Loving the Wild Card (5 page)

It was a spectacular, the likes of which he’d never seen before. If he
were forced to describe what was laid out before him, Josh knew he would be
hard pressed to find the superlatives to do it justice.

Every color of the spectrum was on display. Costumes and headdresses
more resplendent and grander than the one that proceeded it swayed as they
passed
before the judges. There was something about the smell and atmosphere of the
Caribbean that one had to experience to describe.

While the performances were a spectacle; they also put him on edge. As
she danced, Lux was too exposed. Josh knew Sam was nobody’s fool and had worked
hard to keep her existence a secret. That her brother asked him to come to her
spoke volumes.

Until recently his senses detected nothing to cause him concern. That
feeling was now changing by the minute. Everything within him was tight,
screaming that he pull her off the stage and leave.

His eyes darted around in an impossible attempt to determine from which
direction the threat would come; because he knew it was on its way. The minutes
ticked by and Josh felt the release of his too tense muscles as Lux and her
dancers finally made their way off the stage.

Josh knew her well enough not to ask Lux to leave before the final
judging. With an inbred stubbornness, he was clear he didn’t give a shit what
she thought. They were leaving as soon as he got his hands on her.

Pushing through the crowds, he approached a jubilant Lux, who chatted
and smiled with her troupe. For a moment, he lost sight of her as hundreds of
masqueraders milled around the waiting area some in costumes twelve feet tall.

He didn’t like it, something wasn’t right. Pushing against the crowd, he
felt sweat break out on his body. Every beat of his heart told him to hurry, to
find her, to get her out. He never ignored the now familiar feeling. Using
brute force, he fought his way forward as his mind urged him to hurry.

His height an advantage, Josh searched the crowd. When he spotted her,
he headed in her direction. Almost within touching distance, it was as though
the fates were toying with him. About to call her name she again disappeared
from sight.

Chapter 5

He once again located her by the side of the stage watching the next
performers. Her excitement was so palpable, Josh could feel it as she laughed
and clapped in time to the music. He wished the circumstances were different so
that she could see the competition to its conclusion, but they didn’t have that
luxury.

Taking her arm in a grip that was firmer than his intent, he pulled her
into his tense body and spoke against her ear. “We need to leave, now!”

“No way! The competition is nearly over, and for the first time, I think
we may have a shot at winning!” Lux shouted to be heard above the sounds of the
soca beat.

Josh loved seeing her this way, but they didn’t have a choice. Their
situation was about to get real, and he needed to somehow relay that to her.
“I’d much rather you lived than win a dance competition,” Josh replied going
for the shock tactic. It didn’t work.

“You’re full of drama; nothing is going to happen. Relax and enjoy
yourself.”

From his vantage point of height, Josh saw two men who didn’t fit in
with the backstage crowd. Just as he’d attracted attention all day, he
immediately spotted them as out of place and they were looking straight at him.

For the moment, Josh still held the upper hand. There were so many
people milling around, if the men were looking for Lux, and he was sure they
were, they had yet to identify her.

Giving them a friendly smile, Josh broke eye contact. A slight turn of
his body accomplished two things, it blocked Lux from their line of vision and
it ensured they remained in his peripheral vision.

Aware that they were still looking around, he didn’t wait for the men to
head in their direction. Tightening his hold on her arm, he spoke with
conviction. “There are two men looking for you. If we don’t leave
now
,
all hell is about to break loose. While I have no doubt I can handle them; an
innocent bystander may get hurt.” When she stiffened, Josh pressed his
advantage. “Do exactly what I say, can you do that?” Her nod of acquiescence
satisfied him that he now had her complete attention.

About to leave the music lulled at the exact moment someone called her
name. Josh sucked in a breath as Lux instinctively responded by turning towards
the sound. It was one of the women from her troupe and she had the two men in
tow.

Transferring his grip, Josh swept an arm around her waist and lifted her
off her feet. He didn’t react to her indrawn breath at his firm grip, he didn’t
have time. In protective mode, all his concentration was on getting to the
steps that would lead them away from the stage area.

A wave of sweating gyrating bodies barred their path and he cut through
them without a word of apology. Some brave souls appeared to want to confront
him, but they thought better of it; probably due to the deadly look on his
face.

Sparing their pursuers a brief glance, Josh saw they were attempting to
cut them off. By his calculations, they were still too far away to reach the
stairs before them. Increasing his pace, Josh rushed toward their escape route.
Taking the steps two at a time, he paused only long enough to rip Lux’s
headdress off and throw it to the ground.

Setting her down, Josh took her hand and spoke, as he kept moving
forward. “Can you keep up with me and do exactly as I say, Lux?”

“Yes,” came the breathy reply.

Josh didn’t know if what she said was true, but time would tell. Their
only hope was to get lost in the crowd, but he knew he would be the problem. He
was tall enough for him to be visible from a distance. They would have to rely
on speed to outdistance their chasers. On his own, he could accomplish that;
with Lux along, he had his doubts.

Taking her at her word, Josh moved through the crowd with focused
intent. He was at a disadvantage due to his unfamiliarity with his
surroundings. Fortunately, when they arrived at the park, he’d taken the time
to study the layout of the area.

Deciding on which direction to take, he grew impatient when Lux pulled
against him. “This is not the time to go back on your word; we need to get to
your car!” Josh pointed out through gritted teeth.

“I’m not dumb, I figured that out, but you’re going the wrong way!”

He knew his sense of direction was sound, but he was willing to give her
the benefit of the doubt, as she knew the area better than him. “What don’t I
know?”

“The shortcut.”

In an attempt to get a sight of their pursuers, Josh looked around but
he caught no sight of them. He may not be able to see them, but he knew his
height was a moving beacon that telegraphed their position.

The crowd began to thin and Josh made a decision he knew was going to
start an argument if he allowed it. Pulling Lux around a corner, he spun her
around to face him. “Get on my back,” he said with urgency.

“What?”

“I know you heard me; get on my back!”

Seeing she was about to protest, he swept her up, swung her around even
as she stiffened, thwarting his intent. Knowing he would pay for it later, Josh
threw her over his shoulder and clamped her legs in place.

Determining that being able to travel faster by his route would equate
to her shortcut, he took off running. As his pace increased, Josh felt her arms
clamp around his waist as she held on for dear life. It took him thirty-five
minutes at a blistering pace before he finally reached the place where they’d
left the car.

Unceremoniously dumping her to her feet, Josh took three swift steps
backwards. Fully expecting her to come up swinging, he was surprised when all
she did was bend over and clutched her knees in an attempt to catch her breath.
Already recovering, he allowed her the time she needed.

“Where is the key for the car, Lux?”

Slowly pulling herself to an upright position, she narrowed her eyes and
glared at him. “Back at the park, so what are you going to do now, macho man?!”

Aware he was on shaky ground; Josh hoped he could defuse the situation.
Moving towards her with deliberate steps, he stopped just outside of her reach.
“I’m sorry, Peaches–”

“Don’t you dare go there, Joshua!”

“Peaches,” Josh repeated, ignoring her obvious anger. “I had to do it,
you left me little choice.”

His words or his endearment weren’t having the desired effect so he
decided to unleash the one asset every Kingdom man could rely on; his dimples,
Josh smiled. Then he relaxed his body and took a half step closer. He was now
within her reach, but he was relying on his charm to get him out of a tight
situation.

Her punch to his solar plexus had Josh falling into her as he bent over
in reaction to her direct hit. His hands shot out and surrounded her,
ostensibly in response to her blow. Pulling her close, he held on to her and
sucked in a deep gasp of air, as though filling his lungs.

Stepping back, he smiled. “The key,” he said holding up the underwire of
her bra. Josh ignored her cursing as he returned to the car. A click later and
he held the door open for her to get in.

If their situation weren't so precarious, Josh would have laughed at her
look of outrage at his actions. As soon as Lux was in the car he knew their
slight respite was at an end. They needed to keep moving.

Behind the wheel, he ripped out the console panel. Locating the right
wires he brought the car to life. Looking over at her, Josh waited for
directions. Nothing, she gave him nothing.

Each moment they remained stationary was a moment closer to disaster.
The people who were after them were in deadly earnest. They wouldn’t think
twice about killing them and leaving their lifeless bodies where they fell.

“Lux,” Josh demanded her attention with the full knowledge she had yet
to grasp the severity of their situation. “I came here to protect you. You may
not value your life, but I do, just as I value mine. So stop your sulking and
give me those damn directions!”

Something he said galvanized her because, even through her reluctance,
she began to direct him and not a moment too soon. Headlights were coming their
way, fast. Josh floored the gas and sped off
; tires
spinning; the only thing on his mind was
putting as much distance as possible between them and the bad guys. That her
car was a piece of slow moving shit was something he refused to dwell on.

He somehow managed to pull everything out of the little car. Yet no
matter how much he demanded he could hear the sound of the other vehicle
drawing ever closer. Aware their headlong rush was dangerous; he demanded she
put on her seatbelt. When she carried out his instruction, he concentrated all
his attention on her directions and staying ahead of their pursuers.

Throughout their twists and turns, they somehow managed to lose the
other car. Not letting up, Josh was aware when the terrain changed. The road
they traveled along was now dark and deserted. With still no detection of the
beam of another car, he concentrated on pushing forward.

Somehow, he just knew the night was going to get worse. When he heard
the sound of a tire blowing out it didn’t come as a surprise to him, feeling
sure, this night was his punishment for something he’d done in a previous life.
Still pushing the car for all it was worth, when he heard metal grinding into
the ground, he knew the vehicle was finished.

Pulling off the road, Josh cut the engine and looked over at Lux. She
had already disengaged her seatbelt and had her door open. Without comment, he
did the same.

Out of the car, he placed his hands on the frame of the car and pushed
until it was off the road. He would have liked the luxury of more time to hide
it properly, but he couldn’t take the chance. Moving back to where she was
standing, he took her hand.

“Do you know where we are, Lux?”

“Yes, I know, but I wish we’d managed a few miles more.”

“Why?”

“A few more miles and we’d be at the nearest town. If we can’t take the
road, there are a lot of trees between us and our destination.”

Nodding for her to continue, Josh waited.

“It’s at least ten miles in that direction,” Lux pointed off into the
darkness.

Now aware of the direction they needed to take, he began walking,
pulling her unceremoniously behind him.

In the stillness of the Caribbean night, Josh could hear the drone of
the other car’s engine. Correctly calculating its distance and how fast he
could move with Lux in tow, he knew they couldn’t outrun the men who followed
them. His mind worked in a furious attempt to think of a way to keep Lux safe
because running on foot wasn’t going to cut it.

No longer hearing the vibrations of the other car, Josh knew the
cessation of the sound meant his attempts at hiding their vehicle had been
uncovered. Moving deeper into the wooded area; total darkness and trees
surrounded them. Coming to a stop, he bent close and whispered against her ear;
cautious of how the sound a human voice could carry in this environment. “Can
you climb a tree?”

“Of course–”

Josh slammed a hand over her mouth to cut off anything else she had to
say, but it was already too late. His keen hearing told him their pursuers had
heard her. Dragging her behind him, he frantically searched for a hiding place
that would give them the concealment they needed.

The tree wasn’t perfect, but it had enough knots to give her purchase as
she climbed. Grabbing her around the waist, he used all his strength to toss
her as high up the tree as he could. Her yelp of surprise made him grind his
teeth in frustration. Maybe he should have warned her of his intention, but he
really wished she’d keep her mouth shut.

As she climbed in her ridiculously inadequate ballet pumps, she slipped,
and Josh held his breath. This time, and to her credit she didn’t make a sound.
When her downward momentum brought her backside directly into his line of
vision, he wanted to take a bite out of it. Peaches had always been his
favorite fruit.

Palming her butt cheeks in each of his large hands, he heaved her
upwards. His intimate touch surprised her and he felt the muscles of her ass
tense in reaction. If their position weren't so precarious, he wouldn’t have
allowed her to get away without an explanation of her bodies response. Josh
knew how to bide his time, and he would have an explanation, even if he had to
force it out of her.