Chapter 13
Erica had settled into a chair at the conference table when Raul’s phone pinged to notify him that Mikel had arrived. “We’re in my office,” Raul called out toward the door.
“ Su Alteza Real. Erica.” Mikel gave a half bow as he came through the doorway. He was dressed in a black suit, a white shirt, and a tie striped in Calevan green and maroon. His brown hair was brushed neatly away from his forehead, and he carried a sleek silver tablet.
She had first met him when he had vetted her for the job as Gabriel’s pilot. She had been nervous then, but only because she wanted the job so much. His questions had been fair and necessary for such a sensitive position.
Now she saw him as a man on a mission to protect the royal family with the same intensity her father had felt about saving the lives of those in trouble at sea. She supported Mikel’s mission even more strongly now that she had become involved with Raul.
Raul nodded to the chair across from Erica, and Mikel sat with a coiled grace that reminded her of a big hunting cat. Placing his tablet on the tabletop, he said, “You should not be surprised to hear that there is no park ranger named Ricardo St. Germain.”
“Maybe he is a park ranger, but that’s not his real name,” Raul said, sitting up straighter.
“I am guessing that is the case, because he would need legitimate access to the nesting sites,” Mikel said, swiping at his tablet before he slid it across to Erica.
“These are the badge ID photos of all the male park rangers. Unfortunately, they are from the first day of their service, so some are quite out of date. Do any look like your contact?”
Multiple rows of color headshots were arrayed on the tablet’s screen. Erica scanned the mostly stiff, unsmiling images, scrolling downward with increasing frustration as none looked like her seller.
Then a thick-necked man with a sandy-haired crew cut caught her eye. She mentally added a ponytail and about a decade to his image. “This one. I think he’s the man I met.”
She swiveled the tablet so both men could see the photo.
Mikel tapped it, and a page of text appeared. “His real name is Fernando Bertucci, and he’s been a park ranger for fifteen years. I’ll get Quinn to dig deeper into his finances since he didn’t come up in our first search.”
Raul made a sound of disgust. “If he’s hiding his identity, he’s hiding more.”
“Which means he could be dangerous,” Mikel said, his pale blue eyes focused on Erica. “If you don’t wish to meet with him tomorrow, that’s not a problem. He will still come to the Acantilado Alto, and my people can follow him from there.”
“Wouldn’t it make him suspicious—or upset—if I don’t show?” she asked.
“Possibly. It would certainly disappoint him since he would lose out on a substantial sum of money,” Mikel said.
“I’ll go,” Erica said. “If you have people there watching, I’m not concerned about anything bad happening. He’s clearly done this before, and no one got hurt.”
“Are you sure you can keep her safe?” Raul asked Mikel.
“There is no reason to believe he will do anything other than carry out the transaction,” Mikel said. “And I will have plenty of undercover agents on-site.”
“It will be fine, Raul.” She almost laid her hand on his arm to reassure him but was stopped by Mikel’s presence. “I will need cash.”
Mikel pulled a fat envelope from his breast pocket and placed it in the middle of the table.
“The purchase price. We have all the serial numbers of the bills recorded, of course.” Once again, he pinned his gaze on Erica.
“How do you feel about wearing a wire? It’s not absolutely necessary, but it could be useful if we need to build a legal case against Bertucci. ”
“I have no problem with a wire,” she said, although a shiver of nerves ran down her spine. The cash-filled envelope and the wire made this seem far more serious than she had expected.
Raul frowned and echoed her thoughts. “I’m not sure I like all this espionage, Mikel. Maybe it’s better if Erica is a no-show.”
She shook off her momentary anxiety. “Don’t worry. With Mikel’s people there, I’ll be well protected.”
“You are a woman of great courage. I know that,” Raul said, his voice stiff with dissatisfaction. “But you were meant just to gather information, nothing more.”
“It’s not like I’m buying anything illegal,” she pointed out to soothe him. “Just a few bits of dragon eggshells. Not a big deal.”
It annoyed her when Mikel turned to Raul, clearly waiting for his approval to go forward with the plan.
Then it hit her that Raul was Mikel’s boss.
In fact, technically, Raul was pretty much everyone’s boss, with the exception of the king.
Somehow, she hadn’t quite absorbed the implications of that until now.
Raul didn’t appear in any way surprised by Mikel’s deference, but then, he wouldn’t be.
The reality of who her lover was slammed into her like a freight train, knocking the breath out of her lungs.
Wrapped in the cocoon of his habitación or even camping in the mountains, she could shove aside the knowledge that he was the second-in-command of Caleva with the power to control all the resources of their country.
Seeing the formidable Mikel wait for Raul’s okay made it all too vivid.
Raul nodded and said something that she didn’t hear. “I’m sorry, what?” she asked, tearing her mind away from the abyss gaping between them.
“If you change your mind at any time, just say so, mi corazón .” His voice held a caress that sent a surge of pleasure through her until she remembered that Mikel had heard it too.
She glanced at the king’s security chief, but his face held no expression.
He had probably seen far more intimate scenes and remained unperturbed.
But would he feel obligated to tell the king?
It didn’t matter. As soon as Raul was on his feet again, he wouldn’t need her to entertain him.
The pain of that slashed at her.
“I’m good,” she lied.
Mikel stood, picked up the cash envelope, and looked at Erica. “We’ll meet at my office in San Ignacio at eight. Then I will return you to your home to pick up your car. You will need to drive yourself to Acantilado Alto.”
“I’ll pick you up,” Raul said. “How long will it take to get to Mikel’s office from your place?”
“You’re supposed to stay off your ankle, so I’ll manage on my own,” she said.
“I will see you tomorrow,” Mikel said, a hint of a smile at the corners of his lips. “With or without Su Alteza Real .” He gave his half bow to the prince and left the conference room.
“According to the doctors, tomorrow I am officially allowed to walk as far as I feel capable of on the crutches. Although I am supposed to use good judgment about not overdoing it,” Raul said with a smile that was part rueful, part triumphant.
“Not to worry, I’ll have a driver, but I will pick you up and come with Mikel to your meet with Bertucci. ”
Another pang pricked her as she realized that her time with Raul was shorter than she realized. Tomorrow he would be able to leave his habitación , so her company wouldn’t be necessary.
“Okay, come by my place at seven forty-five. I’ll text you my address,” she said, deciding it would give her a little more precious time with him.
“Muy bien,” he said before he took her hand and tugged her toward him, his eyes hot. “Now if you take off your jeans and sit on the conference table in front of me, I will have the great pleasure of making you come.”
Desire seared through her, and she leaned in to give him a long, lingering kiss, trying to imprint the feel of his lips on her memory.
“ Ay, I like that,” he rasped when she lifted her head. “But you do not have to persuade me.”
She combed her fingers through the thick waves of his hair, savoring the texture, before she stood up.
He hooked his finger in the waistband of her jeans and pulled her between his thighs.
“What is it, corazón ?” He searched her face, his glorious face turned up to hers.
“Are you having second thoughts about tomorrow?”
“Oh, Dios , no!” She traced the sharp line of his cheekbone with her fingertip. “I’m just sorry that you’ll be mobile again, so we won’t have an excuse to hide out in your apartment.”
That was as close to the truth as she was willing to go.
“There’s no need to hide.” He frowned. “Why would you think that?”
“Figure of speech,” she said. “It’s just nice to have you all to myself.” She knew their relationship would never become public, no matter what Raul said. She wasn’t an appropriate partner for the prince, and this fling wouldn’t last long enough for that anyway.
“You only have to ask, and I will meet you here…alone,” he said, the frown transforming into a wicked curve of his lips. He flicked open the button at her waistband. “Where we can enjoy each other’s company in every way.”
He pulled down her zipper and pushed her jeans and panties down to her ankles in one swift motion. “Now, if you will sit on the tabletop, I want to feast on you.”
An hour later, Raul lay under the throw blanket on his bed with his arm snugged around Erica’s waist. Her deliciously curved bottom rested against his groin, and her spill of silky hair tickled his bare chest. He bent his neck to kiss the smooth skin of her shoulder, inhaling the scent of warm woman and sex.
She gave a little shiver as his lips touched her. “There is no way I could have another orgasm right now,” she said.
“ No te preocupes . I am simply admiring your beautiful shoulder,” he said before he kissed the side of her neck. “And your neck. The truth is that I just like kissing you.”
“Feel free to continue now that we’ve established your motivation.” Amusement rippled through her words.
He sucked her earlobe into his mouth and gave it a gentle nip. She shivered again, and he smiled. He loved the way she responded to his smallest touch. She turned her head to offer him her lips, and he pressed a kiss on her mouth.
“Mm,” she purred.