Page 11 of Risky Desires

“Did you steal that boat?”

Kane swept his arms wide. “This is all mine, baby.”

“Don’t call me, baby.”

“Indiana Smith.” He chuckled. “Still breaking my balls, I see.”

“Fuck off, Kane.”

He drove his hand through his hair, and his blue shirt parted, revealing his sculptured torso beneath. I hated that I noticed.

“Dad!” I spoke through clenched teeth, lowering my voice so Kane couldn’t hear me. “What’s he doing here?”

“I don’t know?” Dad shook his head so fast I knew he was lying.

“What did you tell him?” I eyeballed my father, and as he stepped back, his shoulders sagged. “You told him about Siren’s Lure, didn’t you?”

“No.” Dad’s eyes grew enormous.

“Fucking hell, Dad. Why?”

“I didn’t. I swear.”

“Really? He just happened to show up now? When I found something.”

“You found it?” Dad’s eyes lit up.

“Shush! We need to get rid of him.” I glared across the distance. “What do you want, Kane?”

His grin reached his sharp blue eyes that had broken through my defenses a decade ago. “Old Smithy told me you were onto something.”

I growled at Dad, and he stepped back.

“So I thought I’d swing by and see if I could help.” Kane flashed a spectacular smile.

“I don’t need your help.” I did need to fight the urge to prove that I was extremely capable of finding shipwrecks without him.

“But I have all the best equipment.” He pointed at the shiny crane boom fixed to the back of his fancy boat.

“I don’t need your equipment, and I don’t need you. Now piss off before I make you.”

He cocked his head in his signature move that used to drive me crazy. “Did you find something down there, Indiana?”

I lifted the flare gun. “I said piss off.”

He raised his hands. “What’re you going to do? Shoot me?”

“I’m asking you to leave.” Water dripped from my long hair and down my back as I took aim.

“Come on.” His voice softened, and I heard the Kane who had whispered promises to me in the dark. But his promises proved to be as fleeting as the waves. “We could team up, Indy.”

“I’m not your ‘Indy’ anymore.” I aimed at his crane boom and pulled the trigger. The flare ricochetted off the hardened steel and exploded into a million red sparks.

“Jesus Christ,” Kane yelled. “You crazy bitch.”

“What the fuck, Indiana!” Dad cried.

“Shut up, Dad. This is your fault.”

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