Chapter Five
Erika’s heart leaped into her throat. She wanted to run from the humiliation, but Emanuel held her steady. His large, strong hand was plastered against the small of her back. The desire to look away and avoid that tension altogether pumped in her bloodstream, but she’d come too close to give up now.
When he’d woken, she’d stolen a few surreptitious glances in his direction without him noticing. She’d seen a set of keys bunching in his pocket. If she managed to get him to part with those jeans, she could find a way to set herself free. She’d run. All she needed was a payphone, or to find someone who spoke English, or at least understood her enough to lend her a cell phone to make a call. She would deal with that problem later—and she’d call Bruno. International calls would be harder to make, especially from a random payphone. But if she called Bruno, he’d find a way to help her out. She had no money, no contacts besides him in the country. As long as Emanuel hadn’t lied about Bruno not knowing about the kidnapping, she knew Bruno would assist her.
Emanuel dipped his head. A dangerous glow flickered in his espresso eyes, and she parted her lips, welcoming him. Would he go ahead with it? He held the back of her neck with his other hand, and unless he had a super rifle in his pants, he was incredibly aroused. She swallowed.
He traced her lips with his index finger, searing her flesh with his touch. Sexual urgency like she didn’t know existed roared within her, and she moaned. He held the back of her neck, and at last his lips touched hers.
Every nerve in her body throbbed. A heady sensation moved through her.
She opened her mouth wider—eager, anxious, willing. He didn’t move his lips for a moment. She could count on one hand how many lovers she’d had in her twenty-seven years. None of them provoked so much arousal with such minimal efforts.
Emanuel. He was a complex opera orchestrating her senses.
When he slid his tongue in her mouth, she quivered and planted her hands on his chest so she wouldn’t dissolve into the warmth of his embrace. He intensified the rhythm of the succulent kiss, his tongue stroking her faster, neglecting no part of her. She writhed against him.
Soon gentleness gave way to a powerful force gluing them to each other. Their teeth grazed as they kissed madly, breathlessly. He linked his arms around her, and she buckled, giving him a boost when he placed his arms against her knees and picked her up off the floor.
A small, nervous laugh floated up her throat. He said something in Portuguese, something perhaps she wasn’t meant to understand, but it did the job—it sounded dirty and sexy. Emanuel continued the kiss and walked the short distance to the very same bed they had slept on.
“So you’re not a bad kisser,” she said when he eased her on the mattress.
He stopped kissing her and nuzzled her ear. God, if someone could bottle up his sex appeal and sell it, they’d make billions. Sadly, she’d be first in line. “How can you know for sure, princesa? It may be beginner’s luck,” he said, his accent thicker. And hotter.
“You’re right. We should keep trying in case you’re a fraud.”
He nipped her ear. Damn the man. She couldn’t let him win again. The previous night he’d made a point. He could stop at any moment. He had control. Did she? What kind of woman was she if she missed the opportunity to escape?
Groaning, Emanuel slid his hand under her shirt. Her nipples hardened, and she soaked in the glorious sensation of having the most virile man she’d ever seen caress her blatantly. “God,” she murmured, and he made invisible circles on her breast, his palm hot against her skin.
Her breasts felt full and heavy. Why not enjoy him just a little bit longer? He cupped her breast. If his hands veered lower on her body, she’d forget about fleeing. Outsmarting him, she flipped him over and straddled him. He propped himself on both elbows; she had to act fast before he realized what she was about to do. The handcuffs on the nightstand wouldn’t shackle his wrists by themselves.
“I think now it’s time I proved what a great kisser I am.” She ran a finger across his square jaw, and then down his neck. “Take this silly shirt off. I want to lick you all over.”
He pulled it over his head, then flung it across the room. She drank in the sight of his gorgeous pecs for a moment. A good amount of smooth hair arrowed down his chest, and the way his muscles contracted under her fingers told her she did things to him, too. He wanted her, and it didn’t matter what he thought of her.
She kissed his face, his neck. When she closed her mouth around his taut nipple, he thrust his hands in her hair and stroked the strands. Vigorously. Her scalp sizzled with awareness, and she almost gave in to the idea of going through with this thing and screwing him. She wouldn’t be free afterward but would probably enjoy the best sex of her life, the savage, shameless kind she’d never experienced before.
“You’re proving it all right, but I say some more experimentation is crucial.”
“I agree.”
She glided down his body and pulled down his jeans. Black boxer briefs barely contained his massive cock. She kissed the hem of his underwear, her teeth grazing his flesh. He thrust his hips into her, offering himself to her. She licked her lips, and her clit throbbed with need.
She cupped his member. Even over the fabric, she felt the heat of his body, the veins pulsating on the side of his cock. She kissed it, and he moaned. The coarse, hearty sound reverberated through her.
A rush of adrenaline pumped into her veins. “You’re so big, Emanuel. So hot. If I rubbed myself right now, I’d come instantly.”
He closed his eyes and sucked in his breath. He was probably trying his hardest to keep control and not come in his underwear. “Making you come is my job,” he said in a tortured voice.
“Ditto.” Smiling, she traced her tongue over the outline of his shaft, which hardened even more. Pure heat boiled between her legs. She hoped her freedom was worth it, because right now it was tough to name other things she wanted on top of fucking this gorgeous specimen of a male who prickled her every nerve, awakened her every cell.
She spotted the handcuffs on the nightstand. If she acted fast, she could do it. He was distracted, eyes closed. Raising from him, she slid her hand into his briefs.
“Take off your shirt. I want to see you.”
She chewed on her bottom lip. He planted his hand on her waist. She brought his wrists over his head. “If you close your eyes and open your mouth, you will do a lot more.”
“I like the way you think.”
She leaned over him and moaned like she was about to do something delicious. He moved, and she grabbed both his arms and descended as if she was about to kiss him. Within a couple of seconds she reached for the shackles, slapped a cuff on his left wrist and the other on the metal frame.
Snap. The sound of metal clinging on metal had him opening his eyes, startled. She quickly disengaged from him and dashed out of bed.
“Tell me you’re not foolish enough to try and restrain me. Tell me what you really want is to realize some weird dominatrix fantasy and ride my cock into the sunset.” A pang of annoyance leaked into his voice, like he didn’t believe his own words. The contours of his face set into a hard line.
“Your idea sounds lovely, but I’m taking a rain check.” She shoved the linens away and grabbed his jeans from the bottom of the bed. She jammed her fingers into the back pocket and fished out the key ring that would grant her freedom.
Scanning the room, she searched for his backpack—where he’d hidden the knife and gun. She doubted she’d need weapons, but being a woman in the middle of nowhere, it was better to be safe than sorry.
Fear pumped through her veins. Emanuel started to rattle against the wall, and she knew that soon he would rip through the frame and set himself free. By then she would be gone. She searched in the pockets of his backpack for the cell phones he’d been using, but couldn’t find them. Shit.
“Uncuff me. Now!” he shouted. A sheen of sweat slicked on his forehead, and the desire that had fogged his irises moments earlier had disappeared.
“I can’t.” She reached the threshold, then glanced back. “Sorry,” she said, even though she had no clue why she apologized. He kidnapped her, lied to her about her father, and who knew what else. But why did a strange feeling nag at her, shooting a nauseating sensation in her stomach? She shook her head and scurried to the entrance. She couldn’t afford to waste any time. If the sound of his body slamming against the frame was a hint, he would be running after her soon.
She slid the key in the door handle and twisted it.
The sun blinded her. She started to run, but suddenly strong arms grabbed her, and calloused hands covered her mouth.
“Ssshhhh…you’re safe.” Someone whispered. “Your father sent us.”
A burly man materialized in front of her. It took her a couple of seconds to register he just mentioned her father. Somehow her heart kept hammering on. “You’re safe now.”
The man’s grasp around her loosened enough to give her room to breathe. She blinked. “What?”
“Tony’ll take you back. And I’ll go in.”
Tony took her elbow and cocked his head in the direction of a black sedan. He opened the door for her. “Get inside.”
She stared at the door with hesitation. “Where are we going?” The two men seemed legit enough. Why would a third party want to kidnap her? “Shouldn’t we call the police first?” She had no idea how these procedures worked, but why would Tony rush her away while the other one stayed? Was it because the guy would call the police and have Emanuel arrested?
Tony shook his head, somewhat annoyed. Obviously he had expected her to jump into his car without asking questions. Her father must have already had a clue about her whereabouts when Emanuel called him the previous day. Otherwise, how would he have found her so quickly and sent these two men after her? They had showed her no special badge, so she assumed her dad hired them privately. Why would he keep her disappearance a secret when he had done nothing wrong? Her stomach clenched. Unless…
A hellish smile spread across the man’s oval face. “There aren’t any police involved. Your dad ordered me to fly you home ASAP, and Harry will handle your kidnapper.”
Her chest tightened. “What do you mean handle? Listen, I think this is a huge misunderstanding…”
Tony mocked her and waved his hands in the air. “Mr. Lancaster was very clear about it. He wants no loose ends. Emanuel Duarte must be eliminated. Now, if you get in the car, you can put this nightmare behind you, and you’ll be having brunch with your friends tomorrow.”
Nightmare? She pushed down the lump in her dry throat. The guy who walked in would kill Emanuel if she didn’t stop him. He’d die for kidnapping her because he wanted to help someone he believed was wronged. He shouldn’t have taken her, but he claimed he had good reason, and he didn’t deserve to die. She couldn’t allow that to happen, nor could she live with that kind of knowledge.
She slammed the door and stepped back, her hand fumbling in the backpack. She palmed the gun, the weapon heavy and cold. “I can’t go.”
He opened the door and pointed to the inside of the car. “That’s not your choice.”
Her dad couldn’t have told these men to kill Emanuel, could he? Misunderstanding or not, leaving Emanuel behind was not an option, not if she had anything to say about it. Determined, she grabbed the gun and aimed it at him. “Get away from me.”
He laughed. “Why wouldn’t you want to go home? Listen, I can call your father, and you can talk to him after we get a head start. Get in the car, or you’ll make life harder for all of us,” he said, and reached for the inside of his vest.
“Don’t.”
He launched at her, and she pulled the trigger. The sound sliced through the air, as Tony touched the fresh blood seeping through his pants. “Bitch. You got my leg.”
…
Emanuel punched the intruder in the face, and he stumbled back against the nightstand. The guy must hurt and kill people for a living, he’d give him that. Ever since he’d broken the wooden frame and gotten out of the bed, the cuffs still clasped against his wrist, he’d realized the restraint would be the least of his worries. The idiot had stormed into the room and clocked him before he even registered his presence.
“I should have shot you, but I got paid extra to make it slow and painful,” the man said, panting and wiping blood from the side of his mouth.
The thug stood up, but before he could throw a punch, Emanuel shoved him against the wall, curled his fingers into a fist and hit his jaw. Once. Twice.
“You’re overpriced. I’m killing you for free.” Emanuel shoved his elbow on the man’s shoulder, dropping him to the floor. The guy groaned. Did this idiot expect Emanuel not to be such a good fighter? He’d learned his ways as a young boy and knew every dirty trick in the book, even though in his adult life he seldom used them.
A squirming noise yanked him from the moment, and he dashed out of the room. Erika. He left the house and found her fighting with another man who kept pushing her into the backseat of an idling car.
“No.”
“You’ve done enough for a day,” he grunted. “Now shut up and get in the car, you rich bitch.”
Emanuel launched at them and pushed the man off her. He tried to protest, but Emanuel punched him and he fell to the ground.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said to Erika.
She nodded, and he circled around the car and slipped onto the driver’s seat, turning on the engine. She shut the door and stayed in the back. Within seconds, they were driving away from it all.
A tremor of anger skated down his spine. If he had been a second later, that man would have taken her away along with his last chance to get Raul. He’d been a fool for letting her trick him with a fake seduction. And that had distracted him from his goal, nearly costing him everything.
“You’re not going to say anything?” she asked.
He gazed at her in the rearview mirror. “Last time I saw you, you chained me to the bed and escaped.”
She tilted her head and lifted her eyebrow. “Can you blame me?”
No, he couldn’t, which was why he’d have to be extra careful with her from now on. The woman had wits, smarts, and a sexy body to match. Trusting her wasn’t just a mistake; it was a liability. “It seemed to me you didn’t want to get in the car. Why?”
She sighed. He turned his attention back to the road. A mixture of dusty pick-ups and big trucks crowded the highway. Hopefully by the time those two hit men composed themselves and found Emanuel’s rental car, Emanuel and Erika would be long gone.
“When that man said the other one would kill you…I couldn’t in good conscience leave.”
He exited the highway and stayed on the road until he came to a stop sign. “So you believe me now? That your father is at fault?” he asked, making a right turn onto a street filled with sugar cane plantations. A couple of men riding donkeys waved at him, and he nodded.
She removed her seat belt, shifted in her seat, and leaned closer to him as if their conversation could be recorded or something. Her natural, clean scent swirled around him, and he sucked in a breath, soaking in her sweet fragrance. Shit. Get it together, man. She could have ruined his plans, and he couldn’t afford that kind of weakness again.
“This whole thing is crazy confusing. Why would my father have you killed?”
His shoulders sagged a notch. Would they go back to the same conversation again? “Because then it would be like nothing ever happened. I wouldn’t be a threat.”
“What about me? What if I still knew?”
Emanuel suppressed an ironic laughter. Was she really that naive? “He would say he never meant for me to die, that those men acted impulsively against his orders.”
“Isn’t there such a possibility? He wanted a low-profile recovery, and those guys didn’t care?” she said, her voice strained at the end. “They went rogue.”
“Face the facts, Erika. Those men flew here from the U.S., and your father sent them. Do you think they’d throw in a free execution for the hell of it? They follow orders and are paid for it.”
“I can’t believe it.”
He was about to protest but hesitated. How could he expect her to be on board with all the information he loaded on her in such a short time? After all, her father had fed her lies for twenty-seven years. “Do you see my point at least?”
“Yes.”
He slanted her what he hoped passed for a reassuring look. “Good. I’m taking you to the place where you can talk to Raul’s family. You’ll see for yourself that I’m not lying. But you’re done running from me. If you want to find out who your father really is and not the bullshit he’s been feeding you, you have to cooperate.”
“I’ll go with an open mind just so I won’t feel like I didn’t talk to both sides. But don’t expect me to believe everything people tell me. I’ll make up my own mind, either way.”
He sighed. Her fair resolution made him proud—even if by not accepting the truth immediately she’d make his life more difficult. “That’s all I’m asking for.”
“Are we going there now?”
“No. There’s more driving involved, and I don’t want to stay with this car for much longer. That’s what those thugs will be looking for. We’ll stop somewhere else for a couple of days first, show your dad we’re not in a hurry. Something tells me they may anticipate we’ll go to Raul’s family anyway, and we need to be prepared before we get there,” he said.
Two weeks prior, he had sent Raul’s relatives to an off-the-beaten-track area where the Itopis lived in the jungle. Sure, he could have sent them to a hotel or rented them a house. However, he assumed once Silas found out his motivation, it would be a matter of time until he tried to reach out to Raul’s parents with either a settlement or a threat. Emanuel couldn’t take any chances. He’d hoped Silas wouldn’t find them in a place so remote, but after his thugs discovered them, he couldn’t take that chance.
She frowned. “What do you mean by prepared?”
He’d have to contact the leader of the tribe of Brazilian Indians, and that could take time. They didn’t have any cell phones where they lived, which meant he’d have to rely on one of the Indians who worked as a tour guide and had access to a payphone. Calling Raul’s family to ensure no one from Silas’s camp had visited them was a must. “Leave it up to me.”
She snorted. “Not a chance.”
“Why can’t you go along for once?”
She flashed him a condescending smile that said fuck you more than any words could. “Sorry I don’t live up to your expectations of me being a passive, lifeless Bratz doll.”
“A what doll?”
She shrugged. “They’re like Barbies, but cooler.”
“I didn’t know you had small ones in your family,” he said. The image of his two nieces came to mind. Addie and Bruno’s daughter was a riot. And Lyanna, Leonardo, and Satyanna’s kid didn’t fall far behind. Both of them were younger than two and didn’t play with those types of dolls yet. He would know, because when he visited, they always made him sit at a ridiculously small pink table for teatime. Hats included.
“I don’t. I’m an only child. I volunteer at a couple of children’s hospitals and play with them.”
“That’s…nice of you.” His chest heaved. From his research, he knew she visited the places her father’s company wrote checks to. But he had imagined quick, impersonal interactions more than actually volunteering her time.
“Do you see why it’s hard for me to believe my father is such an awful man? Because if it is…I’m not only losing my dad, I’m losing my career. I’m losing everything.” She glanced at him, then looked out the window. Her hands stroked the glass, the tip of her fingers slightly trembling.
He clasped the steering wheel. Getting what he wanted meant screwing her over. But she would get over it. And she would get over him. “Sometimes you have to lose everything you have to get something you need.”