Page 25 of Austen

By then, other terrible things had consumed him.

“But?”

“Oh.But by then I was focused on college, and anyway...”And now his throat had thickened.How had they ended up stumbling around his past?

“I get it,” she said.“Sometimes we need distractions when life derails us.”She offered him a tight-lipped smile, then took a drink of water.

Huh.

He so wanted to get to the bottom ofthat, thank you.

“I’m sorry we can’t get you back right away.I suppose I could drop you in Santo Domingo, but I’d really...”Like to make sure you’re safe.“I really think you should stay and enjoy the boat.Camille’s amazing food.And it’ll just be a few days.”

She considered him, saying nothing.

He nearly leaped on his phone when it vibrated on the table.He picked it up.“I need to take this.”Getting up, he walked over to the flickering fire.

“Zeus.What’s up?”

“A bit of trouble, sir.ThePintahas fallen off the radar.”

He stared out into the darkness, spotted lights.Maybe a cruise ship.Or a tanker.“Does she have the pearl?”

“No.That’s with theSanta Maria.But we fear that perhaps the Petrovs have figured out our game, maybe tracked her.”

He stilled.“You think the Russians took her?”Oh,probably he should keep his voice down.“Have you gotten ahold of anyone?”

“No, sir.I sent a team to their position.But I wanted to alert you.”

“Where is”—he cast his voice lower—“the shipment?”

“Still a few days to the warehouse.They took a circuitous route, as suggested.”

“Good.”Out of the corner of his eye, movement.He glanced over and Austen had taken a seat on the sofa, staring into the fire, the flames in her gaze.

“Keep me posted,” he said and hung up.

He sat down.“You okay?”

“Yes.”Then she took a breath and nodded.“I think I will take you up on your offer to stick around, Declan.I think maybe...I’d like to get to know you better.”

She met his gaze, something solemn in hers.Beautiful, her hair dry and coppery in the fire’s reflection, tanned skin against the white bathrobe, and a strange intensity in her green eyes.

“You’re a surprising man, Declan.”

He pocketed his phone.

And as much as he wanted to cheer, he had the strangest sense that this might get...well, tricky.

So maybe he’d keep all the big surprises to himself.

FOUR

Austen just couldn’t wrapher brain around the ludicrous idea that Declan might be a criminal.And she didn’t want to.Maybe she wanted to believe that he was exactly the man he seemed to be as he sat on the sofa beside her, the stars soft in the night sky, the waves lapping against the boat.A kind, generous, determined man she could count on.

The rush of heat that had crested over her as she clung to him on the boat had washed away, leaving a residue of disbelief.Gratefulness.

According to Elise, when she’d loaned her clothing, Declan had pushed the yacht to its full capacity, running it at thirty knots for over twenty-four hours, using all the fuel reserves on board.Hadn’t even slept as he tracked her PLB signal.Had everyone on deck searching for her after her monitor vanished.

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