and leaned against him.
“Is that what this place is like?” she murmured in a barely audible voice.
“Apparently. And more. You heard him reciting the menu of videos. That one was probably one of the milder selections. To get timid customers in the mood.”
She’d been in the mood, all right. Now there were a lot of things she wanted to say, but she couldn’t mention any of them here. Instead she lay in his arms staring vacantly at the screen thinking that they’d been fighting in the car not so long ago. The erotic performance had changed everything.
Everything?
When the stage lights came up again, Cole snatched up the remote and clicked the power button.
As the television went blank, she breathed out a small sigh. Enough of that.
As Cole slung his arm around her and held her against his side, she heard a change in the engine sound and looked up.
“Must be almost there,” he said. “Wow, this is going to be a fun adventure.”
“Oh yeah,” she managed to agree as he stood again and pulled the curtain back.
Windows ran all around the sides of the hovercraft, and to her right she could see a massive ship. Not as big as some the best known cruise lines were using now, but big enough to make it difficult to find Karen Hopewell.
She saw Cole’s eyes narrow and wondered if he was thinking the same thing. Or was he cursing their unprofessional behavior a few moments ago.
Before she could say anything, Greg strode toward them, giving them a broad smile. “We’re almost at the Windward .”
“An impressive tub,” Cole observed.
“Yes. It was a standard cruise ship, but you’ll find many modifications inside.” He gave them a bright smile. “Did you enjoy the performance?”
“Yeah. But I missed the end. Did she make him come?” Cole asked.
“Yes.”
“I’d think it would be difficult to dance with a hard-on like that.”
“Our professional performers are all quite disciplined. The amateurs are different, of course. But that’s part of the charm.”
“Amateurs?” Cole asked.
“Yes. Some of our guests are inspired to take part in performances. And some of the girls here are just learning professional moves.”
Emma looked down at her hands. “Oh.”
Cole had warned her about something like that, but she hadn’t really believed him.
“You’ll be entering the ship at Deck Three. Your room is on Deck Five. We’ll have your luggage brought up.”
Emma felt a cold shiver go through her. This was it. They were stepping into Bruno Del Conte’s lair, and there was no going back.
Greg was speaking again. “Because we want to maintain strict security for our guests, our entry procedures are rather rigid. Would you please turn in your cell phones and any other communications devices you’ve brought.”
“We left our phones in our hotel room,” Cole said.
Greg looked annoyed but said nothing.
A hatch in the side of the ship had opened, and a gangway lowered, connecting to an exit from the hovercraft opposite where they had entered.
Cole took her arm and ushered her across, and they stepped into a small room with thick carpeting, expensive artwork on the paneled walls, and two men wearing the same uniform as Greg. A woman dressed in an exotic blue and green sari stood behind them.
“Welcome to the Windward ,” one of the men said. He was tall, with a completely bald head and bulging muscles. Could he have been one of the goons who’d kidnapped Karen? Not much to go on, but it was possible. Someone from Baltimore would probably have stayed with her.
The other man was blond and also muscular. The woman was tiny and exotic looking with olive skin and large dark eyes.
They all wore name tags. The two men were Jed and Ames. The woman was Sahadra.
“We need to do a security check before you enter,” Jed said. He looked at Cole. “Empty your pockets and step through the metal detector.” To Emma, he said, “Put your purse on the table and step through after Mr. Mason.
She
“Is that what this place is like?” she murmured in a barely audible voice.
“Apparently. And more. You heard him reciting the menu of videos. That one was probably one of the milder selections. To get timid customers in the mood.”
She’d been in the mood, all right. Now there were a lot of things she wanted to say, but she couldn’t mention any of them here. Instead she lay in his arms staring vacantly at the screen thinking that they’d been fighting in the car not so long ago. The erotic performance had changed everything.
Everything?
When the stage lights came up again, Cole snatched up the remote and clicked the power button.
As the television went blank, she breathed out a small sigh. Enough of that.
As Cole slung his arm around her and held her against his side, she heard a change in the engine sound and looked up.
“Must be almost there,” he said. “Wow, this is going to be a fun adventure.”
“Oh yeah,” she managed to agree as he stood again and pulled the curtain back.
Windows ran all around the sides of the hovercraft, and to her right she could see a massive ship. Not as big as some the best known cruise lines were using now, but big enough to make it difficult to find Karen Hopewell.
She saw Cole’s eyes narrow and wondered if he was thinking the same thing. Or was he cursing their unprofessional behavior a few moments ago.
Before she could say anything, Greg strode toward them, giving them a broad smile. “We’re almost at the Windward .”
“An impressive tub,” Cole observed.
“Yes. It was a standard cruise ship, but you’ll find many modifications inside.” He gave them a bright smile. “Did you enjoy the performance?”
“Yeah. But I missed the end. Did she make him come?” Cole asked.
“Yes.”
“I’d think it would be difficult to dance with a hard-on like that.”
“Our professional performers are all quite disciplined. The amateurs are different, of course. But that’s part of the charm.”
“Amateurs?” Cole asked.
“Yes. Some of our guests are inspired to take part in performances. And some of the girls here are just learning professional moves.”
Emma looked down at her hands. “Oh.”
Cole had warned her about something like that, but she hadn’t really believed him.
“You’ll be entering the ship at Deck Three. Your room is on Deck Five. We’ll have your luggage brought up.”
Emma felt a cold shiver go through her. This was it. They were stepping into Bruno Del Conte’s lair, and there was no going back.
Greg was speaking again. “Because we want to maintain strict security for our guests, our entry procedures are rather rigid. Would you please turn in your cell phones and any other communications devices you’ve brought.”
“We left our phones in our hotel room,” Cole said.
Greg looked annoyed but said nothing.
A hatch in the side of the ship had opened, and a gangway lowered, connecting to an exit from the hovercraft opposite where they had entered.
Cole took her arm and ushered her across, and they stepped into a small room with thick carpeting, expensive artwork on the paneled walls, and two men wearing the same uniform as Greg. A woman dressed in an exotic blue and green sari stood behind them.
“Welcome to the Windward ,” one of the men said. He was tall, with a completely bald head and bulging muscles. Could he have been one of the goons who’d kidnapped Karen? Not much to go on, but it was possible. Someone from Baltimore would probably have stayed with her.
The other man was blond and also muscular. The woman was tiny and exotic looking with olive skin and large dark eyes.
They all wore name tags. The two men were Jed and Ames. The woman was Sahadra.
“We need to do a security check before you enter,” Jed said. He looked at Cole. “Empty your pockets and step through the metal detector.” To Emma, he said, “Put your purse on the table and step through after Mr. Mason.
She
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