“What kind of problems?”
“The girl is under the protection of the samegringoswho were with her in Colombia. Security personnel. Former military. My men have assured me they have come up with a solution, a plan that will work.”
“I’m tired of waiting. ThatbastardoWinston needs to learn a lesson. Losing his daughter to me is one he will not soon forget.”
“Sí, jefe.But vengeance will be costly. Since we resumed our business association, Winston has been distributing our product quite successfully. We have made a good deal of money.”
Luis grunted. “I suppose that is some consolation.” He thought of Winston’s beautiful blonde daughter with her big eyes and soft pink lips, the ways he would use her, the things he would do.
“Once I am finished with the girl, I will return her to her father as a gesture of good faith, give Winston the opportunity to resume our business dealings.”
Eduardo’s thin lips curved. “That would certainly give him a clear understanding of who is in charge. But surely no man could forgive such an insult.”
Luis reached across his desk to the glass humidor near the corner, lifted the lid and pulled out a thick cigar. The fragrant aroma of expensive tobacco filled the air.
“The use of the girl in exchange for the millions of dollars he makes with us? Hard to know what the American would do.” Luis took a pair of silver clippers and snipped the end off the cigar. “I’ll expect the girl here in no more than a week.”
Hissegundosmiled. “If all goes as planned,jefe, you will not have to wait that long.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Harper rode in silence the following morning as Chase pulled his pickup into Elemental Chic’s office parking lot and turned off the engine. By the time he came around to help her down, she was already out of the truck.
They had barely talked all morning. She was still upset about last night, angry mostly at herself. She had wanted him—yes. She always seemed to want him.
But surely the man wasn’t completely irresistible.
She glanced over to where he walked beside her in snug jeans, a dark brown long-sleeved Henley and a pair of cowboy boots. Rays of sunlight turned his hair and the short-cropped beard along his jaw a dark shade of gold.
Feeling a tug of the same attraction she had succumbed to last night, she bit back a curse. Maybeirresistiblewasn’t a strong enough word.
Still, this morning when she had awakened beside him, she had made it clear she wasn’t in the mood to continue where they had left off, which probably had more to do with the multiple orgasms she’d had last night than willpower.
Or maybe the man was just smart enough not to push his luck.
Chase opened the glass front door, and they walked into the building to find the Maximum Security guard already at work. Rich Mooney was average height, late forties, with sandy hair and a nice smile.
He seemed to have an easygoing disposition, but his eyes moved constantly, always alert. Once a cop, always a cop, she figured, probably why Chase had hired him.
“Morning, boss,” he said. “Ms. Winston.”
“Good morning, Rich,” she said.
“No problems so far?” Chase asked.
“The parking lot was empty when I got here. No sign of trouble since then.”
“Stay alert. We still don’t know what’s going on here.”
“Will do.”
They climbed the stairs together. Chase never left without making sure she was safely inside the office. When lunchtime came, she’d have Shana or Tony or whoever was heading out for sandwiches pick her up something to eat.
Chase opened the door to the Elemental Chic offices, and she stepped inside. She recognized the tall, good-looking guy in the brown bomber jacket as Agent Zach Tanner. He rose from a chair in the waiting area to greet them.
“Agent Tanner,” Chase said.
“Bran said you’d be bringing Harper to work,” Tanner said. “I need to speak to both of you in private.”
