Chapter Ten
Lee stilled at her words, the stab of pain piercing his heart. He breathed through it, trying to see it from Nhiari’s point of view. She didn’t know whether she could trust him, but she wanted to feel good. He didn’t need words to show her he cared for her. He could show her with his body.
Nhiari lifted his shirt, and he helped her to take it off, while he backed her towards the tent. He knelt before her to unlace her shoes and it took little time to rid her of her footwear. Then slowly, from his position on his knees, he dragged off her underwear.
Stunning.
Behind him the lamplight illuminated Nhiari perfectly. Her dark skin glistened and her head was thrown back as his hands caressed her luscious bottom.
A goddess unveiled.
Lee pulled her towards him and his lips touched her nub. He licked, tasting her sweetness and her moan was music to his ears. He took his time, licking slowly, holding her steady against him. She trembled as his fingers dipped between her legs and her wetness covered them.
“Lee, I…”
His name on her lips gave him a rush. He slid his fingers inside her and whatever she was going to say was lost as she groaned.
She trembled again.
He pulled away. “Lie down, Nhi.”
As she did as he ordered, he removed his shoes and pants, stopping short of his underwear. He had no protection nearby. It was over by the car, but if he left her now, would she change her mind? His whole body throbbed with desire. Perhaps this was how he could show her how much he cared.
He left his underwear on as he followed her onto the bed. She reached for him and pulled him close, kissing him.
He ran a hand down her side, loving the softness of her skin, and then cupped her breast, running his thumb over her dark nipple. She arched into him. “I need you inside of me.”
In reply, he sucked her nipple into his mouth and used his tongue to tease. She whimpered and pressed into him. “Don’t tease.”
He moved to her other nipple and licked it, sliding his hand down her body to touch her core.
“Now Lee,” she demanded, thrusting her hips towards him.
“Let me worship you, Nhiari,” he murmured against her neck as he nibbled his way back to her mouth.
“No. Just sex.”
He smiled as he kissed her long and deep. This wasn’t just sex. This was him telling her how much he loved her.
When he kissed his way back down towards her breasts, she thrust her hips towards him and he brushed the sensitive nerve endings between her legs.
“I need you now.” He couldn’t ignore her desperation bordering on frustration. He didn’t want to upset her.
Lee slid down her body and focused on pleasing her, licking her slowly while his fingers set up a rhythm inside her.
“I want you inside me,” she moaned.
He grinned. “I am.” He wiggled his fingers. “Protection is too far away.”
Her eyes widened for a moment and he rubbed a spot which sent her head flinging back and her hips arching forward.
A deity.
He concentrated on her pleasure, and her muscles clenched around him as her orgasm hit her. She cried his name and his mind took a snapshot of this moment to remember forever.
As she relaxed and sighed in satisfaction, Lee moved up the bed to lie next to her, gathering her into his arms. To his surprise, she didn’t resist and instead curled into him. His heart swelled.
He brushed a kiss against her hair and held her.
She shifted and her hand moved down his chest to the bulge still in his underpants. His muscles tensed and he couldn’t stop his groan as she rubbed him. He was so aroused, it wouldn’t take much to set him off.
“Where are the condoms?”
He kissed her. “I’m fine. I want you to be satisfied.”
“Only once?” She grinned. “I said I wanted you inside me.” She straddled him and her wetness rubbed against his groin.
He was a goner.
“Med kit.”
“How very military of you.” She stalked over to the back of his car in all her naked glory, and it took her little time to find the foil-wrapped square and return with it. She placed it next to him on the bed and then dragged his underwear from him.
The seductress had come out to play. Her braid shifted to cover one breast as she knelt on the mattress and stroked his throbbing muscle. He clenched his teeth, fighting for some semblance of control. “Nhi, the condom.”
“Now, now. Fair’s fair. You didn’t give me what I wanted straight away.” She kept her dark gaze on him as she lowered her head and took him into her mouth.
Holy hell. Lee couldn’t stop his thrust as her warm, wet mouth surrounded him. He closed his eyes, knowing if he watched her suck him, it would be the end of him. He did the eighteen times table in his head while sensations flooded his body. A corner of his brain celebrated the knowledge that she cared for him. If this had been just about sex, she could have easily used his body without giving him extra pleasure.
When he was close, he opened his eyes and grabbed the condom. Nhiari plucked it from him and rolled it on.
She hovered above him. “Now?”
He nodded. “Now.”
She sheathed him and their moans mingled as their bodies became one. He clenched her hips as she rode him, slowly at first, before moving faster and faster.
This time, when her orgasm hit, it took him over the edge. He yelled her name as they came together, his heart completely hers.
Nhiari lay sated on the bed as Lee cleaned up. She couldn’t regret what they had done, but instead of being the simple physical release she’d hoped for, it had stirred up too many emotions.
Sticky, warm, and potentially heart-breaking emotions.
Lee switched off the light, and the mattress dipped as he rejoined her and pulled her into his arms. She went willingly, lying her head against his chest as they cuddled.
Nhiari couldn’t lie to herself any longer. She cared for him far more than she wanted to. If this was all a game to him, then she’d been played, and he was the victor. But right now, in this moment, she could pretend that it was real, and it could be enough. The morning would come soon enough and with it, the responsibilities and realities of her job.
Neither of them said anything. She’d told Lee she didn’t want words, and it was true. They would only bind her tighter to him, make it more difficult to break free when she eventually had to arrest him.
Besides, what could they say to each other? They wouldn’t have a future together.
If only they had met under different circumstances.
She closed her eyes as his hand moved lazily along her side, soothing her. If only she could freeze this moment in time.
Reality sucked like that.
His words came back to her. He’d killed protecting others. How much would that balance his other crimes? Lee was cooperating with the police. Could she arrange a deal?
If it wasn’t Rodney leading Organised Crime, and if she knew for sure Stonefish didn’t have someone in the division, she would make enquiries. But even that was too much risk. No one could know they were working together, no one except Dot and her father.
Rodney was again helping to make her life miserable.
Though there was one other person she knew who worked in Organised Crime. She had spent little time with him since the academy, but there was no way he would be involved with Stonefish. He’d become a police officer to stop these kinds of people. His family had been caught up with bikie gangs when he was younger.
Lee kissed her head. “Sweet dreams, Nhi.”
“You too,” she whispered. She stared into the darkness, hoping her friend could help.
Nhiari was still lying awake several hours later when Lee’s satellite phone rang. He jerked awake and reached for it in one swift movement. “Hello.” There was no hint in his voice that he’d been woken from a deep sleep.
Nhiari sat up and reached for her phone. Almost midnight.
“Andrew, calm down,” Lee said.
What had happened on the boat? Last she’d heard, Dot and Oliver had been going after the drugs. Had someone been hurt?
She collected her clothes, dressing while Lee listened to what Andrew said. Lee sat on the bed, a sheet covering his modesty. “Get him to take you straight to the treasure.”
Nhiari spun towards Lee. Who was he talking about? Had Andrew kidnapped someone?
“You can’t hurt him,” Lee continued and then paused, nodding to something Andrew said. “Yeah, we’ll get you straight out of town afterwards.” Another pause. “I know you don’t want to do this, but your father has been waiting a long time.” He was silent again. “Did Oliver say exactly where the treasure was? Then no, I can’t help until we have that information. Call me when you know.” Lee rolled his eyes. “Then meet me at the base of the ranges. I told you where the track was… yeah, I’ll be watching.” Lee sighed. “It will be fine, Andrew. Just be careful.” He waited another moment and then hung up.
Nhiari sat back on the mattress fully dressed. “What’s going on?”
“Dot’s gone after Steven and Joseph. They were late getting out there and the tide had risen enough for Dot to give chase. She left Oliver on the boat and Andrew overheard Sam and Sherlock talking to him about the treasure.”
Nhiari pursed her lips. Neither man would have divulged the location to Oliver. It put the Stokes at risk and Brandon Stokes was like a brother to them. “What exactly did Andrew hear?”
“That they’ve already found the treasure.”
It wasn’t much. Stonefish already suspected that. It was why Jordan and Cody had been kidnapped. “Does he know where it’s being kept?”
Lee smirked at her, but she ignored him. No point denying it now. “No. Lucas told Andrew to kidnap Oliver tomorrow.”
Nhiari frowned. “How? They’re on a boat in the middle of nowhere.”
“Kristy is going to pick them up. All Andrew has to do is get Oliver away from the others while they’re diving.”
It might work if visibility was low. No one would suspect Andrew. “Then what?”
“He’ll find out where the treasure is and fetch it. Andrew’s freaking out because he doesn’t want to go to gaol if he’s caught. He wants to make sure there’s somewhere he can run to afterwards.”
“And you suggested here.”
“Yeah.”
“What’s Lucas doing in all of this?”
“He’ll come in when they have the treasure.”
Which meant they were very close to stopping him. If he had received stolen goods and was arrested, those who were afraid of him might start talking. “Good.” Oliver shouldn’t be in any real danger. Kristy Hamilton wasn’t someone who knew one end of a gun from another and wouldn’t want to get her hands dirty. Andrew didn’t want to get in trouble with the law. “What time are they planning this?”
“During the first dive. Should be early morning.”
“I need to call Dot.”
“No. She’ll have her hands full with Steven and Joseph tonight. If she knows about it beforehand, Martin will be suspicious and know we’re working together.”
“Does it matter?” Nhiari asked. “We’re so close.”
“Lucas might leave if he thinks we’re on to him.”
She gritted her teeth. The idea of Oliver in potential danger didn’t sit well with her. She’d liked him until he’d broken Dot’s heart. “So what do we do?”
He lay back down. “We go back to sleep. Lucas hasn’t called, so he doesn’t want my help.”
“But Andrew called you.”
“Yeah, but he doesn’t know Andrew has my number.” He patted the bed. “We need to get some rest, Nhi. The next couple of days are going to be hectic.”
She hesitated. They’d been here doing nothing but going over information for days now. She wanted to act, wanted to ignore what had happened between her and Lee.
But her steps brought her closer to the bed. This could all be over in a matter of days. She’d take what she could get with Lee. She kept her clothes on as she lay down next to him and he gathered her into his arms.
And this time she fell straight asleep.
When Lee woke it was bright outside. He’d overslept. Nhiari was snuggled into him and he took a second to appreciate the moment. Last night had been more than he’d dared hope for. No matter what happened from here, he’d had another night with her.
He shifted and she stirred but drifted back to sleep. She hadn’t been sleeping well, and he hated to see the shadows under her eyes darken.
Quietly he dressed and moved outside the tent to think through his plan of action. Andrew hadn’t heard where the treasure was being kept, which was a worry. Oliver might not know, which meant he would be useless to Lucas. Oliver would be as good as dead if Lucas was there.
He glanced at Nhiari. She didn’t need to know that little piece of information. He didn’t want her anywhere near Lucas. But leaving her behind would be a betrayal he wouldn’t come back from.
He grabbed the satellite phone and climbed through the tunnel to the lookout at the top of the range. Clear skies and no wind yet, but that wouldn’t last long. He set up the telescope and peered out at the gulf, picking up the tour boat anchored near Retribution Island. From here he saw people moving about, but not any details of who they were.
As he watched, three people climbed into the tender and were taken a short distance away from the main boat, where two divers entered the water. A little further away, a silver dinghy was set up for fishing.
That had to be Kristy.
The other divers jumped into the water and he turned his attention to the dinghy. It took about ten minutes before there was movement. Three people emerged from the water and eventually climbed onto the boat.
“There you are.”
He turned to find Nhiari behind him, holding two mugs of coffee. She handed him one.
His heart warmed. “I didn’t want to wake you.” He sipped the coffee and gestured to the telescope. “It looks as if they’ve just picked up Oliver.”
Nhiari adjusted the telescope as the dinghy sped across the water towards the southern boat ramp. “Will Andrew call?”
“I don’t know. He won’t have a phone on him, but Kristy might.”
“So we just wait?”
“Nothing else we can do.” Actually, there was something. “When was the last time you checked your phone?”
She frowned, thinking about it. “Yesterday morning, I think. The battery’s at about twenty percent.”
“Might be worth switching it on, and the police radio.” He wanted to know what was going on.
“I’ll fetch them.” She left her mug on a rock and went back to camp.
His stomach clenched. He’d been a fool. He could see that now as clear as day. When his father had died he’d been so overcome with grief and the need for revenge he hadn’t thought about what he would do after Lucas was in gaol. Had he known he was going to meet Nhiari, he would have done things differently.
But it was too late now.
He’d made his bed and it would be empty and cold.
He scanned the rest of the area. A couple of cars drove out of Retribution Bay towing caravans, but it was otherwise quiet.
Too quiet.
Lucas was nearby and yet he hadn’t told Lee he was here. That made him nervous. What did he have planned?
He had heard nothing from Steven or Joseph either. Had Dot caught them last night?
As if on cue, his phone rang. “Joseph, what can I do for you?”
“They’re on to us.” His voice was low, and it trembled.
“Who are?” Lee was careful to keep his voice cold and disinterested.
“The police. Martin sent me a message to say they were going to pick up Steven. He’ll tell the cops who I am.”
Martin was still being the good spy. That was interesting. “Where are you?”
“At the safe house.”
He frowned. “Who sent you there?” Someone on Joseph’s level shouldn’t know about the safe house.
“Martin.”
What was the man playing at? He was supposed to run those kinds of things past Lee. Unless Lucas had been in touch and told him differently.
Unease settled over Lee. That instinct right before things went bad. “You should get out of town before they put a roadblock in.”
“Where do I go?”
“South. Lose yourself in the city.”
“You want me to go to Perth? There are more cops there.”
“And more people. Take out as much cash as you can now so you don’t have to use your card.” The man hadn’t considered what he would do if he got caught. Not a full-time criminal then. Where had Clark found him?
Probably in a bar somewhere.
Nhiari returned with her phone and radio and passed him an apple.
“I’m not going to gaol,” Joseph declared.
“Then leave now.” He hung up, and bit into the apple, bored with lazy men who wanted an easy buck but didn’t like the consequences that came with it.
“Who was that?” Nhiari asked.
“Joseph. Dot must have got an ID on them last night, but not caught them.”
“What did you tell him?”
“To leave.” At her widened eyes, he added, “He won’t get far. Dot’s likely to spot him on his way out of town, and if she doesn’t, I have his details.”
“Where is he now?”
“At the safe house. He headed there when he got word Steven was going to be arrested.”
She held out her phone. “Dot sent me this last night.”
It was a photo of him at the launch dinner for the shipwreck expedition. Oliver must have taken it. He screwed up his nose. “Lucas required me there. We hadn’t seen each other since the beginning of the year and he wanted to ascertain whether I was still loyal.”
“How did you avoid getting caught?”
“It was a small, private gathering and I’m an executive at an international shipping company. No one looked twice at me unless it was to wonder why an executive was taking photos.”
“Do you really like photography?”
His answer was immediate. “Yeah, I do. It takes focus and patience and I love experimenting with light and filters to bring the landscapes into people’s homes.” He smiled, though he felt sad. “I’ll be forever grateful to my father for bringing photography into my life.”
“That’s lovely.” She smiled back at him.
Nhiari’s smile warmed his insides, made him feel as if he was the most important person in the world and made him want to do better.
Her radio crackled. “Dot to base.” They glanced at each other and Nhiari increased the volume.
“Go ahead, Dot,” the answer came.
“Just got word Oliver and Andrew are missing.” Dot replied. “Suspect they were taken by a woman in a silver dinghy called Cersei. Need to check all boat ramps. Heading to you now, so Rodney and Martin can check the northern ones. I’m heading south.”
“Copy. We’ll be ready when you get here.”
Nhiari frowned. “She shouldn’t be going by herself.”
“I guess she doesn’t have a choice. Colin has been arrested, you’re here with me, and Pierre will be needed at the station.”
“I don’t like it. Are you sure Andrew won’t get violent?”
“Positive.” The boy was too soft and lazy to get excited about anything except maybe a video game he was playing. “He hates even killing flies or bugs in the house.”
A few minutes later a black four-wheel drive sped down the road out of Retribution Bay. Lee frowned, focusing on it, trying to see who was inside, but it was too difficult. Was it Joseph, or had Lucas got involved? Over by the southern boat ramp, the dinghy had disappeared from view, the land getting in the way.
The black car sped past the road leading to the boat ramp and Lee exhaled. Oliver should still be safe. Perhaps it was a local heading home.
“There’s Dot.” Nhiari pointed at the police car tearing down the road, lights flashing.
She would reach the boat ramp before Oliver could be taken away.
Lee checked on the black car. It had turned off the main road and was heading towards the ranges to the spot he’d taken the children. Shit. It had to be someone from Stonefish.
But who?
Had Joseph decided he was going to hide instead of going to Perth?
He pointed the telescope in the direction but he still couldn’t see the driver. “I have to go.”
Nhiari noticed the car and frowned. “Who is it?”
“I don’t know, but I need to check.”
“What do you need me to do?”
“Stay here. Listen to the radio. Find out what you can about Oliver and the others.”
“Will you be all right?”
He nodded, faking confidence. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He hesitated. “Keep watch when you hear me return. If Lucas is with me, you need to run. I can’t guarantee your safety.”
Her expression hardened. “Be careful.” She kissed him hard.
The radio came alive. “I’ve found the boat and its occupants. Send backup.” Dot was at the boat ramp.
“Rodney and Martin are heading to you now.”
Lee needed to go. The black car was halfway to the ranges. “Take care.” He stole another kiss and then hurried into the tunnel to discover what was in store for him next.