Back on Solid Ground (14 page)

Another clap
of thunder, and this time the lights went out.  Stacy screamed again. 

“Shit,” said
Eli, getting up from his chair.  He went to a kitchen drawer and pulled out a
flashlight.  “I’ll be downstairs,” he said, grumpily.

“I’ll go with
you,” said Jason. 

Carlos got up
and he and Niki cleared the table, then Carlos went over to Stacy and put his
arm around her.  “How about we go watch a movie and take your mind off the
storm,” he suggested.

“There’s no
electricity,” she said.

Carlos waved
his hand.  “Eli will have it right back on.  How’s your wound?” he asked, as
they walked out of the kitchen. 

“It’s not too
bad.”

The lights
came back on just as they got into the living room, and shortly afterwards
Niki, Eli and Jason showed up. 

“That
generator sucks,” Eli said.  “We’re going to have to replace it before it’s
over.”

Carlos turned
on the TV and flipped through the movie channels.

“
Silence
of the Lambs
,” Eli said.  “It hasn’t started yet.  Let’s watch it.”

“I hate scary
movies,” Stacy protested.

“Bugs, storms,
scary movies,” said Niki.  “What
else
do you hate?”

“Oh, fine,”
Stacy said.  “Watch whatever you want,” she said, and she slumped down onto the
couch between Niki and Eli.  

Eli looked
over at Niki.   “Hey,” he said, getting his brother’s attention.  “What about
the meeting tomorrow?  There’s no way we’ll be able to fly out with this
storm.”

“We need to
talk about that,” Niki said.  When he had everyone’s attention, he continued.  
“What are the chances that our client planted that bomb?” Niki looked from one
to the other.  “Because it’s going to make the difference of whether we hand
over the diamonds or not,” Niki said. 

“Diamonds?”
Stacy said, confused.

“You weren’t
the only spoils of that heist,” Eli informed her.

Carlos took
the lead.  “Assuming there was no bomb, what would we do?” he asked.

“We would
hand over the diamonds, but keep Stacy,” said Niki.

“Absolutely,”
said Carlos.  “And the fee?”

“Reduce it by
the amount we were paid to kidnap Stacy,” said Niki.

“Correct,”
said Carlos.  “Now,” he continued, “if we knew for certain that the client
planted that bomb, what would we do?”

“We’d find
him and kill him,” Niki said.

“Other than
that,” Carlos said dismissively.  “What would we do with the diamonds?”

“Keep them,
obviously,” said Niki. “But we don’t know if he did it or not.”

“Then we have
to give him the diamonds,” said Carlos.

“Right,” Niki
said, looking out at the storm.  “But it’s not going to be tomorrow.”

“Definitely
not,” they agreed.

The movie
started and Stacy started fidgeting in the very first scene.  She had pulled
her legs up underneath her and was making scared noises while she buried her
head in her hands. 

“
What
is your problem?” Eli said, irritated.  “Nothing even happens here.”

“I can’t help
it.  I told you I don’t like scary movies,” she said defensively.

“Well I hope
you’re not going to do that for the whole movie,” he said.

She wiggled
around some more trying to get situated.  “I need a blanket,” she whined. 
“Will you go get me one?” she asked Eli.

“No!  Go
bother Niki,” he told her, pushing her towards his brother.

Niki looked
over at Stacy.  “You are the biggest baby,” he said, pulling her closer.  He
put his arm around her and she nuzzled into him so he could protect her from
Hannibal Lecter. 

“There,” she
said satisfied, then she fell asleep almost immediately. 

Niki was
watching the movie, but his thoughts were elsewhere.   He had no idea what they
were going to do with Stacy after tomorrow.  He knew there was no way he was
going to hand her over to his client, but he couldn’t keep her prisoner on the
island forever either.  And the fact remained that Stacy could identify all of
them.  He didn’t think she would if everything went smoothly in the transfer of
her funds, but he couldn’t be certain.  Then there was the fact that he didn’t
want to let her go. 
Ever
. 

Niki looked
down at Stacy.  She was curled into a ball sleeping against his chest.  He
looked over at Eli, who had been watching him. 

“What are we
going to do with her?” Niki asked him.

“I’m all for
Consuela’s idea,” Eli said.

“I’m
serious,” Niki said.

“So am I,”
said Eli.

Stacy slept
through the entire movie; and it was still pouring rain when it ended.  Niki 
put a pillow under her head then got a blanket and covered her up, and he left
her there to sleep.    The men all converged in the kitchen to finalize the
plan they would implement in the morning.

Stacy woke up
some time later sick and disoriented.  She sat up and looked around and 
remembered where she was.  It was still storming outside, but it was dark.  She
must have slept for hours.  Her mouth was dry and she ached all over, and she
was so cold she was shivering.  She wrapped the blanket around her and went in
search of life. 

“Hello,” she
called out in a weak voice. 

“In here,”
someone yelled back from the kitchen.

Stacy
wandered to the kitchen and stood in the doorway.  “I’m sick,” she said,
leaning her head against the door.

“What’s the
matter?” Niki asked.

“I don’t
know,” she said.

Niki put his
hand on her forehead.  “Damn, your hot.”

Carlos moved
in to examine Stacy.  “Let’s go in the other room,” he said, and Niki, Eli and
Jason followed them into the living room. 

“You may have
developed an infection,” Carlos said, removing her bandage.  He looked at the
wound and prodded around, but it looked good.

“I feel
terrible,” Stacy moaned.  “Do you have any Advil or something?  I have a terrible
headache,” she said.

“I’ll get you
something to bring your fever down and that should take care of your headache,”
Carlos said, patting her hand.  “Your wound looks good, but I’m going to give
you something just in case.”

Stacy closed
her eyes and pulled the covers up to her neck.  She had curled up into a ball
to get warm, but she was still freezing. 

Niki sat down
on the edge of the couch.

Stacy opened
her eyes and gave him a feeble smile.  “I feel terrible,” she said.  “I’m so
cold.”

“I’ll get you
another blanket,” he said.

“I’ll do it,”
said Eli.  “Stay with her.”

Carlos
returned and Niki moved aside to let him in.  “Here you go,” Carlos said,
handing Stacy some tablets and a glass of water. 

She took the
pills then laid her head back on the pillow and looked at Niki.  “I want to go
to bed.  Will you take me?”

“I would
love
to take you to bed.”

“I bet you
would,” Stacy said, with her eyes closed.

Niki was
thinking of the kiss out on the balcony and he wanted to do it again.  He
picked Stacy up and she rested her head against him with her eyes closed.  He
started up the stairs and ran into Eli half way up.  Eli piled two blankets on
top of Stacy.  “You okay?” he asked, feeling her forehead.

“No.  I feel
awful.”

“She’s really
hot,” Eli told Niki.

“Yeah, I
know,” Niki said.

Eli turned to
go back downstairs.  “Feel better Stacy.”

“I will,”
Stacy said without opening her eyes.

Niki laid
Stacy in her bed and covered her up with several blankets.  She pulled them up
to her chin and rolled over on her side facing Niki.  The room lit up and there
was a huge clap of thunder. 

“Will you
stay here with me?” she asked.

“If you want
me to.” 

“All night?”
Stacy asked.

“Yeah,” he
said.

Stacy fell
asleep and Niki went to the balcony and stood in the doorway watching the
storm.  The island would be a mess when it finally let up.  They would be
cleaning the beach for weeks.  Niki thought about everything that had happened since
the bank robbery.  Kidnapping Stacy was the biggest mistake he had ever made in
his life. Things had become so complicated.  He decided that he would fight the
attraction, whatever it took, and get over his  obsession with her.  And
somehow, he would get her back home safe and sound.

Niki sat down
on the bed next to Stacy and reached over and felt her head.  She was still
burning up with fever, but she was sleeping peacefully.  He laid down beside
her on top of the covers and fell asleep. 

Niki woke up
just after 6:00 a.m.  The rain was no longer torrential, but it was coming down
steadily.  Stacy was still asleep, and Niki leaned over her and felt her
forehead.  She was still feverish.   He laid back down and stared at the
ceiling. 

After a
while, Stacy turned over and opened her eyes.  She smiled when she saw Niki.

“Hi,” she
said in a hoarse voice.

“Good
morning,” he said, trying to ignore his feelings for her.  “How do you feel?”

“Maybe a
little better.”  She sounded worse.  She reached over and tentatively touched
Niki’s hand.

“You’re
burning up,” he told her.

“Did you stay
here all night?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Niki
said.  “You snore,” he said smiling.

“I do not,”
she said, in a weak voice.  “What time is it?”

“After six. 
Eli will be on to your accounts.  You can stay up here and sleep if you want,
he shouldn’t need you.” Niki got off the bed and stretched.

Stacy sat
up.  “Today’s my birthday.”

“Is it?  How
old are you?”

“Twenty-nine,”
she said.  She sounded like she was losing her voice.

He sat back
down beside her.  “You sound terrible,” he said. 

“I sound
worse than I feel,” she said. 

“Well you
look good, if that’s any consolation,” he said.  He turned her face back and
forth looking for wrinkles, but there weren’t any.  “Not a day over 40,” he
concluded.

“Very funny,”
Stacy said, pushing his hand away.  “I want to go with you,” she said, getting
up and pulling the blanket with her.  “Wait while I brush my teeth.”

“Okay,
Linus,” he said.

They went
downstairs and stopped in Niki’s living quarters so he could shower and get
Stacy some medicine.  She laid down on Niki’s couch and looked around the room
that he had so unceremoniously kicked her out of.  There were works of art all
over the room.   The guy had expensive taste and the room reflected it.

Niki came out
of his bedroom and Stacy dragged herself off the couch.  His shirt was 
unbuttoned and she couldn’t help staring at his beautiful chest.
You are the
sexiest damn thing I’ve ever seen.

 “How much
are you charging me for your assistance?”

“Don’t worry
about it,” he said, dismissively.  “Let’s just get it done and we’ll take it
from there.”  He held out his hand, “Here’s your medicine.” 

Stacy took
the pills and put them in her pocket, then she couldn’t resist the urge so she
reached out and touched Niki’s chest.  Her hand was hot, and her touch sent a
shudder through his body.  He wanted badly to kiss her again. 

Stacy opened
Niki’s shirt and ran her hands slowly over his chest and up to his shoulders. 
He was beautiful. “You smell good,” she said, putting her face up to his neck and
breathing deeply. 

Niki couldn’t
handle it.  If he broke down now, there would be no turning back.  He took
Stacy’s hands and removed them from his shoulders.  “Don’t, Stacy,” he said.

“Why not?”
she asked, and she moved her hands back to his shoulders.

“Because,”
Niki said harshly.  He removed her hands again and she moved in closer and put
them right back. Niki took Stacy by her wrists and pushed her back.

“Because
why?” Stacy asked, struggling to free herself. Niki backed her up against the
wall, and pinned her arms up against it.  He looked almost dangerous and she
stopped struggling. 

“It’s not a
good idea,” he said, staring down at her angrily. He wanted her so badly he
could taste it.  His eyes were fixated on hers, and they were sucking him in.
Niki couldn’t help himself and he forced a kiss on her. 

Stacy tried
to turn her head.  “You’ll get sick,” she said.

“I don’t
care,” he said, moving his mouth to find hers.  He kissed her hard, then he
pulled away but he was still holding her arms against the wall, staring at her.  

“You’re
hurting me.”

That snapped
him out of it. Niki dropped her arms and turned away, but Stacy caught him and pulled
him back.  She opened his shirt again and put her hands back on his chest, then
she moved them back up to his shoulders.

“Why can’t I
do this?” she asked him, fixing her eyes on his. She pulled his head down and
kissed him softly on the lips.  “Why can’t I touch you?”

Niki knew he
didn’t stand a chance.  “Goddammit, Stacy!” He leaned his forehead against hers
and closed his eyes, breathing in heavily. He knew it was wrong. He knew it
could never work. But he had never wanted anything more in his life.

“Fuck it.” He
took her face in his hands and kissed her with an urgency that told them both just
how far gone he was. When he pulled back, he looked into her eyes.  Maybe
Carlos was right; maybe she was his soul mate.

“This is so
fucked up,” Niki said, shaking his head. 

“I know.  And
I don’t care.”

Stacy kissed
his chest, then rested her cheek against him, running her hands up over his
back.  She brought her hands back to his stomach, then up his chest and
shoulders and down his arms, taking his shirt off in the process. Niki pulled
Stacy’s shirt off over her head.

“Damn, you’re
beautiful, Stacy.  But I can’t do this to you.”