Page 185 of Summer Heat
“I just thought you mentioned you were coming home last night. When I woke up, you weren’t home. I worried.”
Honestly, if she’d landed last night, she wouldn’t have been home anyway. She would’ve been with Cash, preferably in bed, but that wasn’t worth discussing with Jackson in front of David.
David smiled sickly, interrupting her daydream of Cash. “Everything all right?”
Nic nodded and wished he didn’t look so damn excited all of a sudden. It made her stomach queasy. “Fine, David.”
“Michael,” he hissed. “The stewardess might hear you.”
“Fine, Michael.”
“Nicola, are you there?” Jackson asked. “Who’s with you?”
“Who’s that?” asked David.
Too many men needed her attention. One was dangerous, the other annoying. Both needed to shut up.
“David, it’s my roommate,” she said, ignoring his annoyance that she didn’t stick to the married-to-Michael act. “Jacks, I really have to go. We just left Istanbul, and it’ll be a while before we land. But don’t expect me home tonight.”
Really, don’t expect me home ever. That’s not your concern as my roommate.
“Why not?” Jackson pushed.
God, he was getting on her nerves. Time for a subject change. “I wanted to thank you for that project you worked on. Really good job.”
Jackson needed a bone thrown his way, she could tell. Not wanting to go into any details in front of David, that was all she’d say. A good job and a thanks.
“I only did it because you asked me to, Nicola. You honestly have to know that.”
Christ. Jackson wouldn’t let anyone blow to pieces. It wasn’t his nature, but he was obviously still raw about the Cash-punch thing. David scowled at her, rummaging through his carry-on bag.
She sighed. “Whatever the reason, thanks. I really have to go.”
“We should talk when you get home. I need to make sure you’re okay. I don’t know that I like you working with Titan Group.”
Was there something in the water? What else would cause perfectly normal men to lose perspective and act this damn overprotective?
“Got it.” Her phone went dead. No white noise. Nothing. She looked at it and saw a full charge and great reception. “Jackson? Jacks?”
David smiled, showing far too many teeth. “Must’ve lost your connection.”
Bullshit.
He’d found a listening device, or maybe he just wised up. Whatever the reason, David had turned on a cell frequency blocker, and she had no way to communicate with anyone outside the jet.
Welcome to the game, David. I’ve been playing since you boarded the flight to Istanbul.
***
“Nic’ll be wheels down in—” Cash checked his watch “—thirty-three minutes. You think you fucks could hurry the hell up?”
Watching Jared and Roman dillydally punched at his patience. They were a five-minute drive from their rendezvous point, another five minutes to get into position and watch Nicola deplane with that piece of shit, double-dealing butler. The rest of that time made him vibrate with impatience.
Cash was armed to the teeth. More than armed. He could outfit a third-world tribe with enough brass to create a serious change in the balance of power, and that was only what he had strapped to him. The Hummer’s trunk told a whole other story.
Jared looked him over, boots to collar, and grumbled. “You plan on redefining the word overkill? We’re backup. We’re not storming an Iranian missile silo.”
Can never be too prepared, or some Boy Scout shit like that. He’d been to the site twice today, walked the perimeter, memorized every outbuilding, every hangar, nook, and cranny. If someone was there who shouldn’t be, if something moved that wasn’t supposed to, Cash might shoot first and ask questions later. He’d let Jared deal with the nuclear-fallout-sized headache and handle the question-and-answer portion of their day. That’s why boss man made the really big dollars: to fix whatever wrongs Cash was very ready to do.
