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He put his emotions aside when the sign welcoming them to Miami came into view. Gut reaction set his senses on screaming awareness. Just a little while longer and he could put this one in the throw away bag.

And begin a new chapter in his life.

“The hotel is ten minutes away.” He’d spoken out loud, but it had been more of a thought. Pearly sat up straight and assumed the watch position.

“Hope he didn’t pay in advance.” She made sure her weapon was snug at her waist and then pulled out her ID and put it in her shirt pocket. “We’ll probably need to show this a couple times before we get to Antigua’s suite.”

Sam nodded. “Not if we blend in, Agent Pearly.” He applied maximum self-control when the hotel in question loomed up from the beach. “We have arrived.”

Limos and expensive sports cars were parked in the circular driveway where uniformed employees unloaded luggage for the guests. Just an ordinary scene at the posh hotel. The place must be booked solid for the weekend. Sam drove to the far end of the drive and killed the engine.

They got out of the car and walked briskly to the entrance of the hotel. Sam liked the lack of attention coming their way. The huge glass doors to the lobby were propped open as if waiting for them to go inside.

At the marble and brass front desk, Sam tried to get the clerks attention, finally yelling loud enough to get the man to observe them with an angry scowl.

“This is a family hotel, sir. We do not rent by the hour.”

Sam shook off the zap of desire to twist the guy’s necktie up under his pious chin. “The Antigua party. Which suite have they booked?”

“That’s confidential information, sir.”

“Not anymore.” Sam palmed his ID and held it near the resisting man’s face. “Try again.”

Lana pulled the hem of her shirt up to show her badge. “Quietly now, sir. Which suite?”

“The best we have, sir.” The desk clerk reached for the registry book and pointed. “We keep this the old-fashioned way just for the guests that enjoy the act of signing in. Of course we keep records in our top-of-the-line computer system.”

“That’s all very interesting, buddy.” Sam clamped his hand down on the sweating clerk’s arm. “Is Mr. Antigua in his room?”

“Uhh…I believe so. The rest of the party is enjoying the beach. They are a very polite group.”

“That’s what I wanted to know.” Sam smiled at the frightened man. “You call up there to warn him and I’ll be happy to arrest you as an accomplice to any number of crimes. Understood?”

“Yes, of course, sir.”

Sam nodded to Lana and headed for the elevator.

She had been scoping the place out while he got the floor and room number, her hand resting on the grip of her weapon. He had been a dumb sucker to worry about her metal. She was all business.

Chapter Twenty-two

Lana stood at the rear of the elevator while Sam remained in front. No one would take them by surprise again. She was thankful no one else got on and the elevator ride went quickly to the seventh floor without any stops. Sam left first, checking the hallway, motioning for her to follow him.

She glanced over her shoulder when the clanking of a room service cart caught her attention. The young woman pushing the thing pulled up short when she saw the weapons in their hands. Lana put her fingers to her lips and pointed to the stairway door. Her message was received and the housekeeper ran toward it in quiet panic.

Antigua’s suite was at the end of the hall. Sam listened at the door for a second.

“Siesta time.” He tapped on the door.

Lana kept a watch on the hall, her heart hammering in her chest. It had come down to survival of the smartest, and she intended to stay alive. She barely heard her own whispered question. “Anything?”

Sam shook his head and did something that made her blood freeze. He pushed on the brass handle and leaned against the door. To her dismay, it swung open. Sam went inside, visually sweeping the room. The place smelled of ginseng and marijuana smoke.

She made certain the safety was off on her Glock and followed him. “He’s not this stupid.”

Sam nodded toward the door with a do not disturb sign hanging on the knob. “Yeah, this is too easy, Pearly.”

She knew what he meant. They were not that lucky. Pointing to the bedroom door, she murmured a suggestion. “Shall we wake the son-of-a-bitch?”

They stood on either side of the door, weapons ready. Sam’s foot smashing into the solid door thundered around the room, and screams burst from the interior as they stormed inside. A flurry of sheets, arms, and legs on the bed ceased instantly at Sam’s command.

“FBI! Hands on your heads. Out of the bed with your back to me.”

Lana watched for signs of resistance, waiting to see who they had caught having sex. She smiled with pleasure to see Antigua staring at them with surprise in his glittering eyes. She moved back to the door, making sure no one came in behind them.

Sam waved the terrified girl away as she tried to explain her presence. “Take a seat over there, lady,” she screamed when Sam pulled a pair of cuffs from his belt.

He ignored her and moved toward Antigua. “Put these on before I take the top of your head off.”

Antigua did as he was told, smiling the whole time. “Sam, my friend. And Lana.” He spoke conversationally, obviously flying high on something. “You caught me at a disadvantage.”

“Kind of like the situation you left us in. You’ll be all right.” Lana threw a robe at him, loving his look of frustration when he was forced to stand naked while she kept an eye on the front door.

Antigua laughed and held his arms up. “You got me, Sam. Take the diamonds and gold.” He covered his genitals with his hands and heaved a loud sigh. “It’s all in my luggage. Take it. I won’t need it where I am going.”

Sam made the call for back up, glaring at Antigua. He forced the man into the living room, making him remain standing. He didn’t speak to him or the girl who followed Antigua like a pet squirrel. The silence ripped open with the sound of gunfire, and Antigua dropped to the floor.

Sam whipped around, lunging at the Cobra woman where she stood with a .38 in her hand. He yanked it free of her grasp and pushed her to the floor. Lana knelt down on the floor to check Antigua for signs of life. He wasn’t breathing.

“Call for an ambulance, Sam.” She shook her head, gesturing toward the woman who stared at the man on the floor. “I think he’s dead.”

“He should have died long ago.” The woman with the obsidian eyes didn’t sound remorseful.

Sam looked back over his shoulder from the open doorway. “I can’t say I disagree.” He turned away the curiosity seekers.

The girl in the chair sobbed uncontrollably, gaining a dark glower and icy comment from Cobra woman. Then she spoke and her words dropped like ice chips from her thin lips. “I have been with him most of my life. Waiting for him to make me his wife.” Her gaze settled on Antigua’s body. “While I wait in back rooms, he makes love to whores. This was his last chance.” She spat at Antigua’s bloodied form.

Lana’s thoughts took her on a wild roller coaster flash back ride of the past few days, none of which she’d seen coming. She trembled with pent-up emotion, wishing it was over. After what seemed like an eternity, she heard running footsteps coming from outside the suite. Sam stepped aside to allow several medical technicians to come into the room.

She could hear him talking to someone from the doorway and hoped it was their backup. The dreaded grilling from the bureau was yet to be faced. That didn’t matter now. All she wanted was a day of real solitude with no mad chase after a rabid dog or being forced to run for her life.

Sam came back in the room followed by two men she hoped were FBI. Of course they were agents, hardly giving her a glance. They were only interested in Antigua and huddled together near his body while the techs looked over the corpse. She couldn’t help but stare at Cobra woman where she still sat on the floor.

Remembering the night of being tossed overboard, Lana had one question for her. “I don’t know your name or what role you played in all this.” She leaned down to see the woman’s expression. “Who threw us the lifeboat?”

“I am Maria Castañeda, and I threw it in.” The frown in Cobra woman’s face didn’t soften. “I, too, know the horror of being abandoned.”

Lana nodded and helped the woman to her feet. “You’ll have to go with these agents.” A flicker of light in the woman’s eyes reached Lana. “Thank you.”

Her benefactor lifted her chin, accepted being handcuffed without reacting.

Sam inhaled roughly, standing in the doorway observing the removal of Antigua’s body. “Pearly. Let’s go file our report and head home.”

She was wrung out, not at all perky or full of fire like the movies portrayed female agents. “Anywhere that doesn’t have a swimming pool.”

* * * *

Sam waited outside the interrogation room door while Lana underwent her question and answer session by the bureau. He wondered how she would take it when he told her he’d accepted another mission instead of turning in his resignation. That was the least of his concerns. After what they had been through, she would probably tell him to go to hell if he brought up marriage again.

He looked up with a start when she walked out with the chief, smiling as if she’d just been to a garden party. She shook hands with the boss and then turned to look at him. Something was up, coming through loud and clear in her confident stride and knowing smile.

Sam rose and tilted his head, gazing into her eyes until she broke the silence.

“Well partner, let’s get going.” She patted his chest and glanced toward the exit door.

”I’ve been assigned a new mission, Pearly.”

“You don’t think I’d let you go alone, do you?”

He was hit by a rollercoaster ride of emotions. “Pearly, what about your law practice? A normal life.”

There was a new gleam in her beautiful green eyes. “Oh, I’ll have all that.” She put her arm around his waist. “We’ll go to the courthouse, get married, and head for Brownsville.” Her eyes narrowed and her fingers pinched his waist. “I don’t have to use force, do I?”

Shock and then mind-numbing excitement took over his world. “Force? Hell, I may just pick you and carry you to the courthouse before you change your mind.”

Epilogue

Lana Elaine Pearly Horn was her new name. And she loved it, repeating the words over several times as she stretched luxuriously in the bubble bath Sam had drawn for her. Lifting her left hand, she gazed at the three karat blue diamond on her finger.

She had thought for a short time she never wanted to see another diamond, but this one held all the promise a woman could ever want. Fragrant soap bubbles slid down her arm and she sighed.

The mission in Brownsville had been accomplished without any life-threatening incidents and at Sam’s insistence she resigned from the bureau as soon as they handed the gunrunner over to the Feds. Sam had signed up with his old outfit and was home for only twelve days. Taking every moment of pleasure while they were together was her only thought now.

Sam appeared in the doorway, ogling her body as she rose from the water. He held a bath towel out for her. She took it from his hand and pulled him toward her.

“The water’s still warm.”

“And so are you.” He stripped off his shorts and stepped into the tub, pulling her snug against him. “Want me to wash you, babe?”

She sank back down in the water, her eyes taking in his hard, muscled body. “I think you need washing first.” She poured her private stash of almond oil body wash into her palm and made a circle on his chest. “Maybe lower?”

“Definitely.” He groaned, closing his eyes while she cupped his balls and stroked the inside of his thighs.

“I see why they named you Horn.” Lana circled her fingers around the tip of his engorged cock and squeezed. “How big are you?”

“Big enough, lady.” He laughed and pulled her onto his hips, lifting her up to suck on her nipples until she squirmed against his erection.

She leaned back to enjoy the tug of his lips on her nipples, moving against him until the pressure of clit stimulation made her greedy. “I’m ready to try you on for size.”

He slid his cock inside her, holding her tight as he thrust upwards into her slick opening. Oh, he was a perfect fit, hot and strong, taking control and whipping up a whirlwind of heat that burst between her legs. Hot voltage raced up her spine to her brain until she moaned, her hips grinding into his until the firestorm vaporized.

He reached orgasm with a loud groan, falling back into the water to collapse in total relaxation. “You give one hell of a bath, my sweet Pearl.”

She lay in his arms, absorbing the sweetness of being alone with her husband.

The chirping of his cell phone that lay on the bathmat intruded into their private moment. Sam reached over the edge of the tub and grabbed the phone. “Sorry, babe.”

Lana got up to grab a towel, knowing full well he was being summoned away from her to another tour in a place she couldn’t even imagine. He closed the phone and gazed at her with quiet observation.

“I’ll be back for good in three months.” He laughed and grabbed her hand. “Water’s still warm, gorgeous.”

Lana grabbed hold of what he’d said, clinging to the promise of just three months. “I love you so much, Sam.” She slid into the cooling water, facing him to look at him for as long as possible. “Heat it up again. Something tells me we’re going to be in here all night.”

THE END