Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Marianna stiffens. Her energy pulsing with annoyance as she leans in toward me. Keeping her voice to a whisper, she grumbles, “I’m apologizing in advance.”
“Want me to handle him?”
Her eyes flare, then she presses her lips flat. “Probably best if you don’t.”
Interesting.
The host walks right up, inserting himself into our personal space. Assessing me with a slow up and down, his calculating appraisal supports my earlier intuition about the man— something’s off.
“Thank you for coming, Mr. Goodlove. Everyone has been talking about your gallant efforts this morning.”
I thought my ears were burning. “No hero here. But thanks for the invite. Quite the party.”
My appreciation is genuine. I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be. Marianna’s here, and a party is the perfect place to see if I can get some intel. But I’ll keep both of those facts to myself.
The mayor takes a drink from a highball glass and sucks his teeth. “We like our parties.”
No shit. This isn’t a party. It’s a gala. At least that’s the fanciest word I can think of right now with my limited vocabulary of places people get dressed to the nines, eat lobster, and wear dresses that cost more than some people make in a year.
So, yeah. It’s quite the shindig.
“Lots of fancy cars in the driveway. Who are all these people?”
This makes him puff up with pride. “These people are the who's who of Central America.”
“Well, looks like I’m lucky to have an invite to rub elbows with this crowd.”
He’s glowing now.
“For example…” He motions toward a square-built older man at the edge of the dance floor. “That’s the president of Colvol Oil. He’s talking to the wealthiest man in the country.”
A man who is clearly shitfaced and having to be held up by a woman.
“Looks like he’s having a big night, whoever he is.”
“Why yes, he’s comfortable enough here to let it all hang out, but I’m sure you’ll understand that privacy is part of being in this crowd.”
I put on a grin. It won’t take me long to find out who his friend is even if the mayor isn’t talking. “Right, I can understand. Don’t want anyone’s drunken antics being a smudge on their reputation.”
“That is why my parties are exclusive.” His nose lifts on the last word.
Except he invited an unknown into the midst. My spidey senses are going bonkers.
His face turns sour as he nurses his drink. Marianna doesn’t look any happier.
Lots of things about Karma and this scene don’t add up. After having spent the last week in a tiny village that was devastated by an earthquake makes this feel like a different planet—not an hour down the road.
I lean and shift my weight, letting my hands fall to my sides. “Didn’t realize there was so much wealth in Vandemora.”
“You just have to hang around the right people. Our country is very desirable for… certain things.”
Criminals?
I already know there’s a very active band of armed rebels from the time our team spent in Santa Rosa.
I put on a friendly smile and a gosh-darn tone. “What kind of things you got going on here, Mayor?”
“More than meets the eye.”
Marianna makes a small choking sound. “Sorry, um, I swallowed a bug.”
The mayor takes a drink and watches me over the rim. After swallowing, he flatly remarks, “We like interesting people, that’s why I invited you.”
Interesting as in he needs to know what I’m up to.
I’m onto him.
Keep friends close and your enemies closer.
My justification for not telling him why I’m in Karma is growing bigger by the minute.
“Well, I guess we got that in common. Music too. I like your salsa band.”
I catch the flare in Marianna’s eyes before she speaks. “You know how to salsa?”
“I can hold my own.” Thanks to a bet I lost while I was in the SEALs and the dozen ballroom dance classes I had to take.
I can’t tell if my revelation makes the mayor more curious or adds another burr to his side. His constipated expression is hard to decipher.
He turns his attention to the woman next to me. “So, you’re acquainted with Mr. Goodlove, I see.”
Her face ices over. “We met at the bank. He was most impressive in his attempt to stop the robbery.”
After they stare at each other silently for a beat with something nasty crackling in the air between them, he swings his focus back my way. His jaw is tight, the muscles ticking there. “What really brings a man like you to Karma, Goodlove?”
I point at myself. “A man like me? Not sure what you mean.”
The look he gives me is calculating at best, hatred at worst. “You’re not the average tourist or real estate investor.”
“Aww, now I think you’ve got that wrong. I’m just like anyone else that wants to enjoy beautiful places.” Not a lie. “And that’s what you’ve got here. Vandemora is gorgeous. I like wild places.”
And things.
He swirls his glass. “Marianna will be your tour guide while you’re here. I’m sure you’ll find her company invaluable.”
Something hits my foot, and I glance down to find Marianna’s blue purse on the ground. There’s a shocked look on her face and she tries to hide it as she reaches down.
I capture her bag, picking it up before she can. “Here you go, ma’am.”
She won’t meet my eyes. Instead, she cuts a deadly look toward the man.
Okay. Guess she isn’t onboard with that program.
Time to save her.
“Well, Mayor, I sure appreciate the offer, but it’s not necessary. I’m quite capable of taking care of myself.”
Marianna tucks her hand in the crook of my elbow and tugs me forward. “Actually, this is a really good idea. I’d like to get a drink now, and we can plan the itinerary for tomorrow.”
Alright. Now I’m even more confused.
“That asshole,” she hisses as she tugs me across the veranda. “I’m so mad I want to kick something.”
“What just happened back there?”
“Manipulation, that’s what just happened. He wants me to watch you and if I’m not the one doing it, he’s going to have someone else tail you.”
I pull her to a stop, angling her so the crowd can’t see her. “Take a breath, sweetheart. You do not have to worry about me. When I said I was capable of taking care of myself, I meant it.”
Rubbing her arm, I try to soothe the worry from her expression. “I’m sorry he sprang that on you. I can see that the idea upset you, and I wouldn’t want you to show me around if that’s not something you want to do. I wish that wasn’t the case because I’d like nothing more than to spend some time with you, but that’s for selfish reasons.”
For a beat she looks hurt. When her eyes skate away from me there’s something sad in her gaze. “You shouldn’t want to spend time with me, Mr. Goodlove. Nothing good can come of that. Think of it like getting caught in a spiderweb.”
I tilt my head and study the puzzle in front of me. “Now why would you say that?”
“It’s complicated and this is not the place to discuss personal matters.” She exhales slowly. “I’ll just say this: I don’t have a choice about this subject, it will just be far easier for me to go along with his ploy right now.”
“Let’s get you that drink.”
She’s quiet and sticks close to my side as we finish crossing the veranda. There’s no one at the bar when we pull to a stop in front of it. I turn to her. “What would you like?”
“Tonic water with lemon.”
Ready to place her order for her, I pause and look down at her. “I thought you wanted something stiff?”
“I changed my mind. Decided I needed my wits about me.”
I grin. “You’re allowed to change your mind, I just wondered.”
The bartender shrugs. “That's all for you two?”
“That and a bottle of water. Sealed.”
As if my request isn’t unusual at all, he gets to work. “Coming right up.”
When I have the drinks in hand, I motion toward a small table in the corner. Marianna walks in front of me and I have to admit, I enjoy the hell out of watching her walk in her heels. Damn, she’s got some nice curves and the way she’s dressed tonight puts them ALL on display for my viewing pleasure.
We sit and as Marianna takes her glass from me, she finally grins, some of her anger softening. “You don’t trust the bartender?”
“Call me suspicious.”
“Smart man. I’m thinking maybe you are not the average tourist.”
I crack the seal on my water only after squeezing the bottle to make sure it’s not leaking from any needle pricks or hasn’t had the top removed. “Anyone can be the average tourist.”
She stares at her cup, thinking as she toys with the wooden stir-stick. There’s a parrot carved in the top of it and I vaguely wonder if it’s disposable.
The cool water slides down my throat but doesn’t do a damned thing for the thirst looking at Marianna causes in me. I can’t remember ever feeling the way I do when she looks into my eyes.
Whew. Boy. This is not good.
Maybe the heat in this damned country is getting to me.
“So where are we going sightseeing, Mr. Goodlove?”
I snap myself out of my haze. “You really don’t have to?—”
“We already covered this. Besides, I might figure out some more things about you if I drag you all over Vandemora.”
A warm sensation stirs in my chest. It’s followed by a pulse of excitement. “Oh, I got you curious now?”
“You had me curious this morning.”
I rest my elbow on the table and find myself leaning in. “Good to know.”
“So what’s your pleasure, sir?”
So many things about that question make it hard to swallow.
My eyebrows rock upward. What’s my pleasure?
Throwing you on my bed and devouring you. Gripping that sweet ass in one hand and fisting all that gorgeous hair with the other. Having those silky dark strands spill over my chest as you ride me…
Jesus H and buttermilk biscuits.
I shake myself. With the hormones that are pumping in my veins, it’s hard to keep the gravel out of my tone. “Are ya familiar with the archeology sites around here?”
There’s definitely hesitation before Marianna responds. And her expression…
What is that?
“Oh, um. Yeah. That’s fine.”
Her reaction makes me wonder if I should have said something dirty just to see her response.
“You have something else in mind?”
I’ve never seen a prettier or faster blush.
“No. I just didn’t know if you were a beach guy, or a?—”
“I am an anything-goes guy, but between you and me, I came to Karma to do a little research. I have a few places I’d like to go.”
She takes a sip of her drink and fidgets with the cup, spinning it on the table. “Sure, I’m available to take you wherever you want to go.”
“What about your business?”
The way her expression falls makes me want to kick myself.
Her reply is tight. “I’ll manage.”
“We could go after hours.”
“No, we should go in the morning before the heat gets too bad.”
I’m trying to figure out the ten million cues she’s throwing off and am getting a headache from trying to put the puzzle pieces together. Right now, it seems like the easiest thing is for me to say yes.
“Fine. I can?—”
I stop speaking because the quaint bubble of our conversation is shattered by some asshole.
“Marianna! MariANNA!”
Whoever the guy is, his face is purple with anger.
I’m on my feet instantly. “You got a problem with him?”
“Unfortunately, I do.”