My body snapped to attention when I heard the door to my room open and close. Without opening my eyes I knew it was her. The scent of her perfume announced her presence.
"Where the hell have you been?" I asked still not bothering to open my eyes.
"I went for a swim and a boat ride." Kayla replied not even hinting at the fact that she was surprised I was awake. I opened my eyes and sat up in the bed and was damn neared by the sight of Kayla in a candy apple red bikini. Taking a deep breath, I turned away to get out of bed.
"Did you find out anything?" I asked with my back to her.
"No not anything in particular." She answered, her voice coming from the bathroom. "Did you?"
"I found out a few interesting things, like the fact that there is supposed to be something big going down on the island tomorrow night." I said turning toward the direction I heard Kayla's voice coming from.
"You already knew that." Kayla responded, emerging from the bathroom in a bathrobe.
"Yeah, but what I didn't know is that one of Roberto's freaks is fed." I replied my eyes now devouring her face with slow precision. Is she naked under that robe? Concentrate Rodriguez, if you slip up now that could mean all of your lives, be cool.
"Really?" Kayla asked, pausing as a frown crossed her face. "Which one?"
"Bella. She's been working this case for a couple of years, but hasn't gotten anything but a wet ass for her troubles," I said, smirking.
"Antonio! God, do you have to be so nasty?" She asked throwing me a disgusted look as she continued to head toward the closet.
"What?" I asked confused.
"Nothing." She responded shaking her head and taking a deep breath. "Two years on a case and nothing incriminating? He's careful." She mumbled to herself, chewing on her full bottom lip.
Damn! Why wouldn't she let me do that? "I don't know whatever's happening tomorrow night has her excited," I said sitting on the foot of the bed. I watched the expressions on Kayla's face go from scrutiny to horror.
"You told her who we were and why we're here, didn't you?"
"What? No, she already knew who I was."
"Do you think we can trust her?" Kayla asked composing her expression.
"I'm not seeing that we have a choice. If she was going to go to Roberto she probably would have already done so by now."
"What makes you so sure she hasn't already?" Kayla asked folding her arms.
"We're not dead are we?" I asked.
Kayla stared at me for a moment longer and turned her attention back to sifting through the clothes in the closet.
"I'll keep a close eye on her." I heard her mutter under her breath. I stood and walked to the window that gave and watched the tide come in. My mind touched on everything Bella and I discussed. Things I couldn't tell Kayla. Ignorance was more than bliss in her case, it would sustain her life.
"Did Roberto say if dinner was going to be formal or casual?"
"What was that?" I asked turning away from the window.
"You haven't heard a thing I just said have you?" She asked narrowing her hazel eyes at me until they became slits of light.
"No, I'm sorry my mind was somewhere else." I admitted.
"Where?" Kayla asked suspiciously. "I mean...you are telling me everything right."
"You don't trust me now?" I asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"Yeah, I trust you enough to know that you will do whatever it takes to keep me out of the mix. Including keeping things from me." She said, approaching me like a beautiful predator.
"Casual." I responded. That pump brakes on her.
"What?" She asked.
"You wanted to know how to dress tonight. It's casual."
"Antonio-" She began but the rapt on the room door cut words from her throat like a well sharpened blade.
"Yeah?" I called out. No response, then ten seconds later there was another rapt. I gave Kayla a look and she gave me a nod in return. I watched as she eased over to the bed and reached under the mattress to withdraw an all-black three fifty seven magnum. If my concentration would have not been on who the hell it was outside the door me and her would've had a few words.
I watched as she placed herself on the other side of the door and then gave me a nod. I frowned at her an answered the door. When I opened it, Ava stood there with her face screwed in a scowl.
I smiled. "What can I do for you Ava?"
"Rober-, Senora Guevara wanted you to know that dinner will be served in an hour," Ava said. With that said she looked me up and down and huffed. Turning on the heel of her, she shuffled back down the hall. I heard Kayla exhale as I quietly closed the door.
"You wanna tell me where in the hell that gun came from?" I asked, folding my arms as I waited for an explanation. She averted her eyes.
"Casual you say?" She asked, walking away from me to return the gun back to its place under the mattress.
"Cut the bullshit Kayla and tell me where you got the damn gun," I demanded, losing my cool with her. Boy this chica knew how to make me loco.
"Why does it matter?" She asked evenly.
I took a deep breath to get myself under control. "Why the hell do you think?" I responded, not really understanding myself why it did. So what she had a gun for protection? It wasn't like she didn't know how use it. She probably was an even better shot than me. But for some reason the thought of her having a gun still made me nervous. I watched her turn away giving her back to me to finish picking out something to wear for dinner. Shaking my head I decided that it would be best to go take a shower because I really didn't feel like arguing with her.
*****
I waited until the door of the bathroom closed and breathed a sigh of relief. Antonio always made me stumble mentally and that always put me on edge. Not bothering to inspect the outfit my hands rested on I pulled it out of the closet and began to dress. Everything I felt about Antonio was so complicated and quite in inappropriate with everything that was going on in my life. Before I could even begin to think about myself, I had to bring Miah home. Even when that was done how could I trust my heart or myself again when it came to men? Damn you Kyle Washington. If you were standing in front of me right now I would knock you on your ass again. What was it again that asshole had the nerve to say to me at that night club?
*****
"Wow, Kayla you still look amazing." I heard a husky deep voice whisper next to my ear. I froze. I would've recognized that voice no matter how loud the music was in the club.
"Get the hell away from me, Kyle," I hissed whirling on him in a defensive pose. I watched as he backed up a couple of feet and place his hands in front of him for a measured sense of protection, like that would stop me from taking him apart right there on the dance floor.
"Hold up, Kayla. I just wanted to say what's up. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or anything." Kyle replied lowering his hands slowly.
"Didn't I tell you that if you ever see me again not to speak?" I asked narrowing my eyes, while trying to keep the pictures from the night before my wedding from flooding my mind.
"Yeah, but you were angry back then and that was so long ago I thought..." His voice drifted off with the lack of confidence it had when he first approached.
"And you honestly think I'm not now?" I asked folding my arms across my chest; this made him relax a little.
"Look Kayla, I didn't come over here to fight with you, I just came over to speak. You know you were my whole life for four years and I still miss you." He said taking a step closer to me.
"I was only half your life seeing that when we were together you were living a double life," I then glanced back up at the VIP section where rock princess Diamond Flame was still sitting and finished "and from the looks of it you still are." That statement seemed to enrage Kyle because he advanced on me and got right in my face. I had to fight to hold myself in place and not react to the lack of threat of Kyle Washington.
"That was a long time ago I was young and it meant nothing." He replied through clenched teeth.
"So you are still lying to yourself." I smacked me lips. "How pathetic." I spat turning on my heel to leave. He then grabbed me and spun me back around to face him again.
"No what's pathetic is that you couldn't keep your man at home. Maybe you just weren't woman enough for me." He said with a smug smirk on his face. All I could think of was knocking that arrogant smile right off of his face. Before I knew it I balled my fist up and reared back with all my strength and let it go right into Kyle's perfect Roman nose. The power of the blow took him right off of his feet into the air. He landed right on his unconscious ass.
*****
I shook the memory of that night out of my head and let the robe I was wearing fall around my feet and ankles. I quickly dressed before Antonio came out of the bathroom and sat down on the end of the bed to wait for him. A few minutes later Antonio stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his hips and water dripping from his head down to his shoulders and chest. I couldn't tear my eyes from the beauty of his body and all of the promises that it was silently making me. When I allowed my eyes to touch his face again he was grinning at me with a cocky grin that made his face even sexier than it already was.
"We still got another twenty minutes before dinner if you want to satisfy that curiosity," He said placing his hand on the knot fastened the towel together.
"Don't you dare." I breathed without much conviction in my words. He laughed and turned toward the closet giving me an amazing view of the muscles in his back. I looked away not liking the fantasies that were starting to take root in my mind.
Antonio retrieved his clothes he planned to wear for the evening and returned to the bathroom. Alone again, I let my thoughts drift to the man I'd seen earlier outside. Was he even a man or just a figment of my imagination? But how could a figment of my imagination give me actual names of people I never met and lead me to actual places? Just then Antonio came back into the room fully dressed in a sleeveless black cotton shirt and a pair of white slacks. Just looking at him in any state of dress or undress was damn near unbearable.
"Are you ready, Angel?" He asked offering me his arm. I took it without hesitation and lowered my eyes so that he couldn't see the pure lust I knew resided there.
"Lead the way." I murmured allowing him to lead me out of the bed room door and down the hallway.
Half way down the hall the door to Big John's room opened silently and closed just as silently behind him as he joined us in the hall. Antonio paused in his step and acknowledged Big John with a nod, who returned his with one of his own. I caught Big John's eye and soundlessly communicated with him to keep his mouth shut. He inclined his head slightly in my direction to let me know that he understood. We continued down the hall until we came to the main staircase.
Big John stepped back to allow us to go down first to give every one below the appearance of him guarding our back. Once we made it down to the bottom of the stairs we joined Roberto who was now preoccupied with the two beautiful women that was on each of his arms.
He whispered something into Bella's ear that made her smile seductively while Lola looked on with a pretty pout on her glossed up lips.
"Roberto it looks to me that you have your hands full," Antonio said with an easy smile.
"Yes, they keep me pretty busy if you know what I mean, but with a flower like Rose on your hands I'm sure you do." He replied letting his stare slide from Antonio and rest appreciatively on me. I lowered my gaze to hide the revulsion that his appraisal provoked.
"Please Roberto, you flatter me." I breathed out.
"No Rose, I only speak the truth." He replied allowing his voice to soften as if he was speaking to a lover. Beside me I felt Antonio stiffen and his grip on my arm tighten.
"Thank you Roberto, I blossom like my name sake in your heart felt compliments." I responded forcing myself to lift my face up so that I could stare him in the eyes. His arms dropped from around Bella and Lola as he took an involuntary step towards me and stopped as if he'd recalled that we weren't alone. Behind me I heard Big John positioning his self to attack and relax after the threat passed. Antonio though was a whole different matter altogether because his body was still as ridged as a tree trunk at my side.
"Dinner is served," Ava exclaimed in broken English.
"Please follow me," Robert said slipping his arms around Bella and Lola and turning toward the east hall that led to a very large dining room. Once in the dining room I marveled at the décor of the room. The walls were the color of a deep burgundy wine and the wood of the table was made out of a dark mahogany, while the carpeting matched the color of the walls.
Roberto took his place at the head of the table and Bella and Lola took the seats on each side of him. Antonio made sure he sat me as far away from Roberto as possible and Big John simply stood behind us. Throughout the course of dinner Roberto made polite conversation by telling us about the history of the island and how he came to be the sole owner of it.
It seemed like Roberto's favorite subject was Roberto. He couldn't get enough of telling us about how great and smart he was and continuing to try and prove it with stories of his prowess in the boardroom and little innuendo's alluding to his exploits in the bedroom. I was glad when the dinner finally came to an end because I could not stomach any more of Roberto's self-proclaimed greatness. When he suggested that we all join him in the lounge room I feigned exhaustion.
"Are you alright?" Antonio asked with concern.
"Yeah I'm fine, just a little tired from the trip and the boat ride earlier. You stay and enjoy yourself and then I want feel so bad about turning in early." I replied loud enough for Roberto to hear. Antonio stared at me for a moment and then signaled for Big John to step forward.
"See her to her room. I'll be up as soon as I can, Rose," Antonio murmured, leaning forward to brush his lips against my neck. I smiled and gave him a nod, not trusting myself to be able to put together a coherent sentence. Big John stepped up beside me and placed his hand behind my back and began to guide me out of the dining room.
On my way out I caught Roberto's eye and he inclined his head in my direction, I did the same as I passed him and his consorts. Breathing a sigh of relief only when we were out of the dining room and heading down the hallways that lead to the main foyer. Neither I nor Big John spoke on the way back to the room, not because we had nothing to say to each other but because we did not trust that our every word would not be recorded.
When we made it to my room we slipped inside and we each gave the room another once over, making sure that Roberto did not have any camera's or listening devices placed in the room while we were at dinner. As soon as we were satisfied that our search did not uncover anything out of the ordinary, we relaxed.
I went over to the trunk placed at the foot of the bed and kneeled beside it. Holding my arm up, Big John unlatched the gold charm bracelet from around my wrist, and then handed it back to me. I sifted through the charms on the bracelet until I found the small gold key that fit the lock on the trunk.
When I opened the trunk it gave the appearance of being owned by a woman that had a fetish for expensive French underwear. But if one moved some clothes around and knew exactly what it was that they were looking for, they would notice the two tiny holes on either side of the trunk that was big enough to be penetrated by two very slender index fingers and in conclusion lift out the false bottom of the trunk it revealed the real treasure that was inside of it. When I removed the bottom Big John released a low whistle behind me.
"Kayla, this shit is military issued." Big John whispered.
"They took my sister, Big John. They declared war first." I continued to sift through the weapons until I found the steel box marked: Boom. Yep. This would definitely do it. I handed the box to Big John.
"You know how to use this right?" I asked, already knowing the answer but needing to hear it from him anyway.
"I been playing with these toys, since you was little girl playing with your toys." He muttered opening up the steel box and checking its contents.
"Do you need a gun?" I asked watching him finger a remote detonator almost lovingly.
"Yeah." He replied closing the top to the steel box.
I passed him a glock nine. For this job he wouldn't need a safety. "Alright then stick to the plan and be safe." I said rising to my feet, Big John along with me.
"You be safe," he demanded. "I won't be able to protect you or Antonio for the better part of the night so stay in your room." He warned heading for the bedroom door.
"I will. Oh, and don't forget the yacht or lines of communication." I reminded him.
"Kayla I got this." Big John said, with a grin, and turned to leave before I could say anything else. Once Big John was gone I turned and put the trunk back together again and began to remove my clothes to ready myself for bed. Once I was in my night gown I climbed into bed and laid there staring at the ceiling. I wanted to wait for Antonio, but I must have been more exhausted than I thought because I drifted off into a sound sleep.