“Oh,” she nodded. He walked her towards the bed, when she was seated, he started the session again. While Mason was getting to know her, he was taking off her shoes, and rubbing her feet. He saw Clint grinning at him in the background.
“Lydia, I’ll get you the funds in about ten minutes,” Rylie promised. “I have a question, though.”
“Shoot,” Mason said.
“How good is this Aiden guy? Will he be able to pull off acting like the file we put together? He’s basically going to have to act like a silver-spoon sadist. He looks like he can do mean, but what about the silver-spoon part?”
“Rylie,” Darius stopped rubbing her feet and tilted her chin towards him. “He’s a SEAL too. It’s just like it was with me. Only with him, he’s SEAL-squared. He’s a senior chief, he’s one of the biggest and baddest. He can do and be anyone. If we need him to squat and lay a golden egg something tells me he could.”
“Ewww.” Lydia’s face was scrunched up. “Seriously, Dare, that sounded foul.”
“I’m trying to make a point. If we need Aiden to act like Lord Jarlson, he can pull this off in his sleep. Trust him, Rylie, he will be perfect.”
“I trust you, Dare. So what else has been planned?”
He loved the fact she didn’t seem upset about them having planned things without her. He’d been wrong about her, she fit into the team just fine.
“Rylie, as soon as you all leave for the auction, Drake is going to fly to the island, he’ll be available to get the mother and baby to a hospital if need be. He’ll also work with me to stand guard over those women and that newborn. Nobody is going to get past us.”
“I wish we could just take down that part of the operation at that point,” Rylie said.
“You and me both, sister,” Lydia agreed. “But we have to take down all the parts at once. Drake will be perfect to make sure they are secure until the final forces rain fire down on everyone.”
“That’s my job. As soon as we know we have all of the buyers, Little Liu, and Sick Old Fuck together, I will call in all the reinforcements. With our team in place, we’ll be able to make sure none of the innocents get hurt,” Mason said.
Darius laughed at Rylie’s look of disbelief. “Did I just hear you refer to Albert as Little Liu and his uncle as Sick Old Fuck?” she asked Mason
“Oooops, I’m sorry, Rylie,” Lydia said with a giggle. “That was my fault, I might have come up with some nicknames.”
“Are you kidding? There’s nothing to apologize for, I love it. I think I can now handle this lunch. I’m going to be a happy camper sitting down with them thinking of them with those names.” Rylie was finally wearing the smile he had come to love.
Chapter Eleven
Albert and Jiang stood when Rylie and Darius came on deck.
“Please sit, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Rylie protested.
“Nonsense, Sylvia,” Albert said smoothly. He motioned his hand toward the dining table where he and his uncle had been sitting. “We weren’t going to start eating until you and Mr. Lawrence joined us anyway.”
“Ms. Hessman, my nephew told me you were beautiful, but he again failed to express just how radiant and rare your beauty was. Please sit near me.” Shit, that little speech now guaranteed she wouldn’t be able to choke down any food.
“Thank you, Mr. Liu.”
“Please call me Uncle Jiang. We are going to become well acquainted.”
“Allow me to introduce you to my friend. This is Darius Lawrence, he is the CEO of Tourn-a-Stunt, a video game company located in San Diego.”
“How do you do?” Jiang gave Darius’ hand a perfunctory shake before turning back to her. He spoke in a low tone. “I hear we have a great deal of critical business to discuss, my dear.”
“Not in front of Dare,” she whispered back.
“He should leave us then.”
“If he leaves the boat, I leave.”
“Yacht, this is a yacht.” Jiang corrected her.
“Whatever kind of vessel this is,” she whispered, “we’ll both be leaving. I suggest we all sit down to a nice lunch and leave business talk for a later time.” She watched as he turned red in the face. He turned to Albert and spoke harshly in Chinese. Albert gave her a distraught look. She shrugged her shoulders. Darius covered his mouth with his hand. She was sure he was grinning.
“Darius, I hope you like seafood,” Albert said as he indicated for them both to sit down.
“I do, Albert. I also like it when my hosts speak in a language I can understand.” Score one for the SEAL. This time, it was her turn to cover her mouth with her hand.
“I apologize for my rudeness. I am still not familiar with your western culture. Tell me more of your company, Mr. Lawrence,” Jiang requested.
A beautiful Asian woman served them, Rylie made note of the fading bruises on her wrists. Just one more nail in Jiang’s coffin as far as she was concerned. They ate as Darius launched into boring financials comparing different start-ups to the company he was supposedly running. Rylie watched the body language between Jiang and Albert. It was obvious Albert was running scared about something.
She wished she wasn’t surrounded by the Liu’s. But Rylie took solace from the occasional glance Darius threw her way. Every time he lifted his eyebrow, she knew he was thinking of their nicknames.
“Sylvia, the plane will be ready for you in two hours. Will you be ready to go by then?”
“Of course.”
“What plane?” Darius pretended to act surprised.
“I’m going to be flying to the mainland to work on the arrangements for the upcoming antiquities auction.”
“I know you told me you were moving up the schedule. Why don’t I go with you?”
“You’ll be flying out the day after tomorrow. Right now I need all of my focus on arranging the details.” Rylie watched the two Asian men bristle as she told Darius what he should do.
“You’re right, Sylvia, I don’t want to have to fly back to San Diego, just to fly back here in forty-eight hours. I might as well work from here. If that’s okay with you, Albert?” Darius looked at their host who gave a gracious nod of ascent.
“I’ll go and pack,” she said as she stood up. All of the men stood as well.
“I’ll go with you, honey,” Darius said. They made their way off the yacht and walked back to the house.
“I’d really prefer it if I could go with you,” he said. So would she, but they had their plan, and it was a good one. They made it to their room, and went through their normal check for surveillance and didn’t find any. Apparently Albert had given up trying to bug their room.
“We have two hours,” Darius said.
Rylie looked at her watch. “Actually, we have an hour and a half, and I still need to pack.”
“I’ll help, that way it should take ten minutes—tops.” He reached for her. She went into his arms eagerly. “Dammit, Rylie, I don’t want you to go. What’s more, what’s this shit about me supposedly going to the auction? Are you all planning on killing off good old Darius Lawrence?”
“Nah, there is going to be a last minute change of plans, and I’m going to arrange for your office to call you back for an emergency. Unfortunately, some of your servers are going to go offline.”
“You are evil. Why not do it now?”
“I told Albert if I did it now, you’d just show back up in Vancouver in time for the auction, it would work better if I timed it for the day of the auction.”
“That’s one of the things I adore about you, you’re always thinking.” She tugged out of his arms.
“What? What is it?”
“Nothing.” She gave a fake smile. “I’m just being overly sensitive.” She went back and hugged him.
“It was the word adore, wasn’t it? You can’t handle it when I use words of affection.”
“Sure I can. I adore it when you call me honey.” She grinned.
“Rylie, this thing between us is more than this operation. This is the sta
rt of something long term. I’m not letting you go.” This time, when she went to tug away, he wouldn’t let her.
“I appreciate the sentiment, but–”
“Fuck this shit! I’m so deep in love with you, I’d paint Rylie Jones across my toenails except I’d be drummed out of the Navy! I’m thirty years old. I think I’m due to collect social security next month so you can be damn fucking sure I know my own mind. You’re it, Rylie Jones.” He scooped her into his arms, then settled her down on the bed as gently as a feather. He brushed back the hair that had flown across her face.
“Rylie, baby, please, please listen to me. Listen with your ears, your mind, your heart. Mostly your heart. I love everything about you. You’re the most precious thing on Earth to me.” Rylie could barely see his brown eyes because of her tears. He couldn’t possibly mean it, only her little family loved her.
“I see your mind going sideways, love. Don’t. Don’t do it to yourself, and don’t do it to us. You are worth it, we’re worth it. We’re one of the couples who are going to make it. Unless...”
“What?” Now she couldn’t see him at all because of her tears, so she touched his face, trying to make out his features. He took her hand and kissed her palm.
“Unless you don’t feel the same way.”
“It makes no sense.” Rylie didn’t believe in love. Not for her. This falling in love, and happily ever after was nonsense. But Darius, he was so worthy and deserved the truth.
“How could I not love you? If I were ever to let myself dream, you would have been my dream come true. I love you, am in love with you, and that will never change. But I don’t ever want you to feel obligated.”
“God dammit, I want to be obligated. I want everything with you.”
“Can’t we just make love this one last time?” She sobbed.
“Shhhhhh, it’s okay. Yes, baby. Whatever you need. Don’t cry. It’s all going to work out. I promise.”
***
Dammit, he knew this stemmed from the shit that went down with the Edwards family and her sister. But that was for another day, right now he had a woman to comfort, and hopefully make love to.
Rylie was frantically unbuttoning his shirt, and he didn’t stop her. He knew she needed this connection, that it was the only one she truly believed in. It about broke his heart, but he never wavered from a mission, and this one would be won. While she yanked at his clothes, he gently divested Rylie of hers, enjoying the sight of her smooth skin being exposed. He marveled again at her delicately made breasts she thought were too small when they were really absolutely ideal. Darius feasted on the soft plump flesh, and soon she was writhing beneath him, her hands trapped between them as she tried to unbuckle his belt.
He rolled, so she was on top, and then he slowly continued to work their clothing off, sheathing himself in protection in the process.
She sat up, her hair falling down around them, and her blue eyes glittering like gems. Her arousal was as obvious as his.
“Now I have you where I want you.” She leaned down and kissed the middle of his chest.
“That’s funny, I was thinking the same thing.” He easily lifted her and spread her so she was positioned over his cock. Rylie’s eyes widened as she braced her hands on his chest.
He watched every nuance of expression on her face as he lowered her onto his erect flesh, not wanting to cause her a moment of discomfort. She wiggled, but he was ready for her this time and kept his hold tight.
“Now.”
“We’re doing it my way this time.” It might kill him, though, he thought. God, no torture ever invented had felt so painfully good, as Rylie’s tight sheath surrounding him one slow inch at a time. Finally, she had taken all of him, and her eyes were wide as saucers as she looked down at him, her nipples hard berries, that had him sitting up to taste.
“Please move, please do something, Dare. You’re killing me.”
“Honey, this is your show.” Somehow her eyes got even wider, and then a slow smile spread across her face, as Rylie realized she was on top. She moved up and moaned at the sensation. Darius felt beads of sweat forming all over his body, it was going to take everything he had not to take over.
Rylie continued a slow, shy rhythm that was breathtaking. It reminded him of the ocean at dawn, peaceful on the surface, with deep currents that would send you spinning out of control just below. Eventually, her movements turned awkward as her breathing shortened.
“Help me, please.”
Darius moved his hand downward and brushed his thumb over her slippery clit. She pressed closer, her movements more erratic. He wrapped one arm around her waist, as he churned upwards, his thumb swirling against her sweet spot.
“Dare,” her voice was hoarse. He used his substantial strength to guide her body up, then down. She threw back her head, her hair brushing his sensitive flesh, and groaned at the sensation. She looked like a Goddess above him.
“Now, Dare, I’m coming.” She was, he saw her shimmer and shudder, and as she thrust down he pushed up and once again they shot into oblivion together.
***
“You worry too much. I’m going to be seeing Finn soon. And even if I don’t, I have the tracking device.” She held up her wrist with the charm bracelet. Darius’ face still looked like it was carved out of granite.
“Sylvia would call her lover to let him know she arrived safely. I expect that call. As a matter of fact, you have to check in every three hours.”
There was a little part of her, okay a large part of her, that worried about going. Hell, her throat still hurt from where a guy had tried to kill her!
“Are you nuts?” she exclaimed. “Every three hours is overkill.”
“I want to know what in the hell is going on. I don’t want to have to just rely on that fucking tracker if I don’t have to. Remember Aiden is flying in early, so he’ll be on Vancouver Island if you need him. He’s going to find you if you don’t call in.”
“I hate that part of the plan, if Jiang or Albert get wind of him being there, all bets are off. The whole mission goes up in smoke.”
“They won’t. You have to trust us. Believe in us.” She saw his utter confidence, and she couldn’t not believe.
“I have to go.” He gripped her shoulders and dove in for a kiss. She opened to him, needing everything he had to give. When he was done, he had to steady her. He handed her purse and laptop bag. She pulled out her lipstick and re-applied it. Then he picked up her suitcase and they walked out to the foyer.
Chapter Twelve
“You’re on time. I like a woman who is prompt.” Jiang smiled.
“As do I, Uncle Jiang.” Rylie smiled.
“I will be going with you to Vancouver Island,” Jiang said. Darius gripped her hand tighter.
“I am honored.” Rylie gave the old man a fake smile while Albert gave her a desperate look. He had obviously not been aware of his uncle’s plans. The front door opened, and the female servant came in loaded down with luggage. Darius went to help her with it.
“Do not, Mr. Lawrence, it is her place to take care of such tasks.”
“A man does not stand idle while a woman is burdened,” Darius said as he assisted her with the four suitcases. She looked scared and grateful at the same time.
The sound of the seaplane was unmistakable.
“We should go now.” Jiang motioned to the woman who went to pick up the luggage again. Darius stilled her hand.
“I’ll get it.” This forced Jiang and Albert to each pick up a piece of luggage while Darius carried two. Now the woman looked really frightened. Rylie stood back, and as the men went first, she put her hand on the woman’s arm.
“It will be all right.”
“No, it won’t. I will be in trouble.”
“Please trust me.” The servant shook her head. Again Rylie thought about the fact Jiang would soon be in prison, with any luck a Chinese prison.
Once everything was loaded on the plane, Darius tried to kiss her, but R
ylie turned her head at the last moment so he kissed her cheek instead. “Call me when you arrive,” he growled.
“I will, Darling Dare.” She got into the seaplane and watched him continue to wave to her until she could no longer see him.
“Your man seems quite devoted to you.”
“I prefer men like that,” she replied to Jiang.
“He seems foolishly chivalrous. He needs to take command he is the man.” Rylie didn’t reply.
“We have not had a chance to discuss business, you and I. Everything my nephew has told me has impressed me. It seems he has only been successful since he has decided to utilize your talents.” Rylie looked at Jiang for a long time.
“Have you nothing to say?” he asked sharply.
“I didn’t hear a question,” she replied.
“My nephew lacks a certain business acumen. I wanted to hear your assessment.”
“If you think he is successful because of me, and he had the intelligence to go into business with me, then I would say he has a keen sense of business management.” She smiled at the old man. He looked like he had sucked a lemon.
“He also hired Kenneth Klein. That was almost a fatal mistake.”
“I took care of it.”
“Aren’t you upset?”
“Again, I took care of it.” She brushed a piece of imaginary lent off of her suit.
“We are set to make twice as much money because of you wooing this new buyer, Terrance Jarlson.”
“We? I was unaware you were part of Albert’s business venture. As a matter of fact, I know nothing at all about your holdings. I was surprised when you decided to come with me.”
“I fund all of Albert’s little endeavors. As for what I do, you would be surprised. I have come here to evaluate you, and see if you would be capable of taking on more product. Right now girls in China are a very hot commodity in our native land, so there is no point in shipping them abroad. But, Vietnam, Thailand, and other Asian countries produce nice crops I could easily export.” Rylie almost gagged.
“Of course, I could assist you.”
“That is excellent news.” He patted her knee. “I am very interested in seeing up close and personal, how you turn these ducklings into swans. I also can’t wait to see how this silent auction is run. It sounds fascinating.”
Her Daring SEAL (Midnight Delta Book 5) Page 16
