“So this guy targeted my friend Laurie to get to me?”
Dad nodded and shifted in his seat under the patio umbrella, glancing to the villa, where Alec had disappeared after one of the most awkward introductions ever. To his credit, Alec had been completely cool and didn’t even take Nino’s head off for bringing Kate’s father into the villa without so much as a whisper of warning.
Well, how would Nino have known they’d be carrying out their undercover roles so…completely?
Dad’s arrival didn’t really faze Kate, but his news that they’d apprehended a man they believed might have been leaving the notes did. Everything in her world just shifted…again.
“And you know this guy, this Mike Wesley?” Kate asked. “I don’t think I’ve ever met him, but I remember the name from when I interned at Steven’s firm.”
“He was a prosecuting attorney on a case I had a few months ago, and things did not go in his favor. He’s made public statements about how much he hates me. And, like I told you, they found three more notes to me in his condo.”
“Is he in jail? Out on bond? What?”
“He’s still being held and questioned, and I don’t think he’ll be out on bond anytime soon since we know how ineffective a restraining order can be. He’ll be charged with criminal harassment.”
She thought about that, knowing the penalty could be light. “And Laurie.” She blew out a breath, thinking of the situation this had put her friend in. “Have you talked to her? She knows this?”
“I did, right before I left to come down here. She can’t reach you and hoped you’d call her.”
She shrugged. “I haven’t thought to call her again. I can’t believe he totally hit on her and asked her out just so he could get to me.” Another chill made her shudder. “What a jerk.”
Dad nodded slowly, searching her face. “You seem to be doing okay.”
She bit her lip at the sideways comment. “You caught me at a slightly inopportune time.”
Dad lifted one gray brow. He’d never been very comfortable with the subject of boys or men in Kate’s life, except he’d, at one time, been very comfortable with Steven Jessup. Maybe because getting Kate married was a way for him to stop worrying about her.
“Don’t blame him,” she said quietly, glancing toward the villa. “I’ve been, um, rather aggressive.”
Dad shifted again, clearly uncomfortable. “I know you’ve had to play a…role to stay safe.”
“And we both know what you witnessed was not role-playing.”
He cleared his throat and took a drink of the cold water she’d brought him. “You’re a grown woman, Kate. I just hope you’re being careful and protecting yourself.”
“He’s a bodyguard, Dad. I’m covered.”
“Just be careful.” He might have meant her heart, or he might have meant birth control, but both would be equally difficult for her father to discuss. Instead of pressing, she took her own drink of water.
“His chance of survival is nearly zero.”
She choked as the water caught in her throat. “What?” she croaked.
“He’s wanted by the Russian mob.”
She finally cleared her windpipe and took a much-needed breath. “I’ve surmised as much.”
“This man who’s after him doesn’t give up.”
Oh, God, poor Alec. “He’s getting a new name, and I suppose he’ll be moving out of the country.”
“Which will be fine for a while, but from what I know, which isn’t much, they’ll find him and kill him.”
Her heart quite literally skipped a beat, maybe two. “Why are they after him?”
Dad lifted a shoulder. “I honestly don’t know. Don’t you?”
“He won’t tell me.” And yet there she was, about to strip down and give it all to him. And he wouldn’t even tell her why he was hiding.
Dad leaned forward and put a hand over hers in a rare show of affection. “You’ve been hurt a lot, Katie.” The use of the childhood nickname tweaked her heart. “Don’t make the same mistake again.”
“Alec is hardly cut from the same cloth as Steven,” she said sharply. “And you were the one who practically threw me at Steven.”
He winced. “I think about that every time I talk to him at the courthouse.”
“He talks to you? Outside of a courtroom?” Revulsion rolled through her.
“Once in a while, and I have to be civil to him, but…”
“You don’t have to be civil to him out of court, Dad. The marriage is over, and I’m moving on, and you should, too.”
“Of course I have,” he said. “Speaking of moving…” He flattened his palms on his legs as if he were going to get up. “How long will it take you to pack?”
She inched back. “What?”
“You might as well be on my flight back to Boston. You’re safe to come home now, and I’d feel better if…”
As his voice trailed off, she realized she was shaking her head.
“I can’t,” she said, all of the reasons why rising up from her heart. Many reasons, crazy reasons, complicated reasons. One reason: Alec. “You can’t make me leave.”
He frowned at her. “I’m not making you, honey, but as I recall, you were the one who balked at getting out of town in the first place.”
“But that was before”—I fell so hard—“we knew who it was. And we do now, so…”
“So now you can come home, and until this Wesley character is permanently behind bars, you can stay with me.”
“I’m safer here,” she said, pushing back her chair, tamping down the low-grade panic at the thought of leaving Alec. Except…
His chance of survival is nearly zero.
“He needs me as his cover.”
Dad closed his eyes, obviously knowing who “he” was. “Mr. Rossi can arrange another cover for him, Kate, but you—”
“No.” She stood up, an old fury ricocheting through her. “Dad, you can’t sweep in here and tell me what to do. You can’t.”
“I’m trying to protect you.”
Always, always, trying to protect her. “I am protected. I have a bodyguard.”
“Who was stripping you naked in the pool when I walked in unannounced.”
She shook off the admonishment. “If you’re trying to imply he can’t do his job, you were let in by one of two people with a key who know the code and can get to me.”
“I’m implying nothing. I’m saying that it’s time you come home, Katie. For your own good.”
Oh, those words. Those flipping words.
For your own good.
An old, familiar thrumming started at the base of her head. Dad telling her what to do…for her own good.
She stared at him, mustering up what she needed to fight this fight, and suddenly she was aware that Alec had stepped onto the patio and was standing a few feet behind her. For one second, she was ready to rebel, knowing they were going to gang up on her, just like Dad and Steven used to, and force her to—
“Kate is perfectly safe here.” He took a few steps closer, dressed and dried, the composure that she’d seen slip when he met her father firmly back in place.
“With all due respect, you’re saying that because you need her here,” Dad said. “She’s your cover. But I think she should come home now.”
“She’s free to leave, but the decision is hers.” Alec turned to her and gave her an expectant look. “I’ll respect whatever decision you make.”
And, really, that was all she’d ever wanted from a man.
“I’m staying,” she said quietly.
*
She was pregnant. Just about as far along as Robyn, too, so there was an instant connection. Plus, the lady interviewing Robyn was so pretty, with perfect nails and flawless skin. Not anything like Robyn would imagine a maid at a resort to be. Well, she owned the housekeeping service, so that must be why Mandy Nicholas had her shit so together.
“You seem a little nervous, Robyn,” she said, leaning forward an
d crossing her arms.
“Well, I’ve never been a maid before, so I’m worried you won’t give me the job.”
She searched Robyn’s face like she was looking for more than just a decent résumé. “I’d never been a housekeeper before when I started, either.” She smiled, with green eyes that lit with a warmth that seemed real. Of course, that gave Robyn a twinge of guilt. She had no other way to get into this la-di-da resort to find Alec Petrov, but the idea of applying for a job as a maid seemed like something a super-smart girl would do.
“I’m kind of desperate, Mrs. Nicholas,” she admitted, her confidence in just how super-smart she was growing less every day of this trip.
“Call me Mandy, and, honey, I know all about being desperate.”
Robyn couldn’t help letting her gaze slide over the pricey maternity clothes and a diamond ring the size of a small country. Desperate, my ass.
Mandy angled her head as if she could read Robyn’s mind. “But working at Casa Blanca as a maid changed my life.” She absently touched the ring, and some color rose to her cheeks. “I met my husband here.”
“I’m not trying to meet a man,” Robyn said, unless finding Alec Petrov counted. “I just need a job, and I don’t have any references. But I’m a hard worker, and I’ll start today.”
The lady nodded as if she’d been battling with herself and one side had just won. “You need to get fitted for a uniform and set up for training.” She stood and gestured for Robyn to do the same. “Let’s go see who’s available to get you started.”
Robyn exhaled with relief. The trip down here had been long, and she’d slept in her car, wondering if she was even doing the right thing.
Mandy put her hand on Robyn’s shoulder, a warm and comforting touch that made her ache for more and question just what the hell she was doing here trying to find Alec. Could he help her? He might not even be here. But this lady was offering a job, and this island was nice and far, far away from Cole. Maybe she could stay and have her baby here. Would she make a friend? Someone to help her take care of the baby? Maybe…
“Honey, it’s gonna be okay.”
Robyn looked up at her, blinking back tears she’d had no idea had filled her eyes.
The woman crouched down to get face-to-face with her. “Life deals you some lousy hands sometimes,” she said. “You’re doing the right thing by taking a job, no matter how lowly it might seem, and taking control of your life. Every step you take is one step closer to being completely self-reliant. For you and your baby.”
She sucked in a light breath. “How do you know?”
“You’re too thin for that to be anything but a baby bump.”
And she thought she’d been doing such a good job of hiding it. Another thing she wasn’t smart about. “And that’s okay with you?”
The woman smiled, making her even prettier. God, what would it have been like to have a mother like this, rather than a drug addict who didn’t care if Robyn lived or died? “Yes, it’s okay. I want to help you,” she said. “And I promise we have plenty to do that doesn’t involve you breathing in cleaning solvents or lifting too much, but you can work.”
Gratitude filled her, enough that Robyn felt a little unsteady as she got to her feet. As if sensing that, Mandy kept her hand on Robyn’s back and guided her into a small office area where two other ladies worked on computers at desks.
“Is there a senior housekeeper not on duty at the moment?” Mandy asked one of the women.
“I just saw Poppy go into the break room,” she said. “I think she’s done with her morning villas. She can’t get to Bay Laurel and Rockrose until after checkout time.”
“Fantastic,” Mandy said, leading Robyn toward another part of the building. The place felt like it had once been a house, tucked away from the main resort with a few others just like it, but now it was clearly being used as a busy office.
In a kitchen area, a large black woman in a pink uniform was at the microwave, pressing buttons. The whole room smelled delicious.
“Poppy, I want to introduce you to Robyn Bickler, our newest hire.”
The woman turned and burst into the sweetest smile. “Welcome! We could use a new face around here.” Her gaze dropped to Robyn’s stomach, and her eyebrows shot up. “Or two.”
Wow, she really was showing. Robyn smiled at her. “I can work hard,” she assured the woman.
“Of course you can! If Miss Mandy wants you, I want you.”
“Can you get her fitted for a uniform and maybe take her on your afternoon rounds, Poppy?”
“I would love to.” She gestured for Robyn to come closer. “Don’t be afraid, child.”
Robyn said good-bye to Mandy, resisting the urge to be totally pathetic and hug the woman who’d just given her something that felt like more than a job or even an in to the resort. That lady had just given her a new lease on life.
Maybe she should just forget Alec Petrov and take this nice ride.
She followed Poppy into what looked like it might have once been a walk-in closet, but the only thing hanging in it were brightly colored maid’s uniforms, all different shades of pastel.
“Where are you from, Robyn?” Poppy asked.
“Up North.”
That got her a quick look of disbelief. “The North Pole? Canada? New York? Atlanta? There’s a lot of places north of Mimosa Key.”
“New York.” It was big enough that she could say that, and it was always better to keep lies straight.
“Mmmm.” Poppy wasn’t buying it, but thankfully she let it go and shifted her attention to Robyn’s body. “I have a few with stretchy bottoms and loose tops.”
Robyn touched her stomach, knowing it could only get bigger. “That’ll work.” And she inhaled the incredible smell that had drifted from the kitchen to the closet. “Wow, what is that?” She sniffed loudly. “It’s making me hungry.”
“Child, mud would probably make you hungry, but what you’re smelling is my—”
“She did it again!” A man’s voice echoed from the kitchen, followed by what sounded like the slamming of the microwave.
“My pollo caribe,” Poppy finished, leaning close to whisper, “Which is my version of what he thinks is his—”
“Why do you mess with perfection?” a man hollered.
“Because my perfection is better!” Poppy called out, and one second later, a man’s footsteps pounded. “Oh, here he comes,” Poppy said under her breath. “Nino Rossi, who thinks he’s the only person on God’s green earth who can cook and if you don’t do it his way, you’re not doing it at all.”
Robyn turned to the door to see a little old grandpa who had to be near eighty lumbering into the closet, a furry frown crinkling up his face even more than age had.
“Lemon chicken is not spicy,” he announced.
“Pollo caribe is not lemon chicken,” she replied.
“But that’s my recipe.”
“Not anymore. I fixed it up with a little jerk seasoning, ol’ mon.”
Big brown eyes grew wide at the Jamaican-sounding expression.
“And is this any way to act in front of a new staff member?” Poppy chided. “Nino Rossi is an assistant to one of our senior security executives,” she explained. “And this is Robyn Bickler, a brand new housekeeper.”
“Hi,” Robyn said shyly, getting a quick nod from a man who was way more intent on yelling at Poppy than greeting the new kid. “Listen, you have to…” His frown deepened, and he glanced back at Robyn, studying her for a moment. “What did you say your name was?”
“Robyn,” she replied.
“Bickler?” he asked pointedly, making her suddenly warm and uncomfortable, mostly by the way he was staring at her.
“Yes,” she said. He certainly couldn’t know her, right? “Why?”
“Because…” He searched her face again. Like he recognized her, but that was impossible. “I knew a Bickler once.”
He had? “It’s…not that common.” Could he know someone in he
r family? Her dad? No, this old man didn’t hang out with guys like her father, and there weren’t that many Bicklers running around.
“Nino, why are you staring at the poor child like that?”
Yeah, why was he staring at her?
“Robyn Bickler?” he asked again, and this time a slow heat rolled through her as another possibility hit her. Vlitnik! He could have people anywhere. Hell, he could have already infiltrated this place looking for Alec, just like she had.
Why the hell had she used her real name? Because she was an idiot, like her mother always said.
She barely nodded, and the old man backed out the door quickly, without even saying good-bye.
“Well, that’s some kind of magic you work there,” Poppy said with a laugh, turning back to the uniforms. “When he gets on a rant, ain’t nothin’ can stop him. Okay, now, this one should fit.”
She should get out of here. This was stupid and crazy. She probably walked right into a hornet’s nest of Vlitnik’s people. Dumb!
“Actually, I’m not going to take the job,” she said, backing away just like the man had.
“What?” Poppy barked at her. “Don’t let him scare you off! He’s actually quite sweet when he’s not—”
“No, I can’t. I have to go.” She darted out the door and zipped through the little office, ignoring the surprised stares of the two ladies at their desks. “Bye,” she said lamely, looking at Mandy’s closed door and wishing so hard she could run into that lady’s arms for help. But there was no help for her. “Sorry,” she whispered, yanking open the front door and rushing out into the sunshine.
She practically tripped over the stone walkway trying to get to her car, the rest of the world whizzing by. Now that she was on Vlitnik’s radar, she’d never, ever be safe again.
“Robyn Bickler?”
She froze at the man’s voice behind her. A low, strong, serious voice that sent chills up her spine. Very, very slowly, she turned and met the eyes of a man who looked intense enough to kill her.
She couldn’t even speak.
“You’re not going anywhere until we talk.”
She put her hand on her belly and felt her knees give way.
Barefoot With a Bodyguard (Barefoot Bay Undercover) (Volume 1) Page 20
