Stone Cold Angel (The Perfect Order Book 2)

by Amy Deason

  With Nikolas leading the way, she descended three short steps into a stunted hallway paneled in solid white oak. Two doors stood waiting, one on either side, both were closed tightly.

  “In here,” Nikolas said, motioning to a door on the left.

  Stepping past him, Cadence entered the stateroom and turned to look back at him.

  “Stay here.” He began to pull the door shut.

  “Wait.”

  He paused, half in, half out of the room. “There’s clean clothes in the dresser and food in the fridge. Take a shower and eat.”

  “Are you coming back?” The words were out of her mouth before she knew it. She sounded needy and desperate and it disgusted her, especially after what happened between them in the car. But she couldn’t take it back now.

  A slow smile formed on his lips. “Don’t I always?” He slipped out of the room, leaving her completely alone.

  Staring at the door, she considered following him but the captain was out there and it was obvious he didn’t like her. She wasn’t sure a man like that could like anyone. Besides, she needed a shower and food. And clothes. No way was she going to keep running around half-naked. So far it had gotten her nothing but trouble. And now she was alone on a boat with two men, four, if you wanted to count their unexpected passengers. Not good odds.

  She took a slow spin, examining her new prison. She had to admit it was a definite improvement over the last one.

  The walls, painted the color of seafoam, were adorned with silver-framed pictures, each one depicting ocean scenes or sunsets. A television, hung neatly on one wall, resting above a table and chair crafted entirely from driftwood, its knotted surface littered with pink and white conch shells. The dresser, an ivory beast, stood valiantly at the foot of a queen-sized bed in the corner. Above the bed was the room’s only window. Set deeply in the wall, it was circular and much too small for her to try and escape through. But where was she going to go anyway? Into the lake?

  She spied the refrigerator, a mini version, next to the bed and her stomach rumbled. It had been so long since she’d had a decent meal and she was starving.

  Stalking over, she bent down and scanned its contents. Soda, water, carrot sticks, blueberries, strawberries, mixed nuts. Even fresh muffins. All of her favorite snacks.

  Damn him . . .

  She heard the boat’s engine start. It was a low, rumbling noise quaking from beneath her feet. Not terribly unpleasant. With only the smallest shift, the boat began to move. There was no turning back now. If there ever had been.

  Grabbing a handful of blueberries and a bottle of water, she plopped down on the bed. She ate the berries one by one, enjoying the quiet pop as the tiny fruit exploded in her mouth. The sweet juice ran over her palate and she closed her eyes, sighing. She’d never tasted anything so wonderful. Or maybe they simply tasted so good because she was starving. Whatever the reason, she was devouring them like there was no tomorrow. And the way things were going, she thought, tossing another berry into her mouth, there may not be.

  Chapter 12

  Shutting the door behind him, Nikolas leaned against his back against the wall and closed his eyes.

  Shit. This girl was beginning to drive him crazy.

  Cadence was everything he hadn’t expected. Angry, determined, brave, tender. She was weaving some sort of spell over him. And the worst thing was, she didn’t even know how much she was affecting him.

  Kind of like Jenika . . .

  Rescuing Jenika Malikov from those Nepali bastards hadn’t been easy. But what else could he have expected? Sex trafficking was a booming business and Nepal was a leader in the field for exporting young women to various places around the world.

  And with her killer looks and demure personality, Jenika had been the perfect target. She would have fetched a high price if he hadn’t gotten her out. With her soft eyes and gentle smile, he’d been half in love with her by the time they crossed the border into India.

  They reached the port of Mumbai before the traffickers caught up with them. Attacking from all sides, they took the girl. And he had a choice to make. Go after her or take down the head of the organization. Foolishly, he thought he would have time to do both.

  And now it seemed as though he was falling into the same pattern with Cadence. Well he was not going to make the same mistakes again. It had to stop.

  Pushing himself away from the wall, he opened the door across the hall and stepped inside. The bathroom was small, much smaller than the one in Cadence’s room but it had everything he needed. A shower, a sink, and most of all privacy. Pulling the phone from his pocket, he hit one button and waited while he was being connected to Charlie. She picked up on the first ring.

  “Yes.” Her voice was crisp.

  “We’re on the boat. With Kirill.” He hadn’t expected to see another operative anywhere near his mission. Least of all Johnnie Mack, or Kirill as he was obviously going by today.

  “Good,” Charlie said, not offering an explanation for Kirill’s appearance. He hadn’t expected anything less. Charlie made her decisions and went with them. She didn’t answer to them, they answered to her.

  “Kirill said it should take about four hours to get to the island.”

  The sooner, the better.

  He wanted this mission done and over with. He wanted out of Russia. But most of all, he wanted Cadence gone.

  “Are you positive she told you everything?”

  “Yes. I made sure.” For a second, his mind drifted back to the scene in the car. Her silky skin against his fingers, the moans and whimpers coming from that mouth. And the tears. Shit, the tears.

  Nikolas cleared his throat. “She doesn’t know anything other than what I already told you. Phillip had the feeling he was being followed. He was probably right.”

  “Yes, I imagine he was. Dmitry’s getting desperate and that’s never good.” Charlie sighed. “I really hope the girl is telling the truth about Valaam. Although I can’t imagine what clues her father might have left on the island. If any.”

  “I don’t know but I intend to find out.”

  “Nikolas.” Charlie paused. “You realize when this is all said and done, something will have to be done about the girl.”

  His mouth went dry. He knew where Charlie was going with this but he refused to follow her lead. The most effective way to silence a witness was to kill them. He’d done it before with no problem. This shouldn’t be any different. But it was. Because this time it was Cadence they were talking about.

  “I’ll take care of her,” he growled. The protectiveness in his voice surprised him. And it apparently surprised Charlie as well.

  The silence on the other end was total and filled with a tension he could feel across the miles between them. He could just imagine her staring at the phone, tight lipped and with narrowed eyes.

  Thank God she’s not in front of me now.

  “Be sure that you do.” The click in his ear was deafening. Shit, she was not happy but at least she was going to let him deal with things. But there was still the issue of Johnnie and why he was here.

  Kirill. I have to think of him as Kirill for now.

  Kirill had been with the Order for several years before he had been recruited. Having only worked with him a handful of times, Nikolas knew he was as efficient as they came. But why was he even here?

  There was only one answer that made sense.

  Charlie had sent Kirill to check up on him. To make sure he could handle this. Well, it was time to show her he could.

  ~ ~ ~

  With a belly full of assorted nuts and fruits from the mini fridge and two cream cheese muffins, Cadence wanted nothing more than to stretch out on the bed and sleep. Maybe she could recapture the peacefulness she’d had in the car before Nikolas woke her up, bringing her back to
the stark and dismal reality of her life. But she could still smell the rotten scent of sewer on herself. Uttering a deep sigh, she knew until she showered, there would be no possibility of sleep.

  She dug around in the chest of drawers, trying to find a simple pair of jeans and a T-shirt. The problem was there was none of that. Everything in here looked as though it had been taken from a lingerie magazine. Lacy nighties, short shorts, see-through tops. Even the underwear was downright minimal. Nothing but thongs and G-strings.

  Grimacing against the unappealing choices, she chose the least revealing set of clothing she could find and carried them to the bathroom. She set them on the counter and turned on the shower. Stripping off the stained T-shirt and panties she wore, she tossed them into the clothes hamper in the corner of the room and stepped under the water.

  The hot water felt delicious against her skin and she stood under its powerful spray, letting it wash away the tension from the last few days. As the heat seeped into her muscles, loosening them, she uttered a sigh of pure relief. God, how she needed this.

  She doused the purple loofah with body wash, inhaling the light scent of lilacs and ran it over her skin. As she scrubbed, everything fell away. The kidnapping, her time in the Chamber, the sound of gunfire, even the poor little girl in the sewer. It all evaporated like a puff of smoke. All but Nikolas. Her mind kept returning to him time and time again no matter how much she fought against it.

  Mentally exhausted, she gave up and let her mind wander where it wanted. Nikolas’s dark good looks and lean body were waiting for her as well as his anger and ruthless attitude. She relived every moment she’d spent with him beginning with the disastrous rescue in St. Petersburg to him locking her in this room. She remembered every angry look and hateful word he gave her. And the way his eyes darkened with some painful memory that he refused to share with her. But she also remembered the moments he’d been gentle with her. The way his whole face lit up when he laughed and his obsidian eyes sparked with passion when he looked at her. And the feel of his lips.

  Good Lord . . .

  Her breath caught as she remembered his mouth on hers and more recently, his fingers as they touched her, working their magic and turning her into an emotional wreck. Each touch, each movement, relived in slow motion. She should have stopped there with those memories but her mind was on a roll and it began to venture into other, more intimate fantasies starring her dark knight. She imagined the way his body would feel next to hers as they lay together in bed. The way his skin would taste underneath her tongue. The way his tongue would feel on her . . .

  Snapping her eyes open, she felt ashamed. She should not be thinking like this. The man was trouble, and she was in enough of it as it was. Letting her mind run in that direction was only going to make things worse. She needed to stop now before she decided fantasies were no longer enough and made a grave mistake with Nikolas. Though she would certainly enjoy it at the time, she would pay the price for it later. And she had a feeling the cost would be too rich for her blood.

  She turned off the water and stepped out of the tiny shower stall, grabbing a soft, fluffy towel from the shelf. Running it methodically over her body, she dried herself, fighting against the lurid fantasies still running through her mind. It was stupid really, letting her imagination get the better of her. If she was so eager to lose her virginity, it should be with someone safe. Someone like Jefferson.

  Yes Jefferson. That would be much more her style.

  As soon as she got out this mess, she was going to find him and beg his forgiveness for being so prudish. She was going to take him to the first private place she could find and throw herself at him. Her innocence would be gone once and for all. Maybe then Nikolas wouldn’t have this crazy hold over her anymore.

  Mind made up, she swiped at the fog-covered mirror, staring at her reflection. The determination showed in her face. A face that belonged to her mom.

  Her dad had been right. She was the spitting image of her mother. Down to the dimple in her left cheek. God, how she missed her. She missed everything about her. Her smile, her laugh, the way she could hug any hurt away. She sure could use one of her mom’s hugs right now. But she would never feel her mom’s arms wrap around her again. Or her dad’s. She couldn’t believe he was gone. Disappeared from her life like a puff of smoke.

  It wasn’t fair!

  Feeling for the locket at her neck, she squeezed it in her palm, thankful for this solid reminder of her dad. She ran her fingers over the notes he’d etched in the gold, remembering how she’d mistakenly thought they were part of her favorite musical piece. She smiled as she heard the horrid riff in her mind. The range had been all wrong and the notes didn’t even correspond with one another. She hadn’t really been surprised. After all, her dad didn’t have a musical bone in his body. But he’d been so proud of his handiwork she didn’t have the heart to tell him.

  Cadence shook the bittersweet memories away and reached for one of the cabinet drawers, hoping for a stick of deodorant.

  As usual, Nikolas had thought of everything. First the clothes and food and now the body lotion, deodorant, and razors. There was even a finger nail file in case she decided she wanted to do her nails. Almost as if she were on some sort of summer vacation rather than running for her life.

  You would be if you would have just stayed home . . .

  Shut up, she told herself. What was done was done. There was nothing to do about it now. She just had to stay one step ahead and get out of this mess alive.

  Swiping her underarms with the blue-green gel, she grabbed the lotion next, smearing it over her skin as her mind turned to Nikolas and what exactly he hoped to find at Valaam. As far as she knew, there wasn’t much there. A monastery inhabited by monks and a few residents scattered along the island. But her dad had gone there for a reason. Hopefully they could find out why and Nikolas could get whatever it was he needed so she could escape from this madness she’d found herself entangled in.

  She had just pulled on the minuscule pajama shorts and matching top when she heard something from the other room. She held her breath, listening carefully.

  There it was again. A sort of shuffling noise.

  Oh. It must be Nikolas. Maybe he decided to come back and torment me some more.

  A flood of heat raced through her, kick-starting her fantasies again. She really had to rid herself of these dark, erotic thoughts. If she didn’t, he’d take one look at her and know.

  She ran her fingers through her wet hair.

  Know what?

  Her heart spoke up, answering the question quickly and easily.

  That you’re beginning to fall for him.

  Her mouth dropped open as the thought came to life. Falling for him? Him? Seriously? Was she out of her freaking mind? No, absolutely not. Not him. Anybody but him. It just couldn’t be true.

  Then prove it, her mind challenged.

  Taking a deep breath, she lifted her head proudly and opened the door, ready to face him and destroy this madness her heart was spewing. She managed to take three full steps into the room before she realized it wasn’t Nikolas staring back at her.

  Chapter 13

  “Did Charlie send you or is this your own doing?” Settling himself in the passenger seat beside Kirill, Nikolas laced his hands behind his head in a mock display of relaxation. Right now, he was anything but relaxed. But just because he was on edge didn’t mean he had to show it. It was something he’d learned over the years. Never show your true feelings. To anyone.

  Sometimes, he grumbled to himself, it was easier than others.

  The glass enclosed wheelhouse was small with only enough room for the two seats, a variety of controls, and the steering wheel but somehow Kirill had managed to make room for a coffee maker. The rich smell of coffee filled the room, making Nikolas’s mouth water.

 
Thank God. After the day he’d been having, he needed something to get him through until they reached land again. Reaching forward, he poured himself a cup of the hot, dark liquid and took a drink.

  Oh yeah, this is just what I needed.

  Taking another sip, he briefly wondered if Cadence might want a cup. He squashed the idea immediately. He didn’t know if she liked coffee or not and besides, he didn’t want to mess with her anymore tonight.

  Liar!

  All right, it was a lie and he knew it. He wanted to do more than mess with her. He wanted to turn around and go back to the stateroom. He wanted to remove the rest of the meager clothing from her body and lay her on the bed. He wanted to make love to her over and over until they reached the island.

  Wait, make love?

  He didn’t make love. He fucked.

  “. . . help.”

  Giving himself a mental shake, he returned to what Kirill was saying. He’d only caught the last word but he could guess the rest. Charlie had sent the other operative to lend a hand. But damn it, he didn’t need any help. He could do this on his own.

  Anger began to build but he held it back. Just because he knew he could manage this alone didn’t mean Charlie did. And being the leader of this little gang of highly skilled misfits, she had to be sure. The last thing she needed was a botched mission or for him to crack under the pressure like Seth Reynolds had.

  But to be fair, he hadn’t been in the game nearly as long as Seth. And Seth hadn’t actually cracked. Oh, he might have eventually if he hadn’t gotten out when he did. Anyone could see he was reaching the end of his rope. It was a good thing Madison Sinclair had come along when she did, sticking her pretty little nose where it didn’t belong. She had probably saved Seth’s life. And his sanity. It would have been a sad thing for Seth to end up like Gabriel Benson. They were still searching for that rogue agent. But unless the murdering bastard wanted to be found, he wouldn’t be.