Blaine, Destiny - Breakfast by the Sea (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 8

  Paige represented a significant challenge, and the last thing Jeff wanted was a woman who appealed to him. He needed to avoid the chase. No, actually, he needed to run like hell.

  Part II

  Chapter Seven

  One Month Later

  “All right, men, we’re on a smoke signal warning from here forward,” Adam said, passing out packets. He took his time studying the faces of each operative as he handed off the new information.

  Connor, Callan, and Miles seemed bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. That’s what his grandmother used to call young men who looked raring to go first thing in the morning. Jeff, on the other hand, had a two-day-old beard, needed a trim or better yet a full-fledged haircut, and kept rubbing his bloodshot, glassy eyes—a sign he hadn’t slept in days.

  “Great,” Jeff complained. “Maybe we can get this thing over with soon so we can all go home.”

  Everyone had been on pins and needles and for good reason. Paige had slipped into the role of obliging hostess and proved herself extraordinary in that area. She prepared hot meals and nutritious snacks and kept their laundry clean and pressed. Her home remained immaculate day and night. The company she provided, on the other hand, left a lot to be desired.

  “All right, men. Open up the paperwork and glance over the bullet points. We’re making changes effective immediately.”

  Jeff muttered something. He should’ve expected what was coming, but Adam realized Jeff wouldn’t approve at all.

  Paige had completely shut down a few days after Jeff had joined their party. She and Jeff had established over and over again that they didn’t like one another. Occasionally, she’d eat breakfast with the team, but when she did, she didn’t have a lot to say, and she rarely looked at any of them. The only exception was Jeff. Her eyes shot daggers through him whenever the chance presented itself, but that wasn’t the worst part.

  On occasion, Adam observed them gazing into one another’s eyes, too, which lately had become unsettling. Even though they professed profound hatred, they stared at one another like long lost lovers. Chemistry existed between them, and Adam was man enough to let them explore the obvious.

  Paige seemed quite taken with Jeff, even though they verbally contradicted their obvious chemistry. If Adam hadn’t been guarding Paige himself, he’d swear Jeff had made a move, or perhaps she had. Only, he knew better. Jeff refused to let his suspicions go, and from what their handler had passed along in an email, Jeff had begun snooping into Paige’s past.

  Adam called a sunrise meeting for various reasons. Since they’d discovered Paige Lambert was in fact Jillian Carpasia, the Queen of Hearts from their deck of cards, they understandably couldn’t trust her. Unfortunately, they all admitted, with the exception of Jeff, they carried a torch for her.

  Paige, refusing to go by Jillian Carpasia, a name thought to have been given to her by Ramone Carpasia—distanced herself from the team meetings. Adam and the others watched for her, expecting her to eavesdrop. If she bothered, they never caught her in the act.

  “Who upgraded our status?” Connor asked, flipping through the well-prepared documents.

  “Everything you need to know is in your folder. We have several face cards that have now been removed from our stack. You need to take special note of these players. They’re either dead or in custody.”

  Miles, the resident computer geek, conducted a little homework on Carpasia and several others from his cartel. He said, “Carpasia will make mistakes with some of his key people behind bars. When he does, we’ll be ready. Carpasia apparently worries about his guards talking. With other operatives like us handling the interrogations, someone’s bound to sing. When they do, Carpasia will run. We’re hoping he runs straight to us.”

  “What’s the death total?” Connor asked, referring to the Most Wanted list.

  “Twelve,” Adam replied.

  “You won’t see me mourn those losses,” Jeff muttered.

  “Me, either,” Connor said, tossing the envelope to the side and then leaping to the ledge so his legs could hang over the deck.

  “Are you here to vacation, or are you here to work?” Adam asked, growing rather tired of the lax attitude around there.

  “I can watch the sun come up and still hang on your every word,” Connor assured him.

  Miles read over some of the data and looked up all of a sudden. “We haven’t discussed the Queen of Hearts for several weeks. What do you want to do about her?”

  Jeff snarled. “She’s off limits, or haven’t you heard?”

  Adam slapped his folder against the picnic table and took a seat beside the documents scattered across the rugged top. “All right guys, listen up. I haven’t forgotten who we’re dealing with here. From all accounts, Paige made the Most Wanted list because of her affiliation with Ramone Carpasia.”

  “Don’t you mean her marriage?” Jeff asked, sarcasm thick in his voice.

  “All right, her marriage,” Adam said. “Feel better?”

  “No,” Jeff replied. “We have the wife of Ramone Carpasia preparing our meals, living under the same roof, and packing more weapons in this house than all of us have put together. We’re living in a place that could blow up at any moment.”

  “That’s a little drastic,” Connor said.

  “Really,” Callan added, finding new life after his first cup of coffee. “If she had wanted to poison us, would this be day thirty-one of our mission?”

  “Adam, you and Miles have been sleeping in the same room with her. What goes on in that big old bed of hers when you turn out the light?” Connor still carried a grudge because of the room assignments.

  After Paige had revealed her true identity, Adam had made the decision to let her stay in her own room. Paige’s private quarters had a separate entrance to and from the beach, which brought up security issues. Even though he’d caved a little, Adam never considered her request to sleep alone.

  Paige admitted she’d slept with an AR-15 prior to their arrival, which was part of the reason, rather than a deterrent, Adam wanted her guarded.

  Connor snapped his fingers. “Adam?”

  Adam looked up all at once. “What was the question?”

  “I asked you about Paige? You know, the behind-closed-doors Paige?”

  Miles smirked and Adam winked. Good, Adam thought, we’ll play this way.

  Jeff snickered. “Remember who you’ve trained, Adam. If you think any of us buy into Paige warming up to you or Miles, think again. She doesn’t slide you heated little glances over oatmeal. In fact, I’ve noticed she treats everyone the same. We’re served hot meals and a cold shoulder.”

  Outright laughter turned into stifled chuckles. Miles nodded and Connor shrugged.

  “Something going on I should know about?” Jeff asked.

  Conspicuous glances were exchanged with everyone but Jeff. Apparently, he noticed. “What?”

  “She gives everyone her back except you,” Miles pointed out.

  “Well, she’d better not turn her back when I’m around. While I’m repulsed by who she was in bed with, I’m a man. I can push her down on the deck and take that sweet ass and make it my own quicker than any of you.”

  “You wouldn’t,” Connor said. “You only rape the willing.”

  “He only takes the willing. They rape him, or haven’t you heard?” Miles shrugged. “And women wonder why men don’t trust them.”

  “That’s the truth,” Jeff said. “Women, especially older ones, can’t get enough.”

  Again, there was silence. A few smiles shot back and forth between Connor and Adam.

  Callan shook his head. “It’ll be a dog fight, that’s for sure.”

  “What are you talking about?” Jeff asked, becoming agitated.

  “It’s you and Connor in the bedroom,” Adam finally said. “You sleep with one eye open and Connor still has that itch to snuggle up to Paige at night. Let’s see what the two of you can do.”

  “That hardwood floor gets cold at night. We could
n’t get her to share her bed,” Miles said, regret in his voice.

  “I wasn’t trying to go there,” Adam reminded him, telling a bold-faced lie.

  “I believe you, Adam,” Connor said sincerely. “We all do.” A roll of eyes led to a few coughs and chuckles.

  “I’m man enough to admit I failed,” Adam said. “Not that I was trying to sleep with her, but I didn’t get anywhere, period.”

  “Yeah, you can say that again, but are you man enough to admit you still find her irresistible and that’s the reason you’re changing room assignments?”

  “Let’s see how much progress you two make,” Adam said, challenging him.

  He might as well accept his loss. Paige didn’t find him attractive. After a month, he was convinced. Adam wasn’t climbing into bed with anyone anytime soon. She’d made sure he slept on the floor. If thirty long nights didn’t convince him he’d lost his charm, nothing would. “Besides, we’re here to find our mark, not bed his ex. I don’t care what any of you do with Paige.”

  “You might want to start,” Jeff interjected. “Remember, Paige Lambert—Jillian Carpasia—was a target, too, until you somehow took her off our radar. She’s been in bed with the vilest human being we’ve ever known.”

  When no one said anything, Jeff continued, “Grief, guys, we’re not talking your average mob guy trying to make a name. Ramone Carpasia is the most dangerous cartel leader and terrorist organizer in the world. She rolled over to that. Who do you think she is, some kind of wounded angel?”

  “Hardly,” Adam retorted, smiling. If she were wounded, maybe he could’ve helped her heal, but there was more to Paige than he’d been able to find for himself. Maybe Connor could do more with her. He’d thought Callan was his guy, but even Callan couldn’t shake her.

  Assigned to Paige during the day, Callan took her grocery shopping, stayed with her during meal preparation, and tried to keep up with her when she went for a run on the beach. His debriefing was always the same. She said very little and never made eye contact.

  “How come you can’t put Callan with Connor?” Jeff asked.

  Connor waggled his brows. “We tag-team better than the average fellows.”

  “I’m not interested in tapping that,” Jeff stated flatly.

  “Good thing,” a small voice said from the other side of sheer curtains. “Because from what I hear, Jeff, the women unfortunate enough to fall asleep in your arms never wake up.”

  Paige stepped outside and glared at the men. “Is this why you have early morning meetings?”

  Adam blinked. Talk about timing and luck for shit. How much had she heard? How long had she been standing there? “Who the hell forgot to shut the God-dang door?”

  “Probably the last man out,” Jeff replied. “You know the one, the guy who ran back inside to retrieve the packets he passed out with a lot of logistics to sort through.”

  Adam sneered. “Paige, if you don’t mind, we have a few more things to discuss here before we join you for breakfast.”

  “I’m going for a walk,” she announced, starting down the stairs.

  “No,” Jeff told her, placing his hand over her wrist.

  Her gaze immediately swung toward Adam. No one said anything. She twisted and turned until Jeff released her. She started back toward the house, but without so much as a slight change in pace, she turned, rushed downstairs, and broke out into a run.

  “Damn! Are we back to this again?” Adam yelled, eyeing Connor and Jeff. “Don’t just stand there. Being assigned to her detail means one of you must be with her at all times.”

  “I can’t catch her now,” Connor announced, smiling at Jeff.

  “Fuck my life,” Jeff complained, leaping over the banister and taking off behind her.

  “Gather ’round, boys,” Adam said, pointing to the beach. “This should be interesting.”

  Chapter Eight

  “Wait up!” Jeff called out.

  Not on your life, motherfucker! Paige kept running. If Jeff Jacobson thought he could keep up with her, then he was in for a rude awakening.

  Paige ran several miles a day and followed a steady routine. She stayed in terrific shape.

  Regardless of the training Jeff or any of the others endured, Paige had noticed something. Since they’d checked in at Breakfast by the Sea, they’d had plenty to eat. Adam and his team talked a mean talk about training and working out, but as far as she could tell, the operatives on her watch ate well, slept well, and didn’t do anything to keep fit. She mentioned her observation to Callan once. He explained they made up for it when they went home, claiming they rose with the chickens and tossed hay all day long.

  Sure, they did.

  She glanced over her shoulder. Jeff was gaining on her fast. She dug harder, running as fast as she could, catching her second wind and certain if she turned up the heat, he’d lose the ground he’d gained.

  Who did Jeff think he was, anyway? He hardly paid her any attention and seemed repulsed by her after they’d all discovered her face was on the Queen of Hearts card. Then, Adam passed the torch to him, and suddenly, he’s driven to protect her? Humph, no way. She wasn’t taking this lightly. If he wanted to guard her, he’d have to catch her first.

  Sprinting across the sand, Paige thought about Ramone. Lately, the past was all she’d thought about. Ramone would be coming to JekyllIsland soon. The last time she housed several men at her bed and breakfast, she’d received word from some of Ramone’s men.

  She was told to refund the money to her guests or Ramone would stop by and pay them a visit. She ignored the warning. Ramone sent his boys. Her guests left a few hours later.

  Paige wondered about her mother then. She remembered her Aunt Charlotte telling stories about her mother and father. “Back in the day,” Aunt Charlotte once said, “your father was very obsessed with your mother. He’d bully any man who came around. Killed a fella once, he did.”

  Paige’s father was in the mob. He did what he wanted to do. Aunt Charlotte thought that was grand, too.

  Paige often wondered if her father had planned to load her off on Ramone all along. The agreement they’d reached had sure worked out swell for her dad. Her father took over Ramone’s territory. Ramone took her. The trade worked out for everyone, at least for a little while.

  She was thinking too much when she heard Jeff scream, “I’m losing my patience!”

  Paige’s second wind was like an out-of-body experience. She was finally pulling away from Jeff. She felt free and exonerated! She might run forever if her energy held. Ah, how good it felt to excel at something, to be in complete control, even if only for a short period of time.

  Her eyes watered all at once, and she swiped at the tears. The wind had inspired them, but when she revisited her life with Ramone, what he forced her to forfeit, the years he made her lose, the sadness became overwhelming.

  Because of Ramone, she’d lost their unborn child. She remembered how angry he’d been when he’d discovered she was pregnant soon after their arrangement began. He’d worked her to the brink of exhaustion morning, noon, and night, forcing her to paint walls and polish floors as well as tend the garden.

  When the physical labor wasn’t enough, he’d join her in the bedroom, claiming the love he had for her was overwhelming, the desire to be with her insatiable, and then he’d remind her of the never-ending duty she had to service him.

  The sex often lasted for hours. He’d fuck her with toys and his stubby little fingers. He’d screw her himself and then replace his dick with another dildo or vibrator, insisting she train herself to handle long, indulgent hours of pleasing him. Afterwards, he’d tell her he wanted the child and promise he would be better to her once they had the baby. Then, he’d insist on a final blowjob and leave her to anticipate another hellish day.

  She’d almost carried the baby to term when Ramone pushed her down a flight of stairs, screaming he’d tried everything else, but nothing seemed to work. While she’d hated him prior to that day, she l
oathed him with newfound passion thereafter.

  Thanks to Ramone, she’d spent hours and hours learning about weapons. She’d gone underground to some of the shadiest places in the country, picking out guns and ammunition, everything she thought she needed in order to feel secure.

  Paige paid off some of Ramone’s guards and installed state-of-the-art security systems at his estates so she could access hidden cameras from her home and keep an eye on him. And religiously, even when she had a full house at her bed and breakfast, she scoured the tapes in an effort to keep tabs on him. She lived a paranoid but prepared life.

  He’d made her angry, but by damn, he’d made her tough. She was well-prepared for the worst, anticipating pure hell, because one day soon, the inferno would reach her front door.

  “Paige! Damn it. Stop!”

  “Lie around all day and soak up those rays, big boy,” she called out. “You’ll never keep up with me!”

  She tried harder and ran faster, controlling her breathing and pushing herself forward, wondering why Jeff hadn’t given up the chase. He was still on her tail and closing in again.

  For over a month, Adam had limited where she could run, making sure she ran where they could see her, refusing to let her swim more than half a mile out in case they needed to save her. Now, they had Jeff on her. Damn Adam for this.

  Is this why Adam had assigned Jeff to take care of her? Was he the only one who could keep up with her?

  “Woman! Wait!” he yelled.

  Jeff’s broken voice chimed right at her ear. She plunged forward, taking a last opportunity to swerve to her right. Maybe he could keep up on land, but he’d never catch her in the water. Long before she became a dedicated runner, Paige swam on a regular basis. Kicking off her shoes, she stripped her shirt over her head, losing her bra just for spite.

  “Damn, baby, when you play, you play hard!”

  The guttural way he called her by a pet name spiked her interest, but she didn’t look back. She wasn’t playing. She was teaching him a lesson. He needed to know who he could and could not control.