Page 14 of Her Last Hope
“He married me, didn’t he?”
Ramos patted her shoulder as he glanced out at the lake. “If you manage to fuck this up, I’ll kill your husband, but not until after he’s watched me make you cum like no one else could.” His smile turned her blood to ice. The food in her stomach churned.
“I don’t take kindly to threats in the middle of a business deal.” She kept her tone level as she curled her fingers around the coffee mug, doing her best to appear indifferent to his comment. A smile tugged at her lips when she saw Nick pull a small boat up to the dock, though she quickly frowned when three of Ramos’ men pointed their weapons on Nick.
“I don’t know if I should be disappointed he’s stupid, or excited that I’m going to get to taste you.” He ran his thick fingers in her hair, tugging until her face tilted upward, then forced her to a standing position. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Nick stepped forward, only to have the men raise their weapons, inching closer.
“Let go of me.”
Ramos laughed as tugged her hair harder. “Time to introduce me to your man.”
The moment Nick saw Leandra’s text, calling herself ‘wifey,’ he knew he’d be changing the plan. She didn’t scare easily, so whatever made her decide to change their backstory from partners to married, had to have spooked her, even if just a little.
Nick held his hands up while he stared down the wrong end of a weapon. This wasn’t the first time, and he knew sure as shit, it wouldn’t be the last.
“Take it easy, fellas,” Nick said, eyeing the kitchen. His throat tightened as Ramos ran his fingers through Leandra’s soft hair and then yanked hard enough it forced her to a standing position. “Get your boss out here and tell him to bring my wife.” The word ‘wife’ rolled easily off his tongue.
A little too easy.
“Step up on the dock and keep your hands where we can see them,” one of the guards said.
Nick did as instructed.
The guard that had been doing all the talking patted him down, finding his weapon.
Nick eyed Leandra as she stepped from the kitchen sliding glass doors, Ramos following two steps behind and obviously eyeing her backside. He couldn’t decide if he should play the possessive, jealous hubby or the trusting one.
Or perhaps a little of both.
She smiled and waved, her feet moving a little faster than a normal walk. Ramos grabbed her arm, yanking her back.
Nick’s blood heated, and he maneuvered toward the house, but the two guards lurched forward, aiming their weapons at his chest and head.
“Tell your men to stand down,” Leandra said, breaking free from Ramos’ grasp.
Ramos waved to his men. “Bring him to me.” He leaned closer to her, pressing his hand on her back. “Take a seat at the patio table. Try anything and your husband dies.” He pressed his index finger against his temple and cocked his thumb.
Nick strolled across the grass, his hands at his sides, one guard behind him, the other one next to him. Once inside the pool gate, Ramos greeted him, putting his body between Nick and Leandra. She stood to the side, making eye contact. Her steady gaze and her carefree body language indicated she wasn’t concerned by the events, but he knew firsthand she’d become a master at masking her true emotions.
Except for lust, which was something he’d have to deal with later.
“I don’t like strangers coming to my house uninvited,” Ramos said. His eyes narrowed. “And I don’t like business plans changing without notice.”
“We had a planned meeting; I’m just early. Besides, my wife is your houseguest. Where she goes, I go.” Nick knew changing the meet, making it a surprise, had the potential to backfire, but it would also give him the opportunity to gauge how desperate Ramos was to unload his merchandise as well as how badly he wanted Leandra. “And I didn’t like what I saw in thekitchen, or what she told me about last night and your sexual advances and threats.”
Leandra tilted her head. “He understands.” Leandra’s voice had a natural raspy sound. “Besides, you know I can take care of myself.”
“Sorry, hon.” Nick shrugged. “But I wasn’t going to sit out there until eleven and watch you fend off advance after advance, much less have him pulling your hair.” Nick inched closer to Ramos, puffing out his chest. “I’ll kill you if you touch her again.”
Ramos smiled. He carried himself with a heavy dose of arrogance. His power, however, wasn’t exerted by his size or strength, but by the men he surrounded himself with. His muscle, so to speak. That was a good news/bad news situation. The good news was all Nick had to do was get this man out of his element, and he’d have the upper hand in seconds. The bad news was that right now, even with his brother and a few other men sprinkled around the lake and house, he was still outgunned, and he could only imagine how much manpower Ramos would bring when the deal went down.
“I don’t like being watched.” Ramos stood behind Leandra, his hand on her shoulder. “Or manipulated.”
She shrugged it off.
Nick took a large step forward, but the guards shoved their guns in his face. “If you were in my shoes, you’d be watching me like a hawk.”
“I wouldn’t let my wife spend the night at another man’s house.”
