Guilty Pleasures (33 page)

She pulled in a shuddering breath. She turned and looked into her husband's eyes. “Don't you ever think about the people we fuck over
”

“No. Not really.”

Her mouth jerked slightly. The almost-smile faded. “Most of the time I don't either. I always figured I'd been fucked over since long before I knew that's what was happening to me, so why not return the favor tenfold. Ya know.”

Jake nodded but kept silent, letting her get it out, whatever it was.

She shrugged slightly. “Now it seems like it's all coming back to kick us in the ass. Reaping what you sow. Know what I mean
”

“You know I don't go in for all that karma and religious bullshit,” he said half-grudgingly. “But things have been more than a little shady with this job.”

“And Jake … I don't want to … have this baby in jail or spend the rest of our lives running with our child.” She swallowed. There. She'd said it, said it before she changed her mind. Said it, said it, made it real. It wasn't just the plus sign in a slender white tube that she'd seen and didn't want to believe earlier that morning. It was real because she'd said it. Said it. She breathed in and out, slow and deep. Waited.

Of course she was kidding.
Eva
plus
Jake
didn't equal
baby.
They'd talked about it. She knew how he felt. He couldn't be any baby's daddy. It wasn't in the genes. Hadn't his daddy proved that
According to his mother, things were great between her and him until Jake and John were born with barely a year between deliveries.

He could still hear his mother crying when the beatings started. How he used to hold Jinx tight against his chest, trying to cover his ears, shielding him from the screaming and cussing. How many times did he stand in front of his father and listen to him tell him what a little piece of shit he was that ruined his life. “Kids ruin lives. Don't forget that, boy.” A thick, callused finger wagged in his face. “They drain you. Take everything from you. Just like you and your whining-ass brother.”

If Jake was really good and didn't cry, maybe he'd only get punched in the stomach instead of tossed against the wall. “Make you tough,” his father would say when he beat him. And when his mother would tiptoe into their room late at night after headboard-banging sex with his father, she'd sit on the side of his bed, stroke his hair, and tell him how much he looked like his daddy. “Must be some strong genes that man has,” she'd say, almost wistful.

It's in the genes. And he had no intention of passing those genes along.

His jaw locked. If he said anything now … He put his glass down on the table and walked out of the cabin.

Eva covered her face with her hands, letting tears slip between her fingers. When she'd finished crying, she got up, went to the bathroom, and washed her face. She reapplied her makeup, put the stocking cap and wig back on, adjusted her headset, and walked out.

She wouldn't be the first single mom, and she damn sure wouldn't be the last. She walked with purpose down the hall, passing one of the cleaning staff in the corridor. She gently bumped the worker, mumbled her apologies, and kept going. She slid the master key card in her pocket.
Fuck you, Jake Kelly. I'll take my cut, and cut your ass loose.

She pressed the elevator, got on, then disembarked on the eleventh floor.

Eva checked the hallway. Cruise guests came and went, paying her no attention. After all, she was only a crew member—invisible.

She knocked once on Suarez's door. No answer. She knocked again. Adrenaline and anger rushed through her veins, pounding in her head.

She drew in a breath, stuck the key in the slot. The green light flashed. She turned the lock and stepped inside Xavier Suarez's suite.

 

21

“Were you visiting Brazil for business or pleasure
” Xavier asked Rita as he sipped his glass of wine.

“I try to include pleasure in everything that I do.” She cut into her grilled salmon. “And you
”

He chuckled. “I was born in Venezuela. Brazil is my home now. I wish I could have shown you my beautiful country.”

“Perhaps another time.” Her statement held the note of a question.

“I'd like that very much. Is Miami home
”

“No. I live in New York.”

“I can't imagine that a beautiful woman such as you is traveling alone.”

“New York women are very independent.” She put a piece of salmon in her mouth, chewed slowly as she looked at him.

“I admire independence in a woman. It gives them fire.”

“Is that right
”

“Perhaps you would honor me by proving my point.”

It was Rita's turn to laugh. “That can be taken several ways, Xavier.” She loved saying his name.

He raised his glass in a toast. “To proving my point.”

She touched her glass to his.

*   *   *

Jinx stood along the perimeter of the restaurant. He had Rita and Suarez in sight—and didn't like the view one bit. Rita looked too happy, too engaged, too sensual. He cringed each time she leaned forward, giving Suarez a whiff of her deep cleavage, or when she tossed her head back and laughed, revealing the long sleek slope of her neck.

This was supposed to be a job, and he knew she was good at what she did, but he'd never seen her in action. And from his standpoint, she didn't appear as if she was working at all. It looked like she was on a date in the company of a man whose presence she enjoyed.

Suarez reached across the table and lifted a curl away from Rita's face. Jinx's temples pounded. He snatched up a circular tray from the rack and made his way to their table.

“Can I take anything away
” he said upon reaching the table.

Suarez looked up at him. Anger darkened his eyes. “When we are ready, I will let you know.” His sidekick appeared out of nowhere, coming between Suarez and Jinx like a drawn curtain. Suarez threw up his hand to stop his forward motion.

Rita held her breath. It was like watching a movie when the good and bad guys square off and draw their guns.

“Of course.” He gave a short incline of his head before stealing a look at Rita, who returned his gaze as if he were a perfect stranger. He turned and walked away, his insides on fire.