“You think I’ll let you walk away?” William shook his head, a cold smile on his face. “Not a chance.”
He gave a nod over his shoulder, and the two guys moved their jackets to the side, exposing their weapons. “Make sure my ex-wife and her pool boy stay put.”
Marianna gasped. “What are you going to do? Kill us?”
William laughed. “Don’t be so dramatic. I’m just making sure you’ll be right next to me when the shipment arrives. We’re in this together, darling.”
Marianna shuddered, and Simon tamped down another urge, the urge to wrap his arms around her and hide her. Protect her.
“Easy, Mari.” Simon’s voice was calm, soothing. “I’ve got this. Just keep him talking. We need to hold on a bit longer.”
William’s gaze was fixed on Simon. “You whispering sweet nothings to her, Rodriguez? But she likes it dirtier.”
Fuck. How much more time did Derek’s team need?
“What happens after the shipment comes in?” she asked William, her voice shaking. Thank God she was trying to steer the conversation out of more dangerous territory.
Her ex-husband shrugged. “Depends on you. We could all fly back to Miami. I go back to running Ruiz Imports, and you go back to your charity bullshit. You can even take your pool boy to keep you busy. I’m sure he’ll perform if you keep the money coming.”
William gave Simon a dismissive look. “You’ve got a good business here, don’t you? Playing muscle for rich women and then taking them to bed.”
Marianna looked up at Simon, so much pain and worry in her eyes. He clenched his fist to stop himself from reaching for her.
“That’s not what I think, Simon,” she whispered.
“Later, Marianna,” he said, his voice even. He kept this gaze fixed on the two assholes with guns. Goodwin’s men hadn’t made a sound in a while. Derek’s team had ways of letting him know if there was immediate danger behind him.
William’s eyes flicked from Simon back to her, and the corners of his mouth turned up. “Ahh. I see I’m right. And Marianna would be quite a gold mine for someone like you. She knows that a good blow job can make a man agree to just about anything.”
Simon’s fingers tensed around her.
“Just keep still,” he whispered. He kept his voice soft, but his fury was seeping through. No. This asshole wasnotgoing there.
“In fact,” said William, his cold smile growing. “How about you blow me right now? Just to remind you and your pool boy not to pull a stupid fucking stunt like this again.”
At the last words, William’s mouth twisted up into an angry snarl.
Marianna froze. “No. I’ll go with you if you leave Simon out of this.”
Her voice came out strong, like she was ready to take on William, no matter what the outcome. But hell, no. There was no scenario where Simon would leave her. This was where things were going to get ugly. The fucker had an audience and a point to make. Simon was going to need to make a move soon, with or without the distraction. Derek would have to improvise.
William’s hand reached down to his crotch, and he closed his eyes for a second. “Yes. That’s exactly what I want right now. You, on your knees, one more time, in front of everyone here.” He nodded to his guards. “You can watch her, pool boy, just so she remembers not to use her teeth.”
The sound of tires kicking up gravel came from the road side of the warehouse. William and his two guards whipped around just as the big black SUV skidded around the corner.
“What the fuck?” William snarled.
Finally.
“Get down,” Simon whispered, and his arm curled around Marianna, bringing her to the ground, keeping her covered with his body.
Derek and two of his men ran out from the woods, moving in. The door to the warehouse slammed shut, and Goodwin’s men were gone. The distraction gave Derek’s men an extra few seconds to reach William and his two men. The three went down hard before their guns came out.
Underneath Simon, Marianna lay still. And safe. He closed his eyes.
“Just breathe, Mari.” Simon’s voice came out rough, heavy. “I’ve got you.”
The Australian Federal Police arrived soon after, just before the shipment came in. Accusations, questions, arrests—through the next hour, Simon didn’t leave Marianna’s side as she gave the authorities more information about Ruiz Imports. She was handing them the tools to dismantle her life.
