Blind Ambition

by Gwen Hernandez

  Most of the kids had families who needed a place for their children to stay until they could afford to care for them again, but Flore was an orphan. Her father had been killed when his fishing boat capsized in a storm several years ago. Losing her mother to rebels back in April had been a vicious blow.

  “The red one is the clinic.” Alexa made a move toward the adjacent building, but Dan held her back.

  “Let me go first.” He scanned the oddly quiet streets and then mounted the wooden stairs.

  At his knock, the door creaked open and they stepped inside.

  “Just a minute,” a man called from the back room. Her boss from Hygiea HQ.

  “Troy?” Alexa strode past Dan, halting at the dark bloodstain on the floor. Oh, God.

  The man appeared in the doorway, his eyes widening as recognition lit within them. “Alyssa!” He jogged across the room and hugged her so tightly her ribs protested. “You’re alive.” His voice nearly cracked.

  “Yes. I’m okay.” She extricated herself from his embrace. “What about Garfield?”

  He shook his head and frowned. “He didn’t make it.”

  A sob escaped her mouth before she covered it. Troy reached for her, but she backed up into Dan’s chest, and he gripped her shoulders with warm hands.

  “I’m sorry.” Her boss scowled. “By the time word reached us it was too late.”

  She wanted to sink to her knees and bawl her eyes out, scream against the pain filling her heart, but she couldn’t lose it like that. Not here. Not in front of Troy. She thought of Garfield’s pretty wife Marietta, nine months pregnant. “It’s my fault,” she whispered. He’d tried to protect her and now he was dead.

  “No, it’s not,” Dan said, his voice hard. “Only the rebels get the blame for this.”

  Easier said than done.

  “You can’t blame yourself,” Troy agreed, flipping the sandy hair out of his eyes. He reached toward her face. “Look what those bastards did to you.”

  She flinched from his touch and he dropped his hand with a frown. He was a nice enough man, but she didn’t have romantic feelings for him, and he had never quite gotten the message.

  “I need to see Flore. I put her in the crawl space when the soldiers came, but I need to make sure she got to the orphanage okay.”

  He sighed and swallowed.

  Oh, God. Oh, no. Her stomach heaved. “What’s wrong?”

  His eyes flicked to the window and he hesitated. Alexa’s legs nearly buckled. Not her too. Dan must have noticed her reaction to Troy’s reticence because he held her hips, gently keeping her on her feet.

  “All of the kids are missing,” Troy finally said.

  Dan wanted to hit something. The fuckers had killed her friend and taken the children.

  Alexa’s body went rigid under his hands as she dealt with the latest blow. “They’re gone?”

  Troy caught her gaze. “Jamila—the lady who runs the orphanage,” he clarified, glancing Dan’s way, “said the rebels came back for the children after they raided the clinic.”

  “But why?” Alexa asked. “There’s no one to pay ransom for them, and they’re too young to fight for SIR.”

  For now. Besides, a girl like Flore might be desired for things besides fighting, despite her young age. Dan’s stomach turned sour at the thought.

  “Black market adoption, most likely,” her boss said, his voice laced with regret.

  A sob escaped Alexa’s lips and she twisted out of Dan’s arms, racing into the back room. He followed, shutting the much-too-flimsy door behind him. She stood with her palms against the wall, her breath coming in shallow gasps.

  Moving to her side, he dropped his ruck. “Lys…” She might not welcome his touch, but what the hell? He couldn’t just watch her hurting like this. He stroked along her spine, keeping his touch gentle and platonic. “I’m sorry.”

  Troy had wanted to be the one here with her. That much was obvious, even from their brief introduction. When the man had first held her, Dan wondered if there was something between them, but her reaction to his touch made him think her boss’s interest was not reciprocated.

  That made him happier than it should. After all, he had no claim on her anymore. Probably never had. She could fuck whomever she damn well chose now.

  The image that sentiment produced made his chest hurt. Stupid fool.

  Beneath his hand, she turned to face him. He shifted away as she rested her back against the rough-hewn wallboards and wiped her cheeks. She looked at him with red-rimmed eyes.

  “You were right,” she said, her voice shaky with anger and despair. “I should have used every bit of influence I had to adopt Flore as soon as possible and get her out of this rebel-infested jungle.”

  “You never would have felt right about it if you’d done it that way.”

  “Right or wrong won’t matter if we can’t get her back,” she said in a small voice. Her honey-red hair had come loose from the long braid she’d corralled it into before their march this morning, and now hung in wavy strands around her face. “I can’t believe Flore and the children are gone.” She pressed her fingers to her lips and her eyebrows lowered. “And Garfield.” Her voice twisted into a strangled sound of grief as a tear slipped free and trailed down her cheek.

  Before he could stop himself, Dan wiped the errant moisture away with his thumb. “I know, honey.” Loss was one thing he knew far too well. “I’m sorry.”

  Her breathing slowed and she continued to look at him, her eyes the shimmery blue of the shallow waters around the island. His heart raced. Every cell in his body strained toward her, like a compass needle drawn toward north.

  She glanced at his mouth and he leapt back. Only an idiot would let her suck him in again. She was hurting and vulnerable. Any intimacy they shared right now wouldn’t mean anything to her later. It wasn’t real.

  He crossed the small space, putting as much distance between them as possible, even though ten feet wasn’t nearly enough. Scanning out the window into the alley, he waited for her to regain her composure.

  “Nice room,” he said, taking in the whitewashed walls of the bedroom that appeared to double for storage if the empty glass cabinets were any indication. A small bookshelf stuffed with ratty paperbacks perched on the wall above an unmade cot. A narrow wardrobe stood to the side. The kitchen area in the far corner had a small sink flanked by open shelving, a two-burner stove, and a mini fridge. It reminded him of the shack she’d been living in last time they were on the island together.

  Why on earth would a woman like her—a woman who could have every luxury known to man—give it up to live in hovels like this? Was she just that selfless, or was there more to it?

  “It’s not much, but it’s all I need.” Defensiveness had crept into her voice as if she knew what he was thinking.

  A knock sounded on the door and they both turned. “Alyssa?” Troy called. “Are you okay?”

  Dan crossed the room and opened the door. On second glance, he still didn’t like her boss, though he knew he wasn’t being fair. The too-slick, too-coiffed preppy reminded Dan of the privileged assholes he’d dealt with in high school. A selfish part of him was glad Alexa didn’t welcome the guy’s touch.

  Troy frowned at him, but then schooled his face into a look of concern. “May I come in?”

  “Yes,” Alexa said. “Please.”

  He sidled past Dan and stepped toward her. “What can I do?”

  She pushed away from the wall, her movements slow, as if her limbs were heavy. “Tell me what you know about the black market adoptions. Do you have any idea who the rebels are dealing with? Anything that could help us find the children?”

  Us? Did she mean her and Troy, or her and Dan? But he was proud of her recovery. Already she’d turned her grief toward action.

  “I really don’t know much about it,” Troy said. “This isn’t the first time it’s happened on the island, though I didn’t think SIR was making a business out of it. Certainly it’s not u
ncommon when disaster strikes poor countries.” He held both hands in front of him. “At least the children will likely go to good homes. The method might not be ideal, but the results are.”

  “The results do not make it okay,” she snapped, stalking toward him, her face flushed, eyes narrowed. “Forget that they’re being ripped away from their real families and denied their native culture. Those poor children are probably terrified right now. They were taken at gunpoint, for God’s sake.” Her voice rose. “They have no idea what’s happening to them or where they’re going. And arriving in a strange new country, even if people treat them well, cannot make up for any of that.”

  Dan silently cheered her on.

  Troy paled and took a step back. “No, no, I didn’t mean it was okay. I’m sorry. I was just trying to ease your concern.”

  She must not have told him she was trying to adopt the girl or he would have known better.

  She snorted. “Have you forgotten that Flore needs Albuterol?” Her hands clenched. “Do you really think those gun-toting assholes are taking care of her or the others?” She took a deep shuddering breath.

  “I…I’m sorry,” Troy said. The man practically wilted under her disapproval. “I wasn’t thinking.”

  Alexa’s expression made it clear she agreed with him, but she visibly calmed herself before speaking again. “You have no idea where the children are being held?”

  He shook his head. “They could be anywhere. We reported their abduction to the police, but you know half of those guys are on the SIR payroll. I doubt they’ll make much headway on the case.”

  So much for wanting to alleviate Alexa’s fears.

  She met Dan’s gaze, her eyes tight with worry. “Flore’s asthma has been acting up. If they take her inhaler and she has an attack…” She covered her stomach.

  He nodded, perfectly aware of the dangers.

  “Troy,” Alexa said. “Do you know anything useful?”

  He shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’ll stay in touch with the police and keep you informed.” The guy looked at Dan and then back at her. “I assume you’re planning to go home. You should take a break after your ordeal, but you know you’re welcome at my next assignment.”

  Alexa frowned. “I can’t leave yet. I need to find the children.” She turned to Dan. “Will you help me? I already gave you my offer.”

  Fuck no, he didn’t want her money, though technically, it was Kurt’s job to negotiate payments. If Dan decided to stay and help her for free, he’d have to take personal leave and do it on his own time.

  Troy put his hands on his hips. “Alyssa, do you even know this guy? No offense…” He glanced at Dan. “But I don’t think it’s safe to go—”

  “Dan rescued me. And actually,” she said, “I do know him. Quite well, in fact. I’m sure that’s why my dad chose him for the job.”

  “Oh.” Heat crept up the man’s neck and his eyes darted between the two of them.

  Dan could practically see him wondering exactly what “quite well” meant. His gaze clashed with Troy’s. Exactly what you think it means.

  “Dan?” she prompted him. “Will you help me?”

  He shouldn’t. He needed to tell her “Hell no,” find a way back to the yacht, get to St. Lucia, and arrive home for a few days’ rest before the wedding.

  He needed to put as much distance between himself and Alexa as possible.

  Instead, he nodded and said, “Let me call my boss.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “I’M GOING NEXT DOOR TO see if Jamila needs help cleaning up,” Troy said. He took one last look at Alexa and left the clinic.

  She nearly sagged with relief. She hadn’t meant to hurt him, but she didn’t like him trying to step into the protector role. And he was clueless about her fears and frustrations where the children were concerned.

  Through the doorway, she could see Dan standing near the front of the clinic, peering out the lone window that overlooked the street. His shoulders were tense and his posture stiff as he spoke on the cell phone Troy had grudgingly loaned him. The rebels had taken hers from her room.

  She’d call her dad when he was done, but she had to mentally prep for their talk first.

  “I’ll be back by Friday, latest,” Dan said. “See what you can dig up for me.” He listened to the tinny voice she could barely discern from across the room. “Roger that.”

  He ended the call and faced her. He wasn’t exceptionally tall—at five-ten he only had a few inches on her—but he seemed to fill the entire space with his masculine presence. She was aware of him on every level. If she looked away from his handsome face, she could still smell his earthy scent, still hear the rustle of his clothing and the thunk of his boots when he moved through the room.

  “What did Kurt say?” she asked.

  “He’s going to research where the rebels might be holding the children. We’ll take it from there.”

  “Thank you.” A sliver of hope entered her heart. Maybe with his resources they could actually find the kids. “And the money?”

  Dan frowned. “He’ll bill you. Our obligation to your dad ended when I got you back here, though he really wanted you home in Seattle. Even offered a hefty bonus if I could convince you.” His hazel eyes met hers. “Guess he knew something I didn’t.”

  “What’s that?” But she knew.

  “That you didn’t want to go home.” He studied her face. “Does he know why?”

  Which part? “You mean Flore?” At his nod, she said, “No. Not yet.”

  “You should call him. He’s been hounding Kurt for news.”

  More likely his investigator had been hounding Kurt. Nerves stirred her gut.

  “I’ll wait outside,” Dan said, handing her the phone before he stepped to the door. “But be quick. We shouldn’t stay here long.”

  As soon as he was gone, she dialed her father’s private line. When he answered, she said, “Dad, it’s me.”

  “Good, you’re safe. Are you well enough to travel?”

  The lack of emotion in her father’s voice made her eyes burn. “I’m fine. Just bruised and fatigued.”

  “Okay. When will you be home?”

  She stifled a sigh. And there it was. Not an unreasonable request by normal standards, but one that twisted her up inside, nonetheless. There would be no happy reunion, no loving hugs.

  Her brother was hardly around, and her dad had been cold toward her even before her sister’s suicide. Probably since the day her mother died giving birth to her and Despina. Alexa couldn’t imagine how frigid he’d be if he knew the role she’d played in Despina’s depression. This whole rescue was probably nothing more than his way of making sure Palaimon Merchant Lines was never connected to bad news. Shareholder confidence was essential.

  “I can’t leave yet.”

  “Of course you can.” He sounded impatient. “It’s not safe for you there, Alexa. The rebels know who you are now.”

  “I have something I need to do first,” she said. “Then we’ll see.”

  “What could be more important than your life?” His voice was strong and hard-edged. “Have you no care for me and Thad? For how much strain we’ve been under the last few days?” He grunted. “Hell, try years. We’ve been worrying about you since you hooked up with that traveling aid group.” He made it sound like she’d joined the circus.

  Yeah, worrying that she’d cause a scandal or cost them money.

  “Dad—” Her stomach knotted. Stay strong. “I will leave St. Isidore, but not yet.” She focused on taking long, deep breaths to ease the tightness building in her shoulders. “There’s a little girl under my care who was kidnapped on Sunday too. I need to find her.”

  Her dad sighed. “You can’t save the whole world, Alexa. Leave it for the police and come home.” A static-filled pause followed.

  She bit back a retort. He would never understand. “I’ll call you soon,” she said. Then before she could change her mind, she hung up.

  For several minute
s, she stood in the center of the room, gathering the tattered shreds of her composure. Finally, she opened the door and waved Dan inside.

  His eyebrows drew together as he closed the door behind him. “How’d he take it?”

  She rubbed her face and took a deep breath. “Not well.” Understatement of the year.

  “Did you tell him about Flore?”

  “Only that she was missing.” She turned away from his intense look and scanned the room. The rebels had left behind nothing but file cabinets full of charts and the sink attached to the wall. “I’m not ready to tell anyone about the adoption.”

  He crossed his arms and held her gaze. “I understand that you want to keep this to yourself, especially now, but I think if you told your dad at least, he might be more understanding about your need to stay.”

  “Maybe, but I’m not sure he’d support my bid for Flore, and I don’t want him to interfere with it in any way.”

  He cocked his head. “Why would he—”

  She waved off his question. “Does it matter? I think we should spend our time figuring out how to find Flore, not bickering over how to handle my father.”

  Right before her eyes, his face turned to stone, instantly devoid of all expression. “You’re right,” he said, his voice flat. “I didn’t mean to pry. It’s not my place to tell you how to deal with your family.”

  Her chest tightened. She hadn’t meant to be so harsh. “Dan—”

  “It’s fine.” He strode back to the window and kept watch. “Until Kurt calls, we don’t have much to go on,” he said, all business now. “But we need to get moving as soon as possible. Frederick’s men could return any time.”

  Clearly he was ready to change the subject. She sighed. Her brain was buzzing, trying to figure out where the rebels would take the children.

  Dan reached into his bag and crouched to spread a map on the floor. “Do you know anything about black market adoption in St. Isidore?”

  “No. I thought after what happened in Haiti, the local government was trying to lock things down. Of course, SIR owns half the government, right?” She thought again of her determination to go through proper channels with Flore. “I was so naive…”