Dangerous Liaisons: Stealing Secrets Read online

  Forcing herself to relax, she smiled, and they all fell silent. Like most macho bullies, they were afraid of a strong woman. Her confidence growing by the second, Melanie strode toward them, sidling up to the one with the cell phone on his hip. He was a little older than the rest and better dressed, with cold eyes and pockmarks on his thin face. “Señor, I need your assistance,” she said, noticing he couldn't tear his eyes off her swinging breasts. What a worm.

  "It's Raul, Señora,” he said, licking his lips.

  "Well, Raul, it's Señorita,” she said, trying for a sexy tone when she'd really rather knee him in the balls. She held out her hand. “Telephone por favor,” she said in hesitant Spanish, not wanting to tip them off she was fluent.

  He smiled and pulled his cell phone out of its holster. “Of course, Señorita..."

  "Donna,” she said, giving him a false name. Did he seem to relax a little at the name she wondered, watching his eyes shift right? “Gracias,” she said, taking the phone out of his hands before he could change his mind.

  The look in his leering eyes worried her and she stepped back out of groping range. Shit, if only she had her gun, but it was lying useless in the glove box. Ace had probably only given it to her to mollify her, she decided, hardening her heart toward him. Well, she didn't need him to save her, she'd save both their asses; she owed him that at least.

  With that in mind, she punched in Dot's number. As the phone rang, Raul sidled up to her and thrust a frosty bottle of beer into her hand. “Gracias,” she said, startled as she looked up at his friendly expression. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

  "De nada,” he said, winking at her.

  When he looked at her top, she knew exactly what he wanted, but knew better than to shrink away from him. They were the kind that would chase her if she ran. Then the phone answered.

  "Computers and Logistics, Dorothy Helm speaking."

  Melanie felt both better and homesick hearing her old boss's friendly voice and, to her relief, her admirer stepped back as Dot's voice carried. It was good to know that common phone courtesy held even in these parts. “Hey, Dot."

  "Oh my God, Melanie, is that you? I heard you'd been kidnapped."

  Melanie winced when Dot's high-pitched voice carried and prayed nobody in the office back home had overheard. Ace was probably making her paranoid, but she knew she had to be cautious. The nosy men who clustered around her in the alley were bad enough, noting they seem to alert to the word “kidnapped.” Or was she just paranoid? Still she had to wonder, did they speak English? She looked at them and they stared blankly back at her. Maybe not, at least she hoped not. She didn't need them trying to whisk her away from Ace. “You heard right. Are you somewhere you can talk?"

  "Yeah, I just shut my door. Where are you?"

  "I'm not sure where we're at, some little village. Now listen,” she said, shooting a wary eye at the men. They were still semi-leering at her, but at the same time seeming to hang on to every word she said. Busybodies, that's all she needed, even if they couldn't understand her. “Being kidnapped is currently the least of my problems. I was set up to be assassinated, Dot.” She watched the men give her blank looks when she said it, and relaxed as they studiously looked away.

  "Say that again."

  "The guy that was sent to take me out, I guess rescued me instead,” she said, thinking of the sexy traitor at the pay phone. If you can call being shot at, chased by bad guys, spanked, and made love to until she melted rescued. She'd been putty in Ace's hands but that was over.

  Dot sucked in a breath. “Did you call Jeb? Is he coming to get you?"

  Melanie rolled her eyes. “I called him last night but he was too busy getting a blowjob to care. Fifteen minutes later the safe house we were in was blown up and we barely got away with our lives. He thinks Jeb might have set us both up."

  "He?"

  "The guy that took me, Ace something. Have you ever heard of an agency called Delta Star? He claims to work for them."

  "No, but I'll look into it."

  "Thanks."

  "I can't see Jeb as an assassin,” Dot said.

  "Me neither,” Melanie said with a sigh. So where the hell did that leave her?

  "Let me know where you are and I'll go above Jeb's head and send in the cavalry."

  Melanie looked at the small village she was standing in, not sure where the hell they were. “Hold on,” she said, putting her hand over the phone. She turned to address her oglers, who looked away, pretending they hadn't been eyeing her. “Where are we, por favor?” All she got for her trouble were a few shrugs and ‘no hablo English'. Even Raul seemed perplexed. It made her feel better that they couldn't eavesdrop, but it didn't help. “Here,” she asked Raul, pointing at the earth.

  "San Felecia, Señorita Donna."

  She put the phone back up to her ear. “San Felecia."

  "You're headed toward Cali, what the hell is going on?"

  "He's taking me to sanctuary,” she said, still pissed off that Ace thought he could string her along. “He's gassing up the jeep and I talked him into letting me go to the bathroom."

  "Has he hurt you?"

  "Not exactly, if you discount being manhandled,” she said with a sigh, thinking of him spanking her. There was no way she was going to share that tidbit.

  "Manhandled huh, is he good looking?"

  "Yeah, if you like tight-assed, military, silver-eyed wizards,” she said tersely, because she did. It wasn't fair she was so crazy about him, when she meant nothing to him.

  "I'll go over Jeb's head and..."

  "Don't,” Melanie said, sucking in a breath. “I don't know who I can trust."

  "Well, you could always ask the Don for a favor he can't refuse,” Dot said with a sad chuckle.

  "That'll be the day,” Melanie sighed, regretting she'd shared that tidbit with her best friend.

  "Hey, he owes you."

  "For what? Inadvertently getting my dad killed. It's ancient history and I haven't heard from the man, much less seen him since I graduated from college."

  "Your mom called me last night; she's worried because she hasn't heard from you."

  "Oh God,” Melanie said, her conscience paining her. “Call her and tell her I'm okay, but I'm out on a mission and can't call her right now. I'll contact her soon."

  "Will do, but you really should think about calling in that favor."

  Melanie was about to reply when she saw the men straightening up, their macho looks back in place, as they glared at a spot over her shoulder. She didn't need to turn around to know Ace was coming. She hung up and furtively shoved the phone into Raul's hand. He gave her a speculative look, slanted a wary look Ace's way, and shoved the cell phone into her short's hip pocket giving her bottom a feel while he was at it. She stifled the urge to rip his arm off as he patted her, and instead forced herself not to react. “Silenceo,” she whispered, hoping he translated and he wouldn't give her away.

  He nodded, never taking his eyes off Ace.

  She sighed with relief. At last, she was getting a break. A second later Ace stepped up to her. He looped a possessive arm around her waist and drew her away from Raul. She slanted a resentful glare up at Ace that was met by his furious silver gaze. He was boiling mad, but he was keeping it under control.

  He flicked a resentful look at the beer in her hand. “I thought I told you not to run off, Sugar."

  Melanie gave him a defiant look before turning to smile at Raul in time to notice him place his hand on the butt of his automatic weapon. Great, that was all she needed, posturing men. “Gracias,” she said, holding up the beer she'd barely touched, hoping to defuse the situation. Ace's grip tightened around her waist and she glanced at him to see his eyes darken. Was he jealous? A little part of her thrilled to the possibility, even though she knew it was immature.

  "Señorita Donna does not seem to want you,” Raul said, his mouth curving into a smirk.

  So he did speak English. Melanie frowned at the faker.

>   Ace glared back at him, putting Melanie behind him. “This is none of your business, Amigo."

  Melanie saw red as they squared off against each other. That's all she needed, a street fight. Something told her Ace could take Raul, but she didn't want to stick around and find out. “I'm leaving,” she said, turning to go. He could follow her if he chose to. She might melt when he touched her, but it didn't blind her to the fact he'd broken their pact. Before she was halfway there, his hand on her shoulder stopped her in midflight.

  "Why'd you play with those boys, Sugar?"

  The doubt in his voice made her turn around and look at him. The hurt on his face was easy to see and it made her want to blurt everything out. That he had nothing to be jealous of, that she was only trying to save them both. But she knew this wasn't the time or the place. “Who said I was playing?” She thrust the beer at him. “Drink it."

  By the time she made the jeep, he was already behind the wheel. She watched as he downed the frosty beer in one pull and then tossed it in the back seat. “Needed that, did you?"

  "Around you, yeah I did.” He started the car and then motioned to the bag on the floor. “I got you a PowerAde."

  Her eyes widened with pleasure and she turned with a cry of joy to pick up the ice-cold bottle. Twisting it open, she breathed in the heavenly strawberry aroma and took a taste, ambrosia. “Thank you,” she said, gazing at him as he drove them out of town.

  "Tacos,” he said handing her a foil wrapped package.

  Her stomach grumbled as she tore open the package and took a bite. “This is the best taco I've ever tasted."

  "You're just starved,” he said smiling.

  It was true, but she savored every bite just the same. “How about you, aren't you hungry too?"

  "I'll wait until you're finished."

  The indulgent smile on his face warmed her heart. “I'm done,” she said blotting her messy fingers on a napkin. Then she took out another taco and un-wrapped it for him.

  "Thanks,” he said taking it.

  She watched fascinated by him as he chewed and swallowed. All man and he was hers, if only temporarily.

  Ace felt his body harden as she tried to come onto him, but he figured it was a diversionary tactic. What the hell had she been up to playing up to those thugs? Did she have any idea what kind of danger she'd been playing with or was it just second nature for her to flirt? Even as he thought it, he rejected the idea. Her natural modesty was clear for him to see even when she was playing with him.

  The thought she might have tried to get them to send a message out for her lingered in the back of his mind, prompting him to ask, “So did you enjoy rubbing up against Tres Lobos?” Shit he hadn't meant to sound jealous.

  "Like you've got a lot of room to talk jerk ... after I saw you..."

  He watched her as she clamped her lips shut and looked away. What the blazes was she hinting at? She was back to her calling him a liar. He should have seen it coming. He'd deluded himself into thinking she was on his side; he wouldn't make that mistake again. He drove for miles as she gave him the silent treatment. Suited him, he wasn't much good at polite conversation anyway.

  "What did you call them?"

  "Tres Lobos, they're part of a gang. I recognized their jailhouse tats.” When her eyes widened he knew he'd shocked her.

  "But they were just kids."

  "They start early in these parts. You should choose your allies more carefully from now on. If you were trying to get them to convey a message..."

  "I wasn't,” she cut in. “I didn't ask them for help if that's what you're getting at."

  "Right,” he said, having doubts.

  "I walked out of the ladies room and they ogled me, thanks to the hooker outfit you found for me. I saw their beer and..."

  "Right,” he said, knowing she was handing him a line, and took the little used winding road to Cali.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter 10

  Ace approached the city of Cali just as the sun went down. Melanie slept on the seat beside him, seemingly unaware of trouble brewing. He'd been watching their rear hoping the thugs she'd been cozying up to wouldn't try jumping them. Petty thieves, drug dealers, and guns for hire, they preyed on unwary tourists. He hadn't seen them in pursuit, but he wasn't about to let down his guard. “Wake up, Sugar, we're here."

  Melanie opened her eyes and looked around. “Where's here, this can't be the sanctuary you meant?"

  He smiled indulgently down at her, knowing he ought to paddle her ass for defying him. Hopefully it wouldn't come back to bite them in the butt. “We're stopping here for the night unless you'd rather sleep in the jungle,” he said, smiling when he saw her horrified look. “That's what I figured."

  "I suppose you'd sleep in the jungle if you were on this mission alone,” she said worriedly. “I don't want you to make any special changes just for me."

  "That's generous of you, but I think I'd like some clean sheets too.” He pulled up to an alley behind Rosa's Cantina. “Let's go,” he said, lifting out the bag containing their cache of weapons. “And bring your Glock."

  She gave him a funny look. “You think we're going to find trouble in a cantina?"

  "I might be a paranoid bastard; I like to be prepared for all comers.” He looked at the cantina's seedy exterior and derelict cars out front, searching for shadows that didn't belong. He couldn't let emotions get in the way of the mission. He learned a hard lesson at the gas station when she'd suddenly crossed him. He'd been falling for her and that was stupid. Delta Star had a non-fraternization on missions rule for a reason. He probably shouldn't have touched her on the job last night, but it happened and now they both had to deal with the repercussions. Now he was backpedaling, getting back to his duty, trying to forget how good it had been with her, how hot she'd been when he'd spanked her. Going to a bordello was probably a suicide move if he wanted to keep it in his pants, but it was the only move he had.

  "Okay,” she said.

  He heaved a sigh of relief when she nodded, and opened the door without asking him questions. At least she trusted him in this area. He got out and walked around the vehicle to join her, glad she wasn't fighting him on the small stuff. He knew he'd overreacted earlier when he'd seen her flirting with danger and he didn't want to ruffle her feathers any more than he had to. “Okay, let's move out."

  He escorted her down the alley to Rosa's back door, keeping a wary eye out for trouble. He noticed a couple of vaqueros on the street, but they were harmless. Once they were in the shelter of Rosa's back entryway, he relaxed a notch. The peeling paint on the back door was as ugly as the rest of the building, but it had the best security money could buy thanks to Delta Star. He'd used his connections to see to it personally six months back when he and Santos had rescued Rosa's brother from kidnappers.

  He hit the doorbell saying, “Now, don't let this associate of mine disturb you. She's a bit unusual."

  "She?” Melanie asked, slanting him a suspicious look.

  Shit, he felt himself tense at the question. “Rosa manages the best whorehouse in the area.” He watched Melanie blush at the words, but saw her eyes twinkle.

  "You've brought me to a brothel,” she said with a gasp.

  Was she excited or appalled? He wondered, seeing her perk up. A little of both he decided, seeing her flushed face. A naughty innocent and perfect playmate, he thought grimly. The night was going to be hard. “Yeah. It's run by Rosa Vieira, she's very trustworthy, but she's kind of attached to me."

  "Attached,” she said, stepping back. “Something tells me she's not going to be happy to see me."

  The door opened and the minute they stepped inside, the savory aroma of supper cooking assailed them, along with Mariachi music coming from the bar.

  "Ace,” Rosa called out, pushing Melanie aside to throw her arms around him. “Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I would have had your favorite dish prepared."

  Ace groaned as the Madam pressed her soft cu
rves to his body, squeezing the life out of him, and looked at Melanie over Rosa's shoulder. Petite and passionate, Rosa was very fond of him and the feeling was mutual, but they weren't lovers. Judging from the expression on Melanie's face, she wasn't going to believe that. “I didn't know we were coming."

  "We?” Rosa said, pressing a warm kiss to his cheek.

  "Yes, we,” Ace said, trying to disengage himself from her embrace. “Meet Melanie, my..."

  "Ah, you've finally taken a mistress. And here I was worrying about you for nothing,” Rosa said, letting go of him and turning to look Melanie up and down. “Very pretty, but she dresses like a street puta."

  "Ah, but at least I am not a madam,” Melanie said in fluent Spanish. “And you don't need to worry about him anymore, that's my department."

  Ace grinned at Melanie's spunky comment and Rosa's husky laugh. His woman had hidden depths.

  "Acheron, at last you have found a woman with enough sass to stand up to you,” Rosa said putting her arm around Ace's waist to shoo them out of the kitchen. “You will require a meal and a bed,” she said, showing them to a table.

  Melanie burned at the mention of bed and scowled as Rosa continued to cling to Ace's side longer than necessary. Rosa met her jealous stare, winked at her as if she'd been making a point, and then let Ace go.

  "This one takes care of you,” Rosa said with a grin. “Sit and relax, while I see to your meals."

  Ace watched Rosa bustle off to the kitchen and then turned to look at Melanie. She was frowning at him, but at least she wasn't flipping out about him taking her to a bordello. He pulled out a chair next to the wall. “Sit, Sugar. I know it's a lot for you to take in at once."

  "I think I can handle it,” she said, amused as she dropped into the chair.

  Ace walked around the table and took a flanking position with his back to the wall, carefully placing the duffle on the floor between them. Anyone who wanted to get to her would have to go through him. He scanned the room locking eyes with Hector, the bartender. Massive and swarthy, he acted as Rosa's chief ass kicker, bouncer, and husband. He was a good man to trust with your back in a battle. Hector lifted up two bottles of cold water and Ace nodded.