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Lilly glanced over at the four gigantic cruise ships docked in the Cozumel port as Jack maneuvered the speed boat into their slip at the marina. Every emotion imaginable roiled within her. She was excited and apprehensive as she looked at the Caribbean Breeze. Next week that city of steel floating around the Caribbean Sea would belong to her family. So would another one just like it, the Caribbean Dream. She always loved a new family investment and this one would be more fun than another manufacturing facility.
There would also be more financial risk. One little thing, like the false Ebola scare last February, could create so much bad press that would negatively affect the entire industry. If something catastrophic happened on their ship, it could damage, or even destroy, their new company, American Caribbean Cruise Line.
Docked beside their next purchase was an even larger ship with a navy blue hull that was owned by one of the most expensive international cruise lines in the world. He-who-she-didn’t-have-time-to-waste-thinking-about would have one of the largest staterooms aboard that ship. The honeymoon suite, for the newlyweds.
Lilly’s thoughts wandered to her honeymoon. After her huge, beautiful wedding, they had taken a month-long trip through Europe, spending an entire week at her friend’s villa on the Italian coast. In retrospect, it had been his suggestion that they stay with several people she knew, making it relatively inexpensive. The man was such a user, and abuser, of relationships.
Disappointment—in him, and herself, the dissolution of her marriage and the family life she’d always expected to have—fought with good memories of the birth of her boys. The joy they’d brought her as toddlers discovering the world around them. They were growing up so fast. And at this very moment they were on the other side of the island attending their father’s wedding.
Her boys were facing so many changes, meeting a half-brother and sister, siblings they’d never even seen before today. She should have questioned her ex, made him explain to the boys that they had half-siblings, something. Here she was, a highly respected attorney, one who could take whatever another lawyer dished out and she’d throw him a hardball right back. Yet, in private, she let that asshole rule her life as though she’d been a mindless child.
Why in God’s name did I let him get away with that shit! She had to talk with Greyson and Preston about their feelings concerning the wedding when they returned, make sure they were okay.
As she and her whole family walked the short distance to the joint offices of the Caribbean Excursion Consortium and the American Caribbean Cruise Line, Jack slung an arm around her shoulder. “The boys will be just fine. How much damage can Dr. Dickhead do in a few hours?”
“I know, and Betsy is there to look out for them. She knows her son is an ass, and she truly loves her grandchildren.” Lilly still worried about her kids. She always would. “Thanks for offering to pick them up in the boat. I didn’t even think about that.” And wasn’t she a terrible mother for not considering that option? Truth be told, she’d wanted to stay as far away from that wedding as possible. But this way, her boys would be back under her wings much sooner, and she could repair any damage her ex had done immediately.
“Right on time,” Jessica said as their entourage entered the second floor offices. Large windows faced the ocean, but the view was currently filled with the hull of another line’s ship. “Over the past month, I’ve interviewed everyone aboard both ships.” She handed Lilly a file folder. “These are the current managerial employees I think we should offer contracts.” She gave Jack a small stack of papers clipped together. “These,” she hesitated ever so briefly, “I’m not so sure about. You said to pull anyone who may look the least bit questionable.”
Jack glanced at the top piece of paper and raised his brows. “The security director for the Caribbean Breeze?”
“Especially him.” Jessica shrugged and stood. “I know he was Mossad, and most cruise lines have men like him in security, but this guy...he just gives me that—”
“It’s okay.” Jack looked her in the eye and told her. “That prickle on the back of my neck has kept me alive more than once. It’s good to follow your instincts. I’ll check him out.”
“What was it exactly that he did or said that made you uneasy?” The lawyer in Lilly had clicked on. She was looking for anything that could legally be used against him in case they had to keep him on through the transition.
“Nothing I can pinpoint, just an overall feeling, like he didn’t want me there.” Jessica’s mouth thinned into a tight crease. “He wasn’t what I’d call condescending, more patronizing. As though I was an evil he was forced to endure. But he was very careful about what he said and the words he chose.”
“Was it a language issue?” Levi suggested.
“No, he spoke excellent English, albeit with a heavy British accent.” She pointed to a line on Jack’s paper. “He graduated from Oxford. Nor was it the aristocratic attitude you sometimes get from someone with his pedigree.”
She took a deep breath. “He was my last interview of the day and it was getting close to the time they needed to depart. I don’t think he was worried about guests, but he sure checked out everyone on the staff as they returned. He seemed to hurry me off the ship.”
Lilly smiled. No one made Jessica Evans do anything she didn’t want to do. If she caught a whiff of something out of place with an employee, not exactly above board, she’d pursue it until she got the answer. She’d saved Girard International more than once.
Jessica looked at her watch. “We should head over. The captain has invited us for lunch at his table. He’ll give us a tour of the ship before and after we eat.” As they headed out the door, she added, “He’s concerned about his job. He was in command in February when the woman who had been to Africa got sick. He made the executive decision to have her taken to Cancun when the ship’s doctor indicated it might be Ebola.”
“That was certainly a Charlie Foxtrot for me and all the other small excursion companies,” Jack admitted. “But I’m thankful it wasn’t Ebola. It hurt our business for a few days, but it could have been much worse.”
“It slammed their cruise line hard enough to sell us two ships at half the value.” Levi shook his head as he looked up the steel hull that was taller than a twenty-five story building and larger than a city block. “Let’s hope these ships make us as much money as our Great Lakes tankers do.”
“Is money the only thing you ever think about, Levi?” Lilly chastised.
“No.” He smiled at her and moved in close. Quietly he said, “I think about women. Often. But I had one of those last night, and I’ll have a different one tonight.” He gave his sister a knowing smile. “But I’m not the only one who got an itch scratched.”
Oh, shit. Lilly lifted her brows as she glared at her older brother.
He threw an arm around her and gave her a brotherly hug. Whispering in her ear, he admitted, “Lil, I’m glad for you. Josh seems like one of the good guys. Hell, Preston thinks he’s a superhero. And I’ll be forever grateful to Josh for rescuing that little boy. I just hope it was more than a thank-you fuck. You deserve better than that.” He kissed the top of her head and released her.
Well, hell. Where to begin with that revelation?
Nowhere. There was no time. Lilly looked up and they were at the ship’s dockside entrance, the captain’s hand extended to her, hopeful smile plastered on his attractive face.
The minute they entered the ship, their party was joined by Yitzak “Zak” Reisman, director of ship’s security. He shook Lilly’s hand, and held it far too long. It wasn’t her dark brown eyes that held his attention, either. He couldn’t keep his eyes off her well-covered breasts. Lilly understood Jessica’s discomfort.
They began their tour in the windowless crew areas with bedrooms so small a large man would have difficulty getting dressed without banging a wall or permanent fixture. They moved on to the large empty staff dining room after passing through a narrow hallway.
Zak’s gaze followed every dark-haired, brown-skinned woman. Yet he paid little attention to the curvy blonde who stopped when Jessica called to her with a smile, “Stacie, you’re not on an excursion today?”
“No, Miss Evans.” The well-toned woman was about Jack’s age. “I’m actually off today.”
“Stacie, have you met the Girards? They are the new owners of this ship.”
“Hello, I’m Stacie McCoy, the ship’s excursion director.” She started with their mother and the normal pleasantries.
“It’s most certainly a pleasure to meet you.” Levi shook her hand, then captured it as he lay his other hand over the top of hers. “I look forward to working with you.”
Stacie’s eyes met his, but Lilly read the not-gonna-happen look there. Internally chuckling at her big brother’s attempt, she gave the young woman kudos for the way she handled him.
“It’ll be my pleasure to work for American Caribbean Cruise Lines.” She deftly slid her hand out of his hold and without another glance his way, she stepped to Lilly.
“Lilly Girard. I’m the corporate attorney and working with the Caribbean Excursion Consortium as well. Do you currently make suggestions to the owners about excursions?”
“Yes, ma’am. That’s part of my job. If there’s anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“I’m sure we’ll be talking.” Lilly liked this woman.
Stacie stepped in front of Jack and it was as though an entire conversation passed between them before she said, “Jack, good to see you again. I’d never put the last name together with Girard International. So your family is buying the ship?” Concern washed over her pretty face before she schooled her features.
“Yes. And I’m also involved in the new CEC, so I’ll be working closely with you again.” With a furtive glance toward Levi, he added, “We’ll need to get together and talk about the excursions on all the islands. Are you free later today?”
“I’m sorry. It’s my one day off this week, and I promised to meet a friend.” She glanced at the exit then back at Jack. “I don’t think I’ll get back until the ship is ready to leave.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Jack’s smile was one of understanding. “We’ll catch up next week.” He thought for a second. “No, that won’t work. I’ll be on my honeymoon.”
“Congratulations.” Her enthusiasm gleamed from her eyes.
“Thanks.” His rote response was followed with, “We’ll get together when I get back.”
“Perfect.” Stacie moved toward the exit. “I need to run. I’m late to meet my...friend.”
Four hours later Lilly sincerely regretted choosing the red heels. Her family had seen everything on the ship from the engine room to the spacious president’s suite with massive balcony. She was sure she’d climbed enough steps equivalent to any Chicago skyscraper, including the family's own. Maybe when she got back home she’d increase her cardio work out. Maybe. At the moment, her thighs and calves screamed at her to rest. Sitting didn’t even appeal because even her butt hurt. And every step she’d taken, the obnoxious Zak was right behind her. She swore she could feel his eyes on her derriere the entire time. Creepy was nowhere near the right word she would use to describe the director of security.
After she and her family said their goodbyes to the captain and his entourage, no one said a word as they walked down the long concrete dock toward their new offices.
Once they cleared the ship’s bow, Jack spoke for the first time in hours. “Jessica, I know what you mean. I don’t trust him.”
“I wonder if Yitzak Reisman is even his real name. He didn’t respond to it when I called him Mr. Riesman,” Jessica noted.
“Shit sack is more appropriate. He’s hiding something, and it isn’t his infatuation with tropical women.” Jack threw a glance at his sister. “I’m surprised you didn’t turn and deck the bastard when he kept helping you step over or around things in the engine room.”
“Every time he touched me I cringed,” Lilly admitted. “Right now I’d love to take a long hot shower and scrub off an entire layer of cells. I feel...dirty.”
“Can we all agree that slime ball has got to go?” All eyes turned to Mother Girard at her proclamation.
“Mom?” Levi raised his eyebrows.
Their mother shivered openly. “He gave me the heebie jeebies. I want him gone. Can we fire him right now?” She looked at Lilly and Jessica.
“No. We don’t own the ship yet,” Jessica pointed out. “I’ll start immediately looking for someone to take over his position.”
“I’d like to hire someone I trust.” Jack dug his phone from his cargo pants and scanned his contact list. “Phoenix is here for the wedding and a little vacation before he accepts a job with a security company in Norfolk. I’ll call him and see if he’s interested.”
He placed the call. A second later, he said, “Hey, Phoenix, give me a call. You said you didn’t want to drive little boats around the channel and work for me but I may have something bigger to offer.” Chuckling, he slid his phone away.
“Is Phoenix his last name?” Jessica asked.
Jack smiled. “No, his name is Davin Westin. Phoenix is his handle.”
Lilly couldn’t stop herself. “’Fess up. How’d he get that name?”
Jack chuckled. “He killed himself and came back to life.”
“What?” Their mother stopped and stared up at Jack.
“In BUD/S”—he glanced at Jessica to explain—“that’s SEAL training, we had to do exercise where we tied knots underwater, holding our breath. Even if they were perfect, the instructors often made us do it again. And again.”
“That’s just stupid,” his mother commented. “If you tied it correctly that should have been good enough.”
“It wasn’t about the knots, Mom,” Jack explained, “It was about how far you’d push yourself to get the job done. The longer you hold your breath, the slower your mind works so it takes more time to compete the tasks. They kept sending Phoenix back down and the last time, he didn’t resurface. They had to drag him up and give him CPR.”
Oh, my God. Lilly lifted her brow. “He actually died?”
“Yes. He’s been Phoenix ever since that day.”
“Miss Lilly,” the deep, accented voice of a man called from two feet behind their tight-knit group. Her whole body quaked at the familiarity of his tone.
Oh, shit. How long had he been following them? Had he heard them talking about him?
She pasted on a smile and turned, “Yes, Zak. What can I do for you?” Her whole family stopped and stood at her back.
“The captain asked me to deliver these for your young boys.”
How the hell did he know about her children? Then she remembered their conversation about the safety of passengers while in port, she’d mentioned that her young son had an unfortunate encounter with the gang the day before. She and the captain had gotten into a conversation about children and how he missed his two boys. In retrospect, she’d no doubt given too much information.
Zak held out two stuffed dolphins. His large hands nearly dwarfed their size. She gingerly took them from his grasp, making sure she didn’t touch the man.
“Please thank the captain for me.” It took everything within her to smile at the man.
He turned his head to face Jessica. “Just to let you know, my deputy director will be taking over as head of security for a week on the Breeze. The director of security on the Caribbean Dream has had to take emergency leave because his wife was in a severe accident.” He shook his head but his facial expression seemed contrived rather than truly concerned. “It doesn’t look good for her.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Jessica said.
“I’ll take care of everything for the Breeze until it deports,” Zak explained. “Then I’ll be staying here in Cozumel tonight. The Dream will be in port tomorrow. I’ll leave with them.”
“Thank you for telling me.” Jessica turned to the Girards. “I’ll send flowers.”
You don’t need to do that,” Zak quickly interjected. “I guarantee you FTD doesn’t deliver to where he lives in the Philippines.”
Lilly caught Jack staring warily at the man. She didn’t believe the guy either.