Chapter Ten
Jonas stood by the high-rise window watching the city lights pop on as the sun set behind the hotel. April was still in bathroom getting dressed for the party, while he’d already shaved, showered and put on his monkey suit. Linus had pulled him aside before they’d left and ordered him not to let April out of his sight. Turns out he was worried about something besides the Miami mob, but he didn’t want to frighten April. All Linus would say about it was a former business rival of his has reappeared and could be planning to target his family.
On the trip to Miami, Jonas had managed to stay close to April without sharing the same space. He’d sat with the driver in the cars to and from the airport and beside the pilot on Linus’ private jet. Thanks to the boss who upgraded April to a two-bedroom suite, they had plenty of room to stay out of each other’s way. He’d left his room to wait for her in the shared living area, because they were supposed to have left thirty minutes ago.
Her bedroom door clicked open and he turned around. April breezed into the room wearing a shimmery gold dress that hugged her petite body in all the right places. The heavy metallic fabric hung from two spaghetti straps and dove off the crests of her tits to drape at her belly button. Her breasts jiggled as she came toward him, and his body reacted in a visceral way, buzzing with interest as most of the blood drained from his head.
“What’s this?” She picked up the sparkly pink tube he’d left for her on the end table beside her room key.
“It’s mace. I said I’d get it for you.” He paused to clear his throat, hating that it sounded hoarse. “I can’t bring weapons into the event, but no one will confiscate a can of mace from a lady’s purse.”
“That was very thoughtful of you. Thanks.” She gave him a tentative smile and placed the mace and her room key inside her purse before turning away to primp in the mirror.
Her back was bare. The gown plunged so low the fabric rested on the rise of her ass exposing the sweet pair of dimples at the base of her spine.
“Fuck.” The throaty curse slipped out of his mouth.
Her big blue eyes widened with surprise as she found him in the mirror. “Did you say something?”
She’d heard him. That blush on her cheeks wasn’t from makeup, although she had too much on for his liking. Not that his opinion mattered.
“You’re late,” he grumbled.
“I had trouble with one of my false eyelashes.” She turned her head and swept him with her gaze. Her sudden smile sucked the oxygen out of the room.
“What?” he managed to croak.
She shook her head. “The tux makes you look like less like a gang banger and more like a brooding secret agent.”
Was that a test? Was she trying to guess why he was lying to her father about his background? Because she was pretty damn close. That, of course, would mean she knew about Linus’ illegal activities and stayed silent for some reason, and that didn’t sit well with Jonas. Keeping his mask in place, he snorted derisively. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
He held the door open for her, but she stayed put and scrunched her nose.
“What now?”
“Could you please not use that word?
“What word?”
“The F-word. You’re supposed to be my date, and Greenlee knows I would never date a guy who was so blasé about using that kind of language.”
Her face was a delicate, oval shape with high cheek bones and the perfect little nose. Her luscious mouth could transform into a dazzling smile in the blink of an eye making her large blue eyes glimmer with sweetness. She was a living, breathing angel with a sex kitten’s body. He needed to put distance between them fast. Not only for the sake of the mission, but for the sake of his own sanity.
He slammed the door closed and moved into her personal space, forcing her crane her neck to look up him. When her breath caught, he leaned slightly closer, hovering his mouth over hers. “You are such a contradiction, April Linus,” he said softly. “You wouldn’t date a guy like me, but you’d fuck one?”
“You’re disgusting.”
He caught her arm a split second before her hand contacted with his cheek. “I might deserve that, but we’re about to make an appearance at a swanky party, and I can’t escort you there with your handprint on my face.”
Her sweet blue eyes blazed with fire. “Why do you say such horrible things? Is it just part of the persona you’re trying to play or do you really want people to hate you?”
He let go of her arm and retreated a step. What was happening?
“You’re not a bad person, Jonas. Your actions speak louder than your words. I know this, just as certainly as I know you weren’t doing time in prison these past five years.”
Alarm bells went off in his brain followed by a stream of curses that would have singed her delicate ears. It was game over. His cover was blown. His career was shot.
“I don’t know what you were doing while you were away,” she continued, “or why you decided to come back, but I promise I won’t rat you out to my father or anyone else. I know a thing or two about keeping secrets. I just want you to let your guard down and be yourself around me.”
It scared the living shit out of him how good the thought of that sounded. He had lived his life on guard, twenty-four-seven, as long as he could remember. He wasn’t sure he even knew how to open up to another human being, and April Linus couldn’t be the person he tried it with.
Clenching his jaw, he swallowed hard. “You know nothing about me, babe. We’re not friends and we’ll never be friends.”
A slight pinch around her eyes was the only indication she was disappointed in his response. “I guess that’s how it’s going to be then. We’re late.”
Heading for the door, she strutted past him in a cloud of expensive perfume. He followed in her wake, trying not gawk at those damn dimples.
Jonas scanned the ballroom as he and April joined the receiving line and waited their turn to wish the happy couple well. The sea of rich folks in their tuxes and glittery jewels were packed in like sardines. He was on edge, and not just because the penguin suit was restricting his movement and he was missing his knives, because he hated crowds. He hated wealthy entitled people, and most of all, he hated that he could feel the potential threat looming but didn’t know where it was coming from. Muttering a curse beneath his breath, he moved from behind April and placed a protective hand on the small of her back.
“What are you doing?” She whispered.
“I’m supposed to be your date, so I’m acting like it.”
Her skin was incredibly soft and silky beneath his course fingers. Touching her was like plugging into an electrical socket, a hum radiated up his arm and tingled through his body. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d gotten friggin’ goosebumps and that was another thing he hated. By the time they reached April’s friend and her fiancé, Jonas was more than ready to split.
“You made it!” Greenlee threw her arms around April and squeezed her tight. Tall, chic, and super thin, the brunette had a cynical air about her that was the complete opposite of April’s sunny disposition.
“Who do we have here?” Greenlee’s conservative holier-than-though fiancé observed the embrace with the gleam of sexual interest in his eyes.
For the record, Jonas hated him too.
“Let me introduce you to my fiancé Gary Rossi. Gary, this is April Linus.”
“I’ve heard so much about you,” he said to April’s tits as he shook her hand.
April didn’t seem to notice the direction of his gaze or she pretended not to. “It’s so nice to meet you finally. Congratulations to both of you. I wish you all the happiness in the world.”
“Oh, I have to introduce you to Gary’s best friend.” Greenlee grabbed April’s arm to balance herself as she stood up on tiptoe scouting the room for Gary’s pal.
“I’m actually with someone.” April cupped in the inside of Jonas’ left elbow. “This is my date Jonas Smith.”
Greenlee eyed him with that raiser sharp skepticism of hers. “Since when are you into tattoos?”
April’s eyes widened and she blushed, grappling for an explanation.
“I got them while serving my country in Afghanistan.”
Gary’s face lit up like Jonas suspected it would. He’d done his homework.
“Really? I did a tour in ‘08.” Gary offered his hand. “Anaconda LSA.”
Jonas accepted the handshake. “Mortaritaville, you mean?”
“Yes,” Gary laughed. “That it was. Air Force. You?”
“Army Special Forces.”
“A snake-eater? I’m impressed.” He glanced at Greenlee who arched a sleek eyebrow and gave Jonas a once over.
April gently squeezed his arm. “What’s a snake-eater?”
“A Green Beret.” Gary answered the question. “One of the most elite soldiers in the world. Smart, silent, and deadly.”
April’s grip tightened. She glanced up at him, and Jonas could see that sharp mind of hers putting the puzzle pieces together. He could have made up another story, played to Gary’s interest in golf, but Jonas learned a long time ago, the easiest covers to maintain were based in truth. April could speculate all she wanted but she’d never know for certain which details were real and which were fiction.
“Hey, I don’t miss the moon dust.” Gary tapped Jonas’ arm.
Jonas nodded. “Or the sandflies.”
Gary laughed, clearly delighted to talk to another vet. “You need come by the house sometime. Maybe you and April could come for the weekend.”
Jonas’ gaze shifted away from Gary and landed on a face in the crowd he recognized. The man standing ten feet beyond the congressman’s left shoulder was Donovan Mika, a known associate of Philip Linus’ who had gone underground over a decade ago.
Mika was a scientist and the inventor of the Mamba X-4, an invisible plane that was stolen while at auction five years ago and then mysteriously recovered when it was abandoned on Alligator Alley in the middle of the Florida Everglades. It was no mystery to Jonas though. His brother Jimmy had stolen the aircraft from the original thief, a Colombian drug lord named Hector Batista, and used it to fly back to the States. Batista was behind bars now and the U.S. Government, who had wanted to purchase the technology but couldn’t cough up enough dough to satisfy Mika, had seized the aircraft as evidence and was still in possession of it to this day.
Jonas’ adrenaline kicked in to high gear as the tiny hairs on the back of his neck rose in warning. Could this be the threat Linus was talking about? It took every ounce of Jonas’ self-control not to drop what he was doing and follow Mika before he blended into the sea of faces and disappeared.
“Oh, you have to come,” Greenlee grabbed April’s wrist. “You can bring Archie. Gary has a cute little dog he can play with.”
“That’s right, I do. Buster loves children.”
“Archie would love that. Thank you.”
As they moved away and headed for their table, April whispered to Jonas, “Were you really a Green Beret?”
“I’m full of surprises,” he said, keeping his eyes peeled for Mika.
Thin, average height, glasses, graying brown hair and a goatee, there was nothing remarkable about the man to make him stand out. That’s one of the reasons he’d been able to stay hidden for so long, but Jonas had made a point to study and learn the faces of all the key players in Linus’ life and he was absolutely certain the man he’d seen was Donovan Mika.
“Apparently.” She hugged his elbow and leaned against his arm. “For the record, I’m impressed too.”
April was too flustered to eat. She wasn’t a fan of rosemary chicken or in the mood for carbs so she ignored the potatoes. All she could think about was the indelible imprint Jonas’ big, rough skinned hand had left on her lower back. He sat a foot away from her now, but she could still smell him. A heady combination of woodsy cologne and a clean, rugged male that made her toes curl. She’d gotten a good whiff of his delicious scent when she clung to his arm while they were speaking Greenlee and Gary.
Smart, silent, and deadly. Three words couldn’t sum up Jonas better or turn her on more. He wasn’t an ex-con and he wasn’t the cold, heartless jerk he pretended to be. She’d seen glimpses of kindness and consideration in him. He said he didn’t want to be a father, but she’d never forget the expression on his face when he first laid eyes on Archie. If that wasn’t pure love, she didn’t know what was. The explanation for Jonas’ presence five years ago and now was obvious. He was working undercover, and her father was his target.
Her pulse accelerated as she considered what that meant. If Jonas was back, then whoever he worked for had to be getting close to an arrest. She hated the idea of her father going to prison, but he’d committed hideous crimes and nobody, not even Philip Linus, was above the law.
She should come clean to Jonas and tell him everything she knew. But what if he accused her of withholding evidence and arrested her too? Was that why he was pushing her away? Wouldn’t flirting with her to gain her trust work in his favor? Or was he pushing her away to keep her safe?
He’d seemed distracted since they’d sat down, as if he was scanning the crowd for someone he knew. He suddenly leaned closer. “Want to get out of here?”
The low timbre of his voice tickled her skin leaving goosebumps in its wake. Her tummy trembled, and the air suddenly felt thick. Perspiration beaded between her breasts. She needed air, desperately, and a few moments away from him to pull herself together and think. “Yes, but I need to use the restroom first.”
When she pulled her chair back, he did the same. She touched his arm to stop him from standing. The solid muscle and bone beneath her touch sent a shockwave through her system. She let go. “Nothing is going to happen to me between here and the ladies’ room.” She ignored his scowl and stood. “I promise I’ll be right back.”
Out in the hall, she headed for the restrooms but bypassed them for the garden terrace. Thick red drapes shielding the open French doors, keeping the insects out and the air conditioning in. She wouldn’t leave the terrace, though she really didn’t believe she was in any danger. There were far too many people around.
She stood at the stone railing and gazed up at the clear, starry sky. It was warm October night, the humidity kept at bay by the light breeze blowing off the ocean. Her brain could function properly now that she was away from Jonas’ presence. The best thing to do would be to follow his lead, figure out exactly what his intentions were, and then decide how to handle it without getting herself into trouble.
“Hope?”
The question came from behind her. Her mother’s name uttered with astonishment sent a shiver down her spine. Turning around, she found a middle-aged man staring at her with disbelief. The beard threw her for a moment, but then she realized why he looked so familiar.
“Uncle Donny?”
“April.” He shook off his confusion. “I apologize. I thought I was seeing a ghost.”
“Oh my gosh, it’s been so long.” Trying to remember the last time she saw him, she shook her head. “Where have you been?”
“I’m surprised you remember me.”
“It’s been awhile, but you’re my Godfather. You’re practically family.” He really hadn’t changed at all. He was still a slim, nerdy scientist with a messy mop of hair.
“I was practically family. Not anymore.”
“That’s not true.”
“Thanks, April. I can see you have a lot of your mother in you. Not just your remarkable resemblance, but your kind nature. Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
He moved closer and glanced over his shoulder before lowering his voice. “How much do you know about your bodyguard?”
April felt her smile slip and caught it. “You mean my date.”
“Come now, the two of you look about as compatible as a toy poodle and a pit bull.”
April raised her chin defensively. “I happe
n to like pit bulls. They’re a misunderstood breed.”
Donovan’s doubtful side-eye made her stomach burn.
She relented. “Why does it matter to you who he is?”
“Do you trust him?”
April moistened her dry lips. “It’s complicated.”
“Ah, smart girl! People are never what they seem. Situations are never what they seem. I tried to warn Hope. She wouldn’t listen. No, Hope was stubborn. She stayed for you, you know?”
“Stayed where? What are you talking about?”
Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he raised his face to the starry sky. “’Hide not thy poison with such sugar'd words; Lay not thy hands on me; forbear, I say! Their touch affrights me as a serpent's sting.’”
“What?” Something was terribly wrong. There was a strange gleam in his eyes she hadn’t noticed before. She sidled away from him along the wall.
“William Shakespeare. A genius.” He scratched the back of his head messing up his hair even more. “The man knew a thing or two about the ways of the world. I highly recommend him.”
What was wrong with him? Was he drunk? “I have to go, Uncle. My date is waiting for me. It was great seeing you again.” She started for the curtains.
“April, wait!”
She stopped and turned around. “What is it?”
“Come with me.” He lunged forward and grabbed her arm. “You know you aren’t safe with your father? I’ll keep you safe. I’ll protect you. I failed Hope. I wasn’t able to protect her, but I’ve learned from my mistakes, and I won’t fail you.”
April shook her head, confused. “How did you fail my mother?”
Donovan glanced past her shoulder. “Someone is coming.”
“How did you fail my mother?” she repeated more firmly.
“Hurry. We must go.”
“Stop. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
A combination of longing and regret etched his face. “Foolish girl, ‘The saddest thing about betrayal, it never comes from your enemies.’ Also Shakespeare. I’m all about giving credit where credit is due, unlike some people.” He released her arm and dashed down the stairs disappearing into the garden.
Passion Punch Page 9
