Risky: Torn Between Two Lovers (6 page)

Once he was ready, he paced the living area, waiting for Henry to return. He hoped he was wrong about the groundskeeper, but he had a feeling he wasn’t. His fears were confirmed when Henry knocked and then let himself in with his key card.

“Boss,” he said, eyes hard. “I showed the management a picture of that groundskeeper I snapped on my cell phone this morning. He doesn’t work here.”

“I’m not surprised. Any word on who he might be?”

“I showed his picture around, asked some of the hotel maids. Nobody remembers seeing him before.”

“Think they’re telling the truth?”

“Yeah. After that I did some digging and came up with nobody fitting his description who’s been anywhere near Agent Sloane.”

“So he doesn’t work for Gray.” That was a kick in the gut.

“Doesn’t look like it. Which leaves one very good possibility, since a man who looks a hell of a lot like him is employed by Deno Santos.”

“That asshole? Dammit! Are you sure?”

“Almost one hundred percent. The guy is an enforcer for Santos, goes by the name Petrov. He’s a mean Russian sonofabitch who’d whack his own grandma for the right amount of cash. He’s a sadist, enjoys doling out torture first, making his victims suffer.”

Pushing a hand through his hair, Joaquin growled in frustration. “Shit. That asshole Santos has been waiting forever for a good chance to get me, and this Petrov guy hanging around, being so fucking obvious, is him sending me a message—that he can get to me anytime, anywhere.”

“Watch your back. He and Santos won’t hesitate to make good on the threat when the time is right.”

“Oh, I will. And if he comes near my family, he’ll learn what it means to fuck with me.”

Santos, Joaquin’s greatest opponent and threat to going legit, would not be allowed to ruin his hopes and dreams.

If push came to shove, he’d do what he must. As he always had.

Gray sat slumped in his easy chair, staring at the dust motes dancing in the light streaming through the window.

He wished he could feel nothing. Be nothing. Just let it all go. The sadness was so profound, all he could do was sit near the window and stare out at his yard and the trees. He could hear and see the birds, cars on the street, children playing, though not one of those things held any meaning or importance.

He’d lost the only thing that had ever mattered.

Slowly, he retrieved a sheet of paper, creased and worn though it wasn’t old. He’d handled it so much, it was almost falling apart. As many times as he read the words, they never changed. They were still ugly and final.

He could still feel his heart break every time, thought surely the shrapnel would kill him very soon. Smoothing the paper, he read it again.

Gray,

By the time you read this, I’ll be on a plane. I need to get out of town for a while, get my head together. I know you’ll think this is an attempt to hurt you like you hurt me, but that’s not the case at all.

You were doing your job. I understand that. You had to catch the men involved in the drug ring, and I’m glad you did. In the end, you saved my business.

But it’s the rest I can’t put out of my mind. I was falling for you, hard. If I weren’t, I wouldn’t be so lost at finding out you weren’t who I thought. That I was just a suspect you needed information from, at least in the beginning. I know you fell for me, too, but you still played me. You went too far.

As for what happened in my office, seeing you kill two men frightened me. Worse, seeing you almost die—that terrified me more than anything. So much that I can’t sleep. Even if I can forgive you, even if I can give us another chance, you’re still Grayson Sloane, FBI agent. Your enemies will try to kill you.

And one day, if one of them succeeds, I wouldn’t survive losing you. Not like that. I don’t have it in me to take that chance with my heart.

Maybe I’m a coward for cutting my losses, but I can’t deal with all of this. I need time to think, and as hard as it is for me to say, I don’t expect you to wait for me. I honestly hope you find what you’re looking for.

Heal fast, please. I’m so glad you’re going to be okay.

Love,

Anna

The words blurred, and he wiped his face. No, he couldn’t let go just yet. He had to know if they were truly finished. If so, he’d take care of loose ends and then hand in his resignation. After that, he didn’t want to think too hard about how little he cared what happened next.

And the biggest loose end was Joaquin Delacruz. As much as he hated Delacruz, especially now, there was absolutely no evidence tying him to the drug ring working through Anna’s restaurant. So he was innocent of that, at least. Maybe the man really was trying to sweep the criminal element out of his businesses. If that was true, most of Joaquin’s business partners would go kicking and screaming. The others with guns blazing. Things were going to get very ugly, and fast.

And Gray was going to place himself right in the middle of it. He sort of relished the fight.

Shaking himself from his stupor, his picked up his cell and called the one person who would climb aboard the ship and bring a harpoon, no questions asked. Simon King answered the phone, failing to mask the worry in his voice with false cheer.

“Hey, partner! What’s up?”

“I need you, Simon.” Quietly spoken, that was all he had to say.

“I’ll be there in less than half an hour. Hang tight.”

With that, Gray hung up and waited. He and Simon had plans to make.

***

The subtle threat, presumably from Santos, cast a long shadow over Joaquin’s afternoon.

At least he could distract himself by playing in the sand with Anna. With her, he found it easy to let go and just be himself for a while. Funny, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever known what “being himself” meant before. There was always too much work and no fun in his life, but that was going to change.

That brought him back to the idea that had been niggling at his brain all day. Maybe it was impulsive—perhaps it was foolish, for several reasons—but the more he thought about it, the more he was determined to have his way. Now he just had to persuade Anna to accept.

After a particularly vigorous game of beach volleyball, he grabbed her hand and dragged her back to their grass umbrella shade. Pulling her down onto the blanket, he kissed her breathless, not caring about the sand and salt covering them both. Or who might be watching, including Henry. When he broke the kiss, she laughed. It was a musical sound that went to his soul.

“You’re really good at kissing,” she said, smiling. “But I’m better at volleyball!”

“Rub it in, why don’t you?” Looking into her gorgeous, sun-kissed face, he couldn’t be grumpy, though. “I’ll get my revenge during bingo.”

“Bring it.”

Sitting close to her, he was silent for a few moments, mentally preparing himself. Taking a deep breath, he said, “Anna, something has come up that I need to discuss with you.”

Her joy deflated. Making a face, she looked away. “I figured this was too good to be true. What, you’re married with six kids? Maybe you’ll want to top that with the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ speech?”

“Nothing like that. I have a business matter that can’t wait, and I need to get home.” He was gratified to note that she seemed instantly disappointed. “The thing is, I’m not ready to end our fun so soon. So I have a proposition.”

She visibly brightened. “Oh?”

“I’d like you to be my guest at my estate in New Jersey. I have a place just outside Atlantic City that’s huge and lonely, with so many empty bedrooms, you could take your pick and never even run into me.”

“Wouldn’t avoiding you sort of defeat the purpose of my staying?” Her grin was infectious.

“True. I’m hoping you’ll want to come and spend time with me so we can keep getting to know each other. But only if you want to and your vacation allows you the time.”

“Well, I
am
the boss, and I can stay gone as long as I need.” She fell silent for a moment, thinking about his invitation. “But I don’t know …”

“I promise not to press you for anything more than you’re ready to give. I just want the continued pleasure of your company. We’ll swim, ride horses, go shopping, dine out. I can take you into the city and show you my hotel and casino there. It’s the first one I ever opened, and it’s my lifeblood.”

“Lifeblood? That’s quite a statement.”

“My work is what keeps me alive.” Pausing, he regarded her, wondering whether she could ever understand him. But he wanted to try. “From the moment we met, I felt something very special between us. I find myself wanting to share with you what I’m all about, and I don’t want to let that go when I leave here.”

“It sounds like a lovely time, and I would like the chance to get to know you better,” she said.

“You’ll come to know more about me than almost anyone else.”

“And we’ll make love every day?” she whispered, for his ears only.

His cock rose to half-mast at the suggestion. “On every surface, darling. I won’t have it said that I can’t keep my woman happy.”

“Woman? Not
women
? Because I don’t do the sharing thing, ever.”

Happiness swelled in his chest. “There’s no one else in the equation. There’s only you and me.”

She studied him for so long, he started to squirm. Then she asked, “When do we leave?”

After kissing her hard, he answered. “First thing tomorrow morning.”

***

Anna sat next to Joaquin in the big, comfy leather seat on his private jet and wondered if she’d lost her mind. How did she truly know whether he was telling the truth about not being involved with other women? And even if he was on the up and up about that, what on earth had possessed her to get involved with this man and his dangerous world?

Yet she had, and the reason was simple: Joaquin was the most intriguing, magnetic man she’d met in a very long time. He was someone worth getting to know, and the rewards in happiness could far outweigh the risk.

Coming back to the present, Anna goggled at the setup. She had to play with every button and touch all the shiny surfaces.

“I’ve only seen something like this on television,” she said. “It even has a bed and a minibar.”

“We can try out both, if you would like.” The heat in his gaze was clearly meant to melt her panties.

She squirmed in her seat. “Tempting, but no—everyone would know what we’re doing.”

“There’s only the pilot, Henry and T-Bone, and the steward,” he murmured, nuzzling her earlobe and jaw. “So what if they do?”

“Wouldn’t they be able to hear?” she whispered.

“No. The bedroom is soundproof, darling.”

“Oh.”

“Out of arguments?”

“That was pretty much it.”

He chuckled. Rising from his seat, he took her hand and pulled her up. “Then I’m afraid I must insist you come with me and take a
nap
. They’re so healthy, you know.”

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Joaquin,” she hissed.

“Come on.”

Henry and T-Bone exchanged a knowing look as Joaquin dragged her to the back, and Henry snorted. She felt like her face was going to catch fire as her lover pulled her into the bedroom and closed the door. Briefly, she glanced around the richly appointed cabin, then returned her attention to him. He looked damned manly in his jean shorts and red tank that showed off his biceps and muscular chest smattered with just the right amount of ebony hair.

“See something you like?”

“Definitely.” Working a hand under his shirt, she smoothed a palm over his tight abs. “I was just thinking how surreal this is—me, jetting over the ocean with a sexy man. With you. I never would’ve thought my vacation would turn out like this.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“Very.” Wrapping her arms around him, she held him close. He felt so good pressed against her. So strong and warm. Unable to resist, she nibbled his neck, grazed his skin with her teeth.

“Keep doing that, beautiful, and you’re going to find yourself a member of the Billionaire Mile-High Club in about five seconds flat.”

“Mmm.” She breathed in his scent as she snaked a hand down the front of his shorts, which were blessedly loose. “Sounds like an exclusive group. Can just anyone join?”

“Only you,” he said, moaning when her hand found its prize.

Cupping his balls, she manipulated them for a few moments, loving the weight of them in her hand. Her lover was hung, no doubt about that, and the memory of his balls slapping against her ass, Joaquin driving his cock into her, made her grow hot all over.

Next she grasped his cock, pleased to find him already fully hard. Closing her fingers around his length, she stroked him from base to tip, hoping to drive him out of his mind.

“God, Anna.” He groaned helplessly as she unfastened his shorts and yanked them down along with his underwear. Stepping out of them, he yanked off his shirt as well. “You’re overdressed.”

Her own shorts and T-shirt were next, quickly followed by her bra and panties. Standing naked before him, she didn’t feel the least bit self-conscious. He had a way of gazing at her as if she were the most beautiful woman in the world. Like she was all he’d ever wanted.

She crawled into the bed and he followed, taking her in his arms. He kissed her deeply, one thumb grazing a nipple and teasing it to a peak. She let her tongue play with his, exploring. But the kiss was brief, as he had other things in mind.

“Would you get on your hands and knees for me, darling? I want to see you like that, open and ready for me.”

His request sent a thrill through her, and she complied, spreading her knees, making sure her butt was poking upward enough to tempt him. Though she needn’t have worried on that score. He moved behind her, and she heard a drawer open, the sounds of him opening a condom. Then his fingers were rubbing her slit in a slow, sensual glide.

“So pretty,” he whispered in appreciation.

She didn’t answer. Couldn’t, really, with the way he was playing her body. Arousing her unmercifully. There was nothing but his touch, his fingers creating a buzz of pleasure along her nerve endings as he stroked and teased. Then there was more movement as he repositioned himself—and his tongue went to work on her folds and clit.