By four o’clock, the storm appeared to be less than two hours away. Zach slowed the engines, cruising to a stop then exited the cockpit without looking again at Sandie who still drew on her pad. Other than to go below for a few minutes, maybe to use the restroom and get a drink, she had spent the past three hours perched on the lounge, drawing and gazing out to sea. She hadn’t looked at him or tried to engage him in conversation, which he insisted he was grateful for despite the pissy mood that had slowly come upon him the past few hours.
Stretching out on his bunk, he read for an hour then hunger drove him to the galley. He took the time to make a meatloaf and baked potatoes, and because of how much he wanted to, he refused to go topside and invite her to eat with him when it was ready. It wasn’t until he heard the first rumble of thunder he gave in and sought her out to ensure she wasn’t dumb enough to stand on deck when the brunt of the storm washed over them.
Leaning on the rail, Sandie watched as the storm moved closer, jagged streaks of lightning splitting the dark clouds with an occasional white glow followed by a crack of thunder interrupting the otherwise still quietness of the evening. With the darkness came a cooling off from the hot summer sun, bringing about goosebumps along her chilled, bare flesh. A decadent, naughty feeling warmed her insides as she pictured herself in this exact position, naked, the boat carrying several guests other than herself. Her buttocks still pulsed with warmth from those last few swats Zachary had delivered with an amused gleam in his eyes that had been new to her. For those brief seconds, he’d let his guard down and showed her a side of him that had been absent until then.
Where had this slutty side of her been hiding all these years? A month ago, she would never have dreamed she could be such a wanton, and enjoy it. Maybe having her entire life go up in flames in the matter of a few seconds changed her in more ways than one. Missing her mother and brother and constantly worrying about them added to the stress of living on the run. Although she was almost certain Jacques wouldn’t harm them, after witnessing the cold, ruthless side he’d kept hidden from her family all these years, she couldn’t be sure. It’d broken her heart to hear her mother’s strained voice the one time she’d succumbed to fear and loneliness and called her, and only added to her stress and sleepless nights when she’d had to lie about her whereabouts and reason for taking off.
Was it just the temporary reprieve from the danger induced nervous strain that was responsible for the surprising change in her character, or the man who brought out a hidden, secret side she’d never known existed? Sandie tried not to, but she’d been hurt by the way Zachary ignored her when she’d come up from the lower tier, his silence speaking louder than his often-sarcastic voice. She knew she couldn’t afford to get involved with him beyond deep appreciation for not tossing her overboard or turning around to dump her back on shore when it had been so obvious that first day he’d wanted to. But after he’d joined her in bed last night, she’d been hoping to pass the rest of this interlude storing up memories of fun and pleasure to last her for a very long time. His indifferent attitude as she sat drawing all afternoon indicated he was done with her, and that made her both sad and desperate to change his mind, if she could.
“You need to come off the deck now. That storm is closer than it looks. There’s a meatloaf and a baked potato below, if you’re hungry.”
Zachary’s cool tone broke into her thoughts, startling her as she hadn’t heard him come up. Conscious of her nudity, she turned to face him, the glow from deck lights giving his chiseled face a harsh look that didn’t bode well for spending the stormy night ahead in pleasure.
“You’ve already eaten?”
“Yes, now come on. I’m not in the mood to haul your ass out of the ocean if you topple overboard.”
Spinning on his heel, he stalked off, assuming she’d obey. Since Sandie didn’t relish the idea of a cold, scary dunk into the dark depths of the swirling water, she set aside the pang gripping her chest at the lonely evening ahead and padded to the lower stairwell. She paused a moment, watching him enter the large gathering room with all its sinful trappings before winding down the stairs, now eager to clothe herself. His rejection in the face of her nakedness hit her like a slap in the face, and she burned from the painful humiliation.
“What’s the big deal?” she asked herself as she pulled on a pair of jeans and tee shirt and made her way to the kitchen. Living alone, she spent most evenings by herself. Of course, that was after a day spent among friends and colleagues and her beloved students. She did date, and the occasional night over she’d indulge in had always proved pleasurable. Maybe not as pleasurable as the last twenty-four hours, but she hadn’t had a reason to complain. Until now, damn it.
The more she stewed over the jerk’s return to his usual asshole self, the more irritated she became. Discovering he made a damn good meatloaf didn’t help. Did he have to do everything so well? By the time she finished eating and cleaned up, she determined the only way to get what she wanted was to once again go after it. And she really wanted another twenty-four hours of sweaty, licentious, kinky fun. She hadn’t let his surly attitude deter her before and wouldn’t now. After all, what could he do? Say no? Toss her overboard?
Skipping up the stairs, she decided she would take the chance. Tonight, though, she just wanted his company and conversation before returning to her room and coming up with a surefire plan to get him back on board with showing her more about his sexual lifestyle.
Somehow, Zach wasn’t surprised to hear Sandie struggling with the door to the playroom against the wind and light rain that had struck up. The part of him everyone labeled asshole kept him from jumping up and rushing to help her, but he didn’t feel bad because her tenacious nature won out again and she stumbled inside before he could’ve gotten across the room anyway. His scowl at her intrusion into his solo, pity party went unnoticed as she crossed the rocking floor and sank into a plush armchair across the table he was playing solitaire on.
“Whew! That blew in fast.” Tunneling long fingers through her hair, she slicked back the short strands darkened with dampness, leaving her pale face dominated by those large green eyes. “Mind if I join you? It’s too early to turn in and this storm would keep me awake anyway.”
“From what I’ve seen, nothing keeps you awake. You sleep more than anyone I know,” he retorted. “And in case you haven’t noticed, I’m playing solitaire. If you don’t know the definition, it means alone, one player, solo, uno, just me.”
Appearing unperturbed by his sarcasm, she shrugged and waved an airy hand toward the cards laid out in neat rows. “I’m making up for lost sleep. Finish your game then I’ll challenge you to a hand of poker—got anything to drink down here?”
“Can’t you manage to take a breath, at least, before switching topics?” Jerking his head toward the far corner, he said, “There’re some beverages behind the bar counter. If you want alcohol, you’re out of luck. I don’t allow it while out of port.”
“Nope, a soft drink will do. You make a mean meatloaf, Captain,” she tossed over her shoulder as she strode across to the bar.
Watching her twitch that nicely rounded ass, Zach would give anything at that moment for a shot of whiskey, maybe two or three. What did it say about him he preferred her naked, even as he planned not to fuck her again?
“Do you ever take no for an answer?” he grumbled when she returned to the seat to curl her legs under her. Tilting her head back, she took a long drink of Pepsi, and he couldn’t take his eyes off the way her slim throat worked as she swallowed.
“Sure, plenty of times. Five card stud?” She gathered up the cards and shuffled, keeping her head down as if concentrating.
“I take it this isn’t one of those times?”
“Nope. So, we established you don’t work, or I should say take an interest in your work, and the same goes for charity work. Do you have siblings? Parents still around?”
She dealt with rapid-fire speed and Zach wondered where she got
the experience then shut down that inquisitive line of thought. Neither her past nor her future concerned him in the least. But her innocent question and the sudden constriction in his chest did. He didn’t know how much longer he’d have his only parent.
“No brothers or sisters, mom’s still living. What about you?” he asked just to keep the conversation going so he wouldn’t have to think about Carol’s rapid decline.
Her silence drew his eyes up from his poor hand in time to catch a look of worry crossing her face before she masked it. “What? You don’t like being drilled on personal matters?”
A loud thunder boom added noise to the soft splatter of rain against the portholes and skylights, drawing her gaze before she swung her bright green eyes back to him. “No, it’s that I can’t say much. My dad died when I was seventeen, almost eleven years ago. Now, it’s just me, my mom and brother. How many cards do you want? I’m taking two—tell me about your friends.”
“Three, and why?”
Shrugging, she dealt the cards then hid her eyes again as she looked down at her hand. “Because I’d rather hear your irritated, sarcastic voice than dwell on… the reason I stowed away on your boat.”
“Yacht,” he corrected her just to get a rise or hint of a smile. He didn’t want to know her troubles, so didn’t pry, but he’d rather look at her small, teasing grins and eyes shiny with humor than see them cloud over with sadness backed by a touch of fear. Maybe he’d give her Troy’s card when they docked. As a Pensacola cop, he might be able to help her with whatever troubles she was running from.
“Yeah, yeah, I get it.” Tossing two blue chips in the middle of the table, she said, “I open.”
She played a mean game of poker with skill Zach couldn’t help but admire, but as the storm rocked the yacht and the sky lit with jagged streaks of lightning followed by slow rolls of thunder, he noticed how uncomfortable she’d become. To take her mind off the weather, he gave in to her probing questions and told her about the guys.
“We met at a summer camp for juvenile delinquents, and yes, I deserved to be sent there,” he admitted when she raised questioning eyes to him in surprise. “I raise you one. First, we beat the crap out of each other then became close as brothers. We went our separate ways at the end of summer, but kept in touch. Without planning it, we all ended up in or near Miami and now get together often. Damn,” he swore when she beat his two pairs with a flush. “You’ve got a hell of a poker face.”
“Good to know. Are they all spoiled, rich playboys like you?”
“As a matter of fact, no.” It was his turn to deal while he gave her the condensed version of the direction each of his friends took. “Dax worked his way through med school, Sean to earn a master’s in Psychology. Troy and Trevor, brothers, are both in law enforcement in Pensacola. Miles put his street fighting skill to good use and became a champion martial arts competitor and trainer. He owns his own gym now, and after becoming a veterinarian, Jackson established an animal rescue outside of the city.” His mouth curled in a smile as he thought of Jackson and his animals. “He much prefers the company of four-legged creatures as opposed to two-legged, with the exception of our small group. I’m not taking any new cards. How about you?”
“One.”
She slid it over and he handed her the replacement, unable to tell if she really had that good of a hand. Taking a chance, he bid high, then swore again when she laid down four aces. “Damn good thing we’re not playing for money.”
Sandie laughed at his disgruntled sigh. “You could afford it if we were. So, you and your friends entertain yourselves by tying up women and tormenting them into orgasm? I’ll bet they’ll love your new boat.”
One thing about her, she said what she thought, Zach mused, finding her straight forward curiosity as refreshing as the fact she never asked or hinted she wanted anything from him except sex. On that, she was damn pushy. “Something like that, and I’m hoping they’ll like my surprise.”
They played one more hand and she won again while the storm blew on by without a lot of fanfare. As thunder became a distant sound and the gentle rocking of the yacht eased back to a natural bob, he could tell Sandie’s initial unease had abated. Pushing back from the table, she stood and smiled at him in gratitude. “Thank you for keeping me company tonight, Zachary. Good-night.”
He followed her out and down to the lower level, having to force back the compulsion to join her in bed again. “Good-night, Sandie.” Strolling down the aisle to his stateroom, he insisted he’d be glad to return to Miami and rid himself of his unwanted guest and he wasn’t feeling guilt over refusing to ask her any personal questions that might give him some insight into her life.
Chapter 7
Lying in bed, Victoria’s tense shoulders eased with the slam of the door, but she still held her breath as Jacques’ footsteps moved downstairs and she heard the whir of the garage door opening. Too many weeks had passed before this opportunity presented itself, making her anxious to put her plan into place. As difficult as it was, she waited until she was sure her husband had left the property on one of his late-night meetings. The rev of the powerful engine in his sports car resonated through the walls. The red Jaguar loaded with every bell and whistle offered, was one of his prized possessions, just as she’d come to realize that’s all she was.
It had taken her years to see what her daughter, Cassandra had been telling her, that her second husband could never replace Ted. She’d never forget those first weeks of mind-numbing grief and shock following Ted’s sudden death, the man she’d loved, clung to and relied on for almost twenty years. Jacques had swooped in and taken her mind off her loss, his wealth easing her financial burden, his arms a much-needed buffer against the pain of loneliness. Coming from ‘the other side of the tracks’ in a small, oftentimes judgmental town, her prospects for either a job or a husband at thirty-seven were few, and she’d never been on her own. Marrying right out of high-school then quitting her only job as a cashier at the local supermarket to become a stay-at-home mom with Cassandra didn’t leave her with much experience to get back into the workforce. Ted had been the love of her life and she never faulted him for the limited income his mechanic’s job paid. She’d had him and their daughter and that had been enough for her.
Victoria’s pent-up breath released on a whoosh with the roar of Jacques’ car speeding away from the house. Rolling over, she switched on the bedside lamp, checked the time then waited another fifteen minutes before sliding out of bed. She’d never questioned these sometimes all-night meetings, just as she’d never involved herself with Jacques’ business dealings or his mayoral duties other than to be sure she presented herself as a proper first lady he would be proud of. Her husband loved her, as much as he loved all his possessions, of that she was fairly certain. And she had grown to care deeply for him over the years, more so after he’d blessed her with another child. She knew she was malleable and needy to the point of dependency, and if she were honest, that never bothered her much.
Not until he took away her children. She could tolerate his secrets and unreasonable jealousy and rough lovemaking, but not being cut off from her babies. Dear, sweet Billy had been so confused and scared when they’d left him in that school, not understanding why he couldn’t live with them all the time. If that hadn’t been bad enough, Jacques had actually forbidden her from spending so much time visiting their son, as if twice a week could ever be considered too much.
Unlocking her small jewelry box on her dresser, a precious gift from Ted when Cassandra was born, she picked up the small, electronic listening device she’d bought over two weeks ago. Lying and subterfuge didn’t come easy for her, but the fear she heard in her daughter’s voice during that one, too short phone call after she’d taken off without word had been equivalent to an electric shock jarring her awake after a long coma of blind numbness. Jacques’ anger when she’d ignored his insistence that filing a missing person’s report would do no good since she was an adult only confirmed he
r suspicions he knew something he wasn’t telling her. Cassandra had always been the levelheaded one in their relationship, and she wouldn’t have acted with such rash, uncharacteristic actions unless for a very good reason, a reason Victoria suspected involved the stepfather she had always mistrusted.
Clutching the tiny device in her hand, she prayed she could remember the instructions the seller of police-grade protection devices told her. She’d had to bide her time, waiting for a day when she could tell Jacques she was going on an all-day shopping spree over in Mobile with several friends from her bridge club. Slipping away from the small group to make her purchase had been even more difficult, but she’d managed and now had the first opportunity to plant it in his office.
After inserting the tiny sim card into the unit, she programmed the code and her cell phone number into the small device. All she had to do to hear what the tape had recorded was call the number to the transmitter she’d just coded in. She would need to recharge the battery over the next few days, which could prove as harrowing as placing it now, but she’d become desperate for answers. Before she lost her nerve, she tiptoed downstairs.
With a shaky, sweaty hand, Victoria eased open the door to her husband’s private domain. Early in their marriage, Jacques had lectured her repeatedly about leaving him alone while he was in his office, to never enter his personal space without permission. He’d even kept the door locked those first few years, and she had thought nothing of it, had respected his need for privacy. Ted had never insisted on a private space away from her, then again, their small home didn’t have any extra rooms for him to claim as his. Still lost in the throes of deep, heart-wrenching grief, she had fallen in line with her second husband’s dictates, at the time just grateful for someone to lean on and relieve her of the burden of getting through the days alone for the first time in her life.