Dazzled by Silver (15 page)

Her eyes were still shadowed, and the rims were now pink instead of red, but she did look better. “Liar. What’s that?” She pointed to my bracelet.

“A gift.” I hopped onto the kitchen stool, stretching my arm out so she could examine the charms.

“Latte?” Gabe asked.

“Yes, please.” I swiveled on the chair to look at Gabe. His hair was ruffled in a perfect mess.

“Looks like you two have been busy,” Kendra said.

“None of your business, K.” He smiled. “It’s nice to see you feeling better. Carla’s been helping you?”

“She has.” Kendra rolled her eyes. “And it
is
my business when you make promises and don’t keep them.”

“You, of all people, should know I always keep my promises.”

“What about your offer? Did you really want a threesome?” she asked Gabe.

A sudden rush of curious hormones crawled from under my dress and listened intently to the conversation.

“An offer is not the same as a promise, and it’s off the table.”

Disappointed, my interest sunk back into its hiding spot.

“You don’t know what you’re missing, Gabe.” Kendra smirked, but Gabe ignored her.

He pulled a seat closer to the kitchen counter, right beside Kendra. “You need to tell me what you’re dealing and how much you owe.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” She lowered her gaze.

“The sooner you tell us, the quicker we can go back to the States and the club.”

Kendra’s eyebrow rose. “It’s not that simple, Gabe. I’m in way too deep to involve anyone. It’s too dangerous.” For the first time, I saw the concern in Kendra’s eyes.

“We’re already involved. You have a powerful family behind you. There’s always a choice.” Gabe’s voice softened.

“I don’t want anyone else to get hurt.”

“And we don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Look, it’s out of my hands. If I don’t distribute and pay up, they’ll destroy the club.”

“How much. K? Who’s they?”

“You know exactly who.”

Kendra held Gabe’s gaze. It seemed they had the same person on their minds but neither wanted to speak his name.

She finally broke the silence. “He’s too powerful, and he’s been hounding me for payment to protect the club since day one. It’s not only about the drugs anymore. He said if I didn’t want the same fate as Jo, I’d better listen.”

“You should have told me,” he whispered.

“I didn’t want to remind you.”

Kendra’s soft voice, and the caring look on her face, took me aback. I couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so thoughtful.”

“Damn it K, you know how dangerous those people are. They don’t mess around. I didn’t think the scum would have the balls to show their faces anywhere near us again.”

“Scum?” I asked.

“The same people who kidnapped—”

“Kendra, Sam doesn’t need to be scared anymore than she already is.”

My pulse took on a life of its own.

“I need Tristan on this too,” Gabe said.

“I can’t involve Tristan.”

“You have no choice, K. He’s been part of your life for way too long.”

“It’s different now.”

“It doesn’t matter. You know he’d help you. And you should have told me.”

“You’re a silent partner, and they said not to involve anyone, or else—”

“Or else what?” Gabe’s face paled.

“Or else they would get their hands on Sam too. They called her a
cash-cow
they could milk for a while, you know, with her underwriting and all they thought they’d have an in.”

I swallowed the lingering latte taste in my mouth.

Kendra lowered her head into her hands, suddenly sobbing.

“When was the last time you took the pills?” Gabe asked.

Guilt blossomed on Kendra’s face.

“Kendra, when?” Gabe frowned.

“I didn’t, but I have some in my room.”

“And can I trust you to discard them?” he asked.

She shook her head sideways.

“Where?” Gabe stood up.

“Sewn into my bra. Gabe, you have to take me back to the club. I’ve sold most of it and can pay out.”

Gabe kicked the stool from under Kendra’s seat, and grabbed her underarms before she fell.

My eyes bulged, and I held my breath.

He yanked on her wrist, pulling her across the kitchen toward the stairs. “And you think it will stop then? You’re not leaving this house until you’re both safe. I promise you, Martinez and his employer will pay for threatening you and Sam, and for killing Jo.” He walked fast, almost dragging Kendra behind him.

This was the side of Gabe I didn’t know. A ruthless, calculated P.I. whose instincts took over at the first sign of danger.

“Gabe, I’m fine. I promise. I can fix this.” Kendra tried to wiggle out of his grip.

“They sought you out on purpose. They want revenge for the last bust. Sam is in danger, and anyone who works at the club could be held responsible for your mistake.”

“But—”

Gabe raised his finger, stopping Kendra. “You should have trusted me and told me earlier. Your only job now is to stay at the house and wait.” He pulled Kendra up the stairs.

“You can’t lock me up in my room.”

“I don’t have to.” Gabe reached into a bag by the staircase and took out a black loop. He snapped it around Kendra’s ankle.”

“Really, Gabe? You’re treating me like a prisoner!”

“It’s for your own good. Stay within fifty yards of the house or the alarm will go off. In the meantime, I’ll take care of everything. Show me the pills, Kendra.” He continued up the stairs.

I had never seen Gabe this upset. I ran after them, looking up the glass steps.

“Gabe,” Kendra pleaded. “I will work with you. Just listen to me, please.”

“Good. I swear sometimes I feel like spanking you just so you come to your senses.”

“Gabriel!” I yelled his name.

He froze, and Kendra’s eyes shot open.

“I think she’s telling the truth.” I stepped up the stairs to meet them and slowly took Gabe’s hand off Kendra’s wrist. His body shook as the veins on his neck pulsed.

“She’s fine, Gabe. We’ll all be fine.” I tugged his arm just a little.

Kendra rubbed her reddened wrist.

“I’m sorry.” His eyes, full of sorrow and pain, found me. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s okay, Gabe.” I touched my hand to his heated cheek. “We’re going to be all right if we work together.”

His eyes filled with cold fire as his heavy breathing eased. “Sam, these people won’t hesitate. They haven’t before. I...I need some air.” He turned and rushed out the back door.

I wanted to follow him, but Kendra stopped me. “Let him be. He needs some time.”

“Kendra, I have to help him. He’s hurt.”

“He’ll be fine, Sam. He’s stronger than you think.”

I looked through the glass back door, but couldn’t see anything beyond the lit pool.

We returned to the kitchen. My stomach grumbled, and I scooped some scrambled eggs onto my plate. But the taste was bland in my mouth when I tried to eat.

“What happened to him?” I asked

“It’s his wife.”

“Gabe’s not married.” I wondered why Kendra had a tendency to leave out details such as someone’s death. Gabe had already told me his wife was killed.

“But he was. His wife, Joanne, died, and Gabe blames himself for her death.”

“Why?”

“She was held for ransom. No one else was to be involved. Gabe paid up but didn’t make it in time to release her from a coffin. They didn’t keep their word. She suffocated, buried underground.”

“Oh my God, that’s awful.” I covered my mouth.

“She was the love of his life, Sam. Gabe’s been lost, until now. I don’t know how, but you managed to win his heart.”

“It’s just a silly fling.”

She shook her head. “No, it’s more than that, Sam.”

Could it be? My head throbbed, and I pressed my fingers to my temples. I couldn’t concentrate on
what ifs
right now. “Kendra, I do believe he can help you.”

She shook her head. “I won’t let him get hurt. There’s a way to get out of this, but I can’t involve Gabe. It’s the only way Martinez will back away.”

“What are you thinking?”

“With this on, I can’t get out of the house without alerting him.” She pointed to the metal bracelet around her ankle. “But you can.”

“And do what?”

“I made a few calls. I have the money to pay up. The transfer will clear my account in three days, and I’ll move the money to your account.”

“What exactly do you want me to do?”

“Thursday morning, I’ll leave the instructions in an envelope. All you have to do is take out the money and deliver it to a safe place. I won’t let them know where the money is until you’re back at the house.”

“Kendra, I don’t want to hide this from Gabe.”

“If Gabe finds out, he won’t let either of us go, and someone else from the club could get hurt. Gabe’s in revenge mode. He won’t just hand over the money to someone responsible for Jo’s death.”

“Should we?”

“We’re safe here, Sam. They don’t even know we’re in New Zealand. I know you can do it. Once the money’s delivered and you’re safe at home, we’ll tell them where to pick it up and they won’t even care where we are at that point. And then we’ll all be in the clear. Do you want Gabe to risk his life for us instead?”

Of course, I didn’t want that.

“He’ll try to complicate a simple task if he finds out.”

“I don’t know, Kendra. It sounds too easy.”

“Because it
is
easy. Will you do it? Please?”

“And the drugs?”

“I’ve stopped. Clara’s been with me every minute until now. I want to make things right so we can go home.”

“I thought you loved New Zealand?”

“I have some fond memories from this island.” Kendra’s gaze lowered. “But they’re moments I can never have back.”

“Tristan Cross is that secret guy you dated, isn’t he?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“You still love him?”

“It’s complicated. He’ll never love me again. But it doesn’t matter. Go find Gabe. He’s down by the shore.”

I looked through the glass where Kendra pointed. Silver moonlight outlined his black silhouette.

“Kendra, if you ever need to talk, you know I’m here for you.”

“Thank you. But there’s nothing you can do to change the past. Now go.”

I grabbed an apple and slowly made my way down the stone path. How could I keep Kendra’s secret from Gabe?

C
HAPTER
15

“Are you okay?” I wrapped my arms around Gabe from behind. He hadn’t stirred when I approached.

A cool breeze ruffled his hair. “Yes, I’m sorry about that.”

“You had every reason to be angry.”

“No.” He shook his head. “I shouldn’t have been so harsh, but it’s always difficult to keep my job separate from my personal life. I just can’t let anything happen to you.”

“Gabe, your job is who you are. I love that about you.”

He stared ahead into the black ocean.

“Joanne, my wife, died because of my job.”

Gabe blamed himself for someone else’s death, but so had I. I struggled to live without Kevin, forcing myself into a sick relationship with Casey, denying any possibility of love because I didn’t deserve it. Kevin died and I lived. How do you go on after such a loss? I understood Gabe more than he knew and wished I could tell him I’d felt his pain. I squeezed my arms tighter around him, resting my head on his back. “I lost my first love too.” The words came out on their own.

Gabe turned around to face me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“I didn’t want to love again, ever. I don’t trust relationships and that’s why I don’t date.”

“And you settled with Casey because you knew you couldn’t love him,” he said.

I nodded, trying to push through the tightness in my throat and chest, then finally said. “Jo didn’t die because of you, Gabe. What they did to her was not your fault. You need to stop blaming yourself.”

“If I had stepped on the pedal a bit harder, I would have made it. I could have saved her.”

“You did everything you could, Gabe. They were the ones who kidnapped her. They are the bad guys.”

“That’s why I have to do everything I can to protect you and Kendra.”

“You may have gone overboard with the anklet.” I laughed.

“No.” He shook his head. “If I know Kendra, she’ll try to fix this on her own. The anklet will keep her safe.”

Chills ran up my arms. Gabe’s intuition guided him better than he knew. Guilt tugged at my stomach, and I wondered whether I should tell him about Kendra’s plan. If I did, Kendra would never forgive me, and I wanted to be the one to keep Gabe safe for a change. He would ruin the plan if he were involved. The mobsters would go after him, and I couldn’t allow that. All I had to do was get the money and deliver it. I could fix this so easily.

“What’s wrong?” He turned around and lifted my chin. “You’re worried.”

“Nothing, Gabe. What are you going to do?”

“I’m meeting someone tomorrow afternoon. He should have information for me by then.”

Tomorrow sounded too far away. Perhaps that
someone
would tell Gabe that Martinez had been captured, and I wouldn’t have to go to town after all.

“You’re sure there’s nothing Kendra can do to help?” I asked. “She appears genuine.”

“Not until she’s completely sober. Kendra has a way of manipulating people when she’s high.”

Is she manipulating me?
I still couldn’t find a flaw in her plan, other than Gabe not being aware of it. I didn’t want to hide things from him, and maybe I wouldn’t have to.

Gabe’s stomach sounded as if he had a marching band in there.

“You didn’t eat.” I looked up into his glistening silver eyes.

“What are you suggesting?” Gabe smirked.

“Food, Gabe, you need food or else you won’t have any strength to explore that other hole you wanted.”

He growled. “Your kind of offer sounds much more fulfilling.”

“Food Gabe!” I laughed.

“Then food I shall have.” He took my hand into his.

Back at the house, Kendra was sitting on the couch. As soon as Gabe opened the door, she jumped up. She’d changed into a tight tank top. The strands of a white bikini top were tied around her neck pushing her round breasts up. Her hard nipples poked through the thin cloth, perfectly centered. Kendra stretched out her arm and held open her hand. In the middle of her palm was a white pill.