HARD LINE

by Justice, A. D.

  “I do remember. I also remember any public display of affection here, even simply holding hands, can result in the police being called on us. I think we’ve drawn enough attention to ourselves today, don’t you?”

  “You win this round, Miss Milano. But the next one will be mine. I guarantee it.” His predatory gleam sends shivers down my spine, but I mask my reaction

  “I can hardly wait. Can we go now? We’re burning daylight in here.” I take the designer beach bag Rafael is holding and stuff my towel and sunblock inside before hoisting it onto my shoulder. We rejoin the others in the hall, and I press the down button for the elevator, ready for a couple of hours of relaxing with the ocean waves as my white noise.

  Now that the tension is dispelled after Rafael’s announcement, we can enjoy the rest of the day in the sun, sand, and surf. Stepping out into the extreme heat takes my breath away at first, but the breeze from the ocean helps me acclimate quickly. Each suite has a private cabana reserved on the beach with a lounging platform that resembles a queen-size bed. The four corners of the frame have gathered curtains, and the top has an optional cover for a shield from the intense Middle Eastern sun.

  I set the bag down on the lounger and begin pulling out the contents, specifically the sunblock for my shoulders, when Raf tosses his shirt in my face. Playfully, of course. When I look up at him, I have every intention of hurling an insult his way, but my eyes drop to his perfectly chiseled torso, and whatever thought I had leaves me.

  Speechless.

  Breathless.

  And busted. So very busted.

  “You aren’t the only one who exercises.” I can’t see his eyes behind the mirrored frames and the bright sun, but I can feel the blatant satisfaction in them.

  My senses finally return, and I grasp the hem of my cover-up and pull it off, leaving it in a heap on the outdoor bed. Now it’s my turn to gloat and leave him speechless while he watches me rub the lotion into my skin before heading to the water.

  It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed flirting with a handsome man.

  Chapter 3

  Roman

  “If you come over here one more time, I’ll throw you out of this plane, Roman.”

  “You’re not very nice when you first wake up, Blake. Has anyone ever told you that?”

  “No, because you’re the only one who has ever been brave enough to wake me up several times in one night. We’ve been traveling for too many hours to count, and we have several more hours to go yet. When they tell us we’re coming in for a landing, that’s when we’ll be there. Not a minute before. So go back to your own suite and leave me alone until we get there.”

  “Here’s what’s bothering me.” I ignore his loud groan—and when he turns his back to me—and keep talking. “I only received the one message. Nothing from her since then. If she hasn’t been captured or killed, why wouldn’t she have sent a follow-up message?”

  “I understand what you’re asking, but we can speculate for the next six hours until we get there and still be wrong. Write down all your questions, see if you find any common threads in them, and we’ll be sure to cover all the angles as soon as we can. You’re worried about her, I get it, but we can’t do anything from here.”

  “You’re right. These questions are just nagging at me. If she was okay, she would have sent a follow-up message. But she hasn’t, so that leads me to believe—”

  “That she’s in a position where she can’t send another message. Not that she’s dead. Don’t even go there, man. But do go back to your own suite and get some rest so I can too. We’ll both need it in a few hours when Silas has us running nonstop.”

  I move back to my seat and spend the rest of the flight trying to rest, but the questions swirling in my mind make it next to impossible. Now that we’ve finally landed in Dubai, I realize I’m more keyed up than I was before we took off in Miami. Needless to say, after all the traveling and time difference, it’s too late in the evening to canvass the area for information. Just my luck.

  We walk into the FIVE Palm Jumeirah hotel, and I’m instantly floored by the opulence and attention to every minute detail. I’ve heard of Dubai and its growing popularity as the place for tourists, but I never realized the full extent of exactly how much until now. Our rooms are in one of the upper floors with fantastic views of the Persian Gulf, and we’re all practically speechless over the lavishness surrounding us when we start to make our way to our rooms.

  “And I thought Noah had a nice place,” I mumble while we walk down the corridor.

  “He does. This place is a completely different world altogether, though. Maybe we should send for the gang so we can all live here instead of Miami.” Silas chuckles. He’s kidding, but he still appreciates the beauty surrounding us.

  “Just wait until tomorrow morning when you’re not dying of jet lag and too many hours of flying. You probably won’t want to leave the hotel grounds after all. Call Tawnee and tell her to come to us—we’ll protect her from here.” Blake unlocks his door, steps into the doorway of his room, and drops his suitcase. “Holy hell. Yeah, she needs to come on over and stay here with us.”

  When I open my door, I understand exactly what he means. Low lighting along the walls creates a soothing atmosphere, instantly sweeping stress away. The sliding glass door beside the bed gives an unobstructed view of the water surrounding the hotel. Silas stops me before I’m able to take in the entire room.

  “Roman, I assume she still hasn’t answered any of your texts or encrypted messages since we landed?”

  “No, and I’ve been checking every thirty seconds or so. I’ve sent enough unanswered texts to be considered a stalker at this point.”

  “I get it, man. Order room service for tonight. Get some rest. We’ll meet out here at seven in the morning, grab breakfast, then pay a visit to the local police and see what we can find out. Don’t go out on your own and get arrested—the laws are much different here than they are at home.”

  “That’s over the line, Silas. You know I can’t promise that at home, much less here.” I flash a smile and shrug one shoulder.

  “Don’t make me have to lock you in your room for the night.”

  After looking over every square inch of my new home for however long it takes to find Tawnee, I unpack my suitcase and crawl into bed after ordering room service for the evening. I leave the curtains open so the rising sun will wake me, giving me the perfect morning view to set my mood for the day. I can only hope these small, positive touches help settle the sinking feeling in my gut. Tawnee has never ignored texts—even if she only responds to tell me to fuck off. The only way she wouldn’t answer me is if…

  Like Blake said, I can’t let my thoughts go there again. One step at a time.

  After enjoying a full four-course meal from the room service menu, I lie back on the bed and start listing all the things we should be doing right now that don’t include resting, eating, or sleeping.

  The next thing I know, the room is filled with bright sunshine. When I open my eyes, I fling my arm over them as a shield until they adjust. Then I catch a glimpse of the shimmering water outside. The bright blue sky above. The breathtaking view is exactly what I need to encourage me to rush through my morning routine and get dressed to accomplish my goals. First, find Tawnee. Second, take her home with me and keep her there forever. Third, make her fall in love with me again.

  When I step out of my room, I’m surprised to find I’m the first one. After I glance at my phone, I realize I’m way ahead of schedule. Sunrise comes much earlier here than at home, one more thing to get used to, but I feel more rested than when we walked off the plane last night. I take a calculated risk and guess Silas is already up and rummaging around in his room while he waits for the rendezvous time, so I knock on his door.

  As I expected, he’s fully dressed and ready to go when he opens the door.

  “A little eager, are we?” He smirks at me but holds the door open wide so I can pass through.

>   Then I turn to him, ready to get down to business. “You know I am. I was ready to go out and conduct a grid search last night when we got here. I was just thinking, maybe you should try texting her. You know, in case she’s ignoring me for some reason but will answer you.”

  “I’ve already thought of that and tried. Although I didn’t reach the stalker level you did, I did send her a few messages. She hasn’t replied to me either, so it’s not that she’s avoiding you. She’s off the grid.”

  “Is it strange that makes me feel better and worse at the same time?”

  “That’s a normal reaction—not strange at all. I’ve been looking into the guy she works for more in-depth this morning. I’ve already started a file on Mr. Rafael Cruz with some interesting information.”

  “You didn’t sleep at all last night, did you?”

  “Not much. I slept too long on the plane to make the flight go by faster, so I couldn’t sleep once we got here. Did you know he’s one of the richest men on the planet?”

  “No, I didn’t. I mean, I knew he was some bigwig in the corporate world, but I had no clue he was that wealthy. No offense to her skills, but does it make sense that Tawnee is his head of security?”

  “First of all, never say that around her if you want to keep your balls attached to your body. She’ll snatch them off and have them stuffed and mounted as fuzzy dice to hang from her rearview mirror. Yes, it makes sense. She’s good at what she does, and she has the experience to back up her decisions. That black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu doesn’t hurt either—she knows how to use it to subdue much larger opponents. Plus, she has an efficient and logical approach to coordinating coverage. You underestimate her way too much, and you always have.”

  I’ve never really considered it in that light before, so I don’t have much of a comeback to deny his assessment of me. I suppose he’s correct, though. She obviously impressed one of the richest men in the world enough to nab that high-level job right off the bat. Makes me wonder what Cruz sees in her I didn’t. Maybe I’ve just been wearing blinders where she’s concerned without even realizing it.

  “You’re right. When we worked together for Noah, she was nothing but competent and reliable in every situation. In all honesty, I don’t know what’s wrong with me, Silas.”

  “Really? You don’t know?” He looks amused, but I’m very serious.

  “No, I don’t. You think you do?”

  “Oh, I know I do. I don’t even have to think about it.”

  “Let’s hear it, then. This should be good.” I fold my arms over my chest and wait for some enormous revelation about myself.

  “You’re selfish, self-centered, and take others for granted.”

  “Selfish and self-centered are the same thing.”

  “No, they’re not. At all. You’re selfish because you have no consideration for others. You’re self-centered because you only focus on what you want or what you need, never putting anyone else’s needs before your own. On top of that, you expect everyone in your life to keep giving their all for you, while you keep taking but never giving in return. Then you’re shocked when they throw up their hands and walk away from you. That combination takes a lot of nerve—or stupidity. Which one is it?”

  Fucking hell. The reflection I see in the mirror Silas just thrust in front of my face is not attractive.

  Is that really how everyone else sees me?

  Is that an accurate description of me?

  Deep down, I already know the answer to both of those rhetorical questions. I also know that’s exactly what Tawnee thinks of me—because I haven’t given her any reason to believe otherwise. Now that I can’t hide from the defects in my character, I’m one hundred percent committed to changing them, especially where she’s concerned.

  “Has anyone ever told you you’re a shitty profiler?” I know he’s not, but I have to throw some kind of barb back at him.

  “Nope. Never. I’m an excellent profiler, and everyone at the agency knows it. In fact, you should ask around and find out for yourself. It’ll do you good.” He quirks one eyebrow and nods toward my tightly crossed arms. “Even your body language says you’re closed off. I knew you wouldn’t accept what I had to say before I even said it. You don’t fool me for one second, Roman.”

  “For argument’s sake, let’s say you’re right about me. How would I go about fixing those character flaws?”

  “Well, you could always say, ‘What would Roman normally do in this situation?’, then do the exact opposite. Or you could just stop and consider Tawnee’s feelings for once in your fucking life. You’re a grown man—start acting like it, for fuck’s sake. I shouldn’t have to tell you how to keep your girlfriend happy.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Tough love. You need more of it, along with a good, swift kick in the ass. Let’s get the others and go to eat breakfast. I’ve made reservations for a late lunch at the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah.”

  “What’s that? I thought we were going to the police?”

  “We were, until I found out that Rafael Cruz is checked in at the only hotel in Dubai nicer than this one. He’s staying in one of the royal suites at that exclusive resort. There are also a few regular rooms are reserved under his company name, so we’ll go over there and see what we can find out first. Without reserving a room, we can’t even get on the grounds. The only way around that is to have reservations at one of their restaurants.”

  Silas’s evaluation of me sticks in my mind, clawing at my sanity and making me second-guess my every move. But I can’t deny what he said is true. Several times over breakfast, I wanted to rush the other men through their meals so we could get on the road. But I refrained from saying anything and simply listened to them while I drank another cup of coffee.

  “Silas, you’ve been married for a couple years now. Can we expect to hear the pitter-patter of little Silas or Kira feet anytime soon?” Nick asks. He’s been on Silas for the last year to give Amber, Silas’s adopted daughter, a little brother or sister.

  “You know, you’re the sole reason why Amber asks us about that every single day now. Kira and I talked before I left to come here, and we’ve decided it’s time. When I get back, we’ll start practicing more.” We all laugh, knowing exactly what he means. “When are you going to settle down, Blake?”

  “Never.”

  “You’re not allowed to hang around with Roman anymore. He’s a bad influence on you.”

  “I don’t know, Silas. I’ve been seeing this girl, but I’m hesitant to make our relationship a big deal. We’re still taking it slow right now, nothing exclusive.” Blake suddenly finds his fork very interesting.

  “Do you love her?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “If you found out she’d been seeing some other guy while you’ve been away, how would that make you feel?” Silas already knows the answer. I can see it in his eyes.

  Blake shrugs but doesn’t look up.

  “What if she told you she was in love with him and didn’t want to see you anymore? What if she was letting him do everything to her body that you do?” Silas keeps pressing those buttons.

  “I’d hunt him down and kill him.” Blake pins Silas with an intense, murderous gaze.

  Silas laughs in his face. “That’s what I thought. You need to reevaluate those feelings you claim not to have before it’s too late, my friend.”

  Too bad Silas didn’t give me that exact advice three years ago. But I’m not sure I would have listened to him anyway.

  Chapter 4

  Tawnee

  “Tawnee, are you awake?” If the pounding on my door wasn’t loud enough to wake me, the yelling of my name from the hallway would have been. Fortunately, I’ve been up for quite a while already, trying to recall every detail about the incident without the police report as a reference.

  We didn’t stay on the beach for very long earlier this morning because I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. When we adjourned to our rooms, I took a few hours of mu
ch-needed time off—and had an extremely productive nap.

  I jerk the door open and face Rafael. He’s dressed in his casual yet expensive attire, but he’s carrying the same designer bag we used at the beach earlier. “Why are you out of your room without an escort?” I cross my arms and tap my foot while waiting for what I already know is an unacceptable answer.

  “We’re in the most secure hotel in the entire Middle East. This place is sitting on its own private island with a closed bridge manned by private security guards. They have a fleet of Rolls-Royces that pick guests up at the gate and drop them off at the front door. Who do you think can get me in here?”

  “Anyone with the means to hire hitmen, Raf. You’re not the only man in the world with money and who stays in fancy hotels when he travels. Whoever was behind that chase could have reserved rooms here too. You’re making my job impossible. I mean, how am I supposed to get another security job if you get killed in ‘the world’s only seven-star hotel’ on my watch?”

  “Fooled you. Tony escorted me down, checked out the hallway, found no assassins, so I sent him back upstairs. But I promise I’ll call you from my room next time I decide to venture out of my room… into the hallway… only one floor down from my suite.”

  “Since you’re already here, come on in.” I open the door wider to let him pass through. “What’s on your mind?”

  “First, I actually did try to call your cell a couple of times, but you didn’t answer. You always answer, so that alone concerned me enough to rush down the flight of stairs to check on you.” He takes a seat on the couch, his eyes never straying from mine. “Were you avoiding me?”

  “You know better than that. With all the excitement, I didn’t realize it until last night, but my phone is missing. Then with the impromptu beach excursion, I forgot to tell you. It must be in the rental car—maybe it fell under the seat when we crashed. I’ve looked everywhere else for it, and I know for a fact that I didn’t take it to the beach with me. I was just about to call the wrecker service and ask them to look inside the car.”