Dazzled by Silver (18 page)

“I know, I saw. Just nod if you’re all right and can go on.”

I nodded.

“Stay quiet, and follow me. I won’t let them hurt you, Sam.”

Gabe led me through a door held open by a pop can. He kicked it away and pulled me inside. The smell of fresh bread filled a bakery.

“Mary, you haven’t seen us here,” Gabe said to an older woman wearing an apron.

“Of course not, Mr. Silver.” A touch of pink tinged her cheeks.

He quickly kissed her on the cheek and then pulled me away. We had just passed the washrooms when the front door opened. Gabe dashed behind a curtain and yanked me into a pantry full of sugar and flour sacks. He placed his finger on my lips.

My body shook in his arms.

“When I find her, I’ll slice her up, inch by inch,” Martinez said. It sounded as if he spoke through gritted teeth.

“And waste such delicate meat?” Someone else said. It must had been one of the men from the parking lot.

It sounded like they stood within an arm’s length of the curtain. I had never been so scared.

“Rough her up a little. Get under that short skirt of hers and fuck her until she begs you to stop.”

“No, until she’s not even able to beg!” Martinez laughed. “Find her, or you’ll be the one I’m cutting up. Hurry up with your leak!”

They both stepped into the bathroom, and I exhaled.

“Come.” Gabe pulled me to the back of the bakery.

We rushed up two flights of stairs. He pushed open a metal door, and I covered my eyes from the bright sun.

“We’re on the rooftop?” I asked.

“Yes, we are. Let’s go.”

I followed him across the melting tar. My sandals dug into the heated layer of black goo. Every few steps it stuck longer to the soles.

“We’re going to jump.” He pointed to the end of the roof.

“I can’t.”

“Sam, you don’t have a choice. It looks wider than it is.”

The roof on the other side of a narrow path appeared lower than the one we stood on.

“On three.”

Taking five steps back, Gabe counted, “One, two, three.”

Springing forward with all my strength, I launched over the alley. My skirt flew up in mid-air, exposing me. Gabe had been right. The jump seemed more intimidating than it really was.

We landed safely, and he lowered me by my arms onto a wagon full of barrels. The smell of fruit and wood fused together. A slosh of wine resonated as the impact of our jump jostled the barrels. The delicious smell intensified. After another leap, a mosaic walkway paved the way.

“He’s here.” My knees weakened.

Martinez scanned the streets a football field away. It wouldn’t take him long to pinpoint me in the flowery dress.

“Come.” Gabe led me to the front of the wagon. He mounted a discreetly parked motorcycle, its location obscured by the vehicle we’d jumped off, and handed me a helmet.

“Seriously?” I asked. Butterflies fluttered their wings inside my stomach.

“Yes.” He grinned.

“Is there anything you can’t do?” I asked.

“I don’t think so.”

Neither do I.

The helmet straps tightened under my chin as if he had it prepared to fit me ahead of time. I lifted my leg over the seat and wrapped my arms around Gabe.

“Hold on tight. And don’t worry about your skirt. We won’t have an audience soon enough.”

Gabe turned on the ignition. A rumble vibrated between my legs. I peeked back through the nook separating the wall and the wagon.

Martinez’s attention turned toward us at the sound of the engine, but Gabe hit the gas and we disappeared around a corner. The motorcycle swerved between the narrowest of alleys and under low passageways until we reached the outskirts of the city. The engine roared as Gabe gave it extra gas and my dress flapped behind me like the wings of a startled, wild bird.

We passed low-rise buildings, speeding toward hills and valleys. I wondered whether Martinez would follow, and I squeezed Gabe harder, leaning against his back.

After twenty minutes, Gabe turned right into a small forest. Passing through the hidden entrance, we rode along a narrow path until the trees opened to a beautiful beach where he parked.

The hum of the engine stopped. I removed the helmet from my head.

The beach curved on each side, forming a perfect bay. How in the world did he manage to take me to the most exotic places I’d ever seen? Perfect turquoise water, lightly ruffled by the breeze, broke against the shore.

“You look beautiful on a bike.” He kissed my lips unexpectedly.

He’s not mad?
Gabe’s cheerful mood confused me, and I frowned.
Shouldn’t he be upset? And how had he found me in the first place?

“Don’t you think it’d be wiser to go home instead of swimming?” I asked.

“Who says we’re not going home?” He took my hand and led me toward the beach where two motor boats bobbed by the dock on the water. One of them was occupied by a shirtless man who lounged on its bow.

My mouth dropped open. The physique of this man could actually compare to Gabe’s. Thankful Gabe was behind me, unable to see my face, I swallowed hard, staring.

“Get in, Sam.” Gabe’s voice was stern yet loving. He was mad after all. Maybe he was just waiting patiently for the right moment to let me hear his anger.

“What about the bike?” I asked.

“Don’t worry. Tristan will take care of it.”

Kendra’s ex?
The sculpted Zeus wore red swim shorts which hung on his hipbones, baring as much of his lovely triangle as he could without showing off his privates. A straw hat shaded his face. It was the same kind a local would have worn, but this man was certainly not a local. The Cross brother sported a thorn tattoo identical to Gabe’s, and I would have bet my life the two shared the same personal trainer.

What was it about their genes that made their bodies so mouth watering? Tristan must have been on the island for much longer. His natural golden tan had a bronze shine, making the three inch scar on his chest, just above the heart, more vibrant. I fought the urge to touch it, wondering what had happened to him.

He lifted his hat and sat up. “All okay?”

“Yes. We lost him in town,” Gabe said.

Tristan jumped off the boat into the knee-deep water and waded toward us. I wondered why he didn’t use the dock, but didn’t mind looking at the way his muscles flexed as he cut through the ocean.

I removed my sandals and stepped onto the boat.

The two men embraced, and Gabe whispered something into his ear.

“How is K doing?” Tristan asked.

“Better. Getting everyone around her in trouble, as usual.” Gabe glanced at me. “Be careful, Tristan. He’s one sneaky son of a bitch. I’m not sure how he tracked us.”

But Tristan’s gaze was fixed on me. “She has a nice mouth.” A familiar flame sparked in his eyes.

“She’s mine,” Gabe warned.

“If you ever want to share—”

“Forget about it, Tristan.”

“That serious? You?”

“Just take care of the bastard, or I will.”

“Stay clear of him, Gabe. As much as you want him dead, he’s worth more alive. He’s left a good trail behind him we can use.”

“Fine, just make sure he leaves.”

“You sure she’s not interested?” Tristan nodded toward me again, his eyes ablaze. A scar decorating his upper lip lifted in a lopsided smile that said
I can satisfy your wildest needs
.

Warmth swooshed through my tummy.

“No.” Gabe shook his head. “You’re better off looking at the police academy. In fact, ask for Officer Green. She’s already seen Martinez.”

“Fine. It’s nice to meet you, Samantha.” Tristan reached toward me. “Take care of this guy.”

I shook Tristan’s hand, aware of the way he spoke my name. Each syllable rolled off his tongue like he was making love to it, just the way Gabe did. Shivers ran from my ears down my body and between my legs. His touch reminded me of Gabe’s too. Gentle, yet firm at the same time. What was it about these men that inspired women to succumb to everything they said? The more I looked at Tristan, the more I wondered what had happened between him and Kendra.

“Nice to meet you too,” I said.

Tristan left the shore and strolled toward the motorcycle.

“Hold on tight.” Fire returned to Gabe’s eyes as he jumped onto the boat.

I moved off the front deck and sat in one of the two seats.

“Not a word to Kendra about Tristan, understand?” he said before turning on the engine.

“Yes.”

The tone of Gabe’s voice would have suited a teacher scolding an errant ten-year-old. Regret over deceiving him burned in my veins. I would have preferred he yell or reprimand me instead of not mentioning what I’d done. This was torture! And that’s exactly why Gabe hadn’t said anything, I thought.

The wind blew my loose hair, and I fixed the elastic on my ponytail.

Gabe stood with his back to me. Each time he pushed the handle forward or turned the steering wheel, his muscles responded.

I wished I had the courage to stand up and hug him, apologize until he forgave me, but I wasn’t sure how he’d react.

The perfect blue sky collided with the ocean ahead. My arms itched. The first sign of a sunburn colored my skin. I clenched my hands around the sides of the seat. If Gabe sped any faster, I’d fly off the boat. And swimming in an ocean was the last thing I wanted.

After fifteen minutes, he turned off the engine and the boat slowly came to a stop.

I scoured the blue waves. We were in the middle of the ocean, without a streak of land on the horizon. I sat up straight, expecting Gabe’s fury, wondering whether he’ll eventually feed me to the sharks so I could join my father.

He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the steering wheel, waiting.

“Aren’t we going home?” My voice shook.

“Yes, but I need to speak with you in a place where you can’t escape.”

This was bad. This was very, very bad. The endless ocean appeared less threatening than Gabe’s blazing eyes, but I wasn’t too keen on venturing into shark-infested waters either. The hair on my arms stood tall as a childhood memory of my dying father flashed through my mind.

“I ought to punish you,” he finally said.

“What would you do to punish me?”

“I said I ought to, not that I want to.” A faint smile appeared on his face.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“It was stupid of you to run off like that.”

“I didn’t think he’d be here in New Zealand, never mind on this island.”

“I did. Why didn’t you talk to me, Sam? He could have hurt you. Or killed you.”

“I’m sorry. I thought I could fix everything for Kendra and for you.”

“Don’t you know Kendra has a way of persuading people to do what she wants?” As serious as Gabe wanted to sound, a hint of amusement filled his voice.

“Did you yell at her?”

“Yes.” Gabe stepped forward and crouched in front of my chair. He took my hands into his.

“Did you punish her?” I asked.

“Clara threatened to come to the US with her and move in.”

“Oh.”

“Kendra had a few pills stashed away in Tristan’s room. The cleansing Clara had done went to waste. Her addiction will take time to control. Even if she’s not high, she needs it more than she needs her friends. The money you went to withdraw would have bought more drugs from a local who deals with Martinez. That’s how he found us here.”

“It wasn’t to pay him off?” I asked.

He shook his head. “I wish I had known sooner. I’m sorry.”

Wasn’t it supposed to be me apologizing? Where did he find so much compassion? “What’s going to happen?” I asked.

“Tristan’s working on it. Until Martinez is gone, you cannot leave the house without me knowing.” Gabe’s brows rose as he examined my face.

The way he spoke reminded me of when my parents said they were
disappointed
in me. I sat silently, letting the guilt eat my heart. Yet somehow, somewhere, between the frowns, I’d felt like Gabe understood why I’d done it. He wasn’t happy about it, but he understood.

Gabe wrapped his arms around me and lowered his head to my lap.

I brushed my fingers through his hair, gently massaging his scalp. “I’m sorry I let you down.” A sniffle escaped my nose.

“Hey, don’t cry. I can’t stand it when a woman cries.” Gabe wiped the tears away with his finger.

“You’re so caring and loving, and you don’t get angry.”

“Oh, I get angry all right. I deal with anger every day. I can’t and won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.”

I stared deep into his eyes and felt my mouth open. The way he spoke implied a long term commitment. How long would our fling last? Was it still a fling?

He pushed my chin up. “You know what your mouth does to me.”

“I do.” I opened it again and then smiled faintly. I took his face between my palms and pressed my lips to his. “Forgive me,” I whispered against them.

Gabe stood up, pulling me along with him. “I already have. You were too innocent to see Kendra’s scheme.” He kissed me again. The longing of his mouth deepened the kiss with each second.

Innocent?

Biting my lip, I tugged at the hem of Gabe’s shirt and pulled it over his head. I looped the string on his shorts around my finger and yanked it loose. The fabric fell to the floor, unveiling his hardening shaft.

He kissed my nose and cheeks, and then returned to my lips.

I curved my palm around his cock. His gentle flex made my mouth water as his warm flesh extended in my hand.

Gabe worked his lips against mine, and his tongue joined the delight.

My hand began stretching his skin up and down. A soft moan escaped Gabe’s mouth. His cock felt warmer and harder with each stroke. My breathing deepened until I pulled away, locking my gaze with his.

His silver eyes were fiery orbs, sparkling with lust. With his mouth inches away from mine, his lips gently traced the rim of my mouth.

His manhood stood tall, and I touched the wet tip of his erection with my thumb. The smell of his pre-cum made me tingle as I drew my finger over his cap once more.

Slowly, I sat back on the seat while Gabe remained standing, his red cap reaching up. My hand wrapped around his full length, and I stroked him slowly down then back up. The thick vein running from the base to the tip pulsed wider. The ocean moved the boat up and down, and I mimicked the rhythm of the waves. It felt so good to have Gabe trust me to touch him and caress him. At the moment, all I wanted was to show him the kind of pleasure he deserved.