Лиза Джонс - Beneath the Secrets

Beneath the Secrets

Part 4

By Lisa Renee Jones

Part of the Tall, Dark, and Deadly Series

Copyright 2013

Includes:

Sample excerpt from IF I WERE YOU, now optioned to STARZ for TV with Suzanne Todd producing (Alice in Wonderland, Austin Powers, Must Love Dogs and much more!)

Read about the TV show HERE

Books in the series:

Secrets Exposed

Hot Secrets

Dangerous Secrets

Beneath the Secrets Serial:

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the supplier and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at lisarenjones@gmail.com

All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination. www.lisareneejones.com.

Table of Contents

Titlepage

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Bonus Book - Prologue

Bonus Book - Excerpt

Beneath the Secrets

PART 4:

***Begins EXACTLY where Part 3 leaves off***

Chapter One

“Where’s your innocent little secretary who isn’t a secretary at all—or she wouldn’t handle a gun so well?” Ignacio demanded.

Standing on the dock, the cold night wind whipping around him, Blake wanted to do some whipping of his own. On Ignacio. But since the asshole was his ticket to Alvarez right now, he’d refrain until a later date. “That’s like saying a lawyer can’t bake a cake,” Blake observed. “But then your brain seems to operate like a mud pie.”

Ignacio’s face reddened under the too-dim lighting along the wooden walkway to their right. “Where is she, asshole?”

“Kara’s…tied up,” he replied. “She couldn’t make it.”

“My uncle specifically said I was to transport you both. I’ll have to call him.”

Blake yanked his phone from his belt. “I’ll do it for you.”

“I’m here!”

Blake froze at the sound of Kara’s voice, every muscle in his body turning to ice and then heating with anger. How the fuck was she here, and why hadn’t he tied her up? And while he wasn’t on mic with his brothers, he was sure they were nearby and cursing, too. They all knew how dangerous this meeting could get and Kara had no business being involved. He’d flipping warned Kyle she was skilled and she’d proven it, clearly outsmarting him.

At the sound of Kara’s heels clattering over the wooden dock, Blake turned to stare at her, watching her hair and the red silk of her dress flutter around her. She looked sexy and feminine and a ripe target for a human-trafficking operation. What part of that didn’t she understand? Blake ground his teeth at the sight of two goons stepping behind her and stopping to guard the walkway, their weapons glinting in their shoulder holsters like shined silver despite the barely there light. There was no way he could get her out of this trip. She was here. It wouldn’t be easy, but he was damn sure going to try.

“I made it after all.” She stopped between him and Ignacio and shivered, hugging herself. “I forgot my jacket. I’m freezing.”

Blake almost laughed at her obvious attempt at playing the innocent little secretary after she’d clearly just outwitted one of the best damn men Walker Security had on their team. Innocent, and held a gun at one of the cartel member’s heads only hours before.

“Where exactly were you?” Ignacio demanded.

Blake grimaced and before Kara could reply, answered for her. “What the hell business is it of yours?”

Ignacio cut him a hard look, his gaze flicking over Blake’s jeans and leather jacket, before raking an obscene path down Kara’s body and back up. “She’s late, but at least she’s dressed for a meeting with Alvarez.”

Blake curled his fingers into his palms and told himself not to punch the living crap out of the man. He’d had a lot of urges to pummel people since meeting Kara, it seemed. Pulling her to his side and under his arm, he would keep her close. He didn’t give a damn how tough she thought she was—she didn’t belong here. If there was any way he could get her out of here, he would. He lifted his chin at Ignacio. “Just get us to Alvarez.”

“Gladly.” Ignacio’s lips twisted. “I’m going to enjoy how much he won’t like you and how much he will like her.” He glanced at Kara. “Give me your purse.”

Kara didn’t hesitate, handing it over to him. Of course, she was prepared. She’d been prepared for Kyle. She’d be prepared for Ignacio. “Ignore the lipstick,” Blake said dryly. “It’s not your shade.”

Ignacio grimaced. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it was yours.”

“It is,” he said, unable to stop himself from staking his claim on Kara every chance he could find. “Every time I kiss it off her lips.”

Ignacio did a search and handed Kara back her purse. “Hold your hands to your sides.”

Blake pulled her tighter against him. “If you so much as think about touching her, that lipstick will be up your ass.”

“Better her lipstick than Alvarez’s foot. She has to be searched.”

“We’ll see about that.” Blake grabbed his phone and punched in Mendez’s number. It started to ring.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Ignacio demanded.

“Calling your uncle.”

“Wait,” Ignacio bit out. “Hang up.”

Blake let the phone ring. “Why?”

“There’s a metal detector at the destination. We’ll use it.”

“You better be on your way to meet Alvarez,” Mendez barked into the phone, answering the call.

Blake eyed Ignacio. “Since your nephew and I just worked out our travel arrangements, we’re headed to see him.”

“Make sure you are,” Mendez spat, and the line went dead.

“Now what?” Blake asked, shoving his phone back onto his belt. He’d bet one of his balls, and he was as attached to both of them as he was to breathing, Kara had used that same drug she’d zapped him with on Kyle. He hoped like hell that she had some of it with her now. What he’d packed himself wasn’t going to make it through the detector.

Ignacio motioned toward the boat. “All aboard.”

Blake turned Kara toward the boat, keeping her so close her hip was pressed to his. “If you had any idea what I was thinking right now…” he murmured.

“If you had any idea what I’m thinking right now…” she countered.

“Where’s Kyle?”

“Asleep.”

Blake grunted. “Well, at least I won’t get shit from him about you pulling that crap on me anymore.”

She laughed; a soft, delicate sound that reminded him how female and how breakable she really could be. How much she didn’t belong here. “He gave you a hard time?”

“You have no idea,” Blake assured her as they stopped at the edge of the boat and he glanced behind him to find Ignacio talking to the goons. He eyed yet another goon on the deck and all but growled at Kara. “I should throw you in the water and make you swim for it.”

“If I go, you’re going with me.”

“Only because I’d be afraid you’d drown.”

She turned into him, pressing to her toes, her soft curves molded to his, her lips teasing his ear. “I won’t drown. I promise.”

His chest tightened at a promise that had nothing to do with his promise to throw her overboard. He wrapped an arm around her and buried his face in her neck. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” Ignacio’s heavy steps warned of his approach. “And neither will I.” If they survived this, he’d be damn sure to tie her up and keep her safe, and that was a promise she could bank on.