible,” he praised.

  She smiled and twirled with the skirt. “Thank you.”

  “Let me grab a quick shower, and we can head to the beach.”

  “Need help washing your back?” she asked in all innocence.

  He groaned. “No, or we’d never leave the bungalow.”

  She had to give him the point. If they started something, she wouldn’t want to end, and she had too much to do before the filming begun on Monday.

  When he appeared, he looked and smelled incredible, and all she wanted to do was inhale his scent and cling to him. His white Streamline T-shirt hugged his muscles, and the white and red board shorts hung on his hips enticingly. Noah had given them to him to wear from Peyton’s new men’s line.

  Thankfully, he had the fortitude she didn’t, and they headed to the beach.

  #

  Gage had spent the day with his coworkers going over the security precautions on the island. Luke and Logan had been appalled at the lax measures. He took satisfaction knowing he had five of the most capable men on the planet to provide additional support, if needed. There was no one he’d rather have his back than his coworkers.

  He’d called Louis from the Coast Guard and found out that the woman he saved from the burning boat was in serious but stable condition. She was going to make it. The others had various injuries, but none were life-threatening. Good news.

  A stage had been constructed with lights, speakers, a microphone, and cameras on the beach. Closer to the water, a bonfire blazed away. The contestants were seated on blankets, chatting happily among themselves.

  He and his coworkers and their wives sat off to the side, out of camera range. Brooklyn walked onto the stage, and the women went crazy, screaming and yelling her name like she was the rock star. She waved and waited for them to quiet. The sarong she wore from Peyton’s new line looked terrific on her.

  “Welcome, everyone. I hope you had a wonderful day settling in and getting to know your compe
titors. Filming will begin bright and early tomorrow morning, but tonight we have a very special surprise for you. With us to sing her biggest hits is Grammy-winning superstar Layla Brooks Colton!”

  The women surged to their feet and cheered as Layla walked onto the stage. “Hi, everyone,” she greeted. “I’m so happy to be here tonight for this special event. I’m looking forward to watching each of you shine.”

  Music started, cameras rolled, and she belted out songs known to all. The contestants sang along and waved their arms in the air. Man, every time Gage heard her sing, goosebumps erupted along his arms. Until he’d met her, he had no idea what perfect pitch meant. Her range was incredible, and when she hit a high note—wow.

  He glanced at Luke to see a crazy-in-love grin on his face. His boss was ass over teakettle for his petite wife. Gage wondered if he had the same look when he stared at Brooklyn and decided he probably did.

  Jade, Harlow, Cassidy, and Peyton swayed to the music with their husbands behind them. He wanted to be with Brooklyn, but she was sitting in view of the cameras with the contestants. She kept sneaking peeks at him, and he returned her smiles.

  When Layla announced her last song, the women cried out, wanting her to keep singing. She would have, but the production crew cut it short. The women needed to rest for an early morning.

  Each one wanted an autograph and photo with Layla, and she happily obliged. The bonfire was still going strong when the contestants reluctantly left. He and his coworkers arranged blankets to bask in the firelight. Several members of the production staff did the same. Drinks were passed around, laughter filled the air, and when Brooklyn returned and sat next to him, Gage felt at peace.

  He wasn’t sure what made him turn to look out at the water. It wasn’t any type of sound, because the boat was drifting without the motor or running lights. Warning bells screamed in his head.

  Jumping to his feet, he yelled, “Get down,” as he scooped a startled Brooklyn in his arms and took off running. Upon his command, the other men and their wives dashed for cover as rapid-fire gunshots rang out. People were screaming and stumbling over each other in their attempt to reach shelter.

  Once they were safely behind a stone wall, he deposited Brooklyn and headed back for the others.

  “Wait!” Brooklyn screamed, but he ignored her. He and his coworkers charged for the crew to usher them away from danger.

  As he was helping Brooklyn’s assistant, he noticed one of the security guards stationed around the perimeter opening fire with a rifle. The automatic gunshots stopped abruptly.

  He waited until the beach had been cleared before approaching the guards with his coworkers. Some of the other security personnel hopped into a boat and sped to the one that fired the shots.

  “What happened?”

  “Ron fired at the driver,” Travis Cross said before his walkie-talkie crackled.

  “One man aboard, and he’s down. Permanently.”

  Gage was impressed. Ron nailed the driver with a sniper rifle. “Good shot,” he said. “Are you former military?”

  “Yes, sir. Marine Corps.”

  It was hard to tell in the dark, but it looked like the same go-fast narco boat that fired at him and Brooklyn two days ago. If so, that meant the captain hadn’t been the target.

  Chapter Twenty

  Gage was quiet on the trip back to the bungalow. He was trying to process what it meant that the boat returned and fired at the crowd on the beach. Thankfully, the contestants had already left, and no one had been injured. But what was the purpose? If their captain had been dealing in narcotics, he seemed the likely target. But if the same person returned and fired on the crowd, it added a new twist to the saga. It made little sense—unless the drug runner somehow found out he and Brooklyn survived the explosion and were on the island. Maybe he was afraid they could identify him. He’d talked it over with his coworkers, and they all came to the same conclusion.

  Gage was pissed at himself for not being able to describe the shooter after the first attempt. It’d happened so fast, and his only goal was to keep Brooklyn safe. Once they were in the water, the boat had blocked his view. Still, it would’ve helped identify the perp if he had a description. It also would’ve helped if they’d captured the man tonight and questioned him instead of killing him, but he didn’t blame the guards. They did their job to keep the others safe. Still, he’d like answers.

  One thing was sure: security needed to be beefed up, including regular patrols around the perimeter to prevent the same thing from happening again. Luke and Logan planned on calling the head of the security company and having a chat. They’d no doubt get the job done.

  “Why do you think the man shot at the crowd on the beach?” He turned to Brooklyn, remembering the sheer panic he felt when she was in the line of fire again. “Do you think he was targeting me?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know. He might’ve thought we could identify him,” he added to ease the worry lines between her eyes. It was all he could do to keep from reaching over and smoothing the wrinkles with his thumb.

  “I’m so glad the contestants were gone. I couldn’t take it if something happened to another one.”

  He parked the cart and took her hand as they entered the cottage. She kicked off her sandals and led him to the terrace. Releasing him, she reached for controls and activated the jets in the hot tub. He groaned when she toyed with the ties holding the sarong in place and then tugged. The bikini followed, and she stepped into the bubbling water. Have mercy. He stood rooted to the spot, trying to get his legs to move when he was painfully aroused.

  “Do I need to spout some tired cliché like, come in the water’s fine?”

  He chuckled as he placed his gun and phone on a wicker table, stripped off his T-shirt and board shorts, and joined her.

  #

  After a short but passionate night, they woke early so Brooklyn could get to hair and makeup for the shoot. Not wanting to let her out of his sight after last night’s close call, Gage drove her and waited. When she emerged, his heart tried to beat right out of his chest. She looked incredible in one of Peyton’s suits, or, like last night, out of them. She was incredible, period.

  He wasn’t surprised to see his coworkers and their wives when they arrived at the beach, despite the early hour. As Brooklyn had requested, the women wore hats and sunglasses to disguise them from the contestants, even though the sun had yet to rise. Crews were setting up camera equipment and reflectors. While Brooklyn went to meet with the photographers, he headed toward his friends.

  “We spoke with the head of the security company last night,” Logan told him. “They agreed to increase the number of personnel on the island after what happened.”

  “Boats will patrol the perimeter regularly,” Luke added.

  “Good.” With added guards and his five coworkers, Gage felt as safe as possible. For the first time since he touched down in New York a few days ago, he allowed himself to relax a fraction.

  Jax called for everyone to take their places, then Brooklyn began to model. Every muscle in his body seized. It was like watching one of her wildly successful calendars come to life.

  “Wow, she’s amazing,” Harlow murmured.

  Gage would’ve agreed if he could’ve pried his tongue from the roof of his mouth.

  #

  After the ordeal last night and then the time spent with Gage, first in the hot tub and then in bed, Brooklyn managed little sleep. Still, she needed to be at her best for the shoot. She wanted to do Peyton’s beautiful bathing suits justice. Judean blew out her hair and added a ton of volume. Linc artfully applied her makeup as always.

  When they arrived on the beach, Gage’s coworkers were already there. She hugged Paulo Montoya, the photographer. She’d worked with him many times in the past and loved his work. She was lucky he was available and agreed to be a part of the show. He’d be snapping three of the shoots.

  “Sorry I’m late.” Stella came rushing over, looking her usual disheve
led self. “I couldn’t get to sleep last night after the excitement on the beach.”

  Brooklyn would’ve had a hard time sleeping, too, if not for Gage. Spectacular sex had a way of calming a person.

  “I’ll make sure the suits are in the changing room,” Stella said as she scurried away.

  Brooklyn looked up to see Kaycee leading the contestants to the beach. Some of them yawned and looked like they didn’t want to be here so early. Tough. If they wanted to make it as a model, they needed to learn to be flexible.

  The sun was rising, painting the sky in pinks and yellows and blues. Paulo placed her where he wanted her, and she cycled through several poses, showcasing the bikini the entire time.

  “We’ve got that one,” Paulo said. “You can change now.”

  She hurried to the portable dressing room and put on another suit. She varied her poses, including one where she mimicked running while glancing over her shoulder. Once the sun rose, Paulo had her get into the water. She changed two more times until Paulo let her know he had the shots.

  Stella handed her a thick robe. She thanked her and slid it on before heading to where the contestants were standing in a group. “Good morning, ladies. I know it’s early, but you’ll need to get used to odd hours in the modeling industry. As you can see, we’ve set up a Sports Illustrated type shoot for you where you’ll be wearing bathing suits, but these aren’t just any suits. You’ll be showcasing a new designer line of swimwear by Streamline. The judges will vote, and the best picture will be featured on the Streamline website.”

  The girls gasped and jumped up and down. “It’s an incredible opportunity for one of you,” Brooklyn said. “We have a special surprise for you. The founder of Streamline is here to watch you model her designs. She’s the most decorated female athlete in Olympic history. Please welcome Peyton Durant Addison.”

  The girls cheered as Peyton walked over wearing a Streamline polo shirt and khaki shorts. “Thanks, Brooklyn. I’m so excited to be here with you today. I’ll give a little background about my company. Much like modeling, the career of an athlete usually isn’t a long one. There is a window where we can perform at the elite level and be competitive before the younger generation comes rushing in and takes over.”