Chapter Forty-Seven
The trip to Cuba took less than twelve hours. As promised, Miguel was there to pick them up at the designated meeting place.
Tony thanked the crew Melvin had sent to assist him and accepted a new bag of supplies.
Miguel maneuvered his yacht through the choppy waters of the gulf with the ease of a seasoned captain.
Tony stepped up next to the tall Cuban and stared out over the moonlit water. “Didn’t think I’d be seeing you again so soon.”
“You wouldn’t be here if it were not necessary, Mr. Vaughn.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Cuba kind of grew on me.”
Miguel glanced at him with a grin. “And here I was thinking you missed me.”
“I missed your tequila,” Tony teased, staring at the lights of the rapidly approaching shoreline.
They grew quiet for a moment before Tony asked the question that had been plaguing him for days. “Did you plan on seducing Naura the night she fled for her life?”
Miguel had the audacity to laugh. “As beautiful as Naura is, my friend, I would never attempt such an atrocity.”
Tony’s voice turned deadly soft. Although he was glad to know the big Cuban hadn’t made a move on Naura, it pissed him off that he obviously found her beneath him. “Atrocity?”
“Easy, Mr. Vaughn. I meant no offense.”
“Then what did you mean?” Tony growled, his body tensing for a fight.
Miguel gripped the wheel with both hands and locked gazes with Tony. “Naura and I carry the same blood.”
Tony blinked in shock. Surely he’d misunderstood. “You’re related to Naura?”
“I am sure you’ve heard the story about the king that took the native princess, Aiyana, for his bride.”
“Yes,” Tony muttered, attempting to piece it all together.
“Naura is a descendent of that king…as am I.”
Tony rubbed the back of his neck. “But how is that possible? I was told that Aiyana didn’t survive.”
“She nearly didn’t. The virus she contracted made her sick as well as her tribe. A lot of the natives didn’t survive, but Aiyana went on to live a long life and birth the king many children.”
“But how did the king take her below without a dive suit?”
“That, I don’t know. Perhaps he took her in the same way you came out.”
Tony hadn’t thought of that. “So, why don’t you live with the Bracadytes?”
Miguel grinned. “I do not possess gills, Mr. Vaughn. I’ll admit, I can stay underwater a hell of a lot longer than most men, and I have telepathic abilities, among a few other gifts, but I am more human than Bracadyte.”
Miguel’s story blew Tony’s mind.
“One more thing,” the Cuban voiced, guiding the yacht into its designated spot. “Miguel is a name I picked up when I moved here and bought a big piece of Playa Pilar. My name is Nicho Ozele. You can call me Oz.”
A lot of pieces suddenly fell into place for Tony. “The cartel?”
Oz nodded. “I am originally from Puerto Padre. I spent most of the first thirty years of my life running drugs for the Cuban cartel. My mother worked for Carlito Acosta as a whore, and she introduced me to the game at the ripe young age of seven.”
“Acosta is the leader I take it?”
Ozele nodded. “Carlito killed my mother after a john accused her of stealing from him.”
“Jesus,” Tony swore. “How old were you when she died?”
“Thirteen.” Oz switched off the engine and met Tony’s gaze. “I broke into his safe on the night I left and took twenty million dollars in diamonds before I killed him.”
“Twenty million dollars?” Tony swallowed hard. “Is that why the cartel paid you a visit last week?”
“No. Acosta’s son took over after his father’s death. He’s been looking for me since.”
“Then how did he find you?”
Oz pinched the bridge of his nose. “He didn’t. Some of my hotel guests happened to be cartel. One of them recognized me. Naturally it got ugly. The bastards got trigger-happy and shot up the place. It’s going to cost me a small fortune in repairs.”
“Any sign of them since?”
Nicho hesitated. “They will not be a problem any longer.”
Tony turned to go collect Naura. “You won’t get any judgment from me.”
* * * *
Nicho’s hotel sat a short distance away from the gulf’s shore, boasting of over five hundred rooms.
The Bracadytes were all in attendance, settled comfortably in their suits.
“It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen,” Naura remarked, holding Tony’s hand as they walked through the lobby.
Tony had filled Naura, Hauke, and Abbie in on Nicho’s secret. Now that the cat was out of the proverbial bag, Nicho felt it safe to come clean.
“He prefers to be called Oz,” Tony continued, glancing back to be sure Hauke and Abbie understood. “See you guys at dinner.”
Nicho strode through the lobby, speaking to Klause and another Bracadyte that Tony didn’t recognize. Oz said something else to the king before breaking away and sauntering over to kiss Naura’s hand. “We meet again, lovely one.”
Relative or not, Tony didn’t like the intimate touch.
“The king is searching for Vaulcron,” Nicho murmured, releasing Naura’s hand and meeting Tony’s gaze. “Perhaps an intervention is in order.”
Tony raised an eyebrow. “An intervention?”
“Vaulcron is with Mallory Cahill. And trust me when I say, this will not bode well for him.”
The growl Tony had been fighting rose up in his chest. “Where are they?”
“In Room 323 on the third floor.”
Tony was exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to take Naura to their own room, grab a hot shower, and make love to her the rest of the night.
He turned to his beautiful mate. “Go on to our room. I’ll be along after I speak with Vaulcron.”
“I’ll see that she gets there safely,” Oz assured Tony with a teasing light in his eyes.
Tony grinned in response. He couldn’t help it. “If you value your neck, you’ll stay clear of hers.”
“Yes, sir,” Oz saluted, taking Naura’s hand and leading her to the elevators.
Tony took the stairs, jogging up them two at a time until he emerged onto the third floor. Stopping in front of Room 323, he raised his hand and rapped on the door with his knuckles.
Silence.
Knocking once more, Tony twisted the knob and pushed the door open to find the room empty.
Damn you, Vaulcron. You’re playing with fire.