She trekked past James in the lobby at 5:30 the next morning and plopped into a chair. She begged the grogginess to go away.
He raised one eyebrow and let out a long whistle. “Those shorts couldn’t get any shorter.”
Lexi froze. A flush spread across her cheeks. He’d noticed her decision to wear the skimpiest outfit in her pack. “I’m trying to stay cool for the hot journey to Strife.”
“Sure you are.” He tilted his head and continued to meander down her thighs and calves.
A lightness rose to her head as she partially covered her legs with her elbows and arms. Okay, why am I acting so weird when it’s only a compliment? “We should eat something before we go. My stomach feels empty. Yours?”
He said nothing. He only leaned in, his eyes focused on her legs.
This is ridiculous. She shifted in her seat and lifted her chin. “James?”
He snapped awake and blinked. “Hmmm?”
No one had gazed at her like that in a long time. Her stomach fluttered. “Are you hungry?”
“Very.” His eyes wandered over her breasts. He jolted, squared his shoulders, and inhaled a long stream of air through his nostrils. “We should get something to eat, yeah.”
Did he enjoy watching her? She tried to concentrate on food. “I wonder if anywhere in town is serving breakfast at this hour though.”
“Too bad the luxurious buffet isn’t open.” The corner of his mouth stretched into a mischievous smile.
She lifted her chin. “I like the food here,” she remarked. “It’s more than these people eat in a week.”
He straightened in his chair. “True. And it was tasty. You’ve proved me wrong on many an occasion. That’s why I like you, Lexi. You’re always bringing home the realities of life.”
She swallowed and rubbed her cheek. “You’ll like me more after you hear the reality of that gold jingling around in your pocket.”
He lifted and eyebrow and pursed his lips. “I will. I’ll be all over you then.”
He’s laying it on thick. He probably says that slush to all the girls. She stood up and tried to avoid pulling the khaki shorts out of her ass. Far cry from an evening dress, but at least she hadn’t donned her dirty, ripped pants a third day in a row. Maybe that was why they hadn’t given her the boat. She looked too poor. Whatever. James is here. He got the boat. She relaxed her shoulders. So far he wasn’t even screwing things up.
He held the door open for her.
The warm morning air hit her face. “It’s hot.”
“Not as hot as it’ll be on that boat,” he commented.
They walked to the market.
A vendor in the corner rolled out an awning. Another threw a bucket of ice in a cooler.
They circled the outdoor aisles. She gripped her grumbling belly. “No one’s open. Too early for food.”
He stopped and sighed. “Can you wait?”
“We should go back so we can look for something to eat,” she suggested, slowing her pace.
He glanced at his watch. “We’re running out of time. It’s 6 o’clock.”
“I know, but I’m starved. I thought there’d be breakfast at the hotel.”
He smiled, lifting an eyebrow. “There wasn’t.”
She rubbed her belly and felt her head sinking.
He scratched his head. “What did you bring to eat?”
Her lips flattened. We’re not even on the island yet, and I’m already digging into the supplies. “Crackers. But I don’t want to eat those yet.”
He stopped walking. “Eat.”
His genuine concern for her was sweet and he was right. No use in getting started on an empty stomach. She yanked her bag off her shoulder and rummaged for the thin wafers. She ripped the red and white package open and gave it to him.
He lifted his palms up. “I’m good. You take mine.”
Her chest expanded as a warmth spread. Why was he sacrificing his own hunger for her? Had she pegged him wrong? It wasn’t as if she was a damsel in distress. She would have survived, but… he did come. And he did offer his share of crackers. She took a cracker out of the pack and flipped it into her mouth. She closed her eyes and chewed. Why the heck was she so hungry? She fidgeted with the package, then took a couple more crackers and put them away. “We should get going.”
He smiled with the corner of his mouth as he watched her. “Ah yes.”
She didn’t mind his constant watching, because sometimes it was flattering. But would he be able to focus on the prize? Neither she, nor James knew the route to the island. She stretched her neck in an effort to stabilize her nerves. “Which one’s the boat?”
He pointed to a blue and white vessel that sat roped to the dock.
Her stomached rolled. It was one she had inquired about a couple days ago. Would the owner recognize her? She pressed her cap lower onto her head and tucked her pony-tail underneath. “Great.” She followed James down the wooden boards on to the landing.
The fisherman lifted his chin and stood still when he saw them approaching. He shifted feet, then marched to the boat.
They waited.
He returned, straight-faced. “No women on board.”
A lump appeared in her throat.
James narrowed his eyes on to the man, challenging him. “Why?”
The man said nothing. He picked up a bucket and walked back inside.
Lexi gnawed on her cheek as hot steam rose to her ears. She controlled her mouth from spewing swear words at the old fisherman. It was best to keep quiet and let James duke it out. An ounce of attitude was the last thing an old-fashioned captain would want to hear. She tightened her lips and let James do the talking.
James collapsed his arms by his side. “I’ll give you a thousand more. Take us to the island, bring us back, money’s yours.”
The man came back out, glaring at Lexi. He then turned his focus to James and held out his hand. “Deal.”
They shook hands while Lexi looked away. You’re not getting my hand even if you wanted it.
James removed several notes from his wallet and hesitated before he gave them to the fisherman. It looked like a heck of a lot more than a thousand dollars. “What’s your name?”
He met his eye and pulled back his shoulders. “They call me Bernardo.”
James handed him the money. The man placed the money in his pocket.
“I’m James and this is Lexi.”
He said nothing as he turned and stepped aboard.
James took Lexi’s hand and led her on to the boat.
The man busied himself at the bow with a rope and axle.
“Thank you,” she yelled out toward him. James carved out a seat for her amid several crates, buckets, and coolers.
The fisherman backed out of the space and motored out of the harbor.
Lexi inhaled the fresh air.
James kept his eye on her while they were out at sea.
Why was he being so nice? He was too generous. Was it the gold? Surely, he didn’t expect her to fall for his random acts of kindness. Did he think she was as dumb and naïve as the others? Could they not see he only wanted a quick romp in bed? Would she miss the warning signs?
“Don’t worry about Bernardo. He doesn’t want to draw attention to thugs and criminals who are always attracted to women. To them, it’s a sign of weakness and that’s why they prey on couples. Can you blame the guy?”
She scratched her temple and looked at the old fisherman.
He steered the boat and checked all sides.
It made sense. Most men in her field considered her the weaker of the two sexes. That was until they saw her value and the first sparkle of gold. Problem was, she was left with too little cash after everybody got their cut. It was barely enough to pay bills.
She didn’t care what men thought about her, anyway. She didn’t exist to serve any man. There were far more important tasks to accomplish. Even James was only there to help her achieve the ultimate prize. It was all about the coins sitting in the lava tube on Strife Island.
She said nothing. What was the point? Men came with their set beliefs and it would take a lot of convincing to change them.
“You are very cute though,” he murmured from the corner of his mouth.
The sun hit his freckled nose just right. His blond hair looked even lighter in the brightness. She leaned forward as her lips parted. Her core became uncontrollably aroused. Her breath released shallow pants as her eyes traveled to the shape of his bulky chest. She studied the well-chiseled curvature and wondered what he felt like underneath his slim-fitting shirt. She relaxed and stretched her neck, then ripped her gaze away. “James, I appreciate your sweet-talking, but both you and I know you have a girlfriend. And besides that I—”
He interrupted. “Do I?”
She tightened her lips and tried to evade a smile that rose to her lips. “How do you not have a girlfriend?”
He fished in his pocket for his phone and flipped through pages on the screen. He nodded once and handed the phone to her. “We broke up. Here. Ask her.”
She turned one side of her mouth downward. Like I’m really gonna call some girl and ask her that ridiculous question. “Ha. That’s funny.”
“No really. I want you to hear her say, ‘James is unattached’,” he mocked in a high female voice.
She dropped her hands in her lap and laughed. “Who talks like that?”
He chuckled and threw his palms in the air. “Who doesn’t talk like that?” He quizzed, raising an eyebrow.
He was irresistible. She caught herself chuckling and closed her eyes. The gold, Lexi. That’s why you’re here. That shiny pot of gold. James could have women eating out of the palm of his hand whenever he wanted. If he didn’t have a girlfriend, it was because he didn’t want one. Was he a one-night-stand kind of guy?
“Hey!” Bernardo pointed out to sea from the bow.
James ran to the front and clung to the railing.
Another boat about the same size sped behind them on the horizon. Mist surrounded the boat, its captain a blur. Whoever it was, they were fast gaining traction.
“They follow us,” the fisherman warned from the side of his mouth.
Lexi’s heart beat faster. This can’t be good. “Who are they?”
“Well, they’re not tourists,” James reasoned. He squinted an eye onto the boat. “They’re following too close.”
She swallowed. They should have paid better attention. “You’re right. They’re not out for leisure. They look downright fierce.”
James walked to the other side of the boat and came back with a pair of binoculars. He looked through the lens. “Can’t see good enough.”
The fisherman slowed the boat and reached for the binoculars.
James widened his eyes and shook his head. “Don’t slow the boat. Make it go faster.”
Bernardo shook his head and stiffened his grip around the wheel.
Why was he being so difficult? It wasn’t the time for power games. Yes, it’s your boat, Bernardo. Make it go faster. Her mind scrambled into a panic. “Can I see?”
James handed her the binoculars.
There was no movement on board the other vessel. She pushed her thick pony-tail back and passed the binoculars back to James. “How are they driving the boat without crew?” Her chest tightened. What is it he’s not telling me? Heat raged through her veins. “Who did you tell we were coming out here?” She interrogated him, pressing for a response.
James dropped his arms and leaned in to her. “What? You think I planned for us to get followed?”
She bit her lip. “How did they know then?”
The fisherman squinted one eye at her. “Know what?”
Maybe she had gone too far in blaming James for the mess. And now the fisherman was suspicious. She drew in a breath and opened her mouth.
James interjected with a fast answer. “Know that we’re carrying the cash. The… cash we gave you for the boat,” he blurted. “They must have seen us with the money on the dock.”
The fisherman rubbed the hairs on his chin. “And you still want me to bring you to Strife?”
James tightened his lips. “We are going to that island, but we need to think fast so we can lose these guys.”
Lexi faced Bernardo and swallowed. “Do you know who they are?”
“Haiti underworld,” he answered. “Pirates.”
She gasped. Her skin prickled as a shiver enveloped her body. Pirates? No. No way. Not now. “What do they want? No. How did they find us?” They were dumb questions, but she asked them, regardless. How could they have known they were hunting the gold?
James rocked his head back. “They must’ve seen me getting the cash out of the bank. I thought I was careful, but maybe I wasn’t.”
I should’ve known not to rely on him. He’s so damn oblivious to the rest of the world’s hunger for money. He was probably whistling all the way from the bank.
“We picked them up from the coast. Pirates don’t need to see cash. They see a white man and that says everything.” He curled his upper lip. “They don’t know mercy.”
Lexi’s heart thudded hard inside her chest. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to come out here. She paced back and forth along the side deck. Please don’t tell me it’s going to be like the Seattle job. “Make this boat go faster. We need to shake them.”
The fisherman said nothing.
Her body temperature grew hot as she gnawed at her inner cheek. “Those bastards.”
James stopped and furrowed his eyebrows. “What?”
Her chest tightened. “They’re always after what I have.” Lexi sauntered away. I’d love to kick old Bernardo off the boat and hit the throttle. No. That would be homicide.
Tension rose to her neck as her mind spun. This was like the Pike’s Place job. She had made it through harrowing security, cracked the vault and got the diamond, but a rival thief had followed her all along. Pain seared her clenched jaws as James approached.
He wore a puzzled expression.
She broke open her clenched fists. “How are they now looking for gold that Black Caesar left centuries ago? It’s lazy-ass crooks trying to claim my gold discovery.”
“Question is, how did they find us?”
Her blood boiled. “I don’t know. It’s Seattle, all over again.”
James tilted his head. “What happened in Seattle?”
“The Pike’s Place Diamond. It was supposed to be a clean, in-and-out job.”
James rubbed his chin. “Yeah? I’m listening.” His voice trailed higher at the end.
“Well, I got the diamond and this schmuck, he came out of nowhere…” Her throat constricted as her jaw locked. “I had to drop the diamond. He drew a gun, he wanted the jewel, and he was willing to kill me to get it. I could either stay there and try to fight him, or I could run. And what did I do instead? I froze. But finally something snapped, and I must’ve woken from my haze because I ended up scaling down a window washer’s rope to escape.”
James looked dumbfounded. “Jesus. And what happened to the diamond?”
“He got it. When I reached the bottom, I saw blood. He had sprayed my shoulder and arm with bullets. I was so pumped up with adrenaline, I hadn’t noticed. They found me collapsed in front of the emergency room. I never had to explain much because my pockets were empty. I told them I was mugged.” Her stomach rolled a bout of nausea. “I tried looking for his ass later, but I never found him. After that, I studied the martial arts, because I decided that no one was going to take what was mine ever again.”
James leaned against the handrail and nodded. “They’re too dumb and cowardly to do the work. They get a woman to do it and reap the profit.”
Warmth filled her face. Finally, someone who understands. “Exactly.”
“That’s not happening today.” He marched back to Bernardo. The fisherman stiffened and tilted his head, listening to James. He reached to a control on his left and drove it forward. The boat let out a rumbling loud noise and picked up speed.
She gripped the railing tight as she walked up the deck. Thank god James came. He was playful and flirtatious, but he got things done. That must be why so many bimbos fall for him. Not gonna be me. Need to keep my eye on the gold and use James to get me there.
A mass of land neared. Her heartbeat raced. “Is that Strife?”
“Yeah,” the man responded.
James lifted his chest. “Good. Take us around the back. We hide the boat. They’ll never find us.”
Bernardo shook his head. “No. We circle the island and do a U-turn.”
James’ flared his nostrils. “Do you want them to follow us home as well? We need to slip the boat into a cove.”
The man cocked his head to the side and squinted with one eye. “What, like into a secret pirate’s cove?”
It sounded like a joke, but he didn’t laugh. His eyes gleamed as the corner of his mouth turned downward.
“I paid you to bring us there. We had a deal. Are you not a man of your word, Bernardo?”
The fisherman frowned and peered out to sea. He wiped his brow and steered the boat to the left. They traced the perimeter of the island.
The other boat was nowhere to be seen.
“Lost ‘em,” James announced, stretching his neck to see out of the spotty deck window.
Lexi threw her hands in the air. “Whoo-hoo!” They landed on James shoulders.
His eyes softened as his body relaxed.
Heat flickered in the space between them. She jerked her arms back down to her side.
He stood quiet and still for a moment.
Her cheeks became warm.
He turned to the fisherman and hit him on the back. “Nice one, man.”
The fisherman flared his nostrils and straightened his back. The trip was risky, but the old guy looked like he appreciated her and James’ stealth decisions.
And likewise, they appreciated his expert steering.
She turned to Bernardo. “Pardon the cliché, but the coast’s clear. Time to bring this baby on the sand,” she beamed.
The fisherman remained quiet. He wasn’t interested in talking to her. If he only realized she held the map, and she designed the whole damn trip. She was the one in charge, and yet he looked to James.
When would men take her more serious? It was a silly time to battle and it may have resulted in her sounding like a whiny brat, so she turned instead to James. Please talk sense into this man.
James watched him with an arched eyebrow.
Finally, the fisherman shifted from the sea and stared at him. “No harbor here.”
“There isn’t. It’s a tiny island in the middle of nowhere. Can we drive on to the sand and park there?”
Bernardo shrugged. “We cannot.”
James scowled. “What? But I’ve seen the little fishing boats doing that all the time.”
Lexi touched her chest and bobbed her head in agreeance. “Yes, the fishing boats pull right up on to the sand all the time. Should be fine to pull it up on the sand.” The more they repeated themselves, the more unconvincing it sounded. How do you park a boat, anyway?
“Sand damages the boat. It’s an expensive repair.” He scrunched his ruddy cheeks. “We cannot pull the boat on the sand. Too heavy.”
A corner of James’ mouth turned downward. “Well we can at least try.”
Bernardo scoffed. “What do you think happens when the tide comes? Sand moves. You think you will come back to a boat in the same place?”
Lexi inched closer and blocked her cheeks from producing a grimace. “But—”
James held his hand up to stop her from engaging. “So what do we do?”
He looked irritated, but he was right. It wasn’t time to challenge the old captain on the best maritime practices. He was their only ticket back home. She sealed her lips and forced herself to be patient.
He stopped the boat a hundred feet away from the shore and stepped out of the deck bridge. He marched to the bow and moved a heavy chain away from a roller mechanism. He stepped back to the controls and pushed a button.
The entire boat shook, the noise unbearable.
Her finger joints tightened as she pressed the sides of her ears closed and eyed James. She scratched her head and rubbed her dry eyes. Nothing made sense. “What’s he doing?”
James glanced at her, then shifted back to the fisherman. He blew out his cheeks and released a breath. “He’s anchoring the boat.”
The fisherman overheard him and nodded.
It was ridiculous. Why was Bernardo not explaining? What’s going on? Her mind raced for answers. “How are we going to get to shore?”
James rested his calm eyes on her. “We do what everybody else does. We swim.”