Читать книгу Summer Vows - Rochelle Alers - Страница 11
ОглавлениеChapter 2
Los Angeles
Basil Irvine pounded a fist into his open palm when he really felt like punching the wall. Perhaps the pain would help him forget the debacle that resulted in Tyler Cole being shot instead of Ana.
Turning a menacing glare on his brother, he narrowed his eyes. “That’s what I get for sending a boy to do a man’s job.”
A feral grin spread over Webb Irvine’s scarred face. “Do you want to hear I told you so?”
Basil’s gray eyes glittered like chipped ice. “If it will make you feel better, then say it.”
Like quicksilver the smile faded and Webb peered down at the toes of his spit-shined shoes. “I’m not going to say it because it’s not going to change anything. I told you that I’d take care of the bitch, but you wanted to do it your way.”
“That’s because I didn’t want you involved. You just got out of jail—”
Webb waved a hand as if swatting away an annoying insect. “Don’t worry about me going back to jail. That’s not going to happen.”
“I still don’t want you involved in this.”
Basil stared at his younger brother. They looked nothing alike, but blood ran deep between them. He’d stomped a man to death for stealing from him, and it was Webb who’d confessed to the crime. Webb, only fifteen at the time, was tried as an adult, and pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter; he spent three years in a juvenile facility before being transferred to minimum-security prison for the next ten years. Webb earned a high school diploma and, once paroled, he’d enrolled in college and had graduated with a degree in computer science.
“I won’t be involved,” Webb said softly. “I know someone who would be perfect for this project.”
Basil sat down on a leather love seat, knees spread apart. Webb was the epitome of a successful businessman with his conservative haircut, tailored suit, custom-made shirt, silk tie and imported footwear. He’d repaid his brother ten-fold when he’d given him enough money to start up his own security company that created and sold state-of-the art surveillance equipment.
“Let me think about it. My man said he’s going to wait a while before he begins hunting again.”
The dark brown eyes in an equally dark face flattened. “Do you have an idea who told that reporter that you had threatened Ana Cole?”
Basil shook his head. He knew who it was, but he couldn’t tell Webb.
Webb pulled his lower lip between his teeth. “What if it was someone from Slow Wyne?”
“I doubt that.”
“Are you sure, brother?”
Running a hand over his shaved head, Basil chuckled under his breath. “I’m willing to bet our mama’s life on it.”
“Intimidation doesn’t work on everyone.”
Leaning lower, Basil rested his elbows on his knees. “There’s only one person who knows what went down when I was trying to get Justin Glover to sign with Slow Wyne, and that is Omar Thornton.”
“Watch him, Basil.”
“Omar is trustworthy.”
“I can find out how trustworthy he is if you let me bug his house.”
Basil sat up straight. “What the hell are you saying, Webb?”
“Send him away on a business trip for a few days and my people will bug his house and phones. After a while you’ll discover how trustworthy he is.”
“You’re paranoid.”
“I am careful and thorough, Basil. I’m just trying to protect your reputation. I didn’t do a bid for you to screw up because you’re pissed off at a little girl who managed to get the best of you.”
“She is not a little girl,” Basil said between clenched teeth. “She’s a shark masquerading as a piranha.”
Throwing back his head, Webb laughed loudly. He sobered when he saw Basil’s expression. “Do you want Justin Glover?”
“What the hell kind of question is that? Of course I want him.”
“I can get him for you, big brother.”
The buzz of the intercom preempted Basil’s reply. “Excuse me, but I have to get that.” He stood up, walked over to his desk and punched a button on the telephone console. “Yes, Camille.”
“Mr. Edwards’s secretary just called to say he’s on his way.”
“Thanks.” When he turned around Basil realized he was alone. Webb had left. He didn’t want his brother to do anything that could send him back to jail. The person he’d hired to kill Ana Cole had shot the wrong Cole. However, the hired gun vowed Ana Cole was as good as dead.
* * *
Jacob Jones maneuvered up to curbside at the Marathon airport, showed his shield and photo ID to the man who came over to the driver’s side window. The officer’s eyes shifted from the official photograph to the man with a baseball cap pulled low over his forehead. He took a step closer, glancing into the open window to see the holstered automatic weapon where his right hand rested on his thigh.
“I’m on the job,” Jacob explained. “My party is on the ground and should be here in a few minutes,” he said to the police officer. What he wanted to tell the man was that he wasn’t officially on the job, but what he had agreed to do was akin to witness protection. The difference was Ana Cole wasn’t a witness to a crime, but the intended target of a sniper with possible ties to the military.
“No problem, Marshal Jones. You have a good afternoon.”
Jacob smiled and nodded. “Thanks.”
When he’d gotten up earlier that morning he never would’ve expected a call from Diego Cole-Thomas asking whether he’d be willing to protect his cousin. It was the second day of a well-deserved eight-week vacation and Jacob planned to do nothing more than sleep late, fish, cook his catch and view several new movies in his extensive DVD collection.
Diego had also filled him in on the details of the shooting that had put Dr. Tyler Cole in the hospital with a chest wound. He wanted to refuse his friend’s request, but couldn’t because he was godfather to Diego’s son.
He also wasn’t looking forward to sharing his home with any woman. Whenever a woman crossed his threshold their stay was usually limited to a few days. One had been fortunate to stay for an extended two weeks, but anything beyond that had him formulating excuses to prepare them for their departure.
The week before he’d received an official memo mandating he take a vacation. Jacob couldn’t remember the last time he’d actually taken time off just to kick back and relax. He’d bought the house in Long Key as a retreat, a sort of safe haven where he could go and forget about the prisoners housed in the Miami federal detention centers. He’d been promoted from the field to a desk position and it wasn’t until he walked out of his office and drove south to the Keys had he realized how much he did need a vacation.
He spied Diego coming out of the terminal, his driver and bodyguard pushing a cart with designer luggage. His gaze shifted to the woman holding Diego’s hand, recognizing her immediately. The first time he saw Ana was at Diego and Vivienne Neal’s wedding, and then again at the baptism celebration for their son. It was apparent she and the man who’d come with her to the celebration following the baptism hadn’t been seeing eye-to-eye because Ana had refused to talk to or even look at him.
There was something about the expression on the petite dark-haired woman’s face that communicated to Jacob that she hadn’t come willingly. Well, he thought, as he got out of his vehicle, the feeling was definitely mutual. He wanted to dictate where and how he wanted to spend the next two months of his life without having to consider another person. But, he’d promised his friend he would look after his cousin, and for Jacob, if he gave his word then he always followed through.
Adjusting the hem of the Hawaiian-print shirt to conceal the firearm, he walked over to Diego, who’d released Ana’s hand. They shook hands and pounded each other’s backs in a rough hug. He hadn’t seen the CEO of ColeDiz in more than three months, and the first thing he noticed was he’d claimed a bit more gray hair.
“How’s it going, buddy?”
“It’s all good,” Diego answered.
“How’s the family?”
“They’re good. Vivienne’s been asking about you.”
“I’d planned to take a few days off and come up to see you guys, but that was before you called me.”
Diego put his arm around Ana’s waist. “Ana, do you remember Jacob? He came to my wedding and the baptism.”
She stared at the tall man in the gaudy shirt and tattered Miami Dolphins cap. Her gaze went from his face down to his jeans and worn sandals before reversing to linger on his face. He wasn’t what she would consider handsome; nonetheless he was attractive in a masculine sort of way despite his tacky shirt and ragged hat. His dark eyes in a face the color of golden-brown autumn leaves were mesmerizing.
“Yes, I do remember him.”
What she meant was she’d remembered him from the baptism, but not the wedding. Then he’d worn a tailored suit and shoes. But that was all she’d recalled because the man who’d come with her to the soiree that followed the sacrament at the church had made it his intent to put pressure on her to take their friendship to the next level. What he hadn’t realized was that there was no next level, but that hadn’t stopped him from reacting like a spoiled child when she’d told him it was to become their last date.
Jacob extended his hand, palm up. “And I remember you.” He wasn’t disappointed when she placed her tiny hand on his, he giving her fingers a gentle squeeze before he released them. He nodded to the taciturn driver/bodyguard who’d removed his sunglasses and wiped his face and sable-brown shaved head with a snow-white handkerchief. Despite the heat Henri wore a black suit, tie and white shirt. He hadn’t removed his jacket, and Jacob knew the man always carried a concealed handgun whenever he traveled with Diego.
“Hello, Henri.”
“Mr. Jones.”
Pressing a button on the fob to the Jeep, the hatch lifted as Henri carried Ana’s bags to the SUV, then returned to assist her up onto the passenger seat. “I’ll take good care of her,” Jacob promised Diego.
“I know you will.” He leaned closer. “She’s not too happy about this.”
“She’ll get over it.”
Diego’s eyebrows lifted as he stared at his cousin sitting in the vehicle. She was so still she could’ve been made of stone. “I’ll call you with updates.”
“I hope it won’t take too long to catch the bastard. By the way, how’s Tyler?”
“He’ll be released tomorrow. He’s going to stay in West Palm until he’s cleared to fly. His wife and children are here, so there’s no need for him to worry about rushing back to Mississippi.”
Jacob rested a hand on Diego’s shoulder. “I know you have your people on this, but tell them to concentrate on rogue professional snipers, former-military or even SWAT.”
“We’re going to find him, Jacob, and hopefully there’ll be something left to prosecute.” Diego saw Henri tap the face of his watch out of the corner of his eye. “I have to leave because we’ve been cleared for takeoff. I’ll call you later on in the week to check on Ana.”
Jacob smiled. “Have a safe flight.” He knew as soon as the wheels were up that within minutes the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation G550 would prepare to touchdown in West Palm Beach.
Turning on his heels, he walked to the Jeep and slid in behind the wheel next to Ana. The hauntingly sensual, subtle scent of perfume filled the interior of the vehicle. Sitting less than a foot away from her made him aware of things he hadn’t noticed or had forgotten the last time they’d met.
He’d thought she was taller, her body fuller. And he’d remembered her hair was longer than it was now. However, the pixie hairstyle was perfect for her face, showing off her exquisite bone structure. “Do you have a cell phone on you?”
Ana turned to look at Jacob, her gaze fixed on the shape of his mouth. She hadn’t wanted to admit it to herself, but he had the sexiest mouth of any man she’d ever seen. The top lip was firm, the lower fuller, sensual. “Yes. Why?”
He held out his right hand. “Please give it to me.”
“Why?” she asked again.
“I’ll tell you after you give it to me.”
Reaching into her leather handbag, she took out the BlackBerry, placing it on his outstretched palm. “Now tell me.”
“You are not to use your cell as long as you’re here. If you need to make a call, then you can use the one in my house or my cell. Are you carrying any credit cards?”
Ana blinked as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. There was no doubt Jacob wanted her to turn her credit cards over to him. “Yes. I suppose you want those, too.”
“I do.”
She gave him the case with her cards. “What if I need to buy something?”
A hint of a smile tilted the corners of Jacob’s mouth. “I don’t know what that could be, because it appears as if you brought your entire wardrobe.” The back of the truck was filled with at least half a dozen bags. Her eyes narrowed, reminding him of a cat’s.
“I wasn’t talking about clothes, Mr. Jones.” She’d spat out his name.
“It’s either Jake or Jacob. The choice is yours.”
“You didn’t answer my question, Jacob. What if I need to buy something?” Ana asked again.
“I’ll buy it for you.” He held up a hand when she opened her mouth. “Your father can reimburse me when this is over.”
“And I hope that’s real soon,” she said under her breath, “and I will reimburse you, not my father. He stopped paying my bills years ago.” She’d come into her trust at twenty-five and therefore had become independently wealthy.
Jacob saw the stubborn set of her delicate jaw. “This isn’t a walk in the park for me, either. When I put in for vacation I didn’t expect to share it with someone who didn’t want to share it with me.”
Shifting on the leather seat, Ana gave him a lengthy stare. “I’m sorry if the attempt on my life threw a monkey wrench into your plans. And tell your girlfriend that I’ll give her a gift card so she can buy something real nice to compensate for me taking up her boyfriend’s time.”
Throwing back his head, Jacob laughed loudly, the sound reverberating inside the SUV. “Do you really believe that all you have to do is write a check and make it okay? Money isn’t the cure-all for everything in one’s life,” he added.
“Are you telling me your girlfriend would refuse a no-strings-attached gift?”
“I’m certain she would if I had a girlfriend. I happen not to like women who are fixated on money, because as a government worker I’ll never make the Forbes list of the wealthiest people in America.”
Punching the Start Engine button, Jacob signaled and then smoothly maneuvered away from the curb. Reaching for the sunglasses on the console, he placed them on the bridge of his nose as he followed the signs for the airport exit.
“You didn’t answer my question, Jacob,” Ana said when he headed north.
“What’s that?”
“Why did you take my phone and credit cards?”
“The plan is for you to disappear.”
Her eyes were wide behind the lenses of her oversize sunglasses. “Like in the Witness Protection Program?”
Jacob nodded. “Exactly. And you’re not to use the internet. Without your cell and credit cards it will make it difficult for someone to track your whereabouts. It will be the same with your car parked in the reserved spot at your condo. Even if someone decided to fit it with a tracking device they’ll be disappointed because it won’t be moved for weeks.”
“I live in a gated community.”
“That may be a slight deterrent, but it’s still penetrable. What makes you think your condo’s security can’t be compromised?”
She exhaled a soft breath. “I didn’t think of that.” A comfortable silence ensued, Ana staring through the windshield at the Atlantic Ocean on the right of the highway and the Gulf on the left. “And you think I’ll be safe here in the Keys?”
Jacob took a quick glance at the woman who unknowingly had set into motion a private war that was certain to end in casualties, while he’d pledged Diego that his cousin would not become one of the victims. “You’ll be safe with me.”
“You sound very confident, Jacob.”
He smiled, exhibiting a mouth filled with straight white teeth. “I am not a neophyte when it comes to protecting witnesses.”
“I’m not a witness, because I didn’t see who shot Tyler,” Ana argued in a quiet voice. “One minute I was standing talking to him, and then the next second he was on the ground bleeding from a chest wound.”
“Tyler’s lucky that bullet didn’t hit an artery otherwise his wife would’ve found herself a widow and her children fatherless.”
Ana closed her eyes as if to shut out the scene that continued to haunt her. “His wife is five months pregnant with their fourth child.”
Jacob didn’t tell Ana that the shooter had probably worked alone, but if he’d had a spotter, then she wouldn’t be sitting next to him. He wasn’t certain whether something had spooked the sniper or he felt he had to get off the shot or lose his target, but destiny had determined that his target would get a reprieve.
“My dad hired some people to try to find whoever shot Tyler. Do you think they’ll catch who’s behind it?”
“I’d like to believe they’ll find him.”
It was the first time Jacob heard a modicum of fear in Ana’s voice. He didn’t want to believe that she didn’t know that the Coles would spend every dollar of their vast wealth to keep her safe. He’d agreed to look after her because of his close bond with Diego. It wouldn’t be the first time he would step in to help the Coles. At Diego’s request he’d helped Vivienne Neal uncover who had been responsible for her husband’s hit-and-run. His involvement in solving the conspiracy that led to the death of the U.S. representative was instrumental when he was recommended for a promotion as an assistant director of the Miami-based federal detention center.
Diego married Vivienne and they had asked him to become godfather to their son whom they named Samuel Jacob Cole-Thomas. Although they lived in the same state, he didn’t get to see his friends as much as he would’ve liked. Oversight of staff to supervise the U.S. Marshal Service at four Miami federal detention centers left him little time to socialize. It was only when the mandate came down that he had to take at least two months of his accrued vacation leave or he would lose it had he become aware that his career had taken over his life.
Jacob couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a normal relationship with a woman, at least one that lasted more than a few months, because they were no longer a priority whenever he was directed to search for a fugitive or assigned to witness protection. At first he’d come to regret sitting behind a desk, because he’d missed the adrenalin rush of being in the field, but after a while he’d come to appreciate a measure of normalcy when he wasn’t on the job 24/7, or on an assignment that took him away from home for weeks, or on occasion months.
Ana had asked if she was safe with him and he hadn’t lied to her when he said yes. No one he worked with knew he had a house in the Keys. Some of them had been to the renovated apartment he rented near downtown Miami whenever they got together to view a game, but on a whole most of his coworkers knew him to be a very private person. Even when some of the single guys got together socially they never saw him with the same woman more than twice.
Jacob didn’t know why he wasn’t able to form a lasting relationship with a woman because it hadn’t been that way with his parents. Theirs had been a fairy-tale love affair when at the age of seventeen his father had spied the woman he would eventually marry. The pretty girl had been a cheerleader for the opposing football team. He took her to his prom and he was her date for hers, sparking a lot of controversy that she was dating the running back from their rival team.
“What made you decide to live in Long Key rather than Key West?”
Ana’s query pulled Jacob from his musings. “Key West is too crowded and touristy. Long Key is more for those looking for laid-back solitude.” He gave her a quick glance. “Have you ever been to the Keys?”
Ana gave Jacob a spontaneous smile for the first time. “When I was sixteen I’d decided to leave home. Destination: Key West. I’d accelerated in high school, graduating a year ahead of my peers and I was ambivalent about going to college. I’d read about Ernest Hemingway living in Key West, and I was always drawn to the bohemian lifestyle.”
“How were you planning to support yourself?”
“I’d closed out my bank account, and I figured if I lived frugally then it would’ve lasted me until I took control of my trust.”
“How long was that going to take?”
Ana turned her head to stare out the side window. “Nine years.”
“At sixteen you’d saved enough money to last you for nine years?”
A smile softened her mouth. “At sixteen I’d believed I could live on five thousand dollars for nine years. What did I know about money? All I knew was when I asked for it to buy something, I got it. I loaded up my car and took off in the middle of the night. I got as far as Miami before the police pulled me over.”
“Were you speeding?”
“No. They told me the car had been reported stolen.”
“Should I assume the car was in your father’s name?” Jacob asked as he struggled not to laugh.
“It was. The police held me until Daddy arrived. What he didn’t say frightened me more than if he’d gone off on me. He refused to talk to me, then loaded my bags in his car and arranged to have my car driven back to Boca Raton. I didn’t get to see that car again until it was time for me to go to college. Having my dad, whom I adore, not talk to me for weeks cured me of wanting to live in Key West.”
“What made you decide to strike out on your own?”
“It had to be impulsivity or a temporary lapse of common sense. When Daddy finally did talk to me he said that if I’d wanted to go off and see the world, then he would’ve hired a chaperone to accompany me wherever I wanted to go. The fact that I didn’t trust him enough to tell him of my plan hurt him more than I could’ve imagined. He reminded me of that when the rumor about bad blood between Serenity and Slow Wyne was made public.”
“You didn’t tell him about what went down between you and Basil Irvine?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because if my father hadn’t thought I was capable enough to run the company, then he wouldn’t have relinquished control once he decided to retire. Would you have asked my brother that question if he were CEO?”
A frown settled into Jacob’s features. “It’s not about gender, Ana.”
“Then what is it about?” she asked, her voice rising in annoyance.
There was only the sound of the slip-slap of rubber on the roadway as he drove onto the Long Key Channel. “It’s about trust and respect,” Jacob said softly. “It couldn’t have been easy for your dad to start up a new record label when he had to compete with legendary giants like Atlantic, Capitol, Sony, Epic and RCA. Nowadays you have to go head-to-head with Virgin, Interscope, Slow Wyne and Island Records Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella. The genre and players may have changed, but the business is still the same.”
“How do you know so much about record companies?” There was no mistaking the awe in her tone.
“I read a lot,” Jacob said glibly. “I need you to answer one question for me.”
“What’s that?”
“Are you feuding with Basil Irvine?”
“No. Basil has been in business long enough to know he can’t win every negotiation. Justin Glover isn’t the first artist he’s failed to sign to his label and I’m certain he won’t be the last. I’ve lost count of the number of performers we’ve lost to other labels for one reason or another. I just suck it up and move on.”
“Maybe that’s because you’re a gracious loser. I don’t like to keep bringing up gender, but you have to remember you’re a woman, so someone with an ego like Irvine’s isn’t going to accept defeat as graciously from a woman as he would from a man.”
Ana knew Jacob was right about her gender when it came to Basil, but she wasn’t about to admit that openly. Basil had earned a reputation as an astute and aggressive businessman, and despite his reputation as a misogynist women still fell over themselves to be seen with him.
Jacob turned off onto Royce Creek Drive, driving a short distance before pulling into the driveway of a two-story house. Maneuvering under a carport, he lowered the windows, and then cut off the engine. He rested a hand on Ana’s shoulder. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”
Unbuckling her seat belt, she shifted on the seat in an attempt to take in her surroundings. One side of Jacob’s house overlooked a canal with direct access to the Atlantic Ocean. Ana smiled when she thought of waking up to water views. Her favorite pastime was sitting on her condo’s balcony at sunset drinking a chai latte. It was as if all the stress of the day faded as the sun sank lower in the horizon before disappearing and leaving the darkening sky with splashes of red and orange.
She didn’t have to wait long. Jacob returned, sans the hat he should’ve discarded a long time ago. To say he wasn’t into fashion was an understatement. She did recall him wearing a suit to the baptism, but that was expected because it was held in a church. What she couldn’t remember was him being at Diego’s wedding.
Ana stared, her eyes becoming wider behind her glasses as Jacob came closer. Without the hat she was able see all of his face. Her gaze lingered on the elegant ridge of his cheekbones before moving down to his sensual, masculine mouth. She found her protector to be genuinely handsome, and she could not imagine why he didn’t have a wife or a girlfriend. The only alternative was that he wasn’t into women. That would have been devastating because he was the epitome of masculinity. His cropped black hair, tall, broad-shouldered physique, lithe stride and soothing, modulated deep voice should have drawn women to him like moths to a flame.
Jacob opened the passenger-side door and extended his arms. Placing her hands on his shoulders, Ana found herself cradled to his hard chest before he slowly lowered her feet to the ground. “You can go in now and look around while I bring in your bags.”
She walked in through the side door, finding herself in a space that doubled as a pantry, laundry room and a place where Jacob had stored tool boxes, fishing rods and other boating equipment. A trio of bright orange life vests hung from hooks on the wall along with two racing bikes suspended from a rack. She then entered an all-white state-of-the-art kitchen. Beyond the kitchen was a living/dining room with a vaulted ceiling. A curving black wrought-iron staircase led to a loft. All of the floors on the first level were gleaming black slate, a shocking contrast to the lighter colored furnishings.
The house was airy, filled with an abundance of light, and spotless, and Ana wondered perhaps if Jacob employed a cleaning service. Ceiling fans in the living and dining rooms turned on at the lowest speed, dispelled the build-up of heat. She heard barking and went to investigate. She’d grown up with a menagerie of pets, but the condo where she now lived did not allow pets of any kind.
Making her way to the back of the house, she stared through French doors at a magnificent German shepherd locked in a large crate under a black-and-white-striped awning. She’d just unlocked the doors and opened them when Jacob’s command stopped her.
“Don’t go near him!”
She turned, seeing the frown between his eyes. “Why not?”
“He’ll hurt you.”
Ana froze. “What do you mean he’ll hurt me?”
“If he doesn’t know you, he’ll attack.”
She blinked once. “Why would you want to keep a dog like that around?”
Jacob shifted her bags under his arms. “He doesn’t belong to me. I’m watching him for a friend who went on a fishing trip.”
“Is that why you keep him locked up?”
“I only put him in the crate because you’re here.”
“You can’t keep him caged just because I’m here, Jacob. That’s cruel.”
“After he gets used to your scent you’ll be all right.”
“How long will that take?” she asked.
“It shouldn’t take more than a couple of days.”
“That’s two days too long.”
Jacob’s frown deepened. “What do you want me to do? Open the cage and when he goes for your throat shoot him?”
Ana felt her temper rising and counted slowly to herself. She didn’t want to say something that she would later come to regret. “No. I don’t want you to shoot him.”
“If that’s the case, then please let me handle this situation my way. As a matter of fact every decision I’ll make for as long as you’ll reside here will be to protect you. If you decide to challenge me, then I’ll call Diego and have him take you to Brazil.”
The seconds ticked as she stared at him. “Why are you mentioning Brazil?” she asked, whispering.
“That’s where you were headed if I hadn’t offered to let you stay with me. What’s the matter?” Jacob taunted. “Cat got your tongue?”
Clenching her teeth, seething with anger, Ana stiffened as if she’d been struck across the face. It had been less than an hour since the jet had touched down in the Keys and she knew it wasn’t going to be easy sharing a roof with Jacob. And she had no idea that her family had considered sending her to stay with her cousin Regina Cole-Spencer.
Ana had been to Salvador da Bahia for Carnivale. Regina and her husband, pediatric-microbiologist Aaron Spencer, lived on a coffee plantation in the middle of what looked like a jungle. After partying nonstop for days, she’d return to their beautiful estate, collapsing in exhaustion until it was time to return to the States. She didn’t think she would survive living in Bahia for an extended visit. Although she spoke fluent Spanish, there was a lot of Portuguese that she did not understand.
“Can you please show me to my room?” She wasn’t going to give Jacob the satisfaction of acknowledging that he’d won.
“I take it you’re staying and you’re also willing to follow my orders?”
She lifted her chin and met his eyes with a smile that did not quite reach hers. “Yes, it does.”
Jacob chuckled under his breath. “I thought you’d see it my way.” He headed toward the staircase, leaving her to follow. “I fired the maid and that means you’ll have to make your bed, do your own laundry and pick up after yourself.”
Ana stared at the bright green leaves on his black-and-yellow shirt. “I don’t know how to do laundry.”
He stopped on the landing, staring at her in shock. “Who does your laundry?”
“I send it out. I call concierge and arrange for it to be picked up.”
Jacob shook his head as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Can you at least clean?”
She gave him a look of unadulterated innocence. “No.”
“I suppose you have a cleaning service?” She nodded. “What do you know how to do?”
Her expression brightened. “I can cook. Very well,” Ana added when he gave her a skeptical look. “My parents were both raised with household help who cleaned and did laundry. However, both know how to cook. My mother’s skills are exceptional and she taught all her children to cook so they wouldn’t have to rely on someone to feed them.”
“Okay,” he drawled after a pause. “Let’s make a deal.”
“What kind of deal?” she asked.
“I’ll clean and do laundry while you cook.”
“Who cleans now?”
He smiled. “I do. I don’t like strangers in my home. Come, Princess. Let’s get you settled. And because it’s the first night at the Jones motel I’ll do the cooking.”
Ana followed Jacob into a large sun-filled room with white furniture. The pristine color was offset by pillows, seat cushions and the bed dressing in tropical colors of peach, orange and kiwi-green. She knew instinctually that a woman had decorated Jacob’s house, because it claimed a soft touch and everything was chosen with a discerning eye for the climate and locale.
“Do I have time to take a shower and change into something cooler?” She had to get out of the jeans and T-shirt she’d hastily thrown on when Diego told her she was leaving Boca Raton.
“Sure,” Jacob replied. “The bathroom is the door on the right. The walk-in closet is to the left. I’ll bring your other bags up and leave them outside the door.”
“What’s for dinner?” she asked when he turned to leave.
“It’s a surprise,” he answered.
And you’re quite the surprise, Ana mused. She didn’t know what to expect when told she would have a U.S. Marshal protecting her, but she hadn’t expected someone whose moods ran hot and cold as if flipping a switch. He laughed, frowned, joked and then had become deadly serious when he talked about shooting the dog.
He’d barked commands like a drill sergeant, expecting her follow them without question. Well, she would do his bidding and when the time came for her to return to Boca Raton she would do so without a backward glance.
“How do you know if I don’t have food allergies?”
“Diego told me you didn’t have any. I know everything about you, Ana Juanita Cole, so let’s try and cooperate with each other, and I’ll try and make your stay a pleasant one because that’s what I promised your cousin. I’ll see you later.”
Ana stared at the spot where Jacob had been after he’d left the bedroom, softly closing the door behind him. She smiled. He’d said cooperate and she would, because she would make certain to limit their direct contact to meals. Not only had she packed enough clothes to last a month. She had also packed a number of books from her to-be-read list. When Jason had given her a tablet for Christmas he’d downloaded it with all of her favorite titles, and she was figuratively in hog heaven. However, she only used the electronic device when on vacation. Reclining on the beach under an umbrella, reading and sipping a potent concoction had become her guilty pleasure.
Living with Jacob until the person who’d attempted to kill her was apprehended was not what she deemed a vacation. Instead of bringing the tablet, Ana had decided holding a book would send a signal to Jacob that she didn’t want to be bothered or disturbed.
What she didn’t want to believe was that her life was now on hold because some maniac had taken out a hit on her. She’d stopped at the hospital to see Tyler, and Ana couldn’t believe that he could joke that the Coles were tough men and it would take more than a high-powered bullet to take them out. He’d laughed when she’d wanted to cry.
In two weeks she was to go on vacation with several of her college friends. They’d arranged to charter a sloop, using it as their hotel, and sail down to Puerto Rico for ten days of complete hedonism. However, they would have to go without her while she was on what amounted to house arrest in the Florida Keys.
