The next day passed slowly, and they reached the Panama Canal in the morning. After exiting the locks, they headed northeast toward Puerto Rico. Sutton had slept for a few hours then kept himself busy with his plans and his research. He tried to force thoughts of Liz far away and not allow the disappointment to creep in that she hadn’t sought him out at all today. Steve and Blayze had both reported that they’d seen her and she was doing fine.

Steve told him about watching her chuck her million-dollar wedding ring into the ocean. Fire raced through him. She’d kissed Sutton then thrown away the symbol that tied her to James. He wanted to sprint to her cabin, but he held himself in check and changed the subject, asking Steve how extensive his training was in hand-to-hand combat. He wasn’t a specialist in it like River, but Sutton was satisfied that his man could hold his own with just about anyone. He commended Steve for the quick action after discovering the bomb then dismissed him and sat back down to his desk.

Agatha brought dinner to his suite.

“You look like rubbish,” she muttered as she sat his plate down.

Sutton glanced sharply up at her.

“I simply speak the truth.”

He pushed a hand through his hair and inhaled the savory scent of chicken marsala. He’d prefer the smell of vanilla.

“How are you doing?” he asked Agatha, cutting a bite of chicken and mushrooms.

“Good as an old body can be. Just worried about you, my boy.”

Sutton shook his head. “Don’t worry. Everything’s falling into place.”

“I’m not talking about your silly revenge quest. I’m talking about the lovely woman who’s pacing the ship. Any time she encounters another body, she lights up in the hope that it might be you.”

Sutton swallowed some of Agatha’s creamy mashed potatoes without tasting them. He took a quick drink of water. “Liz is wandering the ship?”

“Get your well-shaped keister out of this chair and go see for yourself!” Agatha gave him a significant scowl and then slammed her way out of his room.

Sutton chuckled at her exuberance. Agatha would never change. His chuckle slid away quickly as he thought of Liz. What he wouldn’t give to be with her right now. He finished his dinner and pushed the plate to the side, returning to work. He’d already contacted the original builder of his house and explained he needed it rebuilt quickly, along with a large number of upgrades he’d been considering. The man had seemed thrilled with all his requests, and promised that demolition would begin the minute the police and firefighters finished their investigations. Money could definitely get things done.

Worry over who planted that bomb still gnawed at him. Zane and Cannon hadn’t found any motivation or suspicious activity with any of his cleaning crew or personal security team yet, but something would come up. The traitor would be revealed, and in the meantime, they had to stay the course.

The sun set outside his windows as he worked. He stretched and knew he needed to do something physical or he’d find himself rushing to Liz’s suite and ripping the door hinges off. Changing into a t-shirt and shorts, he slipped out of his room and down the hall to the onboard gym. His yacht didn’t lack much and could give some small cruise ships a run for their money.

Pounding through reps, he was on his third set of seated rows doing heavy weight and low reps when the door eased open. He spun to see who would intrude on his quiet time. His men were welcome to use anything of his, and that included his jet, yacht, and homes, but they were pretty good about giving him his privacy. He’d made himself into an enigma, and nobody seemed to want to disrespect his authority by intruding.

Liz sauntered in, her head held high, looking unreal in a fitted tank top and yoga capris. Sutton almost closed his eyes to protect himself, but that would be much too telling. He should’ve given Agatha strict instructions to buy Liz only loose-fitted clothing.

“Liz,” he whispered.

She planted a hand on her hip. “What?”

A small chuckle came out. “Nothing. I, um, you’re welcome to use anything in here.”

“Thank you, 008, for being so generous.”

The way she said his nickname had him grinning. She’d always been a smart aleck. “Anything for you.”

She held his gaze for so long he almost shifted, but he couldn’t back down. He was afraid she was going to make a comment about him saying “anything for you,” but she didn’t. She simply inclined her chin and walked past him, grasping a pair of fifteen-pound dumbbells and starting a set of lateral raises.

Sutton had always been impressed by her, but his estimation kept going up notches. She was tough, and she was sassy. He needed to tread very carefully.

* * *

Liz could hardly keep her head on straight in this enclosed space. Sutton’s sandalwood and musk scent permeated the small gym. Why couldn’t he reek of sweat like any normal man? There were mirrors on every wall in the workout space that boasted plenty of free weights, two different cable systems, a treadmill, a spin bike, and an elliptical.

Agatha had run to her room a few minutes ago and demanded she put on the “sexy” workout clothes she’d bought for her and get her skinny keister to the gym. Liz knew it wasn’t a great plan to chase down Sutton, but honestly, how could she resist?

She kept sneaking glances in the mirrors as she lifted, throwing her balance off even more than the steady motion of the ship that she was still adjusting to. Sutton’s muscular form was beautiful. The teal-blue, fitted t-shirt he wore displayed well-built muscles in his shoulders and chest, and the biceps and triceps peeking out of his t-shirt sleeves made it hard for her to concentrate.

She grabbed heavier weights and, resting the toes of her back foot on a bench, dropped into a deep split squat.

A sharp intake of breath came from Sutton. She glanced up and met his eye in the mirror. He was staring unabashedly at her. Liz arched an eyebrow and gave him a challenging glare. He hadn’t wanted to follow her last night. What did she care if it was hard on him to see her exercise? Eat your heart out, you git.

Liz finished twenty reps and switched legs. Her hands were cramping from holding the twenty-five-pound dumbbells. Standing on one leg made this a balance and core exercise in addition to strength, and the constant motion of the ship wasn’t doing her any favors.

She moved to lower her rear leg, and the heavy weight pulled her to the side.

“Ooh.” She cried out as she tried to bring her leg down for balance, but her foot hit the edge of the bench, and the yacht rolled the same way she was tipping. She had no way to stop her fall.

Sutton sprang across the open area and grabbed her around the waist, steadying her. Liz’s heart thudded against her chest as she found herself inches away from the one prize she’d always wanted. She glanced up and saw he was smiling at her.

“All right, then?”

“Yes,” she said breathlessly.

Sutton released her waist and took the weights from her hands, turning and shelving them. She thought he would move back to his workout, but he stayed in her space and looked her up and down. It wasn’t creepy like James and his friends’ looks. It was intimate and made her feel like she was worth much more than the diamond she’d chucked in the ocean.

“You’ve kept yourself beautifully, Liz.” His voice was soft and husky.

She flushed from the words, spoken so sincerely. It was odd how Sutton’s simple compliment made her want to give him everything when many men had complimented her throughout her life, expecting something. She’d never wanted to give them so much as a thank you.

“Thank you, 008. You look pretty fit yourself.”

Sutton chuckled. “Fit” was much flirtier in England than in America. His eyes swept over her face. “I heard you threw a right sizeable diamond into the water last night.”

Liz’s fists clenched, and she took a step back. Unfortunately, her calves hit into the very bench that she’d just tripped on. “I’m not his property anymore, Sutton.”

His eyebrows drew together. “I never said you were.”

“Then why …?” She couldn’t hold his gaze and focused on the dumbbells next to them.

“Why?” Sutton touched her chin and gently turned her face up to his.

“Why can’t you be with me?”

Sutton released her chin like she was a hot poker. A muscle worked in his jaw. He finally blew out a breath and whispered, “Oh, Liz. If only you knew what you do to me. You consume me.”

Liz’s heart was walloping in her chest now.

“If you could understand that,” Sutton continued, “you would understand that the mission has to take precedence right now.”

“Argh!” She threw her hands in the air. “You and your stupid mission. Why don’t you call it what it really is, Sutton? It’s a revenge quest.”

His lips tightened. “Yes, I want revenge on Gunthry, but this mission is about taking him out. He’ll never be able to touch you or your daughter again. Isn’t that what you want?”

Fear clawed at Liz’s belly. Did Sutton realize how evil and manipulative James was? What kind of resources and manpower he had at his disposal? “Of course, I want that, but you don’t understand how powerful he is.” Trepidation made her voice scratchy.

Sutton’s brow lowered. “There you go again, thinking Gunthry can best me. You don’t understand how powerful I am Liz.”

Liz looked over his muscular frame and his handsome yet determined face and the depth of his gaze that showed he was a man no one should trifle with. “I know you’re powerful, Sutton. No one would question that. But James is the devil.”

“A saint can always prevail over the devil.”

He smirked, and it infuriated her. Was he taking this seriously? He had some plan to take down James. Had he already forgotten what James’ men had done to River in Kauai? Yes, River and Ally had won the day the other night when they’d married right in front of him then escaped. But James would only be fooled once, and to prove that, he’d blown up Sutton’s home while it was crawling with Sutton’s men. He would aim to kill now.

“You don’t know how well-connected and unscrupulous this devil is.” A shudder raced through her. It didn’t take much to remember James squeezing her until ribs cracked or holding her head under water until she thought she would die for sure. Then blaming her pneumonia due to aspirated water on how much time she spent swimming. He was as evil as the devil and twice as subtle.

“I know everything,” Sutton said.

Liz held his gaze. He didn’t know the extent of her abuse. He couldn’t possibly know what he was up against.

“And I really wish you would trust me.” Sutton stared at her for a few more seconds then brushed by her and walked to the door.

“And I really wish you would love me,” Liz whispered to his back before the door closed.

She waited, clenching her hands together and wondering if he’d heard, wondering if he would do anything about it. It had touched her deeply when he said that she consumed him and that’s why he couldn’t be with her right now, but right now might be all they had. She shuddered to think what James would do to Sutton or her. Steeling her back, she walked to the weights, determined to finish her workout. This might be all the time she had with Sutton, but at least she’d committed herself to be strong. She would never be under James’ tyranny again.