Beneath the Secrets, Part Two (Tall, Dark & Deadly) by Lisa Renée Jones Page A

Blake
stared at Ignacio. Tension laced the air, thick like quicksand
about to swallow them whole. Kara was pretty sure she could feel
herself sinking now. Her fingers flexed on her gun, her body tense
and ready for action, all too aware that all Ignacio had to do was
move his finger and she was dead. Her only comfort was the
knowledge that Ignacio knew Blake could kill him just as
easily.
    Finally, Ignacio moved, holstering
his weapon under his leather coat. “You want to see my operation,
you ask.”
    “Why would I do that?” Blake
challenged, letting his gun drop to his side and reaching for
Kara’s hand to pull her to her feet by his side. Protective.
Possessive. It was getting harder and harder to remember he was the
enemy.
    “Because I said,” Ignacio
growled.
    “You got something to hide?” Blake
asked.
    Kara discreetly stuffed the
binoculars she was holding inside her purse; afraid the sight of
them would only bring attention to her spying and ignite more
trouble.
    Ignacio glared at Blake. “Most of
my men won’t ask questions before they shoot.”
    Blake arched a brow and holstered
his gun under his jacket as Ignacio had done. “Sounds like a good
way to draw unnecessary attention to the operation. I’m not sure
that’s what your uncle has in mind.”
    “You’re good at justifying why you
kill someone,” Ignacio said. “I’m good at making bodies
disappear.”
    “Interesting,” Blake said
dryly.
    Ignacio scowled. “What does that
mean?”
    Blake shrugged. “Just taking in the
details, man. Finding out who is who in this operation.”
    Ignacio bristled, clearly not
liking that response, and without warning, his gaze snapped to
Kara. “Why are you here?”
    Kara opened her mouth to reply, but
Blake beat her to the punch. “She’s here because I want her to be.”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her under his
arm, sending heat darting through her body.
    “And how does my uncle feel about
you wanting his
secretary?”
    Secretary. Kara liked that word. It
downplayed her many skills outside the office. Exactly why she kept
her mouth shut. Good little secretaries didn’t tell nasty
drug-smuggling cartel members to go fuck themselves. Good girls in
general didn’t tell people to go fuck themselves, but she’d left
the good girl behind several months ago.
    “Your uncle is pleased to give me
whatever resources I need to ensure his operation is without
problems,” Blake assured him.
    “So he loaned you his
secretary?”
    “I wanted her,” Blake stated
flatly. “I generally get what I want.”
    Kara tried to hide the tension
coiling in her spine at the obvious declaration that she was now
Blake’s woman and his property, but she knew his motivation. The
men in this world didn’t kill each other’s women. It was like some
unwritten code of honor, when they had so little anywhere else.
Blake was trying to protect her, but that didn’t make it easier to
play the role of his bedroom bunny.
    Ignacio’s gaze raked over Kara, hot
and sticky like a summer day you wanted to escape but couldn’t,
before he cut Blake a look. “I hope she’s as eager to please as my
uncle is to punish those who cross him.”
    “Punishment is underrated,” Blake
said dryly. “I guess that’s why your uncle hired me. I get what he
wants. And, on that note, I’ll be getting back to work.” He drew
Kara’s hand into his and started to walk away, pulling her with
him.
    “Wait,” Ignacio called, halting
them in their footsteps.
    Blake turned back to him, casting
him an expectant look.
    “We’ve gotten off on the wrong
foot,” Ignacio said. “Why don’t I buy you a drink?”
    Blake turned back to him and Kara
did the same. “It’s a little late for a drink, don’t you
think?”
    “Welcome to my world, where we
sleep in the daylight and make the most of the night.”
    Blake’s lips compressed. “Are the
restaurants open late?”
    “Twenty-four hours,” he said. “It
keeps the