She wasnt quite sure why, but it was tremendously important to her that this supremely competent man perceive her as being able to do something worthwhile. Maybe she was sick of being compared to tabloid princesses. Or maybe it was because shed felt so helpless in the face of being shot at. He, on the other hand, had taken action. He shot back. He took out his enemies. And sheshe splashed some water at them with her cute pink boat.
Chad slept with her best friend and then posted those damned pictures of her on the Internet when she dared to be mad about him sleeping with her maid of honor two weeks before their wedding. And all shed managed to do was tuck her tail and run away. She wished she had a gun like Mitchs. Shed have blown off both their heads with it. Okay. Maybe not shot them. But shed have scared them both to death. But no. Shed been as weak and spineless, as useless, as Mitch thought she was. Her face burned with the humiliation of it all.
She was useful, dammit! Just because her entire family and everyone she knew thought she was supposed to spend her life doing nothing more than being attractive fluff to decorate the arm of some powerful successful man, didnt mean it was true.
She finished buttoning up the Baby Doll for the night, her movements a little too jerky. Mitch prowled a circuit around both the outside and inside of the boathouse and finally came to a halt beside the boat. His gaze was black. Inscrutable in the near-total darkness.
Now what? she grumbled, still miffed.
Now I make a phone call. And we sit tight until the cavalry comes for us.
She watched as he pulled out his cell phone.
Its me, he muttered into it. St. Thomas. In a boathouse at some private estate on Magens Bay. Heh, swanky doesnt quite cover it. Any luck on a catamaran?
A short pause while he listened to whomever he was talking with. She could swear his eyes glowed in the dark, gold and dangerous. It must be a trick of the faint moonlight creeping in through the boathouse windows, but the effect was eerie.
Without warning, his gaze speared into her, pinning her in place. Im telling you, she can do it. Shes perfect for it. A short pause. Yes, I know the risks. And yes, Im sure.
He sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as the person on the other end of the line about whatever they were talking about.
Okay. Call me back. He disconnected.
Not long on words, her pantherlike companion. When he didnt say anything to her after he pocketed the phone, she said, And?
And we stay here while my people set up transportation for us.
To where?
He didnt answer right away. In fact, he almost looked hesitant to tell her. How bad could it be? Hed need to take her someplace secluded, far away from Cuba where the killer wouldnt think to look for her. Maybe Europe. It was nice there at this time of year.
How do you feel about big game hunting? he asked.
Africa? she blurted, surprised, Its awfully hot there at this time of year. But I suppose Im up for a safari. As long as we dont shoot anything. But I could go for some big game photography. Now that she thought about it, she could see where hed feel at home on the Dark Continent.
Not Africa, he bit out.
Then where?
Finally, he said reluctantly, Cuba.
What? she squawked. But thats where your assassin is from.
Thats correct. Itll just be for a few days. Long enough for me to find our guy and neutralize him. His names Camarillo, by the way.
We need to stay away from him. Hell try to kill us again!
Thats why were going to hunt him down and eliminate him before he gets us. Ops thinks it would be safer to go on the offensive and not sit back and wait for him to come to us.
Shock rendered her speechless. They were going hunting for their would-be killer? She burst out, Thats the dumbest idea Ive ever heard of.
He snorted without humor. Wait till you get a load of the next part, where you act as my cover to smuggle me into Cuba.
How am I supposed to do that?
Can you handle a sailboat as well as you handle a motorboat?
Well, yes. She frowned. How did you know that?
He made a noise that might pass in some circles for a laugh. Tortola? Hyannis? Magens Bay? You grew up on water. And where there are rich people and water, there are sailboats.
I happen to prefer motorboats, she replied a little stiffly. She hated fitting his stereotype of her, but she had, in fact, grown up around boats of all kinds.
Mitchs voice rasped across her skin like a cats rough tongue, drawing her attention once more. I need you to sail a wounded catamaran into port on the south side of Cuba and request repairs. Theyll let you come ashore in an emergency. Im going to hide in one of the pontoons. Once youve docked, Ill sneak out and well head inland from there.
Sounds dangerous.
Not especially. If the Cubans catch us, theyll only throw us into prison. In six months, a year tops, the U.S. government will negotiate our release. I figure with your father being who he is, the Cubans will spring us after a few weeks. At least, theyll spring you that fast.
I do not want to be incarcerated in a Cuban jail, thank you very much.
Me, neither. Thats why youre going to pay attention and do what I tell you to.
I dont like it, she announced.
Neither do I. But Ive got no time to fool around with setting up another entry into Cuba. Youre it, Miss Hollingsworth. We need to stick together anyway until I kill Camarillo. I may as well put you to some good use.
Gee, thanks. I always love sounding like some sort of disposable power tool.
You dont throw out power tools, he corrected gently.
She merely narrowed her eyes and glared at him. Fine. So shed never seen a power tool in person in her life. He knew darn good and well what she had meant. She sulked for several minutes, trying to figure out some better way to get into Cuba. But she was completely out of her league on this one. She turned her attention to something that had bothered her from the very beginning. How did Camarillo find you? Wasnt your meeting with whoever you were supposed to meet with a secret?
He looked roundly irritated that she dared to question his work and didnt bother to answer.
She wasnt about to let him go all strong and silent on her, like she didnt matter enough to talk to. No, sirree. She got enough of that from her father. She poked againsomething simple to get him talking. How did you get those boathouse doors open?
His teeth flashed white in the darkness. Have you ever heard of a dont ask, dont tell policy? If you wont ask, I wont tell.
She absorbed that one in silence. Eventually, she asked, How long are we supposed to sit here, waiting for your phone call?
He shrugged. Could be all night.
Great. All night in a dark, secluded place with this macho male. Darned if that didnt make her heart beat a little faster. More in an attempt to distract herself than actually make conversation, she commented lightly, I dont know about you, but Im hungry.
Gee, Ill just call the local French gourmet delivery joint and have them bring us a seven-course meal, he retorted.
Gee, Ill just call the local French gourmet delivery joint and have them bring us a seven-course meal, he retorted.
She glared and replied loftily, Theres food in the Baby Dolls galley.
He looked startled, like hed forgotten for a moment that the Baby Doll had a compact, but completely stocked, cabin.
She ducked below and turned on the halogen track lighting. It twinkled subtly overhead, lending the space a romantic glow. She opened the small cupboard above the microwave oven. Theres canned spaghetti or tuna fish, she called up.
Ill take spaghetti. He joined her in the tiny cabin, filling its entire space with his dark presence. He sprawled on the leather couch, a feline predator at rest. She passed him a piping hot container of spaghetti and zapped one for herself. When it was ready, she moved to the far end of the couch and perched cautiously on it. She promptly burned her tongue, but did her best not to show it. Darn, that man flustered her! She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
We could always break into the main house and raid the pantry, he suggested.
Lets not, Kinsey said dryly. Were already imposing. And these are my friends.
His only reply was a casual shrug.
They finished their meal, such as it was, in silence. Mitch arose and held out his hand for her cup and spoon. She handed them over and he tossed them in the galleys sink. Hed just turned to head for the steps when his cell phone shattered the deep silence. Kinsey jumped nearly as hard as he did. He fished it out of his pocket.
Go, he bit out.
His eyebrows drew together in a frown as he listened, and his gaze flicked over to her. Whoever was on the other end of the conversation was talking about her, she was sure of it.
Ill see what I can do, Mitch rumbled. He disconnected. Turned to face her. Seems weve got a little problem. Your father doesnt want you to help us with this operation. He thinks itll place you in too much danger. Youre, and I quote, totally unprepared to deal with the pressures of the situation.
Heat flooded her face. This was exactly what she was talking about! People took one look at her and assumed she wasnt good for anything. In other words, he thinks I cant hack it, she forced out.
More or less.
Give me your phone, she snapped. She held out her open palm expectantly. One eyebrow raised, he laid the device in her hand.
She stabbed out her fathers private number and waited impatiently for the call to go through. Richard Hollingsworths voice came on the line. Hello?
Hi Dad, its your useless, spoiled daughter calling.
Honey, are you all right? They told me some guy shot at you today.
Oh, Im fine. And that guys shark bait, she replied breezily. The man who saved my life today needs a favor from me, though, and Im going to do it. I hear youre worried, so Im calling to tell you Ill be fine. He says I need to stay with him and I believe him. I trust this man implicitly to keep me safe.
Mitchs gaze riveted on her at those words. Her embarrassed gaze skittered away from his.
Kinsey, do you have any idea who this Perovski fellow is? I had my staff run a profile on him, and you cant believe some of the things hes done. Plainly put, hes a killer. Hes a covert operator and runs around blowing things up and assassinating people for a living. You have no business being around someone like him.
The condescension in her fathers voice set her teeth on edge. Be that as it may, Im going to help him with the next phase of his current mission.
No.
I wasnt calling to ask permission, Dad. Im telling you how its going to be.
Her fathers voice rose to a bull roar. Dont you take that tone with me, young lady. I control your trust fund. And I forbid you to do this.
Im sorry you feel that way. But I am going to do it.
Ill cut you off. No money, no credit cards, no bank account. Nothing.
Twenty minutes ago, that threat might have given her pause. But after Mitchs scathing opinion of her utter uselessness as a human being, shed be damned if her father would bully her out of this.
Do what you have to, Dad, but my decisions made. Good night. She closed the phone and handed it back to Mitch in silence.
What did he threaten to do to you? Mitch asked quietly.
Hes cutting me off financially.
Totally? Mitch sounded surprised.
Yup.
Man, that sucks. I can look into having the boys put you on the payroll for the duration of this op if youd like.
She grinned ruefully. Thanks, but Ill muddle through until he gets over his snit. My mother is loaded, compliments of her divorce lawyer, and shell slip me some cash if I empty my bank account before he gets over his snit. Besides, I can always threaten to go public with what my fathers doing to me and hell back off. Negative publicity is very bad for a man in his position. Hes up for reelection this November.
Mitch winced and grinned simultaneously. Ouch. Blackmailing your old man? Thats cold. I like it.
She grinned back, reassured shed made the right decision. She wanted some of the competence that was Mitch Perovski for herself. If she spent a few days with him, maybe some of that cool confidence of his would rub off on her. Goodness knew, she needed it. If he could show her how to get people to take her even a little more seriously, it would be worth all the money in her trust fund and more. She was sick and tired of being walked all over.
In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea. If she could shed her socialite image and become a strong, independent womanoh, yes. The idea made her tingle from head to toe. Wild horses werent going to keep her away from Mitch Perovski, no matter what risk that entailed.
Chapter 4
Mitch glanced around the tight confines of the BabyDolls cabin. The sofa no doubt folded out into a bed. One bed. Two people. He winced mentally. He could be a gentleman and offer to sleep up top, propped up in one of the chairs or stretched out on the hard deck. But this was likely to be the last decent nights sleep he got for the next several months, and dammit, they were both adults. They could sleep in the same bed without anything untoward happening between them.
Kinsey stifled a yawn.
He said lightly, Lets get some shut-eye. No telling when the boys will be here to pick us up. Operations rule number one: sleep when you can.
She nodded without protest, unlocked the sofa, and pulled it out into a bed. With her working at one end and him at the other, they made the bed with satin sheetswhat else for the Baby Doll?cashmere blankets, and fluffy eiderdown pillows.
Where are you sleeping? she asked, all innocence.
Here. How about you?
Her alarmed blue gaze snapped to his. She looked down at the inviting bed. Back up at him. Oh.
He shrugged, but it didnt relieve the abrupt tension in his shoulders. I dont know about you, but Im beat. And tomorrow promises to be rougher than today. Why did he give a damn if she refused to sleep with him or not? She wasnt some princesswhich she was taking great pains to convince him of. She was just a person. Just like him.