A tiny voice in her head said she was playing a dangerous game. That nothing good could come from this. But she ignored it. Sliding her hands from his abs to his sides, she slowly worked her way around his lower back. And lost herself in the kiss as she lifted her shoulders from the mattress, as the sheet fell to her waist, as the tips of her nipples brushed his chest, teasing him, luring him in, drawing him to her. Or so she hoped.
He groaned, tipped his head to the side, and kissed her deeper. And then his weight settled on hers, just like she wanted, and she opened her legs so he could touch her right where she wanted most.
Oh…he was already hard, and Maren moaned as he rocked his pelvis against hers. This was what she wanted. To lose herself in him again before the real world rushed in once more. She lifted her hips to meet him. Shuddered at the tiny electrical currents arcing between her legs. Kissed him with more urgency, more need.
Thad froze above her. And for a split second, Maren didn’t realize why he’d stopped. Then she heard the voices echoing from somewhere outside.
A groan rumbled from his chest, vibrating into her own. He dropped his forehead against her shoulder and drew in long, ragged breaths. “I really don’t want to stop this, but I definitely don’t want your father or the rest of the team to see us like this. There are some things I want to keep just between the two of us.”
Maren wrapped her arms around him, sifted her fingers through his silky hair, and closed her eyes. He wouldn’t want that when he knew the truth about her, and now that their team was back, she couldn’t deny the fact giving in to her wicked desires last night wasn’t going to help matters in the long run. If anything, it only proved that when she left here, she wouldn’t just leave with the hatred of every person she cared about, she’d leave with a broken heart too.
Blinking back tears she wasn’t about to let fall, she slowly let go of him.
He pushed up on his hands and smiled down at her, and she tried to smile back, but knew she did a half-assed job. “We’ll finish this later, Blondie.”
She nodded and worked to make the smile a real one, even if she didn’t feel it. “Later.”
She had no doubt he’d hold true to his promise. And while that knowledge warmed her belly, it also made her heart ache.
He climbed off her and grabbed a fresh T-shirt from his backpack on the floor. “Take your time getting up. I’ll tell the others you slept in and that when I came in to wake you, you were dead to the world.”
Sighing, Maren pulled the sheet up over her breasts and settled back into the pillows. “Oh, right. Like that won’t raise suspicion. Lisa’s already curious about us.”
He grinned as he pulled his shirt down. “‘Us.’” He moved her coffee to the nightstand, then leaned over her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I like the sound of that.”
He left without another word, and alone, Maren closed her eyes and cursed herself. What the hell was she doing?
A humming sound echoed through the room. Maren’s eyes popped open, and she listened, trying to figure out where it was coming from. Then she realized it was her cell phone.
Scrambling out of the bed, she grabbed her bag and tossed it on the end of the mattress. With one hand holding the sheet up, she pawed through her clothes, searching for the small phone. Her fingers finally closed around it—at the very bottom—and she pulled it out.
Her brow lowered when she realized it wasn’t Isabel or her mother, and she hit Answer, a wave of unease rushing through her belly. “Candace?”
“Maren? Is that you?”
“Yeah, it’s me.”
“Oh, thank God. I’ve been trying to reach you since yesterday. The connection’s been down.”
The panic in Candace’s usually chipper voice sent sweat all along Maren’s forehead. “Candace, slow down. What happened?”
The line crackled. “He was here, Maren. He came to the hotel looking for you. I told him you were out of the office, but he didn’t believe me.”
No. Everything inside Maren grew icy.
“When?” she managed.
“Yesterday. He was here yesterday.”
Fear wrapped its chilled fingers around Maren’s heart. “Isabel?”
“She’s here, she’s fine. She’s with me, playing games on my computer. Maren.” Her voice quieted. “I didn’t know what to do. He said if you didn’t contact him within twenty-four hours, he was going to come back and get Isabel. That was yesterday. Your mother went to Seattle on a buying trip, and she’s not supposed to be back until the end of the week, and I don’t know what to do. Tell me what to do.”
Maren dropped her head in her hand. She’d known something like this was going to happen. She’d been silent too long. Dammit, instead of lusting after Thad these last few days, she should have been planning a way to keep Evan from getting too close.
She took a deep breath and ran a shaky hand over her hair. Isabel was okay. Evan hadn’t done anything…yet. He was just sending her a message. One she got loud and clear.
“It’s okay, Candace.” Her mind tumbled as she thought through her options. “Okay, um, look. We talked about this. I want you to keep Isabel with you. Stay at the hotel where there are people. He won’t do anything in a public place.”
“Wouldn’t it be smarter for me to take Isabel and disappear for a few days?”
Maren’s gut screamed Yes! Do that! But her mind knew better. “No. He’s watching. If you try to leave with her right now, it’ll just make things worse.”
“Maren—”
“I know him, Candace. I know how he thinks. Just do this for me. Please. Please, for Isabel. I can’t fly up there and get her. There’s not enough time. You’re the only person I trust.”
“Okay,” Candace said softly.
Maren blew out a breath of relief. “Okay.”
“What about your mother? And her housekeeper? What do I tell either of them if they call wondering why Isabel’s staying with me at the hotel?”
Thoughts swirled. “I’ll take care of that. I’ll call Nona and tell her you and Isabel are having some girl time. She won’t question it.” She took a steadying breath. “Three days, Candace. If you don’t hear from me in three days, you know what you have to do. Stick to the plan.”
“Maren, you be sure you call me,” Candace said in a shaky voice. “Find a way and call me before the three days are up.”
Maren closed her eyes on a wave of dread. “I will. The only way I won’t is if I’m dead. And that’s not going to happen.”
“Dead? What the he—”
Maren shook the thought away. “He’s not going to do anything to me. He needs me too much right now. Just go, Candace. I’m trusting you with the only thing in the world that means anything to me.”
“I know.”
“I’ll call you. Please...” Tears burned the back of her throat. “Please tell Isabel I love her.”
“I will.”
“Okay.” Maren blinked back the tears. “Okay, we can do this,” she said more to herself than to Candace. “Go.”
When the line clicked in her ear, she tossed the phone onto the mattress with shaking hands and sank onto the end of the bed. Closing her eyes, she took one breath, then two to steady herself. Sickness threatened to consume her, but she fought it back.
Her nightmare was beginning. She had one shot now, and if she failed...
She swallowed the panic. She couldn’t think like that. If she did, it would suck her under and consume her. And where she was headed, she needed to keep her wits about her.
Decision made, she tore off the sheet, found black capris and a white V-neck T-shirt in her bag, and pulled them on. She didn’t worry about makeup, only pulled her hair back in a tail. Then she shoved the rest of her things into her backpack, pocketed her cell, and headed for the salon.
Lisa was unloading a box of food in the galley. Shrugging into one strap of her backpack, Maren held out her hand. “I need the keys to the Jeep.”
Lisa’s b
rows drew together. “Good morning to you too, Sunshine.”
“Looks like someone else didn’t get enough sleep last night either,” Rafe mumbled from across the small space where he was pouring a cup of coffee.
Lisa shot her husband a look.
“Lisa,” Maren exclaimed, trying to keep her patience under control. “Give me the keys.”
Hesitantly, Lisa tugged the keys from the front pocket of her shorts. “Why? We brought everything over that we nee—”
Maren plucked the keys from Lisa’s hand and pressed past her toward the stairs.
“Hey,” Lisa called, “where are you going?”
She made it as far as the first step before Thad’s muscular body stopped her, filling the doorway. An easy smile spread across his lips. “I was just about to come see if you were finally awake.”
“Excuse me.”
Alarm immediately registered in his dark eyes. “What happened? What’s going on?”
“Nothing, I just have to go. Can you please get out of my way?”
“Go where? We’re diving today.”
“You are, I’m not. Now move.” She tried to push past him, but he put an arm on the stairwell wall, blocking her path.
“Hold on a minute. Tell me what’s going on.”
Fear, panic, frustration all converged at once and rolled into fury. “Dammit, Leighton. Everything doesn’t revolve around you. I’m leaving. I have personal business that doesn’t involve you. Now get the hell out of the way!” She ducked under his arm and rushed up the steps before he could grab her.
Patrick was stepping from dock to boat with his grad students when she hit the sun.
“I’m leaving,” she announced as she drew close.
“What?”
“I have something I need to take care of.”
“Maren, we’re working here.” Disbelief raced across his weathered features. “Surely whatever this is can wait.”
“No, it can’t.” She tossed her bag onto the dock, then jumped onto the floating platform.
“You can’t just walk away from the dig,” her father said, turning to look after her. “You have responsibilities here.”
“I’ll be back in three days. The dig will still be here. The Conquistador isn’t going anywhere and neither is your precious La Malinche. If you want to boot me off the project when I get back, fine, I’ll leave. But I’ll be back, ready to work in three days if you want me to stay. I’ve been busting my ass for you since I got here. Three days isn’t going to kill you.” She bent for her bag.
He climbed onto the dock next to her and touched her arm. “Maren, is everything okay? Is your mother all right?”
“She’s fine.” For his sake, she took a calming breath. “This isn’t about her.”
“Is it about—”
“No.” She stopped him before he could say it, knowing Thad was on deck watching. Looking into her father’s eyes, she saw the concern and gentled her voice. “I’ll be back. I promise. That’s all I can tell you.”
Maren was in and out of her casita in a matter of minutes. She changed into slacks and a blouse, stuffed clothes and her toothbrush into her backpack, and grabbed her cell phone.
Jumping back into the Jeep, she dialed the airstrip. She didn’t care what the hell she had to pay. She just had to get to Cancun.
An hour later, she was in the air, knowing full well she was getting raked over the coals, that the five hundred dollars she’d agreed for the short flight to the Yucatan tourist capital was highway robbery, but unable to do anything about it. Just like she was unable to change what was about to happen.
The plane landed in Cancun, and she checked herself into a hotel near the airport, then made her way to the fourth-floor room. The rumble of airplanes taking off and landing echoed through the small room, the breeze rustled her hair through the open balcony door, and the scent of salt and sun wafted in the air, but she barely recognized any of it. All she could think about was what she had to do next.
Heart racing, she sat on the edge of the bed next to the phone. Right now, she wished she were anywhere else on earth than here in this miserable hotel room.
She didn’t want to make the call. Her eyes slid closed. She didn’t want to see him or be near him or have him touch her again. Pride willed back the self-defeating tears that wanted to fall, but it did little for the sickness growing in her stomach.
She swallowed the rising bile and willed herself not to break. She’d do it because she had to—just like every other time. Because she didn’t have another choice.
On a steadying breath, she lifted the phone and dialed. When a gruff voice answered, she cleared her throat. “It’s Maren Hudson.”
There was a pause, and faintly through the line she recognized the click of shoes on solid wood. Then the familiar tones of a voice that sent that bile rising.
“Maren. It’s so nice of you to call.”
She clenched her jaw. “Don’t act surprised, Evan. You wanted me. Here I am.”
“Always so dramatic.” He sighed. “I’ve missed you, darling. I’ve been worried about you. It’s been almost two weeks.”
He wasn’t worried. He just wanted to control her. “There’s no need to worry. I’m fine.”
“I’ll feel better when I know that in person. Where are you?”
She thought about lying but knew it would serve no purpose. “Cancun.”
“Be at the airport in one hour. The helicopter will pick you up.”
The phone clicked in her ear, and with shaking hands, she set down the receiver.
One hour. One hour to wait and plan and hope to God she was doing the right thing.
Maren’s knuckles turned white as she gripped the seat of the helicopter. She hated helicopters more than she hated planes. Horrid images flashed in her mind—the blades whipping off the body of the helicopter. The small chopper swirling as if caught in a vortex. Her body flying headlong toward the ground at light speed.
She closed her eyes and focused on breathing. It would be a nasty way to die. Knowing it was coming, realizing there was nothing you could do to stop it. So much like the out-of-control roller coaster her life was on right now. Tragedy loomed ahead, and she was powerless to stop it.
She breathed deep, tightened her seat belt, and opened her eyes to glance out the window. The clear blue Caribbean churned below, peacefully rocking under the warm tropical sun. Ahead, she could just barely make out the unmistakable lines of the 172-foot Marina.
Nausea swirled in her belly, a sickening feeling that started in her toes and raced up her body until every muscle was clenched and rigid. Her gaze shifted to the pilot sitting at the controls of the helicopter, his bulging muscles a crystal-clear reminder she was under the will of those around her.
The helicopter finally landed, and she eased out of the contraption, ducked her head beneath the blades, and made her way off the landing platform. The wind whipped her hair around her face. A steward met her, one she didn’t recognize and didn’t care to meet, and led her down a flight of stairs and into the main salon.
The room was large and opulent, every possession screaming wealth and dripping affluence. A curved bank of plush cream-colored couches sat in the middle of the salon with chairs littered by elegant throw pillows positioned around it. Dark woods contrasted with light furnishings and heavy draperies. Behind the couches, large picture windows looked out over the serene water. And along one wall, a mahogany fireplace was topped with an enormous, elaborately framed gold mirror.
Across the room rested a gleaming, black baby grand piano, a hand-carved spiral staircase that swept both up and down, and a glass floor-to-ceiling cabinet housing his special collection.
She knew the contents. She didn’t even have to look. Jewels from shipwrecks he’d scavenged, bronze statues he’d pilfered, pieces of eight he’d told her he’d found diving, and gold and silver medallions he claimed were his by right.
And his favorite piece, the key to his collection, an ornat
ely carved golden cross set on a heavy chain. The relic was no more than five inches long, three inches wide, and had once been given to Doña Marina by her lover, Hernando Cortés.
Maren knew the piece. She’d held it in her hands nearly a decade ago. It was the find that had drawn her father to the northern Yucatan and convinced him the cenotes were the last resting place of La Malinche. And it had been stolen from Mexico just as every chance Maren had to regain her life was stolen from her.
“I’ve been waiting for you, darling.” Evan stepped up behind Maren, brushed her hair to the side and skimmed his lips across the sensitive skin of her neck. The same spot Thad had told her last night he loved so much.
Startled out of her thoughts, she flinched and eased away from him. Don’t think about Thad. Not here. Not now. “I’m here, just like you wanted.”
“That’s not happiness to see me, my love.” His dark eyes shot her a disapproving look before he moved to the bar and poured himself a glass of bourbon. He lifted the decanter, but she shook her head.
She didn’t want anything but to get away from him. Far, far away.
He set the bottle on the counter. “You look well. Tanned, rested. The Mexican sun obviously agrees with you.”
“Why don’t we get down to business? You wanted me, I’m here. I’ve left a crew high and dry to fly out here today. They have questions, ones I can’t answer until this is over. The longer I’m gone, the more curious they become.”
He sipped his drink and stepped toward her. His blond hair had taken on a hint of silver just at the temples, but his body was still long and lean, with broad shoulders that showed the hours he spent in his private gym.
At forty-four, he was more a force to be reckoned with than he had been in his thirties. Time hadn’t only aged him—adding fine lines around crisp features that made women want to fall at his feet—it had hardened him into a dangerous individual who stopped at nothing less than what he wanted.