Jago

  “Your wish came true,” Kruz said gruffly as he entered the room.

  “Meaning?” I was too busy securing additional boats escorting the cargo ship to bother looking at him.

  “Meaning, the rats had a delicious meal.”

  After the meaning sank in, I turned my head and grinned. “Antonio is dead.”

  “Oh, he’s dead.”

  After engaging several informants to spread the news Antonio had been nothing more than a double agent, my soldiers remaining at the hospital had been on the lookout for the Turks. My men had allowed the enemy soldiers to advance without a fight.

  What that had meant was Fassi and Bata would be on edge, perhaps altering a portion of the night’s hijack. However, they’d obviously planned the attack for some time. They would be hesitant to forfeit such a lucrative prize. Whatever their decision, they would likely beef up security.

  We’d returned from the castle to my estate to prepare for the night. I was risking there’d be no more attacks on land for now. However, on the open seas was another story altogether.

  “Good. Are we set for tonight?”

  “We’re as secure as possible. Our priceless commodity is on the ship, which is prepared to leave. The speedboats are in position. All the paperwork has been completed, the ship inspected.”

  With the shipment heading to Rome for distribution into several countries, it allowed the Turks prime access. Plus, the Moroccans could easily hide high-speed watercrafts away from the various countries’ coast guards.

  “That’s not good enough,” I barked, even though everything was business as usual. The only difference was the worth of the cargo.

  While the Spanish, the Italian, and the Greek coast guards had been bought off years before, there were still other countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea who could cause trouble. Plus, I certainly had never placed my trust in any authority. They could become turncoats easily with the right amount of money shoved into their greasy palms.

  The kind of money the Moroccans had at their disposal.

  “What the fuck more do you want? Sir,” he added.

  Every muscle was tense, more so from the shit pulled earlier at the hospital. I’d had Antonio checked like I had the rest of her top men, but obviously, I hadn’t dug deeply enough.

  That fucking pissed me off. My rage had tormented me the remainder of the day.

  “The fuckers are hiding something. I feel it,” I continued when Kruz bristled from my outburst.

  “You’re suggesting that our millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine isn’t a large enough carrot?”

  I sat back in my seat, tapping my pen on the desk. “No. I think our shipment is nothing but a decoy.”

  “What makes you say that?” Kruz walked closer, an amused expression on his face.

  “My gut. The fucking Moroccans already had every opportunity to take it and obviously had intel on our warehouses because of Antonio’s deception.”

  “You’re thinking slave trading is more important?”

  “Not necessarily.”

  “Then what are you talking about?”

  I grinned. “Something far more precious than gold.”

  Kruz narrowed his eyes, glancing off in the distance. “Diamonds.”

  “Exactly.” The illegal harvest of diamonds had been on the rise, those working mines often slaughtered for silence. Various international organizations were all over the world removing precious gems. The sale to foreign countries had become big business.

  “Whew. If you’re right, they could also lead the coast guard right to us.”

  “I have a feeling they truly believe they can have their cake and eat it too.”

  “Such an American expression.”

  I grinned. “I learned a few things from my lovely bride.”

  “I’ll just bet you did. What are your plans if we locate a ship?”

  “What do you think?” I asked as I stood. “We take every last jewel.”

  “I do like your way of thinking.”

  I glanced at my watch, swiveling the bezel before tossing another look toward the door.

  “Waiting for someone?” he asked.

  He was still managing to laugh even though the day had turned to shit. I grumbled in response.

  “If you’re looking for your queen, she’s not in the house.”

  I stopped short, jerking around to face him. “What does that mean?”

  “That means she’s determined to go with us. She’s even shown the men a thing or two about the use of conscientious explosives, as she calls them.”

  “What the fuck?”

  “She’s tough.”

  “She’s not going.”

  “You tell her that. Whether or not you wanted a true equal, that’s what you got in the deal. Plus, I have a feeling she’ll kick you in the nuts if you refuse to take her along.”

  “Let her try.” Just the thought of how hard she’d fight me turned me on. However, she wasn’t a cat with nine lives. She was far too important to me to lose.

  Kruz was still grinning.

  “What?” I barked.

  “Have you stopped lying to yourself yet?”

  “What in the fuck are you getting at?”

  “Navarro told me you almost destroyed the hospital.”

  “Bull fucking shit.”

  “I heard they’ll need a new decorator. I’m just saying, this girl is your match. Accept it.” Kruz moved past me toward the door, chuckling the entire time.

  The last fucking thing I needed was for everyone to consider her my equal.

  Funny how the thought alone kept my cock at full attention.

  I remained where I was for a few seconds before grabbing my jacket, shoving my handgun into the holster. When I stormed outside, I thought about how to handle her.

  How many times did she need to be attacked before she realized that…

  That what? That she was supposed to sit around in one of our homes, waiting for my return? Yeah. Well, that hadn’t worked out so well. Did I like having her by my side?

  Yes, even if she annoyed the hell out of the brutal man inside.

  Yet I’d never be able to convince her that keeping her in a cocoon was better for her health and welfare. And forcing her to obey? As I jumped into the truck, starting the engine, I grinned from seeing an image of her face when she was furious. She’d disobey and then I’d need to punish her.

  There could be worse things.

  I took off, rolling toward the ammunition compound where the soldiers had gathered. She was not going on the mission. Not this time. It was far too dangerous.

  The engine was barely off when I jumped onto the ground, taking long strides past several vehicles loaded with weapons and ammunition into the building.

  Soldiers were heading out, right on time as required. After pushing through them, I located Genevieve, who was carefully loading up a bag.

  As soon as I approached, she tensed but continued shoving explosives into the duffle.

  “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “Preparing for the attack.”

  “You are not going.”

  “You do not get to tell me what to do.” While she wasn’t exactly manhandling the devices, her grip was firm and forceful.

  I placed my hand on hers, forcing her to stop. “I don’t think you want to blow us up.”

  “They’re squibs, you know, low-level explosives? They aren’t volatile. However, those are. But their range is better, up to several hundred feet.”

  As she went on to explain their purposes, my dick continued to throb. Right now, what I wanted more than a lesson in explosives was to tie her spread-eagled to my bed and spend hours tormenting her into submission.

  “I appreciate the lesson, but you’re still not going.”

  She zipped the three bags without looking at me then pulled a Glock I hadn’t seen before into her hand. Now she kept her eyes pinned on mine as she reached for a fresh magazine, yanking the old one and tossing it aside, slamming the fresh one into place without looking at her weapon.

  “Are you trying to impress me?” I asked.

  “I’m not trying to do anything but my job.”

  “Your job is to run the corporate side of the business.”

  Now she smirked. “Check your contract, Mr. Asshole. It says we are fifty-fifty equals. There is no codicil about your handling the rough stuff while I tolerate being inside an air-conditioned office all day.”

  “Yeah? Well, there needs to be a change.” I moved closer.

  “Fat chance of that happening. I’ll never agree to it.” She shoved the weapon into her holster and inched toward me, her head held high and her eyes flashing with irritation.

  “You will if I say you will.” I moved another few inches forward.

  She snorted. “If you really think that’s going to work with me, you’re a fool.”

  “Oh, I might be, but you belong to me.” To reiterate the point, I pressed my finger first between her breasts then against my chest.

  My lovely bride slowly dropped her head before closing the distance. Very carefully, she placed one hand where my finger had been and without me realizing it, she pressed the barrel of her weapon against my temple. “You were saying? Darling?”

  My anger flashed, but when I was with her, it was impossible to stay annoyed. Yet she wasn’t going to best me. I snapped my hand around the barrel, managing to jerk her around so her back was against me. I had my forearm around her neck in two seconds.

  “You bastard,” she moaned.

  “You’re just figuring that out? You’re slow, baby. I didn’t take you to be that way.” I leaned over, pressing my lips against her ear.

  It hit me hard, a flash like some bolt of lightning striking me from the sky.

  I’d almost lost her.

  Again.

  Fate was trying to issue a cruel hand. Maybe because I was a sinner, but she was an angel.

  Although I was finally getting it through my thick head she certainly wasn’t a dainty flower.

  “Me, slow?” she cooed.

  And she stomped on my foot with her boot, both surprise and a wash of pain breaking my hold.

  Which offered her enough time to spin around, snap her weapon from my hand, issue a brutal kick to my stomach, and tumble down with me to the ground.

  We were both panting. Her eyes were flashing. My smile was increasing.

  Once again, she pressed the weapon against my temple. “I win this round, which means I’m going with you. We can play again for another prize.”

  When I said nothing, she started to climb off, but I wrestled her onto her back, pressing my full weight against her. There was no way she was going anywhere.

  We were both taking labored breaths, but she licked her lips and I was temporarily locked in the moment. “You need to listen to me. This is even more dangerous. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I will not lose you.”

  “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you really cared about me.” Her mischievous smile slowly faded when I didn’t respond the way she’d anticipated. “I know what I’m doing, Jago. We’re down a man. In case you weren’t aware, Antonio was the explosives expert.”

  I took a deep breath, hissing when I exhaled. “Fuck.”

  “Yeah. So you see, you need me. I’ll be careful. I won’t do anything stupid, but if this is the only way for us to find some sense of peace, then I won’t live with myself if I’m not there helping it happen. Or… Or if anything happens to you.”

  “Sounds like you kind of like me,” I said after a few seconds. I did need her and not just writhing under me in bed.

  “Don’t flatter yourself. I just tolerate you.”

  CHAPTER 37

  Jago

  While my bride knew a thing or two about explosives, my hobbies had always been wrapped up in speed. Fast cars. Motorcycles. And speedboats. I’d taught myself about engines, making myself useful when my father had been certain I’d never amount to a damn thing.

  I’d souped up our utility vehicles to the point that very little could outrun us. My work on my father’s favorite cigarette boat had allowed him to escape an Italian Cosa Nostra Don who had decided it had been his time to meet his maker.

  In turn, the Don and his entire family had found out how hot jet engine fuel burned.

  I’d exchanged my hobby for my acceptance into my father’s world. But the love of speed had never stopped.

  “My God. This is a boat,” Genevieve whistled.

  We stood on the dock. My eyes had never left the cargo ship as it had slowly made its way out to deeper waters. “She’ll do.”

  “I never noticed this one on your documentation listing assets for our contract.”

  I threw her a look and lowered my binoculars. “I can’t share all my secrets. Now, can I?”

  The light breeze had turned chilly and she folded her arms as she walked closer.

  There’d been no sign of trouble. Now, nearing midnight, I was beginning to wonder if Antonio had purposely shared the wrong information.

  “I don’t like this, boss,” Navarro stated. He’d walked the warehouse and surrounding area with other soldiers prior to my arrival. The search for a single sight of any enemy soldiers had come up empty-handed.

  “I don’t either, but I can feel something is going down.” It had been several hours since we’d arrived and the ease with which the ship had set sail kept a red flag high in my system. I’d been in contact with the captain, and he’d seen no sign of trouble. Still, I had the three speedboats I owned ready to go at a moment’s notice. “What about the coast guard? Any chatter?”

  Kruz had been monitoring the various stations and checking the Automatic Identification System located in the office of the seaside warehouse searching for other watercraft in the area.

  “Nothing from any of the coast guard at this point other than the ships that were already given permission. And I can’t see any unidentifiable boats out there.”

  “Keep looking. If they came out of Morocco, they possibly won’t adhere to the typical maritime rules.”

  “No, they won’t. I’ll check on the other warehouses in the city as well.”

  “Do that. This includes those on the Morales property. Correct?”

  “Her soldiers have finally accepted their place in the alliance.” He grinned. “Not happily.”

  “They can go fuck themselves.”

  While the majority of our product had been transferred to the cargo ship, that didn’t mean there wasn’t enough left they couldn’t make millions selling it on the street. That wasn’t my main concern. The infrastructure was.

  Since the buildings were highly equipped with communications and security systems, processes to refine the raw cocaine and additional weapons, if they were hit, it would take some time to recover.

  “If anything goes down, I want to know. Navarro. Keep watch on the surrounding area. When they hit, they’ll hit hard.” The ship was now out of cellphone range.

  “Got it.”

  I remained where I was and watched as she stood staring at what I considered to be my most prized mechanical possession.

  As soon as I walked closer, she slowly tipped her head over her shoulder.

  “It’s an MTI Pleasure 52.”

  “Mmm… Am I supposed to know what that is?”

  “Think of it as a souped-up Lamborghini.”

  “Wow. How fast does it go? Let me guess. One hundred and twenty knots.”

  Chuckling, I stood staring at her, enjoying the way the brighter moon highlighted her gorgeous coloring. “One hundred and fifty-six knots or one hundred and eighty miles per hour.”

  Genevieve whistled. “Fast. And unusual. Did you tinker with the engine?”

  “Perhaps.”

  “You have many talents.”

  “Yes, my wife. I do.”

  “How many do you own?”

  “This is a rare piece but hidden in the cove over there are four Cigarette 515s. Almost as fast and quite useful in bailing from difficult situations.”

  “You are a master of crime.”

  I turned to face her. “I do what’s necessary. The game is getting harder to stay on top of and it’s becoming more difficult to know the players from the righteous.”

  “Don’t you mean self-righteous?”

  “Perhaps a little of both.”

  We stood quietly staring out at the Mediterranean Sea for at least another fifteen minutes.

  A single shout shoved us both on edge.

  Footsteps pounded closer, more than one set. When Kruz came into view, I instantly tensed just as the soldiers rushed in our direction. I met them halfway, Genevieve closely following. “What is it?”

  “The captain just made contact. They have a cargo boat paralleling them. I checked and it appears to be on the same course,” Kruz gritted out. “Now there are signs of fast-moving boats heading toward them as well.”

  “They plan on boarding and taking the entire ship and crew,” I snarled. “Get to the boats, now. Send me the coordinates of both cargo ships. Benito, Lazarro, you’re coming with us. Take the satellite radios. Use them when necessary.” The assignments had already been made, the boats loaded with the necessary weapons, including several explosives, some recommended by Genevieve and others that I normally used.

  We had enough firepower to blow up anything getting in our way.

  The satellite radios had been a nifty purchase from the Italian army, which allowed me to stay in contact with my people when traveling on the ocean waters.

  Including the cargo ship housing our product, if necessary, although that wasn’t my intention.

  “Yes, sir.”

  I grabbed Genevieve, trying to push her away. “This is where it gets dangerous, baby. Allow one of my men to take you back to the house.”

  She pulled away from me. “Not a chance.”

  “I don’t have time to waste.”

  “Then let’s not waste any.”

  Goddamn her. She raced toward the boat, lugging the bags she’d brought with her. Fuck. Fuck. I raked my hand through my hair, forced to follow. If we both made it out alive, she would never be allowed to come with me again.

  Within seconds, we were heading away from the bay, rushing toward the plotted coordinates. While I’d navigated many ships in my years on Earth, the power of this one needed to be handled carefully.

 

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