Hard Risk by Sidney Bristol
Chapter Fourteen
Resort, Miami, FL.
Daar closed the room door and finally allowed his body to slump. His head drooped forward, and he twisted the lock into place for good measure. The butlers weren’t exactly invasive, but they were always right there.
He crossed the spacious room to a padded bench adjacent to a small table and sat down. One of the butler staff had thought to layout a meat and cheese tray. Americans loved that sort of thing.
Something was a little off.
He frowned and peered closer at the meat offerings before his gaze drifted to a card lying next to the platter.
There was just one bold word.
Halal.
He reached for the card, curious now, and turned it over. On the back was a listing of the meat, from cured turkey sausage to seasoned bites of chicken breast.
It was a level of thoughtfulness he hadn’t expected of an American establishment.
He reached out his hand only for his fingers to twitch.
Daar clenched both fists and grit his teeth.
Hours later he still had residual shocks running through his body leaving him exhausted and slightly jittery.
He’d glimpsed the yellow seal on the end of the device, which meant his attacker had used a TaserX1, a common gun-type less-lethal device similar to what law enforcement carried. While Daar didn’t know the specifications, he knew the device packed enough of a punch to completely incapacitate a person. He was lucky he’d emptied his bladder before leaving the airport or he’d have pissed himself, too.
What stuck out to him was that his attacker had grabbed him while using the Taser. That meant both Daar, and the man had gotten the full force of the device, but it hadn’t deterred the other man.
What a mess.
He chewed the meat and cheese while staring at the ceiling.
Harper had acted within moments. Daar couldn’t fault the man at any point. Especially with the lack of questions. Harper no doubt knew that was no failed mugging attempt, but he wasn’t pushing for more information. He’d also admitted to mercenary work on the putting green, albeit unwillingly. The man had an honest streak, which was both good and bad.
If push came to shove, would Harper turn on him?
That was the question Daar needed to answer. Cassim was impressed with Harper to the point he was ready to declare Robin engaged to the man without anyone asking. Daar needed to make up his mind what he thought so he could weigh in and sway things.
What the hell was Daar going to do with Cassim?
The bastard had waited until they were out there to bring up some new issue.
Who had sent Cassim a letter? What did it say? What did they want?
Getting those answers would undoubtedly mean some sort of trade. Cassim would want something for this show of loyalty. Daar might not have given a damn last year, but now? With so many things up in the air? He couldn’t risk it. He had to play Cassim’s game.
Daar’s phone began to vibrate against his thigh. He pulled it out, surprised to see Peter’s moniker. Normally Daar’s people waited for him to reach out.
This couldn’t be good.
“Yes?” Daar said by way of a greeting.
“Bad time?” Peter asked.
“No.”
“Robin left the hotel earlier in a cab. We weren’t prepared to follow her and keep eyes on the place, so I stayed put.”
Daar nodded though Peter couldn’t see him. Both Peter and Amaan had arrived a few hours prior to Daar and were staying in a nearby villa. It had seemed like overkill until this morning.
“Never mind Robin.” She was the least of his worries. “Was there anything else?”
“Yes, that’s not why I called. I spoke with one of Maxwell’s men like you suggested. We know who the chancellor’s rep is that’s heading to New York.”
“We need a man on the ground—”
“Already on it. I’ve got two men I trust already waiting for the chancellor’s rep.”
Daar nodded. “Good. We know who it is?”
“Yeah. Which is why I can’t go do this myself.”
He still didn’t know what to make of the intel that the chancellor was turning on him. This could be Maxwell playing them all against one another. And it could be the chancellor melting down. Either way, it left Daar with his back against the wall and no idea what the right move was.
Tuesday. Pearl Palace Luxury Resort, Miami, FL.
It was past sunset when Robin tiptoed through the grass. The only person who had missed her presence thus far was Harper. Neither Dad nor Uncle Daar had checked in with her. They must not be the least bit concerned about earlier, which only served to heighten her anxiety.
She knew Harper was going to have questions. She’d told him she was headed out to grab headache medicine, but that was before lunch. It was past sunset now. Jessica had sent a few texts on her behalf, claiming a massage and pampering. None of which should have taken this much time, but Robin had needed every moment of it for Jessica to talk her into staying the course.
Maybe Robin was a chicken, but she wanted to live her life. Mom would never want her to die trying to figure out the past.
Robin peered around the corner toward the pool, but the patio was dark.
She pulled her keycard out of her purse and crept toward the door that led into the sunroom off her wing of the villa. She found the sensor by touch then held the keycard up to it. A light flashed green twice then beeped before the lock disengaged. She winced and pulled the door open. There was no avoiding some sound.
She stepped into the house, quickly pulling the door closed behind her.
The sunroom was completely in shadow. The tinted windows made it darker, but she could still pick out the furniture and see that there was nothing in her way.
Robin took one step.
No alarm.
She didn’t hit anything.
All she had to do was make it through the doorway then it was through her door on the left. She’d be in bed.
Her foot squished into something familiar.
“No,” she whispered as the unmistakable scent of dog poop wafted up. “Ug, no. Shit.”
She didn’t dare move.
Robin reached into her purse and found her phone by touch. As she pulled it out, the overhead light flipped on. She squinted against the sudden brightness and glanced up to see who had caught her.
Please let it be a butler…
Luck was not on her side.
Harper stood there, brow furrowed, blinking back at her.
Unfortunately, he recovered before she could think of something to say. “Robin. Where have you been?”
“The spa,” she replied, clinging to that weak cover story.
His gaze dropped to the pile of poop she’d stepped in. “Oh, great. Here, give me your hand. Leave your shoe there. It might be ruined.”
She didn’t want to agree, but there was just something about those two little dogs. They had nuclear level butt discharge when it came to their poop.
“Something wrong?” a soothing voice called out.
Harper glanced over his shoulder. “Yeah, sorry. Looks like we found the other poop pile.”
A uniformed butler appeared at Harper’s elbow. This time it was an older woman with a kind face and silvering hair pulled back into a bun.
“Oh, dear. I’ll handle this,” she said with a cheerful smile.
“Thanks. I should have checked back here when they said something,” Harper grumbled.
Robin left her one shoe next to the pile. Harper didn’t give her a choice about staying to fight for its life, he just pulled her out of the sunroom and into his bedroom.
Crap.
This was what she’d been trying to avoid.
She didn’t know what to say or do, how to act.
Harper turned the lights on and turned to look at her, that frown still creasing his face.
She opened her mouth to say she really should be cleaning up the disaster out there but knew she’d be told by everyone to leave it to the staff.
“I wish you would have told me how upset you were,” he said.
She swallowed at his gentle response. It wasn’t the demand for answers she’d been fearing.
“You left because you were upset and afraid, didn’t you?”
“I left to get some headache medicine,” she reminded him. That at least was technically true.
Harper let go of her hand, crossed his arms over his chest, and arched a brow at her.
She dropped her arms to her side. Her shoulders slumped to the point her purse was barely staying aloft.
“I was scared, okay? Is that what you want to hear?” Though at this point she was moving from fear to anger.
Harper’s arms unwound, and he took a step toward her, closing the distance between them. “You should have said so.”
He took the purse from her shoulder and lowered it before letting it fall the last little distance to the carpet. Then he pulled her to him, holding her tight enough it felt like he was trying to squeeze her back together.
“You should have told me. I’d have stayed with you,” he said.
“You would have missed golfing—”
“I don’t care about golfing.”
She let her arms tighten around him and her head rest on his shoulder. It did feel good to be in his arms again. “Did Uncle Daar say anything? Is he okay?”
“He seems fine.”
“Okay, but did he say anything else? Why?”
“It was just a mugging, that’s all.”
She pulled away from him then, scowling. “But it wasn’t. You’re all pretending like it was, but that was not a random mugging.”
Harper opened his mouth then shut it as he shoved a hand back through his hair.
At least he wasn’t telling her it was all in her head. She might have walked out permanently if he did that.
“What am I supposed to say?” He lifted his chin and looked at her. “I get the feeling I can’t ask questions about your uncle. Yes, today was weird. And I’m talking from a security standpoint where I deal in weird threats. What am I supposed to do when your uncle brushes this morning off saying it was no big deal? Then you’re visibly upset to the point that you were shaking. Of course, I want to say whatever I need to make you feel better.”
“I want the fucking truth,” she snapped then squeezed her eyes shut.
This conversation needed to turn around. This could not be happening. They were far too close to the edge.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly before he could respond. “You’re right. Today upset me a lot. Maybe what I really need is just a chance to sit and everything be okay.”
Harper took her hand in his. “Come here. Come sit with me then?”
She let him lead her to a sofa set back against the windows. Despite its contemporary right lines angles only appearance, the sofa was plush and comfortable. She curled her legs under her and Harper drew her in so that she was tucked against his side. It was all too easy to lean her head on his shoulder and just be.
For several moments neither spoke, probably because they were each weighing their options.
She couldn’t exactly confirm or deny Harper’s suspicions about Uncle Daar, not without opening herself up to more lines of questioning than she was comfortable with.
“Where did you really go?” Harper asked. “I’m worried, okay? That’s the only reason why I want to know.”
“There’s a Hilton with a spa I’ve gone to before with sorority sisters. That’s where I went.” And it wasn’t a complete lie. She had gone to the spa with Jessica after they talked themselves to death. Robin was a little ashamed she hadn’t shown more concern for Harper. “How was your day? I really thought you would prefer golfing. I didn’t pause at all to think about how you might be feeling or thinking. I’m sorry.”
His hand stroked her arm and shoulder. “It’s fine.”
For some reason, she felt those words might be the most honest thing he’d ever said. There was no charm, no joke, no attempt to appease anyone. He was fine with how things had played out now, and that was that.
“We played golf then had lunch. After we pretended to finish the game, then came back. Everyone else took a nap and I’ve been getting the lay of the land, seeing what else there is to do.”
Inwardly she cringed. She’d completely abandoned him.
His voice took on a familiar mischievous tone. “I did find this cute shop nearby, and I got you something.”
“Oh?”
He slid a hand into his pocket and pulled out a little burgundy velvet drawstring bag. She sat up a little while he opened it then took her palm and poured the contents out.
It was a three-dimensional silver heart on a delicate chain. The heart glistened pink within the fine cage of silver wire.
Harper had bought this for her. Amidst everything else going on, she’d been on his mind.
“It’s so pretty,” she said and blinked back tears.
What was with her emotions?
“You don’t have to pretend you like it if it’s not your thing—”
“What?” She looked up at him and clutched the necklace close to her chest. “I love it.”
He breathed a sigh. “Okay, I’ll believe you.”
Robin held up the chain to look at the necklace again. She didn’t care if it was cheaply made or worth a small fortune, it was a physical reminder that at every turn Harper surprised her. He thought about her, unlike her family who barely noticed her.
She fiddled with the clasp a bit then put it on. It was the kind of necklace she could wear always, no matter the occasion. She ran her fingers over it then looked at Harper and smiled. For some reason, she felt better, safer, and more content than she had all day.
“Thank you,” she said.
He smiled back at her, his hair mussed and eyes warm.
This was where she should have been.
Robin leaned in and kissed him, feeding her desire for him. He cupped the back of her head, his fingers curling through her hair.
Everything in her yearned to get closer to him. She shifted, rising over him, but he gripped her hips, keeping her at a distance.
Robin sat back, putting space between them, and frowned. “What’s wrong?”
Tuesday. Pearl Palace Luxury Resort, Miami, FL.
God fucking damn it.
Harper’s mind scrambled to come up with any plausible reason why he wouldn’t be kissing her.
“Your step-mom…”
He winced at that answer. It sounded pathetic.
Robin stared back at him, brows drawn down into a dark line. “Why does our sex life always go back to my family?”
Shit.
Her voice hit that note, that dangerous one all women went to when they were on the brink of being very upset. And he couldn’t blame her. It wasn’t like he could explain that his reticence to kiss her was all about the necklace. With her disappearing like that, the guys had scrambled to throw together a tracker and microphone combo. It was brilliant. But he wasn’t about to get busy with her knowing that his TL and the others were listening right fucking now.
“It’s not like that,” he said as calmly as he could.
“Then what’s it like? Because you tell me you like me and you give me a pretty present, but you don’t want to fuck me. When I ask you what’s up, you bring up my family. That’s twice now and I’m just really confused.”
“I know. You’re totally right.” When all else failed, agree with her? He was spinning his mental wheels here. “Look, a lot’s been going on—”
“Bullshit.” Robin stood, her frown deepening. “Neither of us have had a lot going on. You come over almost every day and we do nothing. You know what nothing is, right? Did my uncle pay you off or something? Is that what this is?”
Harper gaped at her. He’d never felt so wildly blindsided by a woman as he did now. Shit. How did he begin to fix this? Why had he given her the necklace now? Why hadn’t he waited?
“Your uncle has nothing to do with this.” He scooted to the edge of the sofa, doing his best to remain calm while not betraying the anxiety winding him tight. “Robin, please?”
“Please what?”
He licked his lips.
Yeah, please what?
“I… I really like you. And I just… Um. I like you a lot and that’s new for me, okay?” He was beginning to sweat. Fuck. What did he say? His mind was completely blanking on him. “I want this relationship to be different because it matters. You matter to me.”
She shook her head. “You aren’t making sense, Harper.”
“I’m worried that if we have too much sex I’ll fall out of… I mean, I’m worried I’ll make the same mistakes I always do.” That sounded pathetic.
Robin’s face scrunched up, and he knew she wasn’t buying his poor excuse either. “Maybe what you need is some more time to think things through.”
“No, I just want to take things slow. Robin?” He pushed to his feet as she strode for the door with her purse and grabbed her hand. “Don’t go.”
She looked back at him and twisted her arm out of his grasp. “You’re saying one thing and doing another, Harper. Today has been stressful and I’m tired. You said you wanted to take things slow, so why don’t you take tonight and think about what you really want? Hm?”
Harper opened and closed his mouth.
He always had something to say, except now.
Robin quietly left his room and closed the door behind her, all while he stood there staring at where she’d been.
An ache pulsed in his chest, deep and unsettling.
“Damn it,” he groaned.
That could have gone a hell of a lot better.
What was wrong with him?
One of the reasons Zora had wanted him for this job was his ability to think on his feet. And now he had nothing.
Fucking hell.
His phone rang, and he knew without having to look it was one of the guys in the surveillance van.
They were probably having a grand time laughing at his sorry ass right about now.
Harper pulled out his phone and breathed a slight sigh of relief that it was his Team Leader Logan and not Samuel or Baruti.
“Yeah, TL?” Harper said by way of a greeting.
“That was a train wreck.”
“Was it? Because I thought it went kind of well.”
Logan snorted.
“Nah, that was a shit show.” Harper scrubbed a hand over his face. “Signal clear?”
“Loud and clear,” Logan confirmed.
“Do we have any idea where she was all day?” Harper really was worried. No one had visuals on her or the slightest idea where she might have vanished to.
“Baruti was able to find out that Robin’s friend? That Jessica girl? She’s in Miami.”
“Oh. Good.” The last of Harper’s stress drained away, but only for a fraction of a moment. “Wait, that’s not good.”
All different kinds of scenarios flitted through his mind. He didn’t know Jessica and Robin hadn’t talked about her at length, but he knew what could happen when two driven, intelligent women got together.
What did they have planned? And how far would it go?