Lap of Luxury (Love Don't Cost a Thing)

Bethany starts and lets out a squeak. Mikhail whirls around, handgun raised, and sees me with the rifle propped up on my knee. Ciara goes white beneath her tan, and her mouth falls open in fear.

I reach up and squeeze seawater out of my short, wet hair. “You’re right, Misha. The Seychelles are beautiful this time of year.”

Mikhail moves slowly to the right so that he’s blocking Ciara with his own body. “Don’t call me that.”

My eyes travel over to Bethany, and she visibly swallows. “You little fool. What were you thinking jumping off the yacht like that. You could have died.”

She musters up a nonchalant shrug. “Doesn’t matter when you’re only going to kill me anyway.”

Weeks of hunting, and now everyone’s finally together. I should feel exultant, but there’s unease churning in my belly instead. Navarro’s out there somewhere, with God knows how many guns and men surrounding us. “I haven’t decided what I’m going to do with you yet.”

Mikhail jerks his head toward the front door. “Looks like you’ll have to get in line if you want your revenge.”

“Hello to you, too,” I say coldly. “Did you enjoy destroying everything we built together and selling your own brother out to the authorities?”

“Yes,” he says coldly. “Only they’ve been a thorough disappointment, because here you are. They couldn’t take you out, and neither could Navarro. But I promise you, I’ll kill you myself if you don’t leave now.”

I laugh lazily, but I can see the truth in his eyes. He’ll kill me to protect Ciara if he has to. She’s all that matters to him now. I glance at Bethany, and an ache goes through my limbs. I want to crush her to me and suddenly be far, far away from here. I wish…

I take a better grip on the rifle and turn back to Mikhail. “Your name came up while I was chatting with Navarro.”

“It did?” asks Mikhail.

“Yes. He wants to kill you. And probably her for good measure.” I nod at Ciara. She’s gazing back at me with her usual steely poise. I can’t seem to ruffle one little hair on her blonde head unless I slit someone’s throat.

Mikhail’s eyes spark with hot, angry antipathy. “Lucan Navarro wasn’t interested in either Ciara or me until you wound him up. Maybe if I give him what he really wants, which is you, he’ll leave the rest of us alone. Ciara, Bethany, go into the bathroom and lock yourselves in. Keep your heads down. There might be bullets flying all over the place in a minute.”

Ciara immediately starts to back away, until I lev

el my rifle at her. “Stay where you are.”

She stops. Bethany hasn’t even moved. She watching me with something like reproach in her eyes. Reproach, and disappointment.

If I have to tell you why you shouldn’t take revenge, then you’re not the man I thought you were becoming. And I don’t love you.

I turn to Mikhail. “You never loved Nataša. You never even told her you had a sister.”

Mikhail just stares stonily back at Damir. I glance between the brothers, wondering what silent communication is passing between them, but it’s impossible to read their expressions.

Mikhail’s opening his mouth to speak when we hear an explosion, one that echoes up and down the beach. I look at Bethany and indicate the front window, the one that looks out onto the water. “Open it. Just a few inches.”

She hurries over and pulls the curtain to one side. Over Bethany’s shoulder, flaming debris tumbles through the air and burns atop the waves.

The yacht has been utterly destroyed. All my men with it.

“Boris and the others were on the yacht, weren’t they?” Bethany asks. When I don’t answer she turns to look at me, anguish creasing her brow. “Damir?”

I stare at the flames. I can’t even feel anything as I watch them burn. Nothing is unfolding today as it should be, and I can’t understand why.

So I don’t try to.

I turn back to Mikhail like nothing’s happened. “Tell me, Misha. Why did you do it?”

Mikhail is staring out the window, but he hasn’t lowered his handgun. Bethany draws the curtain closed and takes a step toward me, but I stop her with a look. She fidgets on the spot, her eyes huge and sad. Boris and the others knew what they were getting into. Now they’re one more reason Navarro has to die.

“Mikhail!” I snap.

He turns back to me. “Why did I destroy the company and flee with Ciara? Because you told me to.”