Guilty Pleasures (26 page)

“Yes, they're being served now.”

Jake thought for a moment. “Okay, listen. Get yourself a table in the general vicinity if you can. Keep an eye on him. If they leave, let Eva know, and Eva, you find a way to follow them without being obvious. Jinx, keep an eye on the guy by the elevator. Chances are when Suarez is ready to leave, they'll all leave together.”

“And what are you going to be doing, sweetheart
” Eva cooed.

“Going to get friendly with the security team near the safe.”

“Be careful.”

“I will. I'll use my charm.”

“Then we're really up shit creek,” Rita teased.

“Very funny. Get busy, everyone.”

Jake signed off and then went back to the computer. He pulled up the ship's diagrams. The security office was on the lower deck. It was the hub of the ship. The room was constantly manned by no fewer than four technicians. Their job was to ensure that the security system was operational at all times, from credit card processing to door entries to monitoring the cameras in the casinos and changing the access codes daily. The ship safe was on the fifth level, directly behind customer service. Jake had yet to figure out how he would get into the safe if indeed that's where Suarez was keeping the stash. He'd pretty much figured that the process for changing the codes followed a sequence. He'd almost narrowed it down. From what he'd been able to determine, not only was the code changed daily, but twice per day—once in the morning at eleven and then again at eight. What he had to do was nail down the pattern. He was close. He could feel it. His fingertips tingled and his dick vibrated. Everything hinged on him getting it right, and he
would
get it right. He had no intention of explaining to Eva from behind bars how he'd screwed up. Or worse.

A cell phone rang.

He looked at the two phones on the bed. It was the phone from Lenora Ingram.

He breathed deep, picked it up.

“Yes,” he said the word in a serpent's hiss.

“There's been a change of plans,” Lenora said. “You're going to meet me in Mexico instead of Miami.”

Jake briefly shut his eyes as he listened and knew they were screwed for real.

 

18

Eva made herself look busy as she moved around the myriad travelers, keeping a surreptitious eye on the mark. What concerned her even more than keeping Suarez on the radar was the look of hunger that hovered in Rita's eyes every time her glance slid in Suarez's direction. She'd seen that look before. Many times. Rita's lust, when unchecked, could be detrimental to everyone. She'd lose focus on the job and allow herself to become distracted by her libido.

Eva understood. Both of them desperately sought something, something that would allow them to feel worthwhile and whole. She'd been lucky. She'd found Jake. He filled the abyss in her soul. Rita remained on the quest.

Eva had begun to think that as much as she didn't particularly care for Jinx as “the one” for her cousin, that maybe Rita saw something in him that she absolutely couldn't.

She watched Rita lick her lips while her eyes grew dark. No doubt, Suarez
was
a gorgeous man. But they were there to do a job.

Eva made her way over to Rita. She turned off her headset so that her end of the conversation wouldn't reach Jake and Jinx.

“Good afternoon,” Eva said. “Enjoying your trip so far
”

Rita turned her attention to Eva. She smiled.

“Yes, I am.”

“Remember why we're here,” she said quietly as she leaned forward and put two empty glasses on her tray.

“I do,” Rita said in a faraway voice.

“Rita,” Eva said. “It's a job. Nothing more.”

Rita's gaze snapped in Eva's direction. She lifted her glass to her lips, finished off her drink. “I know that.”

Eva gave a short nod and walked off.

Since they were little girls with no real family to speak of and no male figure in their lives, they'd been joined at the hip, not only as cousins but also as kindred spirits, seeking validation for their existence. They learned early that being attractive females was more than an asset. It was power. They learned to wield it from a simple smile to mind-blowing sexual escapades. They used whatever was necessary to achieve their ends and to smother the fires of need.

For Eva the fire was physical. As long as she could satisfy her physical desires through sex, she felt as if she could face the next day. She was turned on as much by the job as by the act itself.

Rita's need was as much physical as it was emotional. She never could separate the two. She saw her unknown father in every man she met and sought his love and approval. Her physical lust often morphed into an emotional attachment—that was not only dangerous, but stupid as well. There was no room for stupidity on this trip. One of her flights of fancy nearly got her killed.

About two years earlier, Eva and Rita decided on an overdue vacation, leaving men, work, and troubles behind. As much as Jake poked his lip out about her leaving him for a whole week, he agreed that the time away would do her good. He assured her that he'd stay out of trouble in her absence and that maybe she'd be able to show him some new Caribbean moves upon her return.

They booked one of those quick getaways online and landed in Montego Bay in Jamaica. The lush scenery, tropical breeze, and gorgeous men made the brochure and Web site pictures look like pure misrepresentations.

“We should have done this a long time ago,” Rita had breathed in wonder when they stepped out of the airport terminal to be met by row after row of men who seemed to want no more than to make a woman happy. She draped her straw bag over her shoulder, slipped on her dark shades to dim the blinding sunlight, and sashayed over to an Adonis of a man who posed casually against the side of a taxi.

Eva trailed two steps behind her.

“Maybe you can help me,” Rita said, looking up into his eyes. “My cousin and I need a ride to our hotel.”

Briefly he glanced past Rita to take in Eva. He smiled, all dazzling white and even against skin that was as smooth as milk chocolate and dark as midnight. The white gauze shirt was open almost to the waist, revealing thick chest muscles and rippling abs. His hair reached the middle of his back, the lustrous dark locks held in place by a leather tie at the nape of his neck.

“A man's duty is to make a woman's life easier,” he said, his accent like music, his voice a gentle rumble.

Even Eva had to admit to herself that he was one gorgeous specimen.

“I can take you anywhere you want to go. This island is a part of me, and there is no place on it that I do not know … intimately.”

Eva could almost
hear
Rita's heart pumping in her chest.

They got into his cab and soon learned that his name was Jon. He'd been born and raised on the island and made his living as an artist and cabbie. He invited them to “see his etchings” at his bungalow later that evening. He was expecting friends over for a show of his new works.

Of course Rita agreed.

When they arrived at his opening, Rita became quickly swept up in his charms and instead of spending the night in their hotel, Rita spent the night with Jon.

Their hot and heavy fling flourished in the ensuing days, with them spending all their time together. On the surface it seemed harmless enough, and Eva kept herself occupied with shopping and sightseeing. But things took an ugly turn shortly before she and Rita were scheduled to depart for the States.

“He wants to come back to New York with us,” Rita said over breakfast at an outdoor café.

The forkful of mango that Eva lifted to her mouth stopped midway. “What
”

“He wants to come back to New York, stay with me for a while, see how he likes it.”

“You told him no, didn't you
”

Rita looked sheepish, a sly smile curving her lush mouth. “No.”

The fork dropped to the plate. “Rita, you don't know this man. How can you even think of having him come and live with you
” She looked around, realizing her voice had risen in alarm, and she hoped no one else noticed. Apparently the softly playing steel drums muffled her concern.

Rita pursed her lips. “I do know him. He's wonderful, and he makes me feel wonderful.”

“Don't be ridiculous. Just because the sex is good is no reason to think you actually have a relationship. You can't be serious.”

“I already got his ticket.”

“Have you lost what's left of your mind
”