Page 102 of Chasing Paradise

“You like him, don’t you?”

“Yes,” I admitted, hearing the rustling of bags outside the door.

“Love him?”

“I think so,” I said as the keycard beeped in the lock.

“Are you going to break my heart and move all the way to Ecuador to be with him?”

“I got—oh,” Wick broke off, seeing the phone in my hand.

“It’s my mom,” I told him.

“Hey, Lou,” he called, making my lips curve up. “I’ve heard a lot about you. Don’t worry, I will deliver your daughter back to the States, safe and sound.”

“I’ll be the one delivering you, remember?”

“You’re still going to turn him in?” my mother asked, horrified.

“She’s a heartless one, your daughter,” Wick teased, shooting a wink in my direction.

“He has… proof of his innocence. Well, some.”

“Well, while you two recover, why don’t you give me what you’ve got, and your father and I can see what else we can uncover? And the club, obviously.”

Yeah, that went without saying. My father’s biker club wasn’t just full of bikers with various skills, but their wives and childrenwho were hackers and securities experts, and who had all sorts of shady backgrounds with shady connections in the criminal underbelly.

If anyone could link Wick’s uncle to a cartel money-laundering scheme, it was them.

And while they did that, I could stuff my face and sleep without worrying I might be shot. Or stung. Mauled. Crawled on by giant bugs.

“I will send everything over after we eat,” I said, smelling food wafting over to me, making my stomach growl. “I’ve had nothing but fruit for like a week. And no coffee.”

“And Wick is still alive?” my mom teased.

“Maybe not for much longer since I don’t see a coffee in his hands…”

“Okay. Go be with your man. But send me that info as soon as possible. I love you, kid.”

“Love you too, Mom,” I said, hanging up.

“I am not a monster,” Wick said, producing a large coffee. “Extra sweet. Lightly creamy.”

“Wait… how do you know that?”

“Because you told me. You spent one whole afternoon rambling off all your favorite foods and drinks that you would never take for granted again if you got out of the rainforest.”

And he remembered.

My heart felt like it squeezed.

“Thank you,” I said, reaching for it with two hands, pausing for just a quick sniff, then chugging half of it, mouth skin be damned. “Oh, God,” I moaned.

Wick’s look was a mix of amused and heated. “Never get sick of hearing you moan, duchess. But I’m a little jealous it’s over a cup of coffee…”

“I’ve had you the past week. The coffee, on the other hand…”

“Fair point,” he agreed, starting to put containers of food on the nightstand beside me. “Now, listen, we’re in Ecuador…”

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