Twelve Days of Pleasure (12 page)

“You find anything yet that we can use?” Kendrick asked.

He shook his head. “Nothing out of the ordinary. Your boy Bennett kept trying to get closer to her but she kept shutting him down. Hard! He didn't take it lightly, either. She caught him on camera when he didn't know it. He's got a temper. But your girlfriend was cold. It even hurt my feelings a time or two!”

The others laughed.

Simon typed something on his keyboard and the video he'd been watching popped up on all the screens in the room.

It was a panoramic view of Marcus Bennett's boat. The party was wild and the guests were live. The booze was flowing like water and the music was loud. Kendrick recognized the late Alexandra and Paolo Medina from the family photographs that had been in their Miami home. The couple was having a good time and they looked happy.

Marcus Bennett suddenly appeared in the camera's screen, moving in the filmmaker's direction. The camera's view dropped to the wooden deck, capturing her manicured toes and his sneakered feet. Their conversation was short and sweet, him inviting her to join him below deck and Vanessa politely declining. Bennett had persisted but Vanessa had stood her ground. The camera had followed as he'd stormed off in the other direction.

Vanessa had zoomed in as he'd stood with two of his cronies. He'd shot her a dirty look and there was no missing his vile comment that had his associates bent over in laughter. The camera scanned the crowd a second time. When it returned to Marcus, two other men had joined him. Kendrick suddenly bristled.

“Pause that and zoom in,” he said, moving to Simon's side.

“Well, I'll be damned,” Kent crooned as the enlarged image came into view.

“Holy Toledo,” Mike chimed.

“What?” Simon questioned as they watched a monetary exchange happen between Bennett and the two well-dressed men.

Kendrick shook his head. “The better question is why. Why would a United States senator and a congressman be in the presence of a known criminal? And what business did they have together that required them to pay Bennett in cash?”

“A lot of cash, too,” Simon chimed. “Two briefcases full. Looks like your girlfriend stepped into something deeper than just Marcus.”

“Keep digging,” Kendrick said, purposely ignoring the girlfriend comment. “Looks like we're onto something. Anything else I need to know?”

“We had a plane land this morning,” the other man said, his fingers dancing over the computer keyboard as his gaze focused on a screen. “I'm still running background checks on the crew and passengers. Two couples checked in today—Mr. and Mrs. Paul Malone, and David and James Pritchard-Smith.”

Kendrick nodded. “Keep me posted. Anything come in from home base?”

Mike shook his head. “Radio silence. But there's been some serious chatter across the network. Whatever this is, Bennett wants all evidence of it. And he wants it bad.”

“Enough to come looking for it?”

The man nodded. “Leaking her whereabouts has definitely drawn him out of hiding.”

Kendrick took a deep breath and held it. It had been his idea to use Vanessa as bait to lure Marcus Bennett to them. Once they'd gotten intel that she had something the fugitive feared law enforcement would find first, it made perfect sense. With their ability to keep everything contained, the island had been the ideal ruse. Purposely putting her in the line of danger had come with some reservations but he trusted the men who stood in that room with him. They were all the best of the best and good at their respective jobs. He also knew Marcus Bennett's type. The man was arrogant and didn't like to be beaten. Kendrick was certain he would come for Vanessa. He just didn't know when. As he reflected on everything he knew and even a few things he wasn't too certain about, he suddenly found himself second-guessing himself. Liam must've seen it on his face.

“Yo, boss! We still good to go?”

He met the look the man was giving him as all of them turned to get a read on his mood. Blowing the breath past his lips Kendrick nodded. “Yeah, we're good.”

Liam grinned. “Just checking. You and that little filly have gotten pretty close these past few weeks. In fact, that do-not-disturb sign is on the door all night and half the day.”

Mike, Simon and Kent all laughed, the trio high-fiving each other like college frat boys.

Kendrick cut his eye at his friends. “We still have a job to do, gentlemen. Y'all just stay focused, please.”

Mike suddenly snapped his fingers as he scanned the computer in front of him. “Uh, Houston, we have a problem.”

Kendrick bristled. “What's wrong?”

Mike turned in his direction, a wide grin across his face. “The baby done got out of the cradle, Mr. Babysitter. I just got a hit on your girl's credit card. Looks like she done bought herself a new dress!”

 

Chapter 12

V
anessa loved the new dress she'd just purchased. It was cute and sexy and as excited as she was for Kendrick to see her in it, she was even more anxious for him to get her out of it. Her face flushed with color as the thought crossed her mind.

She waved a quick goodbye to the shopkeeper. As she made her exit thoughts of Kendrick were still racing through her mind. She suddenly came to an abrupt stop when she spied a pair of designer shoes in the store next door. The red-bottomed pumps were stylish, the minimalistic lines classic, and the snake-skinned upper was extraordinary. Vanessa's eyes widened at the distraction.

Inside the shoe store, Vanessa's excitement gleamed on her face. The salesclerk was eager to please and it took no time at all before Vanessa was trying on that shoe and a few others. As she strolled from one side of the room to the other, another shopper remarked on the high heels she was modeling.

“Those are too cute!” the woman said, stopping to admire Vanessa and her shoes.

Vanessa grinned. “Aren't they, though!”

“I can see those with a pencil skirt and button-up blouse. It would be classic!”

Vanessa nodded her agreement, lifting her eyes to study the woman talking to her.

“My name's Lydia,” the woman said. “And you look very familiar. Have we met before?”

Lydia was long and lean, a tall leggy brunette with a large bustline and thin waist. Her features were mannish, hard and chiseled. She wore a casual jogging suit and expensive Nike sneakers.

Vanessa hesitated for a brief moment, something about the woman's countenance giving her reason to pause. “I don't think so. But it's nice to meet you, Lydia. My name's...” She suddenly hesitated. “My friends call me
Mattie
,” she said.

Lydia smiled. “Well, it's nice to meet you, Mattie. My husband, Paul, and I just got in today. We renewed our vows and this is our much-deserved getaway.”

For the first time Vanessa noticed the man standing against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. Lydia's husband was short and bullish with a ruddy complexion. The duo looked like an unlikely pairing and Paul didn't look happy to be there.

Vanessa nodded. “Well, I hope you both have a great time. It's a beautiful island.”

“So, who are you here with?”

Before Vanessa could respond Kendrick came through the front door. His eyes shifted quickly around the room as he moved to her side. He wrapped an arm around her waist and lightly kissed the top of her head. “Hey, you,” he said softly.

Vanessa smiled as she directed her comment at the other woman. “I'm here with my husband.” She leaned to kiss Kendrick's mouth as she slid into his side. “Honey, this is Lydia and her husband, Paul.”

Kendrick extended his hand in greeting. “Hi. Nice to meet you both.”

Paul shot him a quick nod but he said nothing. Lydia shook Kendrick's hand enthusiastically.

“So, you done shopping?” Kendrick asked, dropping his gaze to Vanessa's face.

She nodded. “I just need to pay for my shoes,” she said as she passed her credit card to the cashier.

Kendrick reached past her to pull the card from the sales associate's hands. He slid his own in its place. “My treat,” he said to Vanessa as he handed her credit card back to her.

“Thank you,” she said, surprise shining in her eyes.

“Good-looking and generous,” Lydia exclaimed as she watched him sign the credit card receipt. “A man after my own heart.”

“It was nice to meet you,” Vanessa said as she gathered her bags and Kendrick took her hand.

Lydia took a step forward and Kendrick bristled. Vanessa could feel his body tense and her own stiffened in response.

“I was wondering,” the woman said, her voice dropping to a loud whisper as she came to a stop in front of them. “Do you two swing, by chance?”

Confusion washed over Vanessa's expression. “Swing?”

Lydia nodded. “Paul and I like to play when we come here and we're always excited when we meet couples who want to play with us.”

Kendrick shook his head. “Sorry, Lydia. There's only one woman I play with and that's my wife. And I'm not too keen on her playing with anyone else.”

“Well, I just had to ask. We could have had a lot of fun,” she said as she reached out to draw her finger against Vanessa's arm.

Vanessa leaned closer to Kendrick, flinching slightly in his embrace. They watched as Lydia moved back to Paul's side, focusing her attention on a pair of high heels in the display case. With an arm still holding tight to her, Kendrick led them to the door. As he and Vanessa stepped through the exit he tossed one last look over his shoulder. Both Lydia and her husband had turned to watch them leave, their expressions indifferent.

Kendrick's own gaze narrowed suspiciously, his instincts telling him the couple and their alternative lifestyle were more than what they appeared.

* * *

Back in their bungalow, behind the locked bedroom door, Kendrick shook his head in her direction. “Baby, did it cross your mind that you can be traced through your credit card?”

Vanessa's eyes widened. “I didn't think...”

He held up his hand. “You really should have asked me first,” he said.

“I left you a note,” she said, pointing to the message that rested on the bedspread at the foot of the bed.

He sighed. It bothered him that he had to appear angry when she was doing exactly what they had wanted her to do. Ensuring Marcus Bennett could easily track her down had been exactly what they'd needed. But now that danger had potentially reared its head, Kendrick found himself questioning his motivations and the risks. He turned away from her. He couldn't chance her reading the emotion that crossed his face.

“Does this mean we have to leave?” she questioned. “Did I really mess up?”

He turned back to her, hearing the sudden shakiness in her voice. He then closed the space between them. He took her into his arms and kissed her forehead. “It's all good,” he said. “If it becomes a problem we'll know soon enough.”

She nodded her head against his chest. “I don't know what I was thinking!”

He clasped her face between his hands and kissed her mouth. A tear fell from her eyes and he kissed that away. “Don't cry. You look like a chipmunk when you cry.”

Vanessa laughed. “I do not!”

“Yes, you do.” His head moved up and down against his shoulders.

Vanessa rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. “So what now?” she questioned.

Kendrick smiled. “Now you go put on your pretty new dress and shoes and let's have a wonderful dinner,” he said.

He leaned and kissed her and in that moment it took everything in him not to tell her all that was going on. Instead he hugged her close, then spun her about. With a tap on her backside he pushed her toward the bathroom. With a quick glance over her shoulder Vanessa blew him a kiss then disappeared into the other room.

Exiting the bedroom Kendrick gestured for Liam's attention. The man and a team of five other resort staff were transforming the space for dinner. Kendrick was impressed with the changes that had already taken place but he didn't have the time to pay it any real attention.

The two men locked gazes as Kendrick held up his index finger. Easing down the short length of hallway he made sure Vanessa was in the shower and unable to hear their conversation.

“You were right,” Liam whispered. “We don't know who they are yet but they are not Lydia and Paul Malone.”

“Neither one of them is Marcus Bennett, either. So why are they here?”

“We're all on it,” Liam said.

Kendrick nodded. In the distance they both heard the shower stop. He gestured for Liam to go back to his task. “I need to change for dinner,” he said.

Liam nodded. “I'll let you know as soon as I know more,” he said as he eased back out to the patio.

Vanessa suddenly peeked her head out the door. “Hey, was someone at the door?”

Kendrick nodded. “Liam was just checking in with us. They're setting up for dinner. There's a lot going on out here.”

She nodded. “What did you tell him?”

He smiled. “I told him we'd be dressed and ready in another hour or so.” He held up the do-not-disturb sign, hanging it over the knob of the bedroom door.

Vanessa grinned. “Sounds like we need to work up an appetite, then,” she said.

Kendrick laughed as he moved into the bedroom and locked the door behind them. “That's exactly what I was thinking!”

* * *

Kendrick was in complete and total shock when he exited the bedroom. The staff had completely transformed the living space and it suddenly looked like Christmas. White lights decorated the ceilings, running from inside the space to the canopy outside. There was an oversize Douglas fir tree in the corner of the living room adorned with miniature white lights, multi-colored bulbs and strands of garland made from fresh flowers. The lights had been dimmed in the room and a fire burned in the fireplace. Outside, lights decorated the palm trees and massive pots of red-berried holly had been situated on the flagstone tiles. The mood was festive and the tropical setting felt very much like the holiday. He suddenly found himself excited for Vanessa to experience the transformation.

Liam was standing at attention when Vanessa finally made an appearance, her eyes flitting back and forth as she took in the view. He held one hand behind his back, the other in front of him, his requisite towel hanging pristinely. Kendrick had been seated but came to his feet as she moved to his side.

She looked exquisite and his eyes widened at the sight of her. She wore a beaded cocktail dress, the hem falling just above her knees. The dress was sleeveless with a round neckline and the stretch mesh foundation was adorned with hand-sewn beads that shimmered with color. The back was open, cut low against the curve of her buttocks, and the garment complemented every dip and curve of her luscious frame. With her hair pulled into a loose chignon atop her head and her meticulous makeup, she was absolutely stunning. Even Liam's eyes widened at the sight of her.

She pressed a palm to his chest as she leaned up to give him a kiss. As Kendrick kissed her back he was oblivious to everything else around them. When he finally came up for air he didn't miss the side-eyed look his associate was giving him, the man fighting not to break out into an approving grin. Kendrick followed Vanessa around the table to pull out her seat.

“You look incredible,” he whispered once they were seated across from each other.

Vanessa smiled brightly, the gesture illuminating her face. “Thank you.”

They sat staring at each other as Liam moved from one to the other, filling their glasses and serving the meal.

“Does everything meet with your approval, madam?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “It does. Thank you so much for everything you did to make this happen, Liam. The decorations are perfect.”

“Your wish is my command, madam. Is there anything else I can do for you now?”

Kendrick shook his head. “No, thank you.”

“Enjoy your meal, sir,” Liam said as he slipped out of the room.

The food was reminiscent of home and Kendrick made a mental note to call his family as soon as he had a moment alone. Vanessa had gone above and beyond to have all his favorites served. The chicken was seasoned and fried to perfection. The corn bread was light and moist with a hint of jalapeno and the apple pie with its buttery, flaky crust all melted in his mouth. Whatever she'd put the chef through had been well worth the effort.

“This was incredible,” he said as he swiped the cloth napkin across his lips. “The fried chicken was almost as good as my mother's.”

“I'm so glad,” she said. “I was nervous.”

He leaned back in his seat, folding his hands together in his lap. “You never did tell me what we're celebrating,” he said, eyeing her curiously.

She smiled. “I just wanted to enjoy you forgetting about your job for a minute.”

Kendrick laughed. “Woman, I think I forgot about my job that first time I kissed you!”

She laughed with him. “Maybe, but it's nice to acknowledge that you didn't get all weird about it.”

He nodded. “You're right. It's not every day I risk being unemployed to be with a woman who's got my head all twisted. I think I'm handling it pretty well.”

Vanessa sat straighter in her seat. “All twisted?” she repeated.

His smile was easy. “Yeah. You've got me in a jam, Ms. Harrison. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with you.”

Vanessa dropped her gaze into her lap and when she lifted her eyes back to his, he was still staring at her. “Do you think you could love me?” she asked, her voice dropping to a whisper.

Kendrick stared at her, saying nothing. The silence was formidable.

Finally Kendrick rose from his seat and moved to her side. Extending his hand out to her he pulled her onto her feet, drawing her into his arms. The music playing in the distance was soft and seductive, echoing into the space. Wrapping himself around her he hugged her close and began to slow-dance with her beneath the full moon. He held her for some time, still not bothering to answer her question. And when Liam came to serve the dessert, interrupting the moment, Kendrick still hadn't found the words to tell her that he already did.