Читать книгу Exposed - Samantha Keith - Страница 10

Chapter 2

Nine months later.

A shiver of disgust rippled over Maddie’s skin. Her six-inch heels scuffed across the pavement and her feet throbbed. She scooped her hair off the back of her neck and dropped it over her shoulder. His hands had been all over her tonight—serious progress. But the second she got home, she was going to scrub her skin raw. A horn blared from the dark street ahead and a car whizzed past. The smash of a beer bottled sounded behind her. She didn’t turn around.

She dug her hand in her black shoulder bag that matched her skimpy, black dress and pulled out her keys. She enjoyed dressing sexy every once in a while, but prancing around the club with naked dancers on stage and bringing drinks to sleazy punks was not her cup of tea. But she was almost done. She’d spent two months laying bread crumbs, and the stupid oaf was finally showing interest other than wanting to take her in the back room and screw her senseless. She shuddered. One day, she’d have to sleep with Carlos in order to keep up the charade. Her finger pressed the unlock button and the headlights of her sleek, black Mercedes flashed at her.

She opened the driver’s side door and her bare legs slid over the warm leather. Goosebumps raced over the back of her neck and she slammed the door and locked it. She swallowed and closed her eyes. This assignment had her on pins and needles. It wasn’t like her other investigations in the past. This one was more than just work, more than putting a bad guy behind bars. This one struck a nerve. And if Carlos found out what she was up to… he would kill her.

An arm closed around her throat from behind her, crushing her back against the seat. Her heart slammed against her breastbone and her fingers gripped the black sleeve that surrounded her. Her chest screamed for air, but not a sound left her mouth.

She wouldn’t die like this.

She twisted against the arm, hurling herself forward, but he held her tight. Her fingernails dug into her palm and she shot her fist over her shoulder, connecting with his face. It was enough to loosen his hold. She yanked his arm forward, gripped his fingers, and bent his wrist back toward his elbow. He yelped.

“Christ, Maddie. It’s me,” he growled.

Her gaze flew to the rear-view mirror. Fiery hazel eyes met hers. Her chest expanded on an exhale and she whipped around in her seat. Her eyebrows snapped down.

“You stupid—”

“Hey, easy now. I was only trying to help you. What the hell are you thinking getting in your car without checking the back seat? Are you trying to get yourself killed? Because that’s how easily it could have happened.”

Her anger settled to a low simmer. Nate McIver made her blood boil like no one else. He pressed her buttons, teased her, and worst of all, wouldn’t touch her with a ten-foot pole. Oh no. Nate was too noble. Too good of a friend to give in to the attraction that burned between them like a flashfire. And he wasn’t her friend. Barely, anyway. He was a coward and a jerk… but he was here. He’d shown up when she’d needed him. The only one she could trust right now.

His dark blond hair was shorter than usual, giving him a more clean-cut appearance aside from the light shadow that grazed his jawline. He’d always looked the epitome of a surfer-boy. Though the longer hair had been sexy, the shorter hair suited him better. He massaged his arm and a grimace drew his brows together.

“You’re lucky I didn’t kill you,” she breathed. She’d been ready to. Her stomach flipped over at what Nate had said. Had it been someone who had wanted her dead, she could have been sporting a bullet wound in the back of her head right now. Maybe her brother Ethan was right. Maybe she was in over her head after what had happened with her last undercover operation.

She set her teeth. No. This was different. She’d been young then, only twenty-three and fresh out of college. Her youth had landed her a rare, early undercover position in the investigation of a college drug bust. She’d slipped up and the dealers suspected her, which resulted in a school shooting. She should have been the only target, but instead six other innocent lives were lost. She’d been shaken and vulnerable and had taken a few months off. But that was years ago. She had many successful missions under her belt during her time in the Criminal Investigation Unit. Now she—and her lieutenant—knew she was ready for bigger cases.

Her experience with the school had only flamed the burning urge to serve and protect. She’d had to work her ass off to prove herself, and now she was a detective with the Narcotics Unit. Ethan still thought she was investigating insurance fraud—he would flip his lid when he found out she’d been sent undercover to Miami to take down Carlos Santiago. The streets of Miami would be cleaner and safer without Carlos’s pollution of cocaine getting into the hands of adolescents. Putting him behind bars was her sole mission and she’d be damned if anyone would stand in her way. Nate included. She was getting closer and closer to Carlos by the day, and all she needed was to find out when and where his next drug shipment would come in. Once she had that, Nate’s team of FBI agents would ambush him at the hand off—and voilà. Carlos would be put away and she’d be on the fast track to her career as an FBI agent.

Nate massaged his eyebrow. “I’m glad you’re on your toes, but you’re lucky I wasn’t Carlos.” The interior light switched on as Nate climbed out of the back seat, shut the door, and rounded the car to the passenger seat.

He stepped into her car and shut the door, cutting off the warm breeze from outside. His scent filled the interior of the car, mixing with the faint smell of new leather and the vanilla air freshener. His cologne was light and woodsy and tickled her nostrils. Her fingers curled into a fist. That scent had haunted her dreams. It was the only memory she had of that night other than pure rage… and longing. Nate’s eyes dropped to her hand on the console.

“Don’t you dare hit me again.” His eyes sparked playfully at her and his knuckles brushed over hers until her hand opened.

She curled her fingers and pulled away. Hitting him had felt good. But it was the effort it took not to climb over the seat and straddle him that she fought with. He pulled his seatbelt across his chest and clicked it into place.

“I see you’re being inconspicuous with your hundred thousand dollar car. Did it ever occur to you that a waitress wouldn’t make that kind of dough? And that Carlos might get suspicious?”

Maddie drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. She hadn’t expected him to show up tonight. Their agreement had been that they would stay as far away from each other as possible until this was over. Desire swirled in her belly. She didn’t need the distraction of Nate any more than he wanted to be around her.

“Yes, I did think of that. I also thought it would be worse if he found out that I have money and didn’t tell him. This way, I have nothing to hide.”

His mouth twitched. Something sparked in his eyes… appreciation? As quick as it had appeared, it was gone. The glow from the outdoor lights that lined the concrete building caught the sharp green in his irises. His lips curved, revealing a glimpse of his teeth. Her pulse skidded to a halt. God, she could still taste him. Nine months ago, they’d come inches away from mind-blowing sex before he’d run away with his tail between his legs.

“I see. You’re hiding in plain sight?”

“Exactly.”

He lifted a shoulder. “Could work. Let me know how that goes.” His tone dripped with skepticism. “We’d better go before someone sees us. Head down the strip, my hotel isn’t far.”

Maddie moved her tongue along the inside of her cheek, buckled her seat belt, and started the car. “Didn’t you rent a car?” She backed out of the parking spot and turned toward the road.

“Yeah, but I took a cab. Just in case someone saw me with you and got suspicious.”

“Why did you come here anyway?” She eased out onto the road. “You hassle me about not being careful, but if someone sees us together it could blow everything.”

He settled back in his seat and stretched his legs out. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched his gaze slide over her body. Her knees clenched together and her hands tightened on the steering wheel. She shouldn’t want him as bad as she did. Especially when he had blown her off after her sister’s wedding. Who did that? Who takes a woman to a hotel room and then runs away? He wanted her. The glint in his eyes whenever he was around told her that. But he was too damn scared of her—and Ethan. She wasn’t like most women who occupied Nate’s company. Nope. She intimidated Nate and it was probably for the best. If she hooked up with him, the shit would hit the fan. She didn’t care, but he sure did. Enough to get her hot and panting and then leave her hanging and in need. That was another thing she hadn’t expected from him. Nate was a bit of a ladies’ man, so not following through with her really ate at her.

“I figured it was better than coming to your house. Has he made a move yet?” Nate’s tone turned hard, and Maddie kept her gaze on the road. Disgust filled her at the memory of Carlos’s meaty hand sliding up the back of her dress.

“Yeah, he did. Who would have thought Carlos Santiago has bigger balls than you?”

Nate shook his head. “You can’t let shit go, can you?”

She laughed; the sound belied the ache in her heart. “Oh, believe me, I let it go. Your loss anyway.”

He groaned. “Dammit Maddie, I wasn’t going to bring this up, but you’re asking for it. I don’t appreciate you blackmailing me into this. For one, I’m lying to my best friend because of you. And two, I had less than a damn month to organize a team for this and I don’t even know if we’re going to make it happen yet.”

“Get your panties out of a bunch, you’re not lying.”

Nate scoffed. “It’s lying when I’m sneaking around with my best friend’s sister.” Silence hung in the air. Her palms turned damp on the smooth steering wheel. She wet her lips. The light ahead of her turned red and she brought the car to a stop. Slowly, her gaze dragged from the road to Nate. His shoulders were too broad for her sleek sedan. In the tight quarters, he invaded her space, even though every breath he took screamed that he didn’t want to be close to her.

Nate’s head rested in his hand and he massaged his temples. Guilt washed over her. When she’d called him a month ago, she hadn’t given him much choice. Blackmail was a bit of an exaggeration. The light turned green and she brought her gaze back to the road and accelerated.

If you don’t help me, I’ll tell Ethan we slept together. Her own words echoed through her head. She grimaced, and nausea pitched in her stomach. Okay, so maybe it had been blackmail. She hadn’t meant to put that on him, but she hadn’t been serious… well, not really. Besides, the delicacy of the case had made it risky to let the FBI in on their investigation too soon. Lieutenant Jack Davis had wanted to use his own contacts, but she’d insisted on working with Nate. There was no way in hell she’d trust anyone else in the FBI. The people within Carlos’s circle were like a scattered basket of snakes. One could be lurking anywhere at any time.

An apology burned her tongue like a match. “You’re the only person I felt comfortable asking for help.” Heat crept up her chest at the admission. It was as close to an apology as he would get from her.

Nate moved beside her and her body tightened. “You felt comfortable because you knew I couldn’t say no?”

Her patience sizzled. “No, damn you. You’re the only person I trust other than Ethan, all right? And we both know how he would feel about this.”

“And he’s right. He’d fucking kill me if he found out I went behind his back.”

Maddie rolled her eyes. “For god’s sake, where did this conscience come from? I’m a grown woman, I don’t need my brother’s permission for anything—nor do I need yours.”

“Yeah, I know.” He sighed. “Fuck, we can’t last five minutes without arguing.”

A lump hardened in her chest. Was that why he kept her at arm’s length? She wasn’t one of the frilly bimbos that normally filled his bed. She was strong-minded and sharp-tongued, and not many men could handle it. Was it the same for Nate?

He shifted in his seat again and rubbed his hands together. “All right, enough of that. We’re here now, and the sooner we get this shit done the better.”

“I agree.”

Nate’s hand closed around her bicep and gave her a light shake. “See, look at that, we agree on something.” His words took some of the bite from his last ones.

A smile tingled the corner of her mouth. She flicked her gaze over his long, dark fingers on her arm, and then up to his face. She snorted and lifted an eyebrow. “The night is young.”

The corner of his eyes creased. “That it is.” His hand fell away from her arm, and her skin ached at its absence. He leaned forward in his seat, his hand stretched in front of her face. “Turn in here, that’s my hotel.”

Maddie slowed the vehicle and pulled into the parking lot.

“Swing around to the side so no one sees us.”

She drove past a long stretch of cars and parked when she got to the end. One lone light hung from the side of the building, providing her a better view of Nate’s face. He unbuckled his seat belt and turned to face her.

“I don’t think you should be taking this baby to that raunchy club.” Nate ran his hand along the polished wood dash.

Maddie closed her eyes and opened them. “Not a big deal, I have insurance.”

His eyes sharpened on her face, and for the first time that night, her gaze didn’t waver from his. He crossed his arms over his chest and rested back against the door.

“I’m not worried about your damn car. That’s a shitty neighborhood, and you’re walking around like that”—his eyes slid down her body and back up—“and driving this. It’s only a matter of time before someone tries something.”

Maddie pressed her teeth together. He was worried about her? She was used to Ethan fussing over her. He always treated her like a child despite her skills and experience. Nate, on the other hand, hadn’t treated her like anything. She’d always just been… there. Normally when someone insinuated she couldn’t take care of herself, it pissed her off. But with Nate…

She chewed her cheek. Her eyes lowered to his body, comfortable and arrogant in the tight space. Her gaze stopped on the strained denim between his legs and a gentle throb started deep inside her. She brought her eyes back up to his face, not missing a single shred of his chiseled body. The Adam’s apple at his thick neck bobbed and his eyes blazed. Shit. He’d caught her checking out his junk. Her face warmed. She cleared her throat and forced her tongue to work.

“Carlos lets me park in one of his owner parking spots. No one in that end of town would cross him.” She rested her head on the back of her seat and her eyelids grew heavy.

Nate lifted his shoulder. “You still need to be more careful. I jimmied your door in thirty seconds.”

“Not everyone’s as skilled as you.”

“Not everyone’s as stupid as you think.”

She sighed. “What did you drag me here for? I’ve been on my feet all night and want to go to bed.” She wriggled her toes around in the black stilettos and the arches of her feet throbbed. God, what she wouldn’t do for a foot rub.

“How close are you?”

Her eyes burned with fatigue. She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Close. I’ve been working at the club over a month now. Three weeks ago, he started to show interest but I pushed him off. Now he’s lapping at my heels like a puppy.”

Nate guffawed. “Jesus. Do you realize he hasn’t had a serious relationship since his ex-wife Barbara?”

“Yes, Nate. I’ve been watching him as long as you have.”

“No, you haven’t. The FBI has been on his trail for four fucking years. No one’s gotten close. I don’t know what’s more terrifying, that you think you can, or that you have.”

“He invited me to go boating on Saturday. Just him and I on his yacht.”

Nate cursed. “That’s a bad idea and you know it.”

“I can’t get close to him if I keep pushing him away. Besides, if the rumors on the street are true, he’ll have another shipment coming in a few weeks. I have to get him to trust me between now and then.”

Nate bolted forward, his face stopped inches from hers. “You’re going to fuck him, aren’t you?”

Maddie’s body coiled into a spring. She closed the gap between their noses, her cheeks heated. “That’s none of your business.” Then more softly, “What choice do I have?”

The way she saw it—none.

His hand tightened into a fist and he punched the dash. Maddie winced. “For fuck’s sake, you’re crazy,” he wheezed. Shame crept up the back of her throat and hit her taste buds. Heat burned her skin. She flicked on the air conditioning, biting back the nasty words that singed her tongue, and inched away from him.

“Look, I know what I’m doing. If you had half a brain, you’d realize that he won’t let me get close to him while holding hands and pecking.”

Nate laughed, the sound was brittle and derisive. “And you think he’s going to keep you around after he screws you? C’mon Maddie, you should know better than that.”

“I’m not stupid. And believe me, once I sleep with Carlos, he’ll only want more.”

She lifted her heavy lids and met Nate’s gaze. His cheeks darkened and the solid lines of his face turned to stone.

“Your brother’s right. You’re too damn cocky.” He lifted his hips, dug his hand into his back pocket, and slapped a small black device onto her dashboard. “It’s an encrypted phone. Use this to contact me from now on.” His fingers closed over the door handle.

She gave one brisk nod. Tension crackled in the air between them. He cursed and leaned toward her, his thumb and forefinger gripped her chin.

“Be careful, dammit. If anything happens, call me. Don’t worry about the case, just call me. Got it?”

She swallowed and nodded. His eyes moved over her face, and then dropped to her mouth. His jaw tensed and his grip tightened on her chin. Anticipation froze her to the spot. Her eyes trained on his lowered lids. He shook his head and loosened his hold. His thumb smoothed over her lip.

“Don’t be stupid.” His fingers fell away. He climbed out of the car and shut the door. Silence fell around her and her shoulders sagged. His tall, dark form disappeared from view and she rested her forehead on the steering wheel, tears stinging the back of her eyes.

She took a deep, shuddering breath. She’d been stupid to call Nate. He was capable and trustworthy… but that hadn’t been her only motive. Now she couldn’t back out. The sooner she put distance between her and Nate the better. He sure as hell didn’t want to be near her. Regardless, she needed to finish the job and get Carlos’s drugs off the street before more innocent people got hurt.

People like Leila.

Carlos would pay for what he’d done, and she’d make sure of it. If that meant sleeping with the enemy, then so be it.