Classified

by Debra Webb

He couldn’t move for a moment. Frustration, primarily due to his own actions, should have been the reason, but it wasn’t. Truth was he couldn’t resist the opportunity to watch her hips sway as she walked away.

  He was in serious trouble here.

  9:32 a.m.

  LEVI MADE THE DECISION to leave the truck parked two blocks from the hotel in a service alley. He hadn’t seen any sign of Fernandez’s goons but that didn’t spell relief. Trouble could show up anytime, anywhere.

  The Hotel Americana sat right on the bay directly across the street from Club Delicia. The six-story hotel worked for their mutual purpose.

  Though Levi hadn’t seen the point in letting the presidential suite, Casey had insisted. He closed the room’s elaborate double entry doors and dropped his bag on the floor. She’d already stashed her bag in the en suite in preparation for hitting the shower.

  The room was massive with ornate detailing from the lavishly carpeted floors to the soaring coffered ceilings. The nightly rate equated to approximately half his weekly salary. Ridiculous.

  Casey opened the French doors that led out onto the balcony. “What’d I tell you, Stark?”

  Yeah, yeah. The exorbitant rate was worth paying since the room had two balconies. One overlooking the bay, but, more importantly, another facing the street and Club Delicia.

  Levi joined her on the balcony. He had to admit the view was stunning. Unfortunately his eyes were not on the bustling city scene below but on the woman beside him. He shut them tight and castigated himself. He hadn’t drunk the water or eaten anything that would make him loco but he definitely had gone down that path.

  “Snap out of it, Stark.” She whacked him on the shoulder. “We’re alive and still on target. That’s half the game.”

  “You want to shower first?” He needed some distance and a few minutes to get his head together.

  She waved him off, apparently more interested in the vista. “You go ahead. I want a long, luxurious bath in that amazing tub. You won’t want to wait me out, believe me.”

  Levi rounded up his bag and shut himself inside the enormous bathroom. He leaned against the door and worked at erasing the images of her soaking in that made-for-two marble tub that started reeling in his head the moment she mentioned her plan.

  Food and caffeine hadn’t gotten him back on track. Sleep deprivation had to be the problem. Not once since he’d begun fieldwork with the Colby Agency had he experienced such difficulty staying on track.

  He’d been shot at before. He was trained for this. Why the hell couldn’t he keep his feet under him?

  Maybe a shower would clear his head. Incredibly, the separate shower, including full body sprayers and glass on three sides, was larger than the tub. Complimentary soaps and shampoos lined a built-in nook in the shower wall. He turned on the spray of water and set it to hot, chucked his boots and stripped off his clothes.

  He stepped into the fancy, tiled mini room, let the water slide over his skin and grimaced. Too hot. He adjusted the temperature and then just stood beneath the broad-spectrum mist. The tension slowly melted from his aching muscles. He scrubbed a hand over his face, blew off the idea that he needed to shave. Later. This felt too good to move. He turned his back and let the rain of heat work its magic on those tense muscles. Oh yeah. This might take longer than Casey had anticipated. She might be sorry she’d given him first dibs.

  He wasn’t worried about her taking off on him. He had the name the same as she did. Finding and interviewing this Alayna was the next step. If they split up and started asking questions separately they could end up with the same result here as encountered in Pozos. They had to work together. For now.

  The instant her image formed in his head his body reacted. A blunt craving rippled through every muscle as he replayed that crazy kiss…over and over. Arousal was instantaneous.

  Cool air swept through the shower and he opened his eyes.

  He was greeted by Casey’s smile. “Sorry. I just need something from my bag.” Her eyes drifted from his, traveling downward so slowly that his lower anatomy reacted as strongly as if she’d trailed her lips down that same path. When she’d finished her tour she smiled at him again and crossed to the counter where her bag was.

  Levi grabbed a bottle of shampoo and dumped enough on his head to lather a gorilla. He didn’t care if it dripped into his eyes. Maybe he could burn her image from his retinas.

  After she’d cleared out, it took several minutes to rinse his hair. That really had been a stupid idea. A quick scrub of his body and he was ready to find a towel. He checked the room before exiting the shower to make sure she hadn’t strolled back in.

  Shaving crossed his mind again but he passed. Dressed and smelling like a perfume shop, he made his big exit. It had taken some time, but he had his head together now. He had her figured out. The kiss, the invading of his shower time had been about keeping him off balance. That, he decided, was her method of operation. None of it meant anything. It was all just a distraction ploy.

  Well, he was onto her now.

  Surprisingly he found her crashed on the couch.

  Her blond hair glistened against the red and blue silk pillows. Completely relaxed by sleep, the feminine details she tried so valiantly to mask with toughness were breathtaking. Especially the lips. His mouth watered at the memory of her taste.

  He shook his head. So much for having his head together. Yeah, he was really onto her now.

  The French doors stood open. Theirs was an invitation he couldn’t decline, particularly since standing around in here and gawking at her would be detrimental. He walked out onto the balcony and surveyed the street. This assignment had given every impression of being simple. More an exercise in intelligence gathering than anything. But the whole situation had taken a wildly unexpected turn.

  Who else would be looking for the goods on this enigma who called himself Slade Keaton? The timing felt like far too much of a coincidence. One more to add to the growing mountain of evidence that Slade Keaton was not who or what he presented himself to be.

  Levi glanced back at his new partner. Was she working for Keaton? If the past few hours were any indication, she was the perfect ploy to ensure Levi was unable to accomplish his mission. Apprehension mounted inside him, layering the doubts and piling on more questions. Though he couldn’t deny she had been helpful. Getting out of that hole would have been impossible without her assistance. Then again, he wouldn’t have been in that damned hole if not for her poking around in his assignment. Fernandez had warned Levi that someone else was in Pozos asking after Keaton and that she had arrived after Levi, making her presence keenly suspicious. Putting any faith in Fernandez’s word, however, would be like leaping off this balcony and expecting a sudden gust of wind to break the fall.

  In her defense, Casey had gotten Fernandez’s men off their tail in an admittedly risky maneuver back there on that deserted stretch of road. One that had put her own life in jeopardy as well as Levi’s. Then again, no one appeared to have been injured in the exchange of gunfire or the final showdown. Fernandez’s men were, lucky for Levi and Casey, seriously bad shots.

  Then again, had the whole scene been just one big production for Casey to gain Levi’s unconditional trust? Could she really be working with Keaton and Fernandez to throw Levi off track?

  Where had she come from? Who did she work for? Why show up at the same time he did and allow her presence to be known? Someone as skilled as she was was surely capable of operating beneath the radar of her mark.

  So many questions. No answers.

  Levi turned to study the sleeping woman.

  Who the hell was she? He’d asked that question over and over and he still didn’t know.

  More importantly, what power did she possess that had left him so totally…powerless?

  Chapter Ten

  Club Delicia, 9:45 p.m.

  “We should split up.”

  Levi wasn’t sure that was a good idea. His gaze swept over his partner yet a
gain, no matter that he mentally kicked himself each time he made that monumental mistake. He resisted the urge to lick his lips. Casey Manning worked hard to show just how tough she was. She despised any indication of weakness. That had to be the reason her appearance tonight got to him this way. It was so opposite of the Casey he’d come to know these last twelve hours. Strange how so much could happen so fast.

  The red dress hugged her body snugly, showcasing every delectable asset. Sky-high red stilettos added another mile to her shapely legs. He swallowed against the tightening sensation in his throat. She’d tucked up her hair in one of those sexy, loose styles that begged to be undone. His fingers itched to delve into that silky mass and hold her close as his lips got more intimately acquainted with hers.

  “Stark.” She elbowed him. “Did you hear me?”

  He dragged himself back to reality, to the woman he didn’t know and couldn’t trust. “Sorry. Truth is, that dress keeps distracting me.” No need to lie. She wasn’t blind. “I’m not a big fan of red,” he added just to make himself feel better, “but it looks…nice on you.”

  Casey smoothed a hand over the sleek fabric. “Good. That was the intent.” She frowned. “Not to distract you, of course.” She surveyed the crowd in the enormous room. “Them. The dress is for them.”

  Levi tugged at his collar and mumbled, “Lucky them.” A trip to the hotel boutique had outfitted her with that IQ-lowering dress. She had insisted he wear a suit. Black jacket, black trousers and black shirt. Unlike her, he would fade into the background.

  “We splitting up or what?” She searched the mob of faces. “Someone out there has to know Alayna personally. Friends, coworkers. I intend to find them.”

  “As long as we maintain a visual on each other.” He would be able to spot her anywhere in the crowd. Sure there were other women in the room wearing red, but not one who stood out the way Casey did. This step of the mission included having each other’s back. The danger element had already reared its ugly head twice over.

  “You’ve got my number,” she reminded him. “Let me know if you need me and I’ll do the same.”

  The service was still a little spotty as far as calls went but sending or receiving texts was no problem. Casey melted into the throng. Levi felt torn between following her and doing his job. Every male in the club would want to know her. Women were abducted every day, particularly down here. Again, he was out of his mind. If he’d ever met a woman who could take care of herself, it was Casey.

  Levi checked his cell phone to ensure service hadn’t dropped completely. Later he would call Victoria. She was the reason he was here, not Casey Manning. He had to remember that.

  Levi threaded through the fringes of the swarm, staying close to the bar that curved around the room for as far as he could see. The club’s dome-shaped roof made for a soaring ceiling, and tremendous acoustical problems, he expected. Plush gold fabric lined the walls and ceiling in an effort to alleviate the issue. Mosaic tile covered the floor in a pattern of reds, golds and blues, at least the parts he could see. He wondered if tonight’s occupancy had exceeded the fire code or if Acapulco even had one.

  People dressed in every manner of attire flanked the bar and tables. A large, glittering stage ringed the center of the space. But the most troubling feature was the balcony that crowned the room, high above the stage. An equally thick crowd swayed to the music on that level, too. Anyone wanting to keep an eye on someone below would have the perfect vantage for it. Grand staircases, one to the west and one to the east, flowed upward, providing access to that area. Problem was getting through the crowd to reach the stairs and then weaving between the clutches of partiers hanging out on the steps. It was a strategic nightmare.

  He marked Casey at the bar on the other side of the room. Men had gathered around her as if she were the star of the show and had generously offered autographs. Watching the attention they showered on her made his lips tighten. She laughed and tossed that luscious mane of hair. He shook his head. It was another blonde that he needed to be on the lookout for.

  He and his partner—he glanced at her again—had toured the area around the club and hotel most of the afternoon, pretending to be just another pair of tourists here for the pearl-white beaches and explosive nightlife. She’d worn a more conservative pale blue dress today to fit the profile of doting girlfriend. Even then, sans the red dress, he’d had trouble staying focused. At that time, his distraction had fit with his cover. Too bad it hadn’t been just an act.

  Tonight was a different story. He was a single man on the hunt and he needed to step more fully into character. Like Casey. Another look confirmed she was deep into character. Irritation sprouted deep in his gut.

  Focus on the assignment, Stark.

  They’d learned a few details about Alayna today. She lived nearby but no one could say just where. She owned Delicia, having become the owner only three years ago. Before that, as far back as ten years, most who knew her recalled that she had been employed at the club. None were aware of her last name, only her show which likely meant that Alayna was not her real name. Fernandez, it seemed, had gotten most of the details about her correct.

  So far, if they’d had a tail, Levi hadn’t spotted anyone. That would be good news if he were on his A game. Unfortunately, he wasn’t nearly at his best. He may have missed more than he was prepared to admit.

  He paused at the bar long enough to order a sparkling water with a twist of lime. Time to step up to the plate and do what he’d come here to do. Find the truth, or as much available information as possible, about Keaton. Whoever this Alayna was, these were the people who knew her best.

  Applause drowned out the music. Levi faced the stage to see a gaudy swing lowering slowly from the ceiling. A woman dressed in a sequined costume, long shimmering legs crossed, waved to her adoring fans. Blond hair streamed like ribbons of silk down her shoulders.

  So this was the infamous Alayna.

  Her feet touched the stage floor and she hopped out of the swing. The crowd went wild as a host of other dancers rose on platforms from beneath the stage and took positions around the star. The music evolved into a sultry, evocative rhythm and the show began.

  Levi scanned the faces where he’d last marked Casey’s position, but he didn’t see her. He swam through the river of bodies, moving around the club in a pattern that left no niche unexplored. Where the hell was she?

  The performance on the stage continued while his personal drama played out below. Why would she disappear on him now? Their mark was finally in eyesight. Had Casey been waiting for just the right moment to ditch him? Worry and frustration fought for top billing. He’d known that trusting her was a risk. He’d hoped to get a better feel for whether or not be could rely on her but that hadn’t happened. Instead, he’d spent all his time distracted by her beauty and her unpredictable actions. She had kept him guessing down to the wire.

  And he’d danced just like a puppet on the end of that dangling wire. He’d waffled back and forth about trusting her. He had been a fool.

  Levi knew one thing about Casey Manning for an absolute certainty. She was a master at distraction. Nothing she did could be trusted as real.

  Too bad he’d come to that realization just a little too late.

  Fernandez had been right about something else, Levi realized. Alayna was blonde, yes, and she was also beautiful. Like Casey. Was she a master of distraction as well? No one questioned knew her last name, he remembered. Some had lived in this area of the city their entire lives and they knew almost nothing about the woman’s personal existence.

  Levi set his drink on a passing waiter’s tray. He turned all the way around, looking at but not really seeing the mass of faces. He only had eyes for one.

  What did Keaton have to do with this place or this Alayna? The music suddenly sounded deafening. The notion that he’d been had, that this entire exercise had been a ruse, pounded in Levi’s skull.

  “There you are.”

  He turned
to the woman who’d tugged on his sleeve. His partner. And just like that, he was back to square one.

  Casey draped her arms around his neck. “Dance with me, Stark.” Her smile dazzled him, drew him in like a beacon in the dark.

  His arms went around her small waist; his hands settled on the curve of her bottom. He searched her eyes, her face, in hopes of finding some hint of the truth.

  But she would never let him see beyond the charade she had plotted for him.

  Casey tiptoed and pressed her cheek to his. His ability to breathe fled along with the last of his good sense. “I found her personal manager,” she whispered into his ear. Her arms tightened around his neck. “I was told he’s closer to her than her own mother.”

  “Mother? She has family here?” If Alayna was Keaton’s sister, that would make the mother his as well. Casey’s hair caressed Levi’s lips, dividing his concentration. He refused to let the sensation distract him the way everything else about her did.

  “This guy didn’t know the mother.” Casey twined the fingers of one hand into his hair. He tensed. “But he mentioned a mother repeatedly and insisted the personal manager is the key to getting close to Alayna.”

  “Is this personal manager interested in getting closer to you?” Levi winced at how the question sounded. Intensely possessive. Riddled with jealousy. The way her body was exchanging signals with his it was a flat-out miracle his brain still functioned at all.

  She sighed, her breath whispering across his ear. He trembled. She was killing him. The song ended and relief attempted to invade his taut muscles, chasing away the rigidity.

  But she didn’t let go. She pulled him even closer and pressed those lush lips to his already oversensitized ear. “Afraid I’m not his type.”

  The hot, wild tension she’d wound so tightly released in one swift whoosh. He drew back, stared into those alluring blue eyes. “What exactly does that mean?”

  She chewed at that full bottom lip, making him ache to savor that same spot. His mouth watered.