Page 16 of Shark Bait

Her eyes widen like little green alien saucers. “I thought you’re keeping the yacht.”

“Only if they see I’m alive.” If I don’t show up on the deck, the guys up there will sink it. I need to get up there and warn them off. The weapon I uncovered in the engine room needs to be secured.

“Oh my God, I better hurry up and shovel.”

You think? I don’t say that but nod as she finally gets to work.

“Shark, your hands are as big as shovels. Help me out.”

I kneel beside her and stare at my hands. “They’re not.” My hands are perfectly proportionate. I turn them over.

“Help!”

“Get out of my way.” Gently, I slide her aside over the tile and out of the way so I can move the stacks of cash into the sheetuntil the safe is empty of all the goods besides one custom-made Nighthawk pistol.

I reach for it, but she grabs it first. She checks if the gun is loaded by popping the magazine and checking for bullets before handing it to me. “Here ya go, Shark. All set. We’re ready.”

We? Nah, I’m not ready. Not at all. That must’ve been one of the hottest things I’ve ever seen a woman do. Or maybe it’s just this woman. I don’t know which. I should figure it out, so I hand her the gun back. “Clear the gun again.”

My gaze is glued to the weapon she’s handling like she grew up with it. Once she’s done, I finally secure the pistol in my waistband.

“Ready?” she asks.

“Give me twenty seconds.” I start my timer and lean in, sliding my hand over her throat to the back of her neck, where I grasp her and tug her toward me.

I can tell she’s surprised because her eyes widen. I should back off, fuck off, leave this woman be, but I can’t help it, I want to kiss her. Slowly, I press my lips to hers. When she doesn’t respond, I try to coax her mouth open for me.

“Kiss me back,” I tell her. “Go ahead. Don’t be afraid. That’s all we’re gonna do. Make out for a few seconds.”

When she groans and closes her eyes, I allow myself to close mine too and enjoy the taste of her on my tongue. She’s sweet. Like a lollipop, like a woman, a gentle one, a funny one, one who could, if I let her, make me a very happy man. But our deranged circumstances set happiness out of our reach, and my timer is about to go off.

Just as well. With the money she’s getting, she’ll be set for life. And I can even give her my heart because we both know she wasn’t joking about that. She was testing me, feeling me out as a lioness tests a potential mate.

I can most definitely give her my body. I can give her everything a man could give a woman, but she doesn’t want it the way I’ll give it to her. In the end, I’m no better than her captors. I’m way worse. It’s just that right now, as she kisses me, she doesn’t know that and I do. That’s why I’m kissing her now. Later, she won’t let me.

My timer’s making noise, and I force myself to pull back and watch her eyelids flutter. I check my watch. Thirty seconds left.

“Happy birthday,” I say as I help her stand. “I don’t know how to bake you a cake, and I have no candles for you to blow out, but you get to keep all the money you can carry up on the deck and onto the chopper with you.”

Wide eyes again. “No way!”

“Way. Ten seconds until we blow to pieces.”

She starts dragging the sheet full of money behind her. “You’re crazy. Legit crazy.” She’s passing the living space and heading for the stairs, but I slip past her and rush up to the deck so she doesn’t see one of the crew members from the hovering chopper holding a bazooka.

Topside, I signal for him to put it away, and once he does, I cheer her on, suppressing my instincts to help her. I love accomplishing tasks. I love hard work and being rewarded for my hard work. Carrying fifteen mil up a flight of stairs is hard work. If she drops it or quits, I’ll help, but otherwise, I let her do it on her own.

The lollipop thief makes it onto the deck, and I give her a small round of applause before facing the man in the chopper. He’s wearing a military uniform with an emblem I recognize. He’s from a group of misfits who came together and formed a mercenary unit. They’re just a handful of guys who mind their own business, which is why Alessio likes using them for this type of work.

“The arranged pickup was for one person,” the man shouts over the roar of the helicopter blades.

I’m aware. Alessio informs people on a need-to-know basis. When I’m not working with Valerina as my handler, I work alone, and since my employment requires me to travel all over the world, I don’t have the luxury of always working with the same rescue crew. This mercenary doesn’t know me, and I don’t know him.

Still, I try. I show him two fingers, indicating there’s been a change of plans.

“Negative. Only one person boards the chopper,” he shouts back, holding up one finger.

“You can’t leave a pregnant woman stranded on a yacht,” the lollipop thief shouts. “Your mama raised you better than that, soldier. Now, put down that rope so my Daddy and I can climb.” She pinches me. “Tell him you won’t leave your daughter.”

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