Read Online Close Quarters (Her SEAL Protector #1) by Roxie Rivera - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Roxie Rivera
Tags: romantic suspense
Ads: Link
make it through the night down there."
Stomach clenching, he asked, "What did you do?"
"Hector had given me his number, so I called him and asked for his help."
The thought of Jamie going to a cartel enforcer for help sickened him. "What did he make you do?"
"He didn't make me do anything. We had dinner a few nights later and kept in touch."
"That's all?" He didn't buy that story for a second.
"Do you really want to hear all those details, Leland? It was a long time ago."
"But he's still hanging around!"
"He's helping me."
He started to shout that he would have helped her, but that wasn’t true. He had pushed her away, punishing her for something she had never done, and cut her off from his help. Trying to keep his cool, he asked, "What happened after Hector gave Dane the maps?"
"He bought the story and the setup hook, line, and sinker. He rigged out a crew, secured the permits, and set sail to recover the wrong ship. They've been out there for four months. Of course, what he doesn't know is that I've already secured the real site and have agreed to give the government of the Dominican Republic a fifty percent cut of whatever I find when I start the salvage operation later this year. They buried the permit and made my presence in the country disappear. There's no trace of me ever being there." She shrugged. "Like you said, I don't need the money. This is all about revenge for me."
Leland gaped at her. "This isn't a fucking game. The man already killed your father! He won't hesitate to kill you."
"The cartel guys he convinced to finance his operation aren't going to let him have that chance once they realize how much money he's lost and how stupid he's made them all look. They're expecting a massive payday and an easy way to launder some of their dirty money. When they don't get it?" She dragged a finger across her neck.
Speechless, he gritted his teeth and fought the urge to shake some sense into her. "Damn it, Jamie! You think they're going to stop with Dane?"
"Yes, I do."
"Then you're a fool," he spat angrily. "They won't forgive your part in this mess."
"They already have."
Three words, and he was knocked backward with shock. It seemed her plan for revenge left no loose ends. "How?"
"You know how."
"Hector, your knight in cocaine-dusted armor." He slammed her maps and book back into the folder, and stuck her pistol inside. He left the heavy folder on the nearest shelf and dropped the GPS tracker on top. "Did you stop to think for one second what coming here means for Peyton? Did you even consider that if your plan flies off the rails, they'll start looking for answers with her?"
"You don't need to worry about Peyton. She's safe. I took care of that." She stepped toward him and wrung her hands. "If you would just listen to me for a second, I can explain—"
"I'm done listening to this," he snarled. Reeling from the realization he knew nothing about this new woman she had become, he shook his head. "You broke my trust, Jamie. You should have told me last night about all of this. If something happens to Peyton—"
"Nothing is going to happen to Peyton!"
"You don't know that! Will you listen to yourself? You cannot possibly be this stupid."
She flinched, and he instantly hated himself for losing it. A moment later, she presented him with a cool, icy mask of indifference. "If that's how you feel, then I should leave."
"Yes, you should." He wanted her gone. No, you don't. You want her here, in your arms and in your bed. "Pack up your stuff. I'm going into town for groceries. I'll stop by the garage to see if your car is ready. If it's not, you can take my rental. When I'm back, you need to be ready to go."
"Fine."
"Great." She stepped out of the doorway so he could pass through without touching her. As he stormed back to the cabin to retrieve his wallet and the rental keys, he ignored the gnawing ache in the pit of his stomach and the heaviness in his chest. He slid behind the wheel of the SUV, jammed
Stomach clenching, he asked, "What did you do?"
"Hector had given me his number, so I called him and asked for his help."
The thought of Jamie going to a cartel enforcer for help sickened him. "What did he make you do?"
"He didn't make me do anything. We had dinner a few nights later and kept in touch."
"That's all?" He didn't buy that story for a second.
"Do you really want to hear all those details, Leland? It was a long time ago."
"But he's still hanging around!"
"He's helping me."
He started to shout that he would have helped her, but that wasn’t true. He had pushed her away, punishing her for something she had never done, and cut her off from his help. Trying to keep his cool, he asked, "What happened after Hector gave Dane the maps?"
"He bought the story and the setup hook, line, and sinker. He rigged out a crew, secured the permits, and set sail to recover the wrong ship. They've been out there for four months. Of course, what he doesn't know is that I've already secured the real site and have agreed to give the government of the Dominican Republic a fifty percent cut of whatever I find when I start the salvage operation later this year. They buried the permit and made my presence in the country disappear. There's no trace of me ever being there." She shrugged. "Like you said, I don't need the money. This is all about revenge for me."
Leland gaped at her. "This isn't a fucking game. The man already killed your father! He won't hesitate to kill you."
"The cartel guys he convinced to finance his operation aren't going to let him have that chance once they realize how much money he's lost and how stupid he's made them all look. They're expecting a massive payday and an easy way to launder some of their dirty money. When they don't get it?" She dragged a finger across her neck.
Speechless, he gritted his teeth and fought the urge to shake some sense into her. "Damn it, Jamie! You think they're going to stop with Dane?"
"Yes, I do."
"Then you're a fool," he spat angrily. "They won't forgive your part in this mess."
"They already have."
Three words, and he was knocked backward with shock. It seemed her plan for revenge left no loose ends. "How?"
"You know how."
"Hector, your knight in cocaine-dusted armor." He slammed her maps and book back into the folder, and stuck her pistol inside. He left the heavy folder on the nearest shelf and dropped the GPS tracker on top. "Did you stop to think for one second what coming here means for Peyton? Did you even consider that if your plan flies off the rails, they'll start looking for answers with her?"
"You don't need to worry about Peyton. She's safe. I took care of that." She stepped toward him and wrung her hands. "If you would just listen to me for a second, I can explain—"
"I'm done listening to this," he snarled. Reeling from the realization he knew nothing about this new woman she had become, he shook his head. "You broke my trust, Jamie. You should have told me last night about all of this. If something happens to Peyton—"
"Nothing is going to happen to Peyton!"
"You don't know that! Will you listen to yourself? You cannot possibly be this stupid."
She flinched, and he instantly hated himself for losing it. A moment later, she presented him with a cool, icy mask of indifference. "If that's how you feel, then I should leave."
"Yes, you should." He wanted her gone. No, you don't. You want her here, in your arms and in your bed. "Pack up your stuff. I'm going into town for groceries. I'll stop by the garage to see if your car is ready. If it's not, you can take my rental. When I'm back, you need to be ready to go."
"Fine."
"Great." She stepped out of the doorway so he could pass through without touching her. As he stormed back to the cabin to retrieve his wallet and the rental keys, he ignored the gnawing ache in the pit of his stomach and the heaviness in his chest. He slid behind the wheel of the SUV, jammed
Similar Books
