18

Eva made herself look busy as she moved around the myriad travelers, keeping a surreptitious eye on the mark. What concerned her even more than keeping Suarez on the radar was the look of hunger that hovered in Rita’s eyes every time her glance slid in Suarez’s direction. She’d seen that look before. Many times. Rita’s lust, when unchecked, could be detrimental to everyone. She’d lose focus on the job and allow herself to become distracted by her libido.

Eva understood. Both of them desperately sought something, something that would allow them to feel worthwhile and whole. She’d been lucky. She’d found Jake. He filled the abyss in her soul. Rita remained on the quest.

Eva had begun to think that as much as she didn’t particularly care for Jinx as “the one” for her cousin, that maybe Rita saw something in him that she absolutely couldn’t.

She watched Rita lick her lips while her eyes grew dark. No doubt, Suarez was a gorgeous man. But they were there to do a job.

Eva made her way over to Rita. She turned off her headset so that her end of the conversation wouldn’t reach Jake and Jinx.

“Good afternoon,” Eva said. “Enjoying your trip so far ”

Rita turned her attention to Eva. She smiled.

“Yes, I am.”

“Remember why we’re here,” she said quietly as she leaned forward and put two empty glasses on her tray.

“I do,” Rita said in a faraway voice.

“Rita,” Eva said. “It’s a job. Nothing more.”

Rita’s gaze snapped in Eva’s direction. She lifted her glass to her lips, finished off her drink. “I know that.”

Eva gave a short nod and walked off.

Since they were little girls with no real family to speak of and no male figure in their lives, they’d been joined at the hip, not only as cousins but also as kindred spirits, seeking validation for their existence. They learned early that being attractive females was more than an asset. It was power. They learned to wield it from a simple smile to mind-blowing sexual escapades. They used whatever was necessary to achieve their ends and to smother the fires of need.

For Eva the fire was physical. As long as she could satisfy her physical desires through sex, she felt as if she could face the next day. She was turned on as much by the job as by the act itself.

Rita’s need was as much physical as it was emotional. She never could separate the two. She saw her unknown father in every man she met and sought his love and approval. Her physical lust often morphed into an emotional attachment—that was not only dangerous, but stupid as well. There was no room for stupidity on this trip. One of her flights of fancy nearly got her killed.

About two years earlier, Eva and Rita decided on an overdue vacation, leaving men, work, and troubles behind. As much as Jake poked his lip out about her leaving him for a whole week, he agreed that the time away would do her good. He assured her that he’d stay out of trouble in her absence and that maybe she’d be able to show him some new Caribbean moves upon her return.

They booked one of those quick getaways online and landed in Montego Bay in Jamaica. The lush scenery, tropical breeze, and gorgeous men made the brochure and Web site pictures look like pure misrepresentations.

“We should have done this a long time ago,” Rita had breathed in wonder when they stepped out of the airport terminal to be met by row after row of men who seemed to want no more than to make a woman happy. She draped her straw bag over her shoulder, slipped on her dark shades to dim the blinding sunlight, and sashayed over to an Adonis of a man who posed casually against the side of a taxi.

Eva trailed two steps behind her.

“Maybe you can help me,” Rita said, looking up into his eyes. “My cousin and I need a ride to our hotel.”

Briefly he glanced past Rita to take in Eva. He smiled, all dazzling white and even against skin that was as smooth as milk chocolate and dark as midnight. The white gauze shirt was open almost to the waist, revealing thick chest muscles and rippling abs. His hair reached the middle of his back, the lustrous dark locks held in place by a leather tie at the nape of his neck.

“A man’s duty is to make a woman’s life easier,” he said, his accent like music, his voice a gentle rumble.

Even Eva had to admit to herself that he was one gorgeous specimen.

“I can take you anywhere you want to go. This island is a part of me, and there is no place on it that I do not know … intimately.”

Eva could almost hear Rita’s heart pumping in her chest.

They got into his cab and soon learned that his name was Jon. He’d been born and raised on the island and made his living as an artist and cabbie. He invited them to “see his etchings” at his bungalow later that evening. He was expecting friends over for a show of his new works.

Of course Rita agreed.

When they arrived at his opening, Rita became quickly swept up in his charms and instead of spending the night in their hotel, Rita spent the night with Jon.

Their hot and heavy fling flourished in the ensuing days, with them spending all their time together. On the surface it seemed harmless enough, and Eva kept herself occupied with shopping and sightseeing. But things took an ugly turn shortly before she and Rita were scheduled to depart for the States.

“He wants to come back to New York with us,” Rita said over breakfast at an outdoor café.

The forkful of mango that Eva lifted to her mouth stopped midway. “What”

“He wants to come back to New York, stay with me for a while, see how he likes it.”

“You told him no, didn’t you”

Rita looked sheepish, a sly smile curving her lush mouth. “No.”

The fork dropped to the plate. “Rita, you don’t know this man. How can you even think of having him come and live with you” She looked around, realizing her voice had risen in alarm, and she hoped no one else noticed. Apparently the softly playing steel drums muffled her concern.

Rita pursed her lips. “I do know him. He’s wonderful, and he makes me feel wonderful.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Just because the sex is good is no reason to think you actually have a relationship. You can’t be serious.”

“I already got his ticket.”

“Have you lost what’s left of your mind”

“Did I say that to you when you met Jake”

Eva blinked several times. Yes, her and Jake’s initial meeting was over the top, but that was different, and she told Rita as much.

“Why is it different, because it’s you Since when did you have a lock on making a relationship work You have some kind of psychic ability that I don’t know about”

“It doesn’t take a psychic to tell you that you don’t move a total stranger into your house.” She paused when she saw the stern look of determination light Rita’s eyes. When she got that look, the more you pushed, the deeper she dug in her heels.

Eva took a breath, eased back. “Hey, you’re a grown woman. If that’s what you want to do, you’re right: Who am I to say different Maybe he’s the one.” She shrugged her sleeveless shoulders.

“He is, Eva,” she said with the childish joy of a love-drunk teenager. “You’ll see.”

And they did.

Two nights before they were scheduled to leave, Jon apparently asked for money, said he needed it to take care of some business before they left. Rita balked, said she’d spent all her extra money on his ticket and that her credit card was at its limit. That didn’t sit too well with him, and his gentle cajoling turned belligerent—then violent.

It was about three a.m. when Eva heard a faint knock on their hotel door. When she went to answer it, Rita literally fell into the room. He’d beaten her unconscious, taken the cash she had left in her purse, and dropped her body on the beach. When she’d come to, her clothes tattered and her purse gone, she’d somehow been able to make it back to the hotel.

Her beautiful face was a mass of dark bruises. Both her eyes were swollen, her lip was busted, and they didn’t learn until they’d gotten home that one of her ribs was cracked.

Eva wanted to call the police. Rita begged her not to, saying it would only make things worse. He had friends. Eva didn’t even want to know what that meant. Besides, Rita added, if they reported it to the police, they’d be forced to stay in Jamaica a few days at least, and all she wanted to do was go home.

Stomping down on her temper, thinking through the ramifications, Eva finally agreed not to call the police.

After tending to Rita’s bruises and getting her settled in a hot bath, she contacted the airport, rearranged their flight, and had them on the earliest plane back to New York.

They never spoke about Jon and Jamaica ever again. Rita stayed closeted away in her apartment until her bruises healed. No one was the wiser. And the lie she told her doctor about falling down the stairs accounted for her cracked rib. It was a secret that they kept between themselves and left behind in Montego Bay.

That same look in Rita’s eyes that was there for Jon had come back, for Xavier Suarez, this time. Jon was nothing compared to Suarez. If what they said about Suarez killing his own sister was true, he wouldn’t think twice about doing the same to Rita if he found out that she’d set him up or crossed him in any way.

Rita needed to start thinking straight, and in a hurry.

Eva emptied an overflowing ashtray as she continued to survey the room and its occupants. All the reminiscing about steamy Jamaica had her a bit worked up. She put her tray down on one of the many serving tables and headed back to her cabin.

Maybe Jake was up for a little romp to christen their quarters.

“Rita, I’m going up to the cabin for a few. Any changes, let me know.”

“Sure.”

She knew she was supposed to stay on post, just in case and especially knowing what she did about Rita. The excitement of the hunt was getting to her, building like a slow boil, and she couldn’t help herself.

But when she returned to the cabin and saw the look on Jake’s face, she knew her plans would have to wait.

*   *   *

She shut the door.

“What is it”

“Ingram just called.”

“And”

“She wants to change the drop-off location.”

“What! She can’t do that. It’ll screw up everything.” She crossed the room to the small bar, took a glass, and fixed a quick drink of rum and Coke. She turned to Jake. “What are we going to do”

“We don’t have too much choice.”

“So if not Miami, then where”

“The ship is scheduled to dock in Mexico for a day. That’s where she wants to make the exchange.”

“That cuts our time down by two days.” She took a swallow of her drink and sat down in the chair near the bar. Immediately she got back up and started to pace, the reason for her impromptu return to the cabin pushed aside. “How are you making out with the codes”

Jake was morose. “Close but no cigar.” He looked up at Eva.

She tugged on her bottom lip with her teeth. “And we still don’t know what room Suarez is in.”

The ship began a gentle rocking that grew more violent as the waves picked up.

Color drained from Jake’s warm brown complexion, giving him an ashen look. His eyes became glassy.

Eva approached slowly and sat next to him. “Babe. It’s cool. We probably hit some bad weather.” She rubbed his back.

Jake licked his dry lips and fought to keep from throwing up. He kept seeing waves and then nothing.

The ship lurched to the left then right.

Jake clenched his teeth. Sweat beaded across his brow and upper lip.

Eva stroked his cheek and then wiped the sweat away from his forehead with the pad of her thumb.

“Try to relax. I’m sure it will pass soon.”

Jake lay back against the pillows and closed his eyes. He’d never wanted anyone to see him like this, especially not his wife, especially not now. He couldn’t afford to fall apart. So much of the plan hinged on him. He had to get a grip.

“It was a freak accident, Jake,” Eva said softly. “There was nothing you could have done. It wasn’t your fault.”

“But it was.”

Eva flinched. “Of course it wasn’t. You all were just playing by the water. It was an accident.”

Jake slowly shook his head. “Me and Jinx … we dared him. Dared him to go farther out. He was afraid. We told him he was just being a baby.”

The ship rocked a bit then settled.

“He didn’t want to do it.” His voice cracked. “But we kept taunting and teasing him. He was crying, but he went. And then he … was gone.” He swallowed hard. “We never told anyone what really happened. Never.”

Eva squeezed his hand. “You were kids. How could you have known You couldn’t.”

“I can still see the look of shock and grief on his mother’s face.” He squeezed his eyes shut, the images of that day racing through his mind.

“Jake … part of your guilt has been holding on to this secret all these years. It’s not a secret anymore. You’ve finally faced the demon that’s been haunting you by sharing it with me. You can get through this. But you have to let it go. Nothing you will ever do can bring him back. You must accept that and accept the fact that it was an accident.”

Jake looked at Eva, letting her words sink in. His soul did feel a bit lighter. The weight that he’d been carrying around for so long was not so heavy anymore. He shared the burden, and she accepted it without recriminations. She didn’t see him as weak or evil.

His words emerged slowly, coming together in bits and pieces. “For years I’d been living on the edge, a part of me wanting to get caught, as if by doing so, I could pay for what I’d done. I’ve spent my whole life taking things from others, unsuspecting victims, repeating what I’d started years earlier on that beach, hoping to get caught, hoping to pay.”

He sat up, as realization struck him. “Lenora Ingram is no unsuspecting victim. She’s no innocent bystander who doesn’t know any better that could be manipulated into doing what we wanted. She was the one who for the first time turned the tables on me.” The right corner of his mouth jerked upward. “Forced me to face my fears, unwittingly, but she’d done it. Underneath it all, that’s what scared me the most, Eva, that I’d be the unsuspecting victim, and wouldn’t hold the winning hand.” He paused, looked Eva in her eyes. “But I do.” He tapped the side of his head with his index finger. “It’s all up here.”

She leaned forward and kissed him. “I was waiting for you to say that.”

He grinned then pulled her down on top of him. “That’s why I love you,” he said, brushing his lips against hers.

“Oh, really.”

“Yeah, really.” He frowned for a minute. “Now that I think about it, what are you doing here I thought you were supposed to be keeping an eye on things in case Suarez and his boys headed back to their cabin.”

Her grin held a hint of mystery. “Well … while I was standing there thinking about everything at stake, the pieces coming together and all…” She began unbuttoning his shirt. “I started thinking … got a little warm all over.” She ran her hands across his bare chest. “And I realized…” She leaned down and ran her tongue across his nipple.

“What did you realize, baby” he asked, his voice growing thick. He pulled the black wig from her head and tossed it on the floor.

“I realized how badly I wanted you.” She worked at unfastening his belt.

“How bad” He pulled her vest off and unbuttoned her blouse. His palms cupped her breasts.

Eva moaned, her lids fluttered closed. She ground her hips against his hard-on.

Jake flipped her onto her back, unfastened her pants, and pulled them down. He didn’t bother with her thong, merely pushed it aside and slid into her heat.

The gentle sway of the ship only intensified their own push and pull, and Jake let go of his fears for the first time in his life, letting Eva’s loving wash them away.

*   *   *

“I better get back,” Eva murmured in a dreamy voice.

Jake held her close. “Yeah,” he said without much conviction. He draped one leg over her body.

“You’re making that kind of difficult.” She giggled.

“Oh, am I” he asked, feigning innocence.

“Yes.” She pushed against his chest, and he fell back onto the bed. She sat up and looked down at him. His eyes were closed, and he smiled softly. “You have work to do, and so do I.”

“I thought I was working, and doing a damn good job, by the sound of things.” He chuckled and opened his eyes. “But you’re right.” He pushed himself halfway up. “We need to get busy.”

Eva got up off the bed, stretched, gathered her clothes, and walked toward the bathroom. “Gonna take a quick shower.” She closed the door behind her.

Jake yawned loudly just as Jinx’s voice came through the headset. “He’s on the move.”

Jake put the set on. “Keep an eye on him until Eva gets there.”

“Where the hell is she”

“Taking a shower,” he said, the simple words full of innuendo.

“Hope it was inspiring.”

“Always is. She’ll be there shortly.”

Eva came out of the bathroom, the towel wrapped around her body.

“Jinx just chimed in. Suarez is on the move. Hopefully, he’s headed back to his cabin. Jinx will keep an eye on him.”

Eva dressed as she listened. “I’m pretty sure a man like Suarez is in one of the suites.” She buttoned her blouse.

Jake nodded. “And his bodyguards are going to be close by.”

She put on her pants and vest. “We’ll take care of our end; you finish up on the codes.”

“That’s the plan.”

She crossed the room, leaned down, and kissed him lightly. “I love you, Jake Kelly.”

“Back at ya.”

She grinned and then headed out.

Jake went immediately back to his computer. The software that he’d installed was running a sequence program against the ship’s security system. The probabilities were being narrowed down. When he checked again, the sequence was finished, the final screen was flashing EXECUTION COMPLETED.

Jake hooked up the computer to the portable printer and printed out the results. As he read over the report, his smile grew. “Houston, we no longer have a problem.”