reached for the robe and attempted to cover myself up as Max lifted me off his lap and stood to confront his father. I blushed fuchsia and scolded my body for betraying my emotions.
“No need to cover up on my account,” he leered.
“Outside, now,” Max demanded, pointing to the door.
Their voices rose in the corridor, and I had no doubt who they were arguing about. I couldn’t help but listen as the sound travelled through the thin panelling of the bulkheads.
“I told you, you have one chance. You have to get rid of her, Max.”
“Why the hell do you think I brought her here?” he replied.
I frowned, and my stomach dropped as if I’d just been pushed off a cliff. He can’t mean that, not after…
“Ah, OK. Good lad. Make it look like an accident, and don’t forget we have business to deal with tonight too.”
21
“ Y ou bastard !” I yelled at him through gritted teeth as he stepped back into the cabin.
I tied the robe shut. I couldn’t look at him; I was seething. I felt like I’d been kicked when I was already face-down on the ground.
“Kate, oh god, no.” He came rushing to my side and tried to hold me. I struggled and battered my hands against his chest.
“Get away from me!” I demanded.
“Look at me!” he said, clasping his hands either side of my face, forcing my chin upwards, “Listen to me. This is the only way he’ll believe that… that I’ve gotten rid of the problem – of you.”
Tears leaked from my eyes and streamed down my face.
“Don’t you see? I could never hurt you.” He wiped my tears away with a soft brush of his thumb.
“We have to make it look like an accident, like you got drunk and fell off the boat. I have it all planned, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Please don’t worry,” he added quickly.
“Don’t worry? Are you crazy? You’ve brought me into the lion’s den and you tell me not to fucking worry?”
“I promise, I’ll get you out of this,” he leaned forward, close to my lips. “You have to trust me.”
His breath mingled with mine and as daft as it sounds, my knees went weak.
I melted as he kissed me again. His touch was sensual and addictive. Trying desperately to order all the questions that ran through my mind, trying not to let myself get too distracted, I managed to ask, “What’s the plan?”
He stroked my forehead and caressed the side of my face. “You need to get ready. I brought you some clothes to wear. You need to blend in if this is going to work,” he said as he gestured to the bed.
A small black dress that no doubt would barely cover the tops of my thighs, lay waiting for me on the crumpled bed sheets. Chunky platform heels with peep-toe openings rested at the base of the bed.
“So, let me get this straight. You want me to put my glad-rags on, go mingle with drunken masses and then, what? You push me overboard?” I bent down to inspect the shoes – surprisingly, they were the right size.
“Yes, well, not exactly. You got the first half right. I’ll pretend to push you overboard, all hell will break loose, and you’ll be able to hide in plain sight. When the ship returns to the dock you can disembark among the stampeding idiots and you’re home free… we’re home free.”
“Are you serious? I was joking!”
“It’s the best shot we’ve got Kate.”
“You forgot one thing, genius,” I threw back at him. “Everyone will notice that I’m not wearing any makeup, and I don’t think there’s any complimentary mascara and foundation in the bathroom.”
“Fear not, o snarky one,” he said as he scooted around the side of the bed and retrieved my formerly lost handbag.
I smiled. I couldn’t help it.
His face dropped, “Please tell me you do have some make-up in here, right?”
I laughed then frowned at him. “Of course I bloody do, I’m a woman aren’t I? It’s like a prerequisite.”
“OK, good.”
He walked back towards the small sofa and made himself comfy.
“What are
“No need to cover up on my account,” he leered.
“Outside, now,” Max demanded, pointing to the door.
Their voices rose in the corridor, and I had no doubt who they were arguing about. I couldn’t help but listen as the sound travelled through the thin panelling of the bulkheads.
“I told you, you have one chance. You have to get rid of her, Max.”
“Why the hell do you think I brought her here?” he replied.
I frowned, and my stomach dropped as if I’d just been pushed off a cliff. He can’t mean that, not after…
“Ah, OK. Good lad. Make it look like an accident, and don’t forget we have business to deal with tonight too.”
21
“ Y ou bastard !” I yelled at him through gritted teeth as he stepped back into the cabin.
I tied the robe shut. I couldn’t look at him; I was seething. I felt like I’d been kicked when I was already face-down on the ground.
“Kate, oh god, no.” He came rushing to my side and tried to hold me. I struggled and battered my hands against his chest.
“Get away from me!” I demanded.
“Look at me!” he said, clasping his hands either side of my face, forcing my chin upwards, “Listen to me. This is the only way he’ll believe that… that I’ve gotten rid of the problem – of you.”
Tears leaked from my eyes and streamed down my face.
“Don’t you see? I could never hurt you.” He wiped my tears away with a soft brush of his thumb.
“We have to make it look like an accident, like you got drunk and fell off the boat. I have it all planned, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Please don’t worry,” he added quickly.
“Don’t worry? Are you crazy? You’ve brought me into the lion’s den and you tell me not to fucking worry?”
“I promise, I’ll get you out of this,” he leaned forward, close to my lips. “You have to trust me.”
His breath mingled with mine and as daft as it sounds, my knees went weak.
I melted as he kissed me again. His touch was sensual and addictive. Trying desperately to order all the questions that ran through my mind, trying not to let myself get too distracted, I managed to ask, “What’s the plan?”
He stroked my forehead and caressed the side of my face. “You need to get ready. I brought you some clothes to wear. You need to blend in if this is going to work,” he said as he gestured to the bed.
A small black dress that no doubt would barely cover the tops of my thighs, lay waiting for me on the crumpled bed sheets. Chunky platform heels with peep-toe openings rested at the base of the bed.
“So, let me get this straight. You want me to put my glad-rags on, go mingle with drunken masses and then, what? You push me overboard?” I bent down to inspect the shoes – surprisingly, they were the right size.
“Yes, well, not exactly. You got the first half right. I’ll pretend to push you overboard, all hell will break loose, and you’ll be able to hide in plain sight. When the ship returns to the dock you can disembark among the stampeding idiots and you’re home free… we’re home free.”
“Are you serious? I was joking!”
“It’s the best shot we’ve got Kate.”
“You forgot one thing, genius,” I threw back at him. “Everyone will notice that I’m not wearing any makeup, and I don’t think there’s any complimentary mascara and foundation in the bathroom.”
“Fear not, o snarky one,” he said as he scooted around the side of the bed and retrieved my formerly lost handbag.
I smiled. I couldn’t help it.
His face dropped, “Please tell me you do have some make-up in here, right?”
I laughed then frowned at him. “Of course I bloody do, I’m a woman aren’t I? It’s like a prerequisite.”
“OK, good.”
He walked back towards the small sofa and made himself comfy.
“What are
Similar Books
