a conversation I’m anxious to have. “The alarm will ring early, Cole.”
“You sure you’re feeling okay?”
“I’ll be fine. I already took a tongue lashing from Gracie—I don’t need one from you, as well.”
His voice changes, dripping like honey. “Then maybe we should talk about what happened in the coat closet.”
I grab his hand that begins to creep up my side. Unlike earlier, I can’t allow him to put me in such a vulnerable spot if my plan is to keep him at bay. “I need sleep.”
My hair flutters as he sighs. “Soon, baby.”
It’s a promise. I hear it in his tone.
One I wish he wouldn’t make.
Chapter 18
Money
Cole
We step off the ferry from St. Thomas. The smell of ocean water and revenge hangs thick in the tropical climate of St. John. Thanks to Vega and his frequent-flier mileage with a private charter service, we made it here three hours before Charles Randolph. A first-class seat doesn’t make a commercial flight any faster.
The senator seems to like the sand. In addition to his place on South Beach and Nassau, he also has a condo here. From the travel records Asa supplied, he’s here at least once a month, which seems like a lot for someone who should be busy working for his constituents since they’re the ones paying his salary with their tax dollars.
But if the shade of his tan is any indicator, he’s got his ass in the sand more often than serving the good people of Florida.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been to the beach.”
I turn and give Bella my hand as she follows me down the steps to the tarmac. Shrugging our bags over my shoulder, I lead her to the small office where keys to our car should be waiting. “That was an amazing weekend.”
She doesn’t let go of my hand this time and I feel like Team Cole just won the pennant. Tipping her head back, I can’t see her bright blue eyes for the huge black shades she’s sporting, but her pink lips creep up on one side. She remembers what has been etched into my brain and what I’ve been hanging my hat on ever since.
“It was,” she agrees. “It was also a time when things weren’t complicated.”
I shake my head and let her hand go long enough to swing the door open. “It’s only as complicated as we make it, sweetness.”
“Yes, you keep saying that. Yet after last night, I’m not sure how much more problematic life could be. Now we’re both on the run.”
I try to bite back my smile. “Don’t give me any ideas. All I need is Abbott and I’d be happy living on the run with you.” The rusty bell sitting on the desk looks as pathetic as it sounds when I whack it. “Maybe we should take this opportunity to try our hand at island life. No bullets. No bosses. No informants. Sounds like a wet dream.”
An old lady who can’t be taller than five-foot-nothing with more wrinkles than a pug, shuffles out of the back room. She greets us and I don’t even have to show her my fake ID to get her to hand over the keys. She disappears faster than she arrived and we’re left to guess which Toyota is ours for the time we’re here.
An old Camry honks and lights up in the far corner of the lot. Before we climb in, we both go to the trunk to see what we’ve got to work with.
“I hate not relying on my own resources,” Bella mutters and bends to dig through the bags Crew arranged for us. “You think this stuff washed up from the ocean?”
“We didn’t give them much notice and this is an island. I doubt there’s a Home Depot on every corner. I should be able to make it work.” Tossing our duffels on top of the pile of tools that look like they might’ve been used to build planes in World War II, I slam the trunk and pop the locks. At least we brought our own surveillance equipment. We probably would’ve ended up with bugs used in Watergate.
When I crank the engine and flip on the AC, I shift to Bella and am dead serious when I state, “Before we leave this island, you’re going to kiss me.”
She pulls her hair up into a pile on top of her head. “Your optimism is both inspiring and sad, Cole. We’re not on vacation.”