Exposed

by Samantha Keith

  “This is gorgeous,” she breathed.

  Nate squeezed her arm in the crook of his. They had to act the part of a happy couple at all times. Which was pretty damn difficult of a task for two agents. “Shhh. You’re not supposed to be impressed. No one else here is.”

  Ashley grunted and they stepped into the elevator. His nerve endings hummed through his body. What was taking Maddie so long? She should have been here a long time ago. The ship would be leaving in an hour. There was no way in hell he could deport without hearing from her. When they got to the room, he’d contact their other agent on the ship that had been placed with the concierge. He’d be able to see if she had checked in.

  His phone buzzed against his thigh. Anticipation shot through him as he dug his hand in his pocket and pulled it out.

  I’m here.

  She was safe. Relief washed over him and the vise that had been squeezing his chest loosened. He turned the screen to show Ashley, and punched the eighth floor button.

  The elevator dinged and the doors started to close.

  “Hold the elevator,” a voice called, as a long, olive-skinned arm slipped between the crack. The doors bounced open, just as Nate pressed the button.

  “Sorry about that, I didn’t see you.”

  Two men brushed through the door. The smaller of the two pulled his sunglasses off and Nate curled his hands into fists.

  “No problem. There’s a wave of people coming behind me, so we’d better hurry up.” Carlos loosened the tie at his throat and cuffed up the sleeves on his suit jacket. Ashley’s fingers dug into Nate’s forearm in warning—as if he didn’t know who he was.

  Nate released the open button and the doors glided shut. He cleared his throat. “Floor?”

  “Eighth.” Carlos leaned back against the elevator wall and smiled at them. His gaze lingered on Ashley. Disgust roiled through Nate. The breadth of his bodyguard’s shoulders spanned the width of the elevator. The cart lifted off the ground and after a few floors, the elevator shaft turned to glass and they had an expansive view of the atrium.

  Nate forced a smile. The muscles in his face strained in protest. “Beautiful ship. Have you been on it before?” he asked. Ashley squirmed next to him, and he tightened his hold on her arm. The bodyguard didn’t look at them. Hector Jose was a rough and hard sonofabitch.

  The elevator slowed to a smooth stop and the doors opened. Carlos extended his hand to let them off first. “First time. Although it first sailed in January so it’s still very new.”

  “Ah, well you guys have a good time.” Nate waved and led Ashley through the doors and down the hall. Ashley waggled her fingers and followed Nate. They stayed close at their heels and fire scorched up Nate’s back. He tucked Ashley’s hand close to his side as they proceeded down the cerulean blue-carpeted hallway.

  He stopped at the wide double doors of their suite and fished his key card from his pocket.

  “Look at that, we’re neighbors.” Carlos gave him a jovial smile, but his green eyes darkened a shade. He dug his hands in his pockets. Hector rapped his knuckles against their door.

  “Small world.” Nate smiled and swiped the key in the lock. Carlos’s door swung open and Maddie stood in the doorway. Her long hair tumbled in loose waves around her shoulders, blond highlights flashing through the chestnut strands. Goddamn, she’d changed her hair. His breath caught in his throat and he froze with his hand on the door.

  Carlos beamed and turned to face Maddie. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her slim fingers tangled in his hair as her mouth closed over his. Carlos groaned and turned to press her against the door. Her lashes flicked open and landed on Nate. Her eyes went wide and she froze in Carlos’s arms.

  Carlos’s dark brows snapped down and he frowned at her. Like a slate wiped clean, Maddie straightened and flashed her perfect teeth. “Hi honey, you made it.” Her neatly manicured fingernails curled into his hand. “Come see the room, it’s gorgeous.”

  Ashley covered his hand with hers, opened their door, and nudged them inside. He moved through the door just as Hector closed Carlos’s door behind them. His eye caught Carlos’s hand slide over Maddie’s ass as she led him into their suite.

  Pressure built against his temples. Ashley sidled in front of him and shut the door. Her brown eyes flashed at him and the corner of her mouth twitched.

  “Don’t even think about it,” she hissed. Her long finger pointed at his chest. “Whatever is going on between you and Maddie, you need to leave that shit on land. Got it?”

  Hot air blew through his nose. He rubbed his face with his hands and turned from the door. Christ, what had he been thinking? That he could break the door down and knock Carlos out for touching Maddie? If he didn’t get his emotions in check, he was going to fuck everything up.

  Chapter 6

  A dark shape stepped in front of the warm sun, casting her in shade. Maddie shielded her eyes and smiled at the short man dressed in white.

  “Here you are, Mrs. Santiago.” The waiter handed her a tall margarita and passed her a napkin. She cringed. The urge to correct him seared through her mind, but she forced a smile.

  “Thank you,” she said sweetly, the corners of her mouth ached in protest. He nodded and turned away. She propped the back of her chair up, lifted the sunglasses from her eyes, and rested them on her head. The pool deck was swarming with people, at tables and in loungers, and some were floating in the massive pool.

  Red, low-slung swim trunks caught her line of vision. Her gaze dragged up long, muscular legs, and lingered on nicely tanned abs. God, he was ripped. Water coursed from his dark blonde hair and trailed over taut nipples on his broad chest. Her mouth went dry. A deep, steady throb started low inside her.

  The memory of his hot mouth sealing over hers and his fingers curled into the back of her neck flashed through her mind. It had taken everything in her to walk away from him that night in her apartment, but she’d had no choice. Nate would never risk everything for her, and if he had walked away from her again, it would have cut her like a knife. So she’d done it for him.

  A low whistle brought her eyes to his.

  One eye narrowed at her and he wagged his finger near his hip. Heat seared across her chest. She shifted in her chair and turned her cheek away from him. A loud splash split the air and she turned back as he surfaced, his long arms cutting through the water. Thank god, Carlos was on a conference call in the room. It was next to impossible to be in such close proximity to Nate without reacting. She hadn’t known he’d be at the pool, yet her eyes had sought him out amongst at least one hundred people. She took a long sip of the ice-cold cocktail in her hand. Tangy sweetness touched her taste buds, but it did nothing to cool the flames that had spread to her cheeks.

  “Maddie? Is that you?” a shrill voice split the air behind her. Maddie shot forward and whipped her head around. Her margarita sloshed over the side of the plastic glass and coated her hand.

  Brittany Renner let out a squeal and scurried across the deck. Her strawberry blond hair hung in a ponytail at the top of her head, and she wore white shorts and a navy blue tank top. She dropped onto the side of the vacant lounge chair beside her and threw her arms around Maddie’s neck. Panic lodged at the back of Maddie’s throat as she pulled out of Brittany’s embrace.

  “What are you doing here?” She forced the words through the tightness in her throat. Brittany’s freckled brow furrowed and her cool blue eyes squinted. Damn. She’d been stupid to assume she wouldn’t run into anyone she knew. With the wealthy crowd that circled her family, and on a ship like this, she should have expected the possibility. Her pulse slowed and she fought the urge to massage her temples. If Brittany met Carlos, she would blow her cover. Brittany had always had a mad crush on Ethan and asked about him every chance she got. If Carlos found out her brother had been with the FBI and was now a private investigator, she’d be screwed.

&n
bsp; “I’m on a cruise, honey. What are you doing here?” Her mouth dropped open and she straightened her shoulders sharply and scanned the deck. “Who are you here with? Are you seeing someone?” she hissed as she leaned in and snagged Maddie’s hand.

  Maddie swallowed and turned in her seat to scan the crowd. It was on the tip of her tongue to point out a random stranger, but that wouldn’t work. She had six days left on the ship and there was no way in hell she’d be able to avoid Brittany that long. Nate strode across the deck, the bulging muscles in his biceps flexed as he moved. Even from a distance, his scowl at her made her whip her head toward Brittany.

  She had to stop looking at him. She cleared her throat and squeezed Brittany’s hand.

  “I’m with… a guy.” She leaned in as if she were letting her in on a big secret. “Actually, he’s married.” She dropped her gaze to the blue towel on her lounger.

  Brittany gasped, and her lips formed a giant ‘O’. “Maddie! You’re so bad,” she cried. But her eyebrows lifted with interest. “Who is he?” She asked, peering over Maddie’s shoulder.

  “He’s on a business call right now. But he’d be so upset if he found out someone who knows me is here. We’re trying to be discreet, so if you see us together please don’t say anything.” She pleaded, her voice dropped low. Concern etched the smooth ivory of Brittany’s skin.

  “Oh my god. Is it someone well-known?”

  “No, not really.” She tucked the corner of her mouth in at the irony of the question. If she told Brittany that Carlos was well-known for drug-trafficking, she might have a heart attack.

  “He hasn’t broken it off with his wife yet, and he’s paranoid about bumping into people. My coming on this trip was very last minute, but we couldn’t resist the chance to be alone.” Disgust swirled inside her. Since they’d set sail yesterday, she and Carlos hadn’t had any alone time. Carlos had stayed out late with the guys, and she’d faked a headache and had gone to bed early. Tonight was formal night and they needed to be at the main dining room for cocktails at five p.m.

  Brittany nodded and understanding creased the fine lines beneath her eyes. “It must be so hard to sneak around. Is it serious?”

  Maddie lifted a shoulder. A flash of red crossed her peripheral vision, but she focused her gaze on Brittany’s. No way in hell she’d let him catch her checking him out again. Her tongue burned as another lie formed on her lips. There was no help for it. Brittany being here was like a ticking time-bomb—unless she had a reason to watch what she said.

  “I like him a lot. He told me he and his wife have had problems for years, and she has expressed wanting a divorce.” She sipped the pale yellow drink in her hand. “We’ll see what happens. I’m not going to hold my breath. For now, we’re having fun, and if he doesn’t want to leave his wife then we’ll end things.” She set her drink down on a nearby table and zeroed in on Brittany. “But you have to promise that you’ll pretend you don’t know me. It would really upset him.”

  Brittany pouted and crossed her legs. “But we’re both on a cruise, how can we not hang out?” Confusion clouded her eyes and Maddie’s fingernails dug into her palm. It wasn’t Brittany’s fault. She was a nice girl, and they’d been friends since college, though it had been months since they’d gotten together. As much as she liked Brittany, it was difficult for Maddie to be around people that didn’t understand her career path.

  Maddie forced a smile. “Of course we can. I’ll tell Carlos we just met. You just have to be very careful not to bring up my family or past.”

  Slim, carrot-colored eyebrows rose. “You mean he doesn’t know who your family is?”

  Apprehension churned in her stomach, eating away at the lining. Carlos wasn’t stupid. He knew she drove an expensive car, and lived in a high-end area. She’d told him her family had money, but if he looked into her background, he would find that the Worth family was one of the wealthiest on the west coast. Thankfully, if he looked into her siblings, he would find nothing on Ethan. As a private investigator and ex-FBI agent, Ethan had ensured that his background was covered up. Of course Carlos had questioned why she was working in a club and not traveling or shopping like most trust fund babies. She’d shrugged and told him she was bored of that life, and that because her parents didn’t agree with her moving to Miami, they’d limited her funds. He’d bought it.

  “Not exactly.” Maddie’s toes curled into the smooth wooden planks on the deck. If Carlos finished his call early, he would be looking for her. “Where’s Henry?”

  Brittany straightened her spine and turned her wrist to glance at her watch. “Oh my god. I have to meet him for lunch.” She got to her feet and Maddie stood next to her. “Will you be at the formal dinner tonight?”

  “Yup, and Carlos will be there too.”

  Brittany’s smile lit up her eyes. “I can’t wait to meet him. And don’t worry, I’ll be extra careful—just keep the champagne at bay.” Her laugh tinkled through the air. If she had to, she’d take Brittany down to prevent her from getting drunk. She was a busybody, and alcohol would only loosen her lips more.

  Maddie laughed and Brittany turned and waved. “See you tonight,” she called. Maddie’s shoulders relaxed and she dropped back in her seat. She lifted her margarita glass and took a long sip. The cool liquid coated her throat. She’d dodged a bullet, but the danger was far from over. She’d introduce Carlos to Brittany tonight, but after that, they had to keep their distance. It was too much of a risk.

  Her cellphone chimed in her bag next to her and she groaned, and then set her glass down. She reached inside her bag and pulled the encrypted phone from the tear inside the liner of her bag where she’d hidden it. Nate’s number popped up on the screen. She swiped to open the message.

  Who the hell was that?

  She lowered the sunglasses over her eyes. Without lifting her head to gaze around, her eyes glided over the heads of people around her. Where had he gone? He had to be watching her, because he wouldn’t have sent the message until Brittany had left. The back of her head burned; he had to be behind her. She scooted her feet under her and rested back against the lounger. She’d only been out an hour and the skin on her thigh was already a nice golden tone. She glided her fingers over the keys.

  A friend from Seattle.

  A beat passed.

  Hell, Maddie, that’s bad news.

  She sighed. Like her brother, he always doubted her. Don’t worry, I handled it.

  He’s coming. Be careful.

  Maddie’s stomach dropped to her toes. The urge to whip around in her seat rattled through her, but she forced her bubbling nerves down and hid her phone in her bag. She lowered the back of her chair so that she lay down in the full ray of the sun, and let her head loll to the side.

  If he told her to be careful one more time…

  His constant breathing down her neck and watching over her shoulder had to stop. She needed to set him straight—

  “Hey, doll. I missed you.” Carlos’s smooth, sultry voice sounded from behind her. He leaned over the top of her chair, and the acrid scent of alcohol warmed her skin as his hot lips pressed against her cheek. Her fingers tingled to wipe the spot his mouth had vacated, but she lifted her sunglasses and smiled as he sat in the lounger next to her.

  She turned on her side and pillowed her cheek in her palm. “How’s your father doing?” Carlos’s family owned a custom yacht company in San Juan. His father’s health had been failing in the last few months, so he’d asked Carlos to check on the company and ensure things were running smoothly. This was the business aspect of their trip. Word on the street was that in his last visit home, he’d returned with a million dollars’ worth of cocaine. A yacht travelling out of Puerto Rico would be subject to inspections. Could that be why he wanted to go on the cruise? So he could bring back drugs and avoid such scrutiny?

  A cloud crossed over the sun, dimming its rays. Th
e salty breeze swirled around the deck and the loose strands of her hair floated across her chin.

  He groaned and settled back in the seat. “Not good.” He reached over and laced his fingers with Maddie’s. Dampness from his palm burned through her skin.

  She turned her head to face him, and examined the strained lines around his mouth. Aside from the fact that he was a scumbag and a dangerous criminal, he was a human being losing his father. His white button-down shirt hung open at his chest, revealing a gold chain around his neck and thick, dark chest hair. His chest wasn’t nearly as wide as Nate’s… or as muscular. Carlos kept his jaw smoothly shaven, where Nate let a little stubble come through.

  “I’m sorry. Is the business okay?”

  He crossed his ankle over his knee and let go of her hand. “Yeah, it’s doing well. Where the hell is the waiter? I need a drink.” The flat line of his jaw set and his fingers curled into a fist. She hadn’t experienced Carlos’s wrath yet, but on more than one occasion a hint of his temper had flared.

  “I can run to the bar for you, boss. What do you want?” A deep, rumbling voice sounded from behind them. Maddie’s heart lurched in her throat and she turned in her lounger. Tony stood behind them, his long, dark fingers curled over the edge of Carlos’s chair. Fear bit into her and her pulse beat in triple time. He wasn’t supposed to be here.

  “I’ll have a mojito. Thanks, Tone,” Carlos said.

  “Anything for you, Maddie?” His dark, onyx eyes burned into hers. The corners of his mouth hitched up into a salacious grin. He wore only dark blue swim trunks, the locks of his ebony hair brushed his bare shoulder. An alarm screamed in her head.

  “No, I’m fine.” She turned in her chair and closed her eyes as the sun peeked around the dark cloud. The last thing Carlos had told her was that Tony would be staying behind to keep an eye on the club. Why had he changed his mind? Having him here made things a hell of a lot more difficult.