Playing With Fire
Rebecca Hunter
‘I make the rules.’ But is he playing his game—or hers?Marianna Ruiz never thought she'd see Simon Rodriguez again—or that hiring him to unearth some suspicious dealings at her father’s company would lead to one seriously hot hook-up. At first it was just supposed to be some naughty revenge sex. But now, behind closed doors, Marianna and Simon have one last chance to finish what they started eleven years ago…
“I make the rules.”
But is he playing his game—or hers?
Marianna Ruiz never thought she’d see Simon Rodriguez again—or that hiring him to unearth some suspicious dealings at her father’s company would lead to one seriously hot hookup. At first, it was just supposed to be some naughty revenge sex. But behind closed doors, Marianna and Simon have one last chance to finish what they started eleven years ago...
Award-winning author of sensual, emotional adventures of the heart, REBECCA HUNTER writes sexy stories about alpha men and spirited women set in Australia for Harlequin DARE. She lives with her family in the San Francisco Bay Area.
If you liked Playing with Fire, why not try
King’s Rule by Jackie Ashenden
Forbidden to Want by JC Harroway
First Class Sin by Cara Lockwood
Also by Rebecca Hunter
Blackmore, Inc.
Best Laid Plans
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Playing with Fire
Rebecca Hunter
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-08678-3
FORBIDDEN TO WANT
© 2019 JC Harroway
Published in Great Britain 2019
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
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www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
To Stacy Finz, author friend extraordinaire,
and Katie Gowrie, my insightful editor,
both for seeing the heart of this story
and for helping me understand how to make it shine.
Contents
Cover (#ud0e11270-15bd-53a6-b0e0-7707cdaa9be0)
Back Cover Text (#udc24ea25-8abb-5bdd-bb0f-85a8b37801d3)
About the Author (#u206f7a0f-df93-5e8c-9273-b4de4c8fbeff)
Booklist (#u114d9ac3-b29c-5f91-8e64-53b67a1353a4)
Title Page (#ud787637b-0c56-5daf-a5f5-f56ead2d64e4)
Copyright (#uf0d8c887-6a64-5860-96e0-0a9c303227d2)
Dedication (#u8154e8f0-a932-55ec-855e-81945420b5ef)
CHAPTER ONE (#u5aeaa1e5-34f9-5c23-89df-fa8a59620696)
CHAPTER TWO (#u6dc42874-5618-5b4b-8f47-da0aaf1de94c)
CHAPTER THREE (#u5107dfc6-faeb-5826-98de-cf9562680595)
CHAPTER FOUR (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FIVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SIX (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWELVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
EPILOGUE (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ONE (#ub6423e12-17f1-5f35-87b5-c123f537ae9e)
SIMON RODRIGUEZ PULLED off the road across from the gated entrance of the Spanish-style house and put the rental car into Park. He rubbed his jaw, scraping his fingers over the unshaven scruff he hadn’t bothered with this morning at the hotel. No one lived in this house anymore as far as he knew. No one would witness this one last glimpse at the place that had almost wrecked him.
He pulled off his sunglasses and rolled down the window of the black town car for a better look. Damn, it was hot in Miami Beach, that sticky, heavy hot that made an afternoon of construction work a living hell. He had quit that kind of manual labor when he enlisted and left Miami eleven years ago, but his reaction was still visceral. Just one more reason he’d gotten the fuck out of here, out of this state, out of this country. Away from the one woman Simon should never have gotten involved with.
Best decision of his life.
So, what was he doing here, in front of Marianna Ruiz’s house? She had moved out of this place years ago when she got married. The gate was locked shut. And wasn’t it damned fitting that even after her father’s death, Simon was still barred from the place.
He was saying goodbye for the very last time. That was what he was doing. Clearly, the other last time wasn’t painful enough to keep him away. But there was nothing left to suck him in again. He’d just get a little closure.
Simon stared at the enormous structure behind the gates, partly hidden behind lush green palm trees that lined the property. Off to the side, the very top of the boathouse was visible, the boathouse he and his father had built one summer long ago. If Marianna hadn’t sold off her father’s estate yet, it probably still sheltered the boat where he and Marianna had—
A red sports car screeched to a stop by the driveway. Startled, Simon whipped his head around. The gates creaked open, and the vehicle lurched forward, tires squealing. It headed up the narrow asphalt, then shrieked to a halt again, front tires digging into the grass. The driver laid on his horn a couple times. What the hell?
The front door of the house opened, and a woman stepped out. Her face was covered in shadow as she closed the door behind her, but he’d know that woman anywhere.
Marianna.
It was a punch in the gut. Her dark, wavy hair was longer now, and she wore a white button-up shirt and a red skirt. Definitely a woman, not a girl anymore. Still beautiful.
Marianna pushed her hair back from her face and crossed her arms. As she stepped into the sunlight, walking down the front steps toward the sports car, he fought that old, familiar ache deep down.
Simon frowned. What was Marianna doing here, at her father’s old house? And what the hell was up with the driver of the car?
A man climbed out and slammed the door shut, heading toward her way too fast. Simon gripped the steering wheel of his rental, ignoring the painful squeeze in his chest. The guy was clean-cut, with a crisp dress shirt and pants, but his fists were balled, and his face flushed in angry red. And he was walking toward the woman Simon had told himself he never wanted to see again. He should turn on the engine and get far away from here before he did something stupid.
“Goddammit, Marianna. What the fuck are you trying to pull?” the guy yelled.
The asshole stormed up to her, coming way too close. And yelling way too loud. “You can’t just go down to the pier and ask to open up the shipments. You have no idea the kind of shit you’re messing with.”
Marianna shrank back from him, but the guy took that as an invitation to step closer. Simon gritted his teeth, wishing like hell he had just stayed away.
She stumbled a little as she stepped onto the lawn. The dickhead was a lot bigger than her, but even as she backed away, she jutted her chin up at him, trying to hold her ground. Like she had stood up to him before.
Simon grimaced. Shit. The situation was going downhill fast. He couldn’t leave a scene like this. He had years of reading incidents under his belt, and everything about this guy screamed volatile.
“It’s my company, too, William,” she said, her voice steady. “In fact, it’s my name that’s on it, in case you’ve forgotten.”
William. Her husband. William Rooney III, a name synonymous with wealth and privilege. Everything that Simon couldn’t give her eleven years ago. My cue to get the fuck out of here. Except that William looked more like a brawler than a country-club boy right now, and Simon didn’t like Marianna’s odds if the man decided to get physical. This guy was twice her size and had a volatile look about him.
Now wasn’t the time for Simon to lose his shit. He had watched this kind of scene play out too many times, men teetering on the delicate line between anger and violence. This one could go either way. But Simon was not getting out of this car. He was not coming face-to-face with Marianna again. Not unless there was no other way.
“You know nothing about what makes Ruiz Imports work, and it will all come crashing down if you don’t back the hell off.” William’s loud growl echoed across the lawn as he moved into her personal space. “So go back to your client dinners and your charity bullshit and leave this alone.”
Marianna shook her head. “You need to leave or I’ll call the police. This is my house. You can’t come here.”
“Don’t ever tell me what to do.”
His voice was low and menacing, and the asshole grabbed her arm. Marianna flinched.
It all happened so quickly that Simon didn’t remember getting out of his car. The next thing he knew he was walking straight for them, taking in the environment, calculating every risk. This man was heated, explosive, and all Simon could think about was getting him far away from Marianna.
He headed through the gate and crossed the lawn, just out of William’s line of sight. Every step forward was a strain on his tight grip of self-control. He was silent until he was within reach. Best to catch this guy off guard. Probably the type that only responded to a show of power.
“Take your hand off her.” Simon’s voice was cold, threatening.
“Who the hell are you?” William swung around, his eyes wild. “This is none of your fucking business. Leave. Now.”
Anger rolled off this guy, but now it was directed at Simon. The guy’s focus was broken.
“Simon?” whispered Marianna. The shock on her face was unmistakable.
His heart twisted in a fresh, painful squeeze. Goddamn. That voice. He couldn’t get distracted. He couldn’t even look at her. Not until this asshole was far away.
“Take your hand off her.” Simon kept his voice calm but wedged himself between William and Marianna.
The guy was a bully, but up close he didn’t look like much of a fighter. It took another moment for William to register that Simon had every advantage here. Height. Weight. Technique. Scowling, William let his arm drop and stepped back.
“You don’t know what the hell you’re getting involved with,” William spat.
Actually, Simon knew exactly what he was getting involved with.
“She asked you to leave,” said Simon.
Every time William hesitated, Simon inched over, putting himself farther between the two, keeping Marianna shielded behind him. William shook his head in disgust, backing away toward the car. “Stay the fuck away from the piers, Marianna. You’re already in too deep.”
William climbed into the red sports car and revved the engine. He skidded back onto the pavement and drove away.
Simon stood absolutely still as the noise from the engine faded away. Then there was nothing left except the din of neighborhood traffic, the gentle brush of the palms in the wind and Marianna’s breaths. Slowly, he turned around.
She gaped at him. “Simon?”
His name was both a question and a sigh. Her voice, soft and raspy, awoke something that was supposed to be long dead, dead and buried. Simon searched for words, but nothing came.
Get your shit together and get out of here.
But neither of them moved, their eyes locked. Slowly, he drank her in. Full lips, parted. Eyes wide with surprise. She hadn’t changed much physically. Maybe a little rounder in the hips, her breasts a little fuller, but he knew that expression well. And for a second, a wave of nostalgia hit him so hard it nearly knocked him over. How had he not been prepared for this?
Brushing a strand of hair off her face, she looked away.
“What the hell was that?” he asked. The words came out gruffer than he’d intended.
She didn’t say anything. Just held very still.
“Mari?” he said, softer.
Her shoulders rose, and she brought a shaky hand to her mouth. Damn. Bold, strong Marianna Ruiz was about to lose it.
Instincts took over. Simon took a step closer—to do what exactly he didn’t know. She shuddered and turned away a little. Just as he started to step back, she slowly faced him again. Her shoulders dropped, and she buried her face in her hands. She breathed in and let out a long, deep sigh. Was she shaken by William, or at seeing him again?
“It’s really you, Simon,” she said, finally meeting his eyes. “What the hell are you doing here?”
The scent of her perfume was cracking the dam he had built to hold back these memories. He shook his head. He had to get ahold of himself, but now that she was so close, it was impossible to not reach out and touch her.
No, it wasn’t impossible. Because he had spent the last eleven years doing just that. Still, the sight of her hazel eyes, soft and dewy with unshed tears, was killing him.
“Do you want to tell me what’s going on, Mari?” he said, his voice raw.
Marianna glanced away again, shaking her head.
“I gather that was your husband.” The man who was good enough for her to marry. He swallowed back all the bitterness that was flooding in. Time to focus on what was happening right now. “It’s not my business, but he looks like an asshole. An abusive asshole. You’re in a bad situation, aren’t you?”
Marianna’s eyelashes fluttered closed. “It’s a long story, Simon.”
“I’m not in a hurry,” he said, coaxing her softly. “I see this kind of thing in my line of work.”
She bit her lip. “I know.”
She knows? How much did she know? Did she break down some nights and search for clues about his life the way he did with hers?
Simon stepped back and ran his hand through his hair, trying to shut out the clench in his gut. But he stopped, midgesture when he caught her gaze traveling over to his biceps. Her eyes snapped back to his face, filled with heat and longing, and then the look was gone. Her cheeks flushed, and she turned away.
He took a steadying breath and frowned. The seductive pull between them hadn’t changed. Probably never would.
Finally, Marianna let out a deep breath. “What are you doing in Miami? I thought you lived in Australia now.”
Her question was more of an accusation. He didn’t blame her, not after the way things ended between them.
Simon didn’t react. “Just a quick stop in the States for work. So I came to Miami to visit my father’s grave.”
The truth, but not anywhere near the whole truth.
“And you happened to pass by my house?”
“Something like that.”
Her hazel eyes turned darker as she sized him up again. Her husband was long gone, the threat dissipating into the heavy Miami heat. He should leave now, get away from the memories of her that were threatening to pull him under.
Her hands on his hips. Her breaths in his ear as she whispered every dirty thing she wanted to try. They had been better together than any eighteen-year-olds deserved. Now that he knew what the hell he was doing? Shit. It would be the kind of thing he’d never recover from. It was time to let her go again.
He thought he was angry when he pulled up in front of her house, but Simon had no idea what to call this punch-in-the-gut reaction to seeing her again. Not quite anger. Something murkier.
She crossed her arms. “I still haven’t forgotten how you left things between us.”
“I know.”
“Just so we’re clear,” she said softly, then nudged her head at the house. “Let’s go inside.”
Marianna pulled her keys out of her pocket and pressed the driveway gate lock. Then she turned her back on Simon and started for the front door.
What the hell was he doing here, after all these years? Simon Rodriguez. The man who still haunted her dreams every now and then, though haunted was hardly the word for what happened in those dreams. And, damn, he was even sexier than she remembered. Different. A little bigger, a little harder. And now he had shown up, right when this mess with William had taken yet another turn for the worse. When she was vulnerable.
Why is he here? How is he here? I don’t hear from him for a decade and now he just appears...
If he had come looking for anything close to the eighteen-year-old girl he left, he was wasting his time. She was gone. That spoiled girl wanted fun with a fairy-tale ending. That was before real life had happened, taking her illusions with it. Love was the first illusion to go—Simon took care of that when he’d dropped her years ago with no warning—followed by marriage, trust and loyalty, all at once, thanks to William. The only piece of her childhood she still clung to was family—and with her parents gone, that meant the family’s company legacy.
Marianna should have simply thanked Simon on her front lawn and sent him away. No, because she still didn’t understand what was going on. Just happened to drive by her house? Not a chance. Inviting him in would give her a little time to pry it out of him.
But her hands were still shaking as she gripped the handrail to the front steps. Goddamn William and his unyielding fight for power over Ruiz Imports.
“So, you’re living here again?” His voice came from close behind her. Close enough to feel the sharp hum of attraction between them. Or maybe just echoes of their past.
Marianna paused, halfway up the stairs, trying to wrap her mind around the question he had asked. How much should she tell him about the end of her marriage? She didn’t turn around. “Ever since I left William. We divorced shortly after my father passed away.”
“I see.”
Now she was even more confused. Simon didn’t sound surprised that her father had died, yet he didn’t know she’d moved back here—he thought the house was empty. What did he want? There was something she was missing in all this. Something she needed to get to the bottom of before she was led down yet another murky road with no map. Because the last year had been one long lesson: the moment her father died, all his complications became hers.
Marianna fumbled with the front door until it swung open. She took one last glance at the empty front yard. William wasn’t coming back, at least not today. She stepped inside, and Simon followed close behind.
He slowed to a halt inside the entry, his gaze wandering around the room. So he wouldn’t notice if she did a little staring of her own. She took in this new, adult version of the man who had shattered her fairy-tale vision of love. His skin was bronzed from the sun—it was summer right now in Australia, wasn’t it? His arm muscles filled out the sleeves of his T-shirt, defined even in their relaxed state. Larger now, but familiar. The same muscles that used to flex as he held himself over her. The memory flashed in front of her, sudden and visceral. She took a sharp breath, taming down the heat that rushed through her. It only took a few minutes with Simon for all those old feelings to flood back in. Oh, God it was so good with him back then.
And so, so over.
Back to the situation at hand: Why the hell had Simon shown up here today? Exes didn’t swoop in for a quick hello and then disappear. They came because they wanted something from her. William wasn’t the first to teach her that.
To be fair, most people wanted things from her, though these things tended to be much easier to assess—a contribution to a charity, an appearance to endorse an event, something like that. In her father’s eyes, this was an unavoidable by-product of wealth. She had accepted that. But exes were more insidious, less direct at first and more demanding as time passed. They knew how to get under her skin. But they also let their dicks distract them.
Which led right back to Simon, who was currently inspecting her front door.
“You need new locks,” he grumbled.
“I’m taking care of that,” she said. “I just haven’t figured out how to secure the front gate.”
She reached around him and locked the door. Then she looked up at Simon. He was staring at her hand, with a look in his eyes like he was a million miles away. Or maybe just eleven years. His gaze flicked up to hers, and the faraway look disappeared, replaced by that new, hard expression she didn’t recognize.
Simon steeled himself against the memories that walking into the Ruiz family house unleashed. Nothing had changed. Not the terra-cotta-tiled floor he had crossed, barefoot, on the way out of her bedroom. Not the warm yellow of the walls he had backed her up against when they were alone in the house. Not the hallway closet, where he had hidden when Alex Ruiz had come home unexpectedly in the middle of the day. Every room in the house held details from that one magical summer. But in this house, Simon was still just the son of poor Cuban refugees who would never get ahead. That wouldn’t change, either.
Except he wasn’t that boy anymore. He had enlisted, served and risen to the top. Specialized in search and retrieval. Stood out, even in a unit full of focused, dedicated men. And then made a shitload of money with those skills in the private sector, thanks to an opportunity in security with his good friend Cameron Blackmore.
Was that why he had parked his car in front of the Ruiz estate today? Just to remind himself how far he had come?
Marianna took a step back and headed into the house.
“Let’s go to the kitchen,” she said over her shoulder.
Simon followed her down the hall. Her hair swayed back and forth with each step. His gaze dropped lower, to the narrowing of her waist. The slope of her beautiful round ass. Years’ worth of late-night fantasies flooded his mind before he could stop them. Naked on her hands and knees. Under him.
No. Just turn it off.
But entering the kitchen did nothing for his self-control. It was the one room in this house he had tried his hardest to forget. The place where it all began. Marianna moved through the room, closing the dishwasher and taking glasses out of the cabinet as if oblivious to the history of this space. But when her back was turned, she stopped.
“I thought I’d never see you again,” she said. Her voice was even, as if she were talking about the weather.
He swallowed back the tide of emotions rising through him. “That was the plan.”
“And still you ended up in my driveway?”
There was no good way to explain why he had come to her place this morning. Probably because he hadn’t really figured it out, either. Was it just nostalgia? Standing in her kitchen felt like a lot more than that.
Marianna broke the silence, setting the glasses on the counter. She pulled a pitcher from the fridge. The light through the kitchen windows shone on the water, making it sparkle as she poured. She turned around and handed one of the glasses to Simon. And froze.
Was she remembering, too? One hot summer afternoon eleven years ago, she had offered a glass of water, and that had led to much, much more.
But this wasn’t the past.
“Thanks,” he said gruffly.
His fingers brushed against hers as he took the glass. Marianna’s cheeks blazed, and she looked away.
Simon rubbed his hand over his forehead and tried to focus. He needed to fix whatever trouble she was in and get out of this place. Real soon.
The argument outside had been about Ruiz Imports, something about the piers. Was she involved in something illegal? No. Impossible. When he lived in Miami, there’d been rumors about her father’s connections to the underground world of drugs and weapons, but Marianna would never get involved with something like that.
Simon ran his hand through his hair and looked at her. “What was William yelling about?”
A pause, then with a hint of sarcasm, she said, “He thought he was marrying a trophy wife. Someone without any interest in running a business. The last six years have been quite a disappointment for him.”
Simon frowned. “He sounded a little more specific than that.”
For a moment, her eyes flashed with fear. Had this guy threatened her before?
No. That’s not what you’re here for. He wasn’t going to get sucked into this place again, where everything came down to Marianna.
But he couldn’t walk out yet. It went against his training as well as his own instincts. Now he needed to figure out how to make sure that little scene in the front yard never, ever happened again. Today. And then get on a fucking plane tomorrow and never look back.
Simon took a deep breath. “Marianna, what exactly was William referring to when he mentioned the piers?”
Marianna huffed out a breath. “You can’t just wander back into my life and demand information.”
“I’m not demanding. I’m asking.”
She put her hands on her hips. “And why would I answer? Because you and I slept together years ago?”
Slept together? That was what she called those months together that bordered on obsession? Understatement of the year.
“Not because we slept together, Marianna,” he bit out. “Because I work in private security, and there are things I can do to help. You can trust me.”
Her brow wrinkled, and she tilted her head to the side a bit, as if she were assessing that comment. Didn’t she trust him? Maybe her father never told her the truth about how things had ended.
“You can trust me with your safety,” he amended, slowing at those last words.
The lines on her forehead eased, and after another moment, she nodded. With that nod, the aching tension in Simon’s shoulders eased a fraction.
He crossed his arms. “So what’s the story with the piers?”
“I went to look at one of our company’s shipments,” she said.
“Why?”
“Because I’m part-owner of the company,” she snapped.
Simon put up his hands. “Look, I’m just trying to understand what’s going on.”
Her shoulders rose and fell. “I... I wanted to get a better understanding of that part of the business.”
“Alone?”
Marianna rolled her eyes. “Don’t start with that, please.”
Simon grimaced. There was clearly more to this story, but she wasn’t giving it. And he couldn’t blame her. They were both teenagers the last time they’d seen each other, and things had ended badly. But all he needed was enough to assess her safety. So he waited.
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Look, my role with the company is more public-facing. I’m not as involved in the actual importing and exporting of the goods... I’m just not sure if William is being completely straightforward with me about some of the shipments we’re receiving, so I met with this guy at the piers to check some...” She hesitated. “Some inconsistencies.”
Shit. This didn’t sound good. Simon looked her in the eye. “You suspect Ruiz Imports deals with more than what’s on the books?”
Marianna didn’t answer. Which was just about the same as a yes.
He didn’t want to dig too deep, get too involved. They hardly knew each other anymore, but her silence pricked at him.
“If you don’t want to tell me what’s really going on here, that’s fine,” he said. “But be careful, Marianna. Seems like you’ve really pissed off your ex-husband. Whoever you’re meeting with—can you be sure you know he’s not part of whatever William’s pushing you away from?”
She blinked up at him. Clearly, she hadn’t even considered that possibility.
“He and my father were close,” she said slowly. “My father helped him out, and he owed our family everything. He’d never do anything that would hurt me.”
Simon raised his eyebrows.
“He wouldn’t, Simon,” she said, more firmly this time. She took a drink of water, giving him a glimpse at her long, delicate neck. What would it be like to run his fingers down her soft skin again? No. Focus.
He hardened his expression. “How do you know whatever suspicious dealings you’re hiding from me didn’t start with your father?”
Marianna choked on her water, midsip. She clanked her glass down hard on the countertop and coughed some more. Simon hovered behind her, and then he touched her, his warm hand moving up and down her back in soothing strokes. She took a couple tentative breaths, finding more air.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
His hand lingered for an extra beat before he pulled back. But he didn’t move away. He stood close, the way he used to, the way she had tried so hard to forget.
She frowned. Marianna tilted her chin up to face him.
“My father earned his money honestly,” she said, her voice icy calm. No. Simon was not coming back into her life to take away the one thing she still had left.
Simon said nothing, but his bitter words from years ago rang in her ears. No one with this kind of money has clean hands. He didn’t have to say it this time. He just stared at her with those deep green eyes. Those eyes with the long, beautiful lashes made it hard to think.
Simon folded his arms. “Whatever you’re up to, I know some security people, people you can trust. If we talk this through a little more, I can arrange for a team to come, starting today.”
Marianna gave a little snort and rolled her eyes. “Oh, is that how it will happen?”
He scowled. “It’s my job, Marianna.”
He said her name slow and soft, distracting her. Yes, she knew this was his job now. He had taken his military training and made a name for himself at Blackmore Inc., one of the most respected security firms in the world. Specialty private security. Which sounded impressive, even if she wasn’t sure exactly how that worked. But he was right. She could trust him, at least in this area. And that was exactly what she needed right now: someone she could trust. She was getting in way over her head. Or maybe she already was.
Simon rubbed his eyes and sighed. “All right, Nancy Drew. So you go down to the pier, make a lot of noise opening up the shipment. What’s the next step of the plan?”
“Talk to William?” Marianna wrinkled her brow. That was supposed to be a statement, not a question, but after the showdown this morning, it didn’t sound like the best idea anymore. She blew out a breath. “If something’s not right, I own half this business. I don’t want to be mixed up in anything illegal.”
He shook his head. “Not a good idea. Did it look like he’d be willing to talk today? And what happens if you do find drugs or weapons?”
Marianna bit her lip. Good point. How the hell would she deal with that? Call the authorities on her own company?
“Look, I’m still figuring this out. Maybe you can come with me to check it out. Help me decide what to do,” she said softly. “I’ll pay you.”
A stormy glower flashed across his face. He came up closer and rested one arm on the counter next to her, using his body to block out everything else from her sight but him. Over the last eleven years her heart had jumped too many times when she passed someone with the same aftershave, with the same build.
“I made myself clear a long time ago, Marianna,” he growled. “I don’t want your money.”
Marianna gritted her teeth. Right. That decade-old wound was still between them. But right now, she wasn’t going to expose it further. Besides, she knew from her cyberstalking he was wealthy enough that he really didn’t need her money. So what was he after? Marianna couldn’t let this end until she had an answer.
She narrowed her eyes at him.
“Over the last few years, I’ve learned that everyone wants something from me,” she said.
Her words probably would’ve had more impact if she could keep her eyes from drifting down to the hard muscles under his T-shirt every time he moved. How could she lust after a man who had changed overnight and left her behind? But there was so much heat in his gaze right now. And then there was the anger, the same scorn he used to reserve for her father. He pressed his lips together, and his hot gaze was gone.
“Before you do anything, you need to talk to a lawyer,” said Simon. He looked around the kitchen and out the window. “You’re living in this house alone?”
She nodded slowly. “It was supposed to be temporary. Just until I got through the divorce.”
“You need security.” He continued to scan the room.
“Exactly what I don’t need. More men watching every move I make.” She gave him a dry smile, but she was dead serious. William had given her a lifetime worth of that. Never again.
Simon scowled. “William knows you’re taking a closer look at the business, and there’s a good chance he’s not the only one. If you’re right about any of this, they’re going to make sure you’re not sniffing around.”
He was standing so close. The heat of his body called to her, taunting her. This is what you missed.
They were having two conversations at once. One was with words, and that one she understood. It was one she had had too many times before, where a man tried to coax her into something without telling her the real reason behind it. First it had been her father, then William. She knew how to deal with that conversation.
But the other one? The conversation she and Simon were holding with every nuance of their gestures, his touch on her back earlier, the way their gazes lingered longer, burned hotter? Marianna had no idea what to do with that one.
This was the man who had dropped her for a better offer. Any sane person would never forget that. And she hadn’t. At least, most of her hadn’t. Her body didn’t seem to care one way or another about their past. The electric spark of his hot stare together with years of unaddressed issues were brewing dangerously inside.
“Ruiz Imports has connections with everyone in Miami,” he said gently. “I think you need a new plan.”
Marianna took a steadying breath. He was right, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was missing something.
“So you’re just swooping into town for the day to save me?”
He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away. “Something like that.”
“And what if I don’t want to be saved by you?”
CHAPTER TWO (#ub6423e12-17f1-5f35-87b5-c123f537ae9e)
SIMON INHALED DEEPLY and tried to calm the fuck down. But he was standing so close to Marianna, and instead of pulling away, he was finding reasons to move closer. His heart had just about stopped at her last question.
“What the hell does that mean?” he asked softly. “Why wouldn’t you let me make sure you’re safe?”
She took a little drink from her glass. “I’m not eighteen anymore, Simon.”
Then she licked her lips.
His gaze was fixed on her mouth, taking him somewhere else entirely. Somewhere his mind hadn’t gone in so long. To the day he and Marianna had taken her boat far away from everything. The day they shifted from lust-driven encounters to something more. Anchored off a hidden beach, the water still and no one in sight. They had the time to explore. It was the first time she had been shy. Different. He tasted every part of her body, and he lay back while she played with her hands and her mouth, discovering, her brow furrowed in concentration until he came. And then she started all over again.
Shit. Those memories were so well-worn that they shouldn’t get him hard anymore. But they did. Now, eleven years later, he was in her kitchen, staring at her lips, and his tongue was probably hanging out.
Marianna’s gaze suggested she could see exactly what he was imagining. Her eyes narrowed. “The last time you offered to be there for me, you backed out, remember?”
He leaned closer and touched her chin with his fingers. She shivered as the rough pads of his thumb traced along her jaw. “Don’t pretend it was that simple, Marianna.”
She just shook her head.
He let his fingers slide down her neck.
“Let’s just put those last days aside for now,” he whispered. It was simpler to be in the moment, ignore the complicated past between them—when her father had nearly destroyed his family. When his family had learned just how manipulative Alex Ruiz could be, threatening their livelihood, spreading terrible rumors. Besides, if he’d stayed back then, Simon would have only prolonged the inevitable. As his own father had so bluntly put it, he wasn’t part of the kind of life Marianna would want.
He continued a slow exploration of her skin with his hand. Soft curves and slopes. A crease formed between her eyebrows.
“Why were you waiting outside my house today, Simon?” she whispered. “What do you want from me?”
Wrong time to ask that question. For a few years he had thought he wanted Marianna to suffer for the way she’d looked down at him eleven years ago. But then he’d built a life on wanting nothing, and that faded. Now he had no idea what he was looking for.
No, that wasn’t true. There was one thing Simon was sure he wanted.
Slowly, so slowly that she couldn’t mistake his intentions, he lowered his mouth to hers. His lips brushed against hers, once, twice. His heart raced in his chest. He parted his mouth and tasted her. Salty sweet, like a day on the beach. Fuck, this was really happening. After all these years, he was kissing her again. He sucked her bottom lip, and she let out a little moan. Simon released her lip, and neither of them moved. His breaths were coming fast. He swallowed, holding tight control on his deepest urges to dive in, to take, to have.
Time to decide. Back away, keeping the past in the past? Or just one more little taste of heaven? He’d wait for her answer.
Marianna’s breath was shaky as she pressed her soft lips against his. Goddamn. She was kissing him now. With her warm, wet mouth. He groaned as her hands brushed against his stomach, exploring, finding her way. He slid his tongue in, letting her know just how hungry he was for her. His hands slipped under her shirt, and he was touching her soft skin again, remembering. She came alive under his hands, pressing closer, begging for more. Skimming her hands through his hair, she pulled him closer. After all these years.
He broke off the kiss and pulled away. Marianna’s eyes fluttered open, hazy and surprised. Her cheeks were rosy, her lips, swollen. Damn, he wanted this woman like nothing else right now.
“Do you want to do this one last time?” he asked.
Her eyes flashed with uncertainty. What was she debating? There was nothing uncertain about their kiss, and he was leaving for Sydney early tomorrow. No matter what happened between them, nothing changed.
He brushed her hair off her shoulder and pressed his lips against her bare skin. So goddamn sweet.
“It’ll be hot between us,” he whispered, catching her earlobe between his lips. “You know I can make you feel good.”
Her sigh was the sexiest thing he’d ever heard, like she was imagining just how good it would be.
“You know I’ll take care of you.”
She stiffened under his hands.
“Don’t say that,” she said sharply.
Simon froze. He moved back a little and looked down at her, his brow furrowed. He had been talking about her pleasure, but that couldn’t be what she was reacting to. Her mouth was in a tight line, and her eyes held years of unspoken accusations.
He blinked at her, grasping at his thoughts. Simon ran his thumb over her mouth, and her expression softened.
She let out a breath. “Just don’t pretend this is something it’s not.”
“What do you think this is?” The words were out of his mouth before he had time to think. His erection throbbed unhelpfully between them, intruding on the conversation. The last thing they should be doing right now was talking.
So he traced a path with his fingers down her neck, down her chest until his hands cupped her breasts. He circled her nipples with his thumbs, and she let out a soft moan.
“Forget that question, Mari,” he said. “Let’s not drag any of our old shit up. I can think of so many better ways to use our time.”
He stroked up and down her sides slowly, his thumbs brushing under her breasts each time. The sharpness in her gaze faded. All the yellows were gone from her eyes, swallowed up in black, leaving only the thin gray-green outlines. He had forgotten the way her eyes changed when she watched him like this.
“One more time,” she said.
His fingers flexed into the curve of her waist, and he bit back the groan stuck in his throat. Yes. This was really going to happen.
She slipped her hands under his shirt again. His stomach muscles quivered as her fingers trailed up his chest, exploring.
“You’ve gotten bigger,” she whispered. “I noticed it before.”
His cock throbbed a response, and Marianna laughed softly. She unbuttoned his jeans and slipped one hand inside, playing with the waistband of his boxers.
“You want to go upstairs?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Right here.”
Simon’s mind flashed to their very first encounter in this kitchen. He squeezed his eyes shut as a bolt of lust shot through him.
She must have gone back to the same moment, too, because she laughed. “You hated me that first day.”
“You were a spoiled little rich girl,” he said, his voice growing huskier. “You lay by your goddamn pool, watching me work in the hot sun for weeks.”
Marianna smiled. “So why did you say yes when I offered you a drink?”
He let out a groan. “Because your eyes said, come in and fuck me.”
“That’s not what my eyes said,” she whispered. “They said, I want to taste you.”
He slipped his hands under her shirt and shuddered. The scent of her, all that warm, soft skin under his fingertips. It was too much to resist, so he let in the memory of that day one more time. Her little bikini had been all strings and scraps of red, and he had followed her inside this house, somewhere between blinding lust and hate. The cool air and the front-row view of her swimsuit would have been enough, but she took it much further than that. His eyes fixed on her, he’d walked to the table and pulled one of her kitchen chairs out to sit facing her. She’d poured him a glass of water and come close, between his legs, reaching across him to set it on the table next to him. Letting her breasts fall right in front of him. Close enough to taste. When she stood up, she didn’t back away.
He could still feel cold water running down his throat as he drank it in one long gulp, his eyes fixed on her the whole time. For weeks he had forced himself not to stare. Now that he could, he took his time, slowly memorizing every curve, every inch of exposed skin, not bothering to hide his erection. Her gaze dropped to his pants, and she smiled. I’m curious, she had said. Two words that changed everything. Then she knelt between his legs, unzipped his pants and gave him the hottest blow job of his life.
“All-time best lunch break,” he said, his voice a little hoarse.
“I bet it was.” She chuckled.
How long had it been since he had laughed when he was with a woman? But he wasn’t going to think about that kind of shit. He was here with her today.
Her skirt was silky, soft under his hands as he slid them down over her ass. She moved her hips against his in slow reminders of how it could be.
Years ago he would have told himself to stay away from the woman who made him want what he could never have. Today he didn’t give a fuck. Today all Simon wanted was one more time. One more chance to bury himself inside her before he said goodbye to his past forever.
Marianna’s smile faded, and she reached up to trace the stubble of his jaw. How had she forgotten the way his beautiful green eyes looked right into her, searching for parts of her that no one else saw? And, God, it felt so good, so right.
Simon blinked, and they stared at each other, frozen somewhere between the past and the present. Then, his fingers flexed against her rear, and he tilted his hips into hers. Her breath caught in her throat, and he did it again. She bit back a moan, but he must have heard it anyway because his smile was full of dark lust.
She let her hand fall from his jaw and twisted in his grip so that he was up against her back, her belly against the counter. His hands slipped over her hips, and he pressed up against her.
“How do you like it now?” he whispered in her ear.
She swallowed. It was better if she wasn’t facing him. She hadn’t been with anyone since the divorce, and this was going to get messy fast if she wasn’t careful. Emotional. She was already reading too much into those glimpses of longing in Simon’s eyes.
She still hadn’t figured out why he had shown up at this house. But maybe she could get to that as they both let their guards down. Sex had a way of doing that. But this wasn’t like their first time, just for fun, to see what was underneath his hard exterior. Now there were so many things she didn’t want to uncover.
Still, she couldn’t deny the dizzying pleasure of finally, finally touching Simon again. After the worst year of her life, she deserved to feel good again for just a little while.
“I like just about everything,” she said, smiling. “That hasn’t changed.”
His hands were skimming over her stomach again, cupping her breasts, and his erection was rock hard against her. Good God. Had that part of him gotten bigger, too?
He reached under her skirt, exploring her thighs, and she opened her legs, wanting more.
“You feel so good, so soft.” His voice was rough in her ear. “You want this nice and slow, or you want this hard?”
The question spread a wave of heat through her, and she swallowed a lump in her throat. “Hard.”
His fingers flexed as the word floated out of her mouth. He hissed out a breath, and his hand moved higher, finding the edges of her panties.
“Hard,” he rasped. “That’s exactly what I want right now with you.”
As he spoke those words, he slipped his hand under the lace of her panties and stroked her, dipped his fingers inside her. She moaned and rocked into his hand.
“Oh, fuck,” he muttered.
Damn, this would be good. Something about him made her light up. When they had their last fight, he had said something that stuck. A man like him could only have two purposes for a woman like her: to work for her or to fuck her. Not that she believed it, but if that was all he was offering...
“Let’s do this now, Simon,” she said, her voice tight in her throat. Before she looked too closely at what was happening.
His hands disappeared, and there was a rustling behind her. After a moment, he set the condom wrapper on the counter next to her. Then he pulled away.
Marianna gripped the edge of the counter, willing herself not to turn around. Not to watch the look on his face in the intimate, erotic moment when he pulled himself out. Were his fingers trembling as he rolled the condom down his long, hard erection? Did he want her as badly as she wanted him? But she couldn’t make this any more personal.
All thought disappeared the moment he touched her again, coaxing her to bend over farther. They didn’t bother with undressing. He just lifted her skirt up and moved her panties to the side. He slid his erection along her core, back and forth, before he pushed in hard.
She gasped and cried out, and he growled behind her, thrusting again.
“Did you miss my hard cock?”
She gulped in a breath as bolts of white-hot pleasure shot through her body.
“Is this what you missed most?” His voice was heavy in her ear.
She couldn’t answer, but he knew this about her. He could fuck her speechless. Words became impossible when so much want and need spread through her. He was filling her, over and over again, hard and fast, building her up way too soon. She should have known he couldn’t just put aside their past. And neither could she.
Now they were right back where they were eleven years ago, and she didn’t have it in her to stop it. Not right now, when his hot breaths drifted over her neck and his voice rang in her ears. Each thrust took them deeper, closer. He slid his hands down her back, caressing, exploring. His fingers dug into her hips, and she answered him, pushing back against him, meeting each movement, seeking her own pleasure.
Oh, God.
Her knees began to shake, threatening to give out. Her own moans of pleasure were coming louder and faster as she spiraled out of control.
“Yes, Simon.”
Her body exploded in flashes of white heat as those words echoed inside. Yes, Simon. It was too much. She shook and crumbled onto the cool countertop as the waves of ecstasy rushed through her. Simon gave two last hard thrusts and roared out his own pleasure, sending another ripple of bliss through her. His big body shuddered behind her, and he breathed out a string of curse words in Spanish.
She smiled to herself. When she was younger, she got off on making him finish that way. Back then, she didn’t understand much of what he was saying—Spanish was the language her father had refused to teach her in his struggle to distance them both from his Cuban roots. She had fought to learn the language as an adult.
Marianna laid her cheek against the granite, trying to catch her breath. Simon bent over her, his hands on the counter next to hers, his skin hot through his shirt. His breaths brushed over her in heavy pants, and his lips pressed against her shoulder.
All too soon, he pulled out, and the warmth of his body disappeared. She caught a glimpse of him over her shoulder, his face twisted with emotion.
She didn’t want to know what came next. Not yet.
Pulling together her strength, Marianna straightened up and headed for the bathroom. She locked the door, leaned her elbows on the sink and buried her face in her hands. Just breathe. This was about closing the door on a part of her life, not opening it.
Goddamn him. And she still hadn’t figured out why he’d come in the first place. It had to be something about the past. She had never learned exactly what her father had said to him eleven years ago, but whatever it was had made him leave her behind. Her father had simply told her that he had made Simon a financial offer, and he didn’t choose Marianna. No discussion, not then, not ever. She had only seen Simon once after that, and he didn’t deny her father’s version.
That’s one way of saying it was all he had replied, his scowl darkening.
Not an admission, not a denial. But his actions spoke louder: he’d gotten the hell out of Miami.
And now, eleven years later, he just shows up?
Marianna took a deep breath and splashed water over her eyes. Then, slowly, she walked back to the kitchen.
The empty kitchen.
“Simon?”
The words echoed off the floors and the shiny countertops, mocking her.
“Simon?”
Nothing. She crossed the kitchen to a notepad on the counter. On the top of the first page, a handwritten note was left in that scrawl she’d never forgotten.
Call your lawyer and make a new plan. I’m taking care of security.
That was all.
“Damn you, Simon Rodriguez,” Marianna yelled out to no one.
CHAPTER THREE (#ub6423e12-17f1-5f35-87b5-c123f537ae9e)
THE SUN SHONE through the windows of Simon’s top-floor office, reflecting off the marble floor. Nothing was out of place on the sleek, modern desk in front of him, aside from the coffee cup Stephanie, one of the admins, had dropped off when she arrived. Probably cold by now. Simon slowly rocked in his soft leather chair and frowned out at the Sydney Harbour. He had gotten back from Miami a week ago, and he had wasted too much of that time thinking about Marianna.
What the hell was wrong with him?
At night when he was alone, he let his guard down, and images of that scene in the kitchen came flooding back. He was going to spend the next twenty years getting himself off to the memory of her soft warmth around him as he came deep inside her. And while the teenage memories were more dreamlike, this one was real. Raw. Whatever else had happened between them, the explosive spark hadn’t dulled over the years.
What would have happened if he hadn’t walked away last week? Maybe it was a dick move, but he’d had to cut that encounter short. Otherwise... Would they have spent the night reliving the past, over and over? Before he could stop himself, the fantasy took life: he’d carry her up to her room and taste her and tease her with his mouth until she told him the truth.
Did you believe your father over me all this time? Have you thought of me like I’ve thought of you?
When William was fucking you, did you ever wish it was me?
Those were the questions he’d taunt her with. Once she’d told him the truth, he’d make her come.
Simon had already come to terms with the fact that he’d never fully get over her. Maybe it was always like that with first loves.
If he hadn’t left last week, if he had stayed and kissed her and laid her down on her bed one more time, he wouldn’t have been able to pull himself away. Not until things got ugly again. Here in Sydney, he was a self-made man, but with her, he wasn’t sure he’d ever shake the feeling that he was from the wrong side of the tracks. Her father had made sure of that.
None of that matters now.
He was living his dream, so far away from the struggles that had plagued his childhood. Far from debts. Far from the illness that had sapped his mother’s life away. And the sickening feeling of helplessness as his family suffered.
His parents had given up everything when they’d left Cuba, and they’d put all their hopes into the future of their kids. If they were alive now, they’d be more than proud of him. He now experienced luxuries his teenage self would never have believed. He was living the kind of life his father had hoped to give his sons, the kind that should give Simon peace of mind—
Fuck. He had a meeting in a few minutes. He wouldn’t keep his team waiting.
Forget the past. Forget Marianna. He belonged here in this corner office with floor-to-ceiling glass and clients lining up at the door. Where people saw what he had become, not where he’d started.
The ghosts of yesterday didn’t really bother him anymore, anyway. He’d found his place alongside Cameron Blackmore, his boss, and his partners, Derek Latu and Max Jensen. They’d been through a lot of intense shit together, and the trust built through working on a security team together mattered far more than his hang-ups from years ago.
Simon grabbed the files spread out across his desk and headed out the door to the conference room.
Derek and Max were already seated at the half-circle table that faced the video conference screen, and Stephanie was fiddling with the system.
“Need some help?” he asked her.
“Please.” She beamed up at him, and he immediately regretted his offer. Her shirt was unbuttoned enough to give him a peek at her generous tits, and her smile was just a little friendlier than business appropriate.
She always lingered longer in his office than necessary, and he had tried hard not to lead her on in response. Not that she wasn’t attractive. Just an unnecessary complication.
“I’ll take care of this,” he said, gesturing to the system. “You can get back to work.”
Her smile fell a little, but she nodded and walked out.
Simon adjusted the settings, and Cameron Blackmore’s picture appeared on the screen in a conference room that mirrored their own.
“This thing actually works,” said Derek. “Your girlfriend was right, Cam.”
The corners of Cameron’s mouth turned up. “She’s right about a lot of things.”
“First Derek, now you,” said Max shaking his head. “What’s this place coming to?”
Simon had to smile. Derek had been married to Laurie for a couple years, but Simon never would’ve guessed that Cameron could fall in love so quickly. He had—with Jackson McAllister, the PR expert who’d been sent there from New York a few weeks ago to give their team an image adjustment. The moment Cameron asked Simon to get on a plane with him to follow her back to the States, Simon knew his friend was long gone on the woman. Which was how Simon had ended up back in Miami, the city he swore he’d never return to. With the woman he’d sworn to never get caught up in again.
“Looks like you’ve set foot in the New York office,” said Simon to Cameron. “Does that mean you and your father kissed and made up?”
Cameron gave a humorless laugh. “He’s still a fucking asshole, but he’s leaving me alone now that I have the board behind me. It’s probably the best I could hope for.”
Simon nodded. He had met Harlan Blackmore in person a handful of times. The man was as bad as Cameron made him out to be. Sometimes worse. He was the CEO of Blackmore Inc., the company Cameron’s grandfather had started, but he’d had it in for his son ever since Cameron took over the Sydney branch—which Harlan used to be in charge of.
“And your father’s on board for moving the global business toward surveillance instead of just focusing on personal security?” asked Derek.
“I couldn’t give a shit what my father thinks. The board is interested. That’s what matters,” said Cameron with a shrug.
The move made sense, and Simon had already expanded the new surveillance team for the Sydney branch. He had spent a lot of time with the IT department, and it was coming along, though not fast enough. When Cameron got back to Australia, Simon would officially take on that division of the business. Not that he didn’t still get off on the intensity of high-pressure personal security jobs, but building the new surveillance arm of Blackmore Inc., Australia, would be a chance to use his education instead of just his physical skills. In time, he hoped to offer his expertise to the board if they voted to make it a global initiative.
“Sick of my job yet, Derek?” Cameron smirked.
“Glad Simon is back. Not sure it was wise leaving me alone with this clown,” said Derek, nodding toward Max. “The only jobs he wants are with women.”
While Derek was the team’s responsible father bear—and the hulking Pacific Islander knew how to get just about anyone in line—Max was the resident playboy and joker. Probably because he was used to getting away with a lot. He came from a wealthy ranching family, the closest thing Australia had to royalty.
“One day you’ll join the ranks and find a woman who’ll bring you to your knees, Max,” said Cameron.
For once, Max didn’t smile.
“The problem isn’t finding her,” he muttered.
Right. Natasha. Shy marine biologist who he was always obsessing over, the one with a famous model sister. Why the hell didn’t Max just make a move on her? He wasn’t known for holding back in any situation, especially not one that involved a woman. Didn’t make much sense.
But obsessing over a woman did strange things to a reasonably sane guy. He should know that better than anyone. Simon frowned.
“I hear you, Derek,” said Cameron. “Glad you made it back from Miami, Simon. How was the visit?”
Cameron knew exactly how that visit would be. He knew better than anyone in the world the way Marianna had torn his heart out.
“We don’t need to talk about this now,” he growled. “That has nothing to do with Blackmore Inc. business.”
“Actually, it is Blackmore Inc. business,” said Cameron.
Simon gritted his teeth. What the fuck? Derek and Max looked from Cameron to him.
“I got a call from Marianna Ruiz yesterday,” Cameron continued. “She’s coming to Sydney for a few days. And she wants to hire you as a personal bodyguard, Simon.”
“Hell, no,” he blurted out. A screech of feedback echoed from the video conferencing system. “Follow her around while she’s here? What the fuck is she thinking?”
Cameron put his hands up. “I know. And I said something like that, though not quite in those terms.”
Simon’s heart was pounding hard in his chest. Hell, no. Just thinking about her was making him crazy. Spending time in close quarters with her, keeping his hands off that sweet little body? Watching her smile at every guy who hit on her? Yeah, not going to happen.
“No way I’m doing that, Cameron,” he said.
Cameron raised his eyebrows. “She said you’d probably react that way. I don’t even want to know what went down in Miami.”
Did he have to use the words what went down? Because that was all it took for that scene he had just imagined back in his office to flash in front of him. Vividly.
Simon closed his eyes. “I walked out on her, and she’s trying to get her revenge, Cam. That’s what’s going on.”
Max gave a low whistle.
“Now we know why you’ve been in a shit mood since you got back,” said Derek.
Cameron shook his head. “At first I thought it might be something twisted like that, too. But not anymore. She’s serious.”
Simon scowled.
“Simon, there’s a real threat,” said Cameron. “She was in a hit-and-run accident a couple days ago.”
He froze as Cameron’s words hit him hard in the gut. His heart thudded. “What?”
“She wasn’t hurt,” Cameron added quickly. “Thanks to that security team you hired for her. If one of them hadn’t been driving, she’d probably be in the hospital.”
Simon tried to stop his hand from shaking by running it through his hair. Fuck. He knew what a well-timed accident meant.
He shook his head slowly, letting the news sink in. This was exactly what he was afraid would happen, and now he had no idea what the hell was going on. Simon had specifically told the Miami security team not to give him updates, just to keep her safe. Now something had set William and whoever else he was working with into motion. She’d be lucky if her ex wasn’t on the plane with her.
“Why is she coming to Sydney?”
Cameron furrowed his brow. “She set up a meeting with some business partner. But I think there’s more to it than that. She’s sending over the details, and the three of you will meet with her.”
Simon stared down at his clenched fists. This was going to be a mess. He looked across the table at Derek and Max. Both were watching him, not bothering to hide their curiosity. The two of them knew something of his past, but they were about to learn a whole lot more.
Cameron cleared his throat. “Look, she’s flying in tomorrow. No one else knows her background the way you do. No one will be able to understand this job as well as you do.” He looked almost sympathetic. “But you want to know why I said yes to this?”
Simon shook his head slowly. “Not really.”
“I’m telling you anyway,” said Cameron. “If I send her to someone else and she gets hurt this time, you’d never forgive yourself.”
Damn. There it was. Cameron knew him better than anyone else in the world. His friend didn’t even have to ask. As angry as Simon was at Marianna Ruiz for going behind his back to hire him, he needed to be the one to protect her.
“She said you were the only person she could really trust with her safety,” Cameron added softly.
Simon breathed deeply and let it out. “Well, I sure as hell don’t trust myself around her.”
“Looks like you have a day to get your shit together, Simon,” said Cameron, looking at the papers in front of him. “You’re picking her up from the airport tomorrow.”
By the time the wheels touched the ground, Marianna had exhausted all the reasons this flimsy plan was a colossally bad idea. What was she thinking?
But she had to get out of Miami. Plan A had died when Simon got her to talk through a few scenarios she hadn’t considered. Plan B, report her suspicions about Ruiz Imports to the authorities, had only made things worse. It exposed how far William’s influence had spread, and the high-speed chase across Miami Beach was a lesson in the consequences of defying him. She shivered at the memory of the other vehicle tailing them, then the impact...
Thank God one of the guards Simon had hired was driving that day. At first she’d resented the team of hulking, stoic men who ensured no one came within a ten-foot radius of her. Her well-schooled debutante charm was met with stone-cold disinterest by every single one of those guys—the queen of England probably got more conversation. But then she’d needed them. They had been at her house when William came to her door later that night, too.
But William couldn’t have bought off the entire world. Not yet. While there was no one she could completely trust, Joseph Goodwin was a good bet. Even though she hadn’t seen him since she was a child, the bond had been strong between him and her father. They had been more than business partners, even after Goodwin left Miami. Goodwin wouldn’t hurt her, and he was her best chance to stop this mess at the Australian end, outside William’s realm. At least that was the idea. And she needed Simon’s help to pull this whole crazy plan off.
But Simon would be mad as hell at her. Rightly so. She had hired him, used her wealth and position to push him to do something he didn’t want to, just like the spoiled girl he’d left behind would have done. Would Simon understand that she wasn’t that same girl? Her father had tried to protect her from reality growing up, but her sheltered life had come to a swift end in the months after she had married William. Hope had pushed her to finally leave him, but that had dampened in the last few months.
As angry as Simon probably was, she could trust him. He had also been right about the danger she had stumbled into. After her failed attempt to get the police to investigate Ruiz Imports, everyone in Miami was a question mark. And she put herself and them in danger by asking for help. Even she knew what a hit-and-run accident really meant.
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