Today was a day for action. Last night she had achieved her goal. Her astonishment at who had helped her achieve that goal hadn’t diminished. Sarah Reddington had always looked so serene and happy. Had she adopted that attitude to deal with difficult circumstances or was it for the benefit of her children? The stark pain in the woman’s eyes told a story of a torturous life.
As much as she wanted to help her, Jamie knew that the best thing she could do was get the information to the proper authorities and let them deal with Reddington. Having her husband behind bars might not repair the damage that’d been done to Sarah, but hopefully it would give her some peace of mind.
Jamie understood that the next step in her plan might well be her most difficult. She had to get Dylan alone and—
A hand grabbed her arm and spun her around.
Instinct and training kicked in; Jamie swung a right jab toward her assailant’s face. The man blocked her easily and pulled her hard against him.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
She had never seen him so angry. Even during their worst arguments, he’d been coolly controlled. Jamie took a breath to still her pounding heart and quell the flush of need that was already zooming through her body. She raised her chin. “You know exactly why I’m here.”
His hands tightened on her arms, and his eyes went that dark forest green. For just an instant, he lowered his head, and Jamie knew he was about to kiss her. The hard masculinity pressing against her stomach was a clear indicator that desire had trumped anger. Swallowing a groan of anticipation, Jamie stood on her toes to meet his mouth.
In the next instant, he pushed her away. His eyes on full glare now, he snarled, “You have got to be the most stubborn, idiotic fool this side of the equator.”
“I may be stubborn, but I’m not a fool. I told you I had a surefire cover. You chose not to believe me.”
“You also told your sister that you were working as a teacher in Louisiana.”
“The location might be different from what I said, but I am working as a teacher.”
“Do you know what you’ve gotten yourself into?”
“I knew exactly what I was doing.”
“And do you know that you’ve got a goon fighting me for your attentions?”
“What are you talking about?”
“What’s wrong?” piped a small voice.
Crap, they’d been so involved in each other, neither had heard Amelia. Jamie smiled down at the little girl. “Nothing’s wrong. We’re just having a minor disagreement.”
“Like Mama and Papa do?”
Hell, she hoped not. Jamie shook her head. “It’s nothing … really.” She gave Dylan a telling look. Upsetting Amelia would serve no purpose. “Mr. Wheeler, Amelia and I need to start our school day. Perhaps we can talk about this at another time?”
Dylan gave her a stiff nod, then glanced down at Amelia and winked. “Guess I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.”
Taking the little girl’s hand, Jamie started back to the mansion. “I’ll talk with you later, Mr. Wheeler.”
“I look forward to continuing our discussion, Mrs. Jennings.”
Jamie moved as fast as her feet would carry her. Fortunately, this speed was normal for Amelia and the child had no problem keeping up with her. Her mind was whirling as quickly as her feet. The reunion with Dylan hadn’t exactly gone as she’d hoped. She had expected he’d be furious … she just hadn’t known how furious. Nor had she known that the instant she realized who’d touched her, she had immediately started wanting him. She was used to her silly heart longing for him, but did her body have to be equally as silly?
“Do you have a crush on Mr. Wheeler?”
So much for hiding her thoughts. Jamie shrugged. “He’s kind of handsome, isn’t he?”
Amelia gave an emphatic nod. “Almost as handsome as Raphael and my papa.”
Jamie swallowed a laugh. She didn’t know who would be the most insulted, Dylan, Raphael, or Reddington.
“How about we check that math homework I gave you and then see what Junie B. Jones is up to today.”
Another emphatic nod and the girl took off running. Jamie followed her at a slower pace, her mind on the upcoming confrontation she and Dylan were going to have. She hadn’t even had the chance to tell him she had the files.
At that thought, she smiled to herself. She may not have gone about it the way he would have liked, but she had accomplished what she’d set out to do. Dylan would have to admit that.
She stood in the middle of her bedroom, stiff and still. She knew he was there. Dylan had learned early that Jamie had good instincts.
He wanted to shake her until her teeth rattled, and at the same time he wanted to kiss her until neither of them had any breath left. How the hell had he missed it last night? He had sat across from her, talked with her. Hell, he’d even flirted with her—sort of.
And she’d sat there, smiling and chatting as if they’d never met. As if he hadn’t ever kissed her breathless, licked every part of her body, or been so deep inside her that her heartbeat had felt like his own.
Dylan swallowed back a groan. He’d walked around the island at a punishing speed and was still pissed. Didn’t help that the moment he’d walked into the bedroom and smelled lemons, he’d gotten hard again.
How long had she been on the island? What the hell had she hoped to accomplish? Yeah, he knew she thought she was so damn smart to have fooled Reddington. And she’d probably gotten a good chuckle over fooling Dylan. But just what did she think she could really do here? The files weren’t just lying out in the open for her to grab. And even if she’d been able to accomplish stealing the files, how did she plan to get off the island?
Halfway around the island, he’d realized something. He was as angry at himself as he was with her. He’d been stupid to take her at her word. He dealt in lies and deceit daily, but when it’d come to Jamie, he had believed her … trusted her. Even knowing how determined she was and how angry she’d been when she had left the cabin. He had called her an idiot, but that was the pot calling the kettle black.
Now he had to figure out how to get her off the island before she got hurt. He’d come here expecting to rescue Raphael, so this really didn’t change his plans that much. Well, with the exception that he was going to have to fight Bruno for her.
Without turning to look at him, she said, “Are you going to say anything?”
“What’s there to say?”
She turned around, and Dylan felt the gut punch he always felt in Jamie’s presence. Hell, no wonder he’d been attracted to Karen Jennings. Looking at her now, he saw Jamie, not Karen. Though her hair and eyes were brown, she wore glasses, and she’d done something with the shape of her face to make it look different, he could now see Jamie clearly.
“I know you’re still angry, but when you—”
Dylan raised a hand to cut her off. “You still don’t get it. You not only put yourself in unnecessary danger, you’ve put me in a position of protecting you. I don’t need the hassle.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. No one has any idea of my identity. I don’t need your protection.”
“Really? Well, tell me why I’m fighting Bruno over you tonight.”
A wrinkle developed on her smooth brow. “Who’s Bruno?”
“Reddington’s man. The one who looks like a gorilla on steroids. He’s interested in you.”
Her nose scrunched in a grimace. “I saw him looking at me last night. But why are you fighting him?”
“Reddington’s idea. Bruno said he wanted you … I took exception to that. Tonight, we’re going to decide who gets to court you.”
Her hands went to her hips, indignation and temper heightening the color in her face. “I’m not a pork chop for two dogs to fight over.” She turned to the door. “I’ll go set Reddington straight right now.”
Dylan was on her before she could move another step. Bringing her body flush against
his, he said, “You’ll do nothing of the sort. If he knows I told you, he’ll get pissed. I need to stay on his good side until I can get what I came for and we can leave.”
Jamie closed her eyes at the sensation of being pressed against Dylan’s hard body. How was it with that one touch, he could make her forget everything? The anger from seconds ago had just been doused by a major case of want and need.
“Okay.” She winced at how breathy she sounded. Why couldn’t she at least act a little sophisticated? With Dylan, her body knew nothing about denial or playing hard to get. It wanted what it wanted.
Apparently, Dylan also felt that need. Pulling her closer, he wrapped his arms around her and growled in her ear, “I’d forgotten how damn good you feel.” He paused, then added, “Have you put on some weight?”
Jamie snorted out a laugh. “That’s one question you should never ask a woman.”
He turned her slowly around, and it was all she could do not to wrap her arms around him. She couldn’t do that. Even though his body was giving every indication that he’d welcome the advance, throwing herself at him again would be stupid.
Dylan surprised her by pressing a kiss to her forehead and then leaning his forehead against hers. “We need to come up with a plan to keep you safe until I get what I need.”
“I have what you need.”
A groan came from deep in his chest. “Yeah, but that’ll have to wait until I get this job done.”
Exasperated, Jamie pushed away from him. “That’s not what I was talking about. I have the files.”
Dropping his arms, he backed away from her. “You have them? How? Where?”
“I copied them onto a flash drive. It’s in my cosmetics case.”
“How did you get them?”
“Mrs. Reddington.”
His face went dark in suspicion. “Why would she help you?”
Jamie explained how she and Raphael had been trying to get into Reddington’s files using a different word each night for a possible password and how she’d gone by herself last night only to find Mrs. Reddington waiting for her. “I think something he did yesterday must have tipped the scales for her. She looked hurt and sad but very determined.”
Dylan nodded. “She and Reddington had some harsh words as soon as he got off the yacht.”
“Probably because of Raphael.”
“That’s what I figured. I hope to hell the kid’s thousands of miles away by now.”
Jamie shook her head. “I don’t know. He and Giselle are crazy about each other. I’m not sure he’d leave her.”
“He’d better. Armando is going to the hospital today. Reddington told him to bring both of them back.”
“Then I hope he’s far away, too. Giselle is safe here; Raphael’s not.”
“There’s someone else Armando’s bringing back.”
She didn’t have to ask … she could see it on his face. “Lance.”
“Yeah. It’s Reddington’s birthday present to his wife.”
She was once again back in that room, hearing his voice, seeing the evil in his eyes. Revulsion churned her stomach, threatening to bring up everything she’d eaten today.
“Jamie, look at me.”
She jerked back to the present. Dylan was standing only a foot away from her, his eyes dark with concern.
“You can plead illness. You don’t have to see him.”
Her heart picked up an optimistic beat. “Neither of us do. We have what we need. We can leave.”
“We can’t … at least not yet. Armando took the boat, and from what I can tell, it’s our only mode of escape. Also, if I don’t show up for the fight, they’ll start looking for us immediately. Our best bet is to leave after everyone has gone to bed. We can be gone hours before they notice. I’ll come to your room about three.”
She nodded. Even though she hated that he’d have to fight the brute, Jamie knew he was right.
“I’d better get out of here before I get caught.”
“I’ll see you at dinner.”
“Jamie, you don’t have to come.”
“I know, but facing my demons is the only way I’m going to get past this.” It was the first time she’d given any indication that Lance Reddington had done something to her. She hoped Dylan didn’t ask her any questions. Just making that statement had been a breakthrough. Revealing the truth was going to take more time.
“I’ll be there if you need me.”
Unable to stop herself, Jamie leaped into his arms. As they closed around her, she held him tight. “Thank you, Dylan.”
He pressed his lips briefly against her hair, then dropped his arms and walked out the door.
Stanford stood by the wide window of the ballroom, separated from the rest of the party. It was, by necessity, a low-key affair. Sarah didn’t have friends. But with a family like theirs, friends weren’t necessary.
Giselle had returned home. Armando had picked her up from the hospital. The doctors hadn’t wanted to let her go, but Armando could be very persuasive. Raphael had been nowhere around. When Armando had asked about the young man’s whereabouts, his daughter had reportedly burst into tears and claimed he’d left her, without explanation.
Had Raphael not been as enamored of the girl as he’d thought? Giselle’s face was pale, her eyes red-rimmed, and for the first time ever, Stanford thought she looked plain and unattractive. Did he need to have a talk with her about keeping herself presentable? Was that why Raphael had left? Had she let herself go and the young man had lost interest?
When he’d arrived yesterday and discovered Raphael and Giselle’s absence, he’d been livid. Though Sarah had insisted that there had been no other option, Stanford had questioned the veracity of her word. Had there been a flicker of secrecy in her eyes?
He’d spoken with Joseph, who had assured him that Giselle’s injury was indeed serious. And though reassured that a hospital had been a necessity, he’d chosen to chastise Sarah anyway. The punishment had been quick but effective. She’d cried and whimpered throughout the process, as usual. Sarah had known about these rules for over two decades, and it had been years since she’d broken them. A reinforcement of his mandates was just an added insurance that they could never be broken without dire consequences.
But now, things were back to the way they should be. Once again, she was happy and content. The joy on her face when she’d seen Giselle had been worth the trouble.
Lance was in his room. Soon he would make a grand entrance and her birthday present would be complete. Nothing made his dear wife happier than to have all of her babies in her nest.
He glanced over at the other guests. Armando was having an intense-looking discussion with Bruno, which was interesting. The two men didn’t normally acknowledge each other, much less carry on a conversation.
John Wheeler stood apart from the party. The man wasn’t the social kind, but what he lacked in those skills he more than made up for with his knowledge of the business. Stanford anticipated that Lance would learn much from his new tutor.
The teacher, Karen Jennings, sat beside Giselle and seemed to be trying to comfort the girl. That was good. Maybe she could encourage his daughter to improve her appearance. Not that the Jennings woman was much of a looker, but she had a certain attractiveness that would appeal to some men. Wheeler and Bruno certainly thought so.
After the party ended, the real entertainment would begin. Watching the two men fight over a woman appealed to Stanford’s romantic nature. Of course, once it was clear who’d won the contest, he’d take them aside and explain the rules of the island. Taking a woman by force was sometimes a necessity, but in this case, he wouldn’t allow it. Amelia seemed to like her teacher. And the woman got on well with Giselle and Sarah. Having her damaged would upset the serenity of the island.
He didn’t anticipate any problems. The woman was widowed and would probably welcome a man’s attention. Once the party was over, he looked forward to confiding to her that two men were fighting over her. Any
woman would be flattered with such attention. He hoped blood didn’t bother her, since he anticipated an entertainingly brutal event.
He checked his watch … finally time for the grand entrance. Stanford moved toward his wife, and held out his hand. “Sarah, it’s time for your final present of the evening.”
Smiling up at him with the same grace and beauty that had captured his attention when they were both still teenagers, she stood beside him. “I’m sure it will be wonderful.”
“Turn around and look at the door.”
Still smiling, Sarah twisted around and gasped. Lancelot stood at the entrance. With a smile as cocky and self-assured as ever, he held his arms outstretched for his mother to walk into them.
Instead of running to him, Sarah took a startled step back. Stanford frowned down at her. “Go to him. He’s your gift, my dear.”
With her face pale but composed, she stretched her lips into a smile and rushed toward Lance. “Darling, how wonderful to see you again.”
In the middle of taking a sip of her drink, Jamie froze. She knew he was at the door. Somehow one just knows when evil arrives. Her hand wasn’t as steady as she’d like, so she put her drink down. Spilling it would call attention to her, and if there was one thing she didn’t want right now, it was to have anyone looking at her.
Of course, that didn’t include Dylan. He’d stood separate from everyone else, but the instant Lance appeared, he moved closer to Jamie. One of the many things she loved about Dylan—he didn’t have to know details to be protective. It was as instinctive in him as evil was to Reddington and his low-life son.
Both Giselle and Amelia seemed pleased to see their brother, but he barely spared them a glance. He hugged his mother, and then Reddington grabbed his arm and immediately brought him over to Dylan.
Jamie couldn’t look at Lance. She kept her eyes on Dylan, concentrating on his rock-solid steadiness, the strength of character in his face. And somehow, without him even looking directly at her, she knew he was aware of her and was giving her comfort.
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