Page 46

I wasn’t normally the touchy-feely type. I’d never rubbed someone’s feet before, but she looked exhausted. Plus, I wanted an excuse to touch her after watching strange men do it all night.

Cruz narrowed his eyes like he knew exactly what I was doing, but said nothing as he pulled his jacket off.

He’d give me hell later, which was fine, but I’d beat his ass in the gym if he told the others.

CHAPTER 11

Derek

“Morning.” Emilia patted my cheek before sliding out of bed. I rolled over and glared as the bathroom door closed behind her.

For the second night in a row, she chose to share with me. When Javier offered his bed, she made a comment about me being the safest.

Because she didn’t see me as a man?

The way she acted around me versus the others made it clear she saw me as the little brother. I was the youngest, but only by a few months, and after everything I’d been through, I never felt my age. I’d seen too much, done too much for a twenty-four-year-old.

Typically, I didn’t care. I was fine with my title as the baby of the group, but it sucked that Emilia saw me the same way. If only she also knew I earned the label as the playboy and my body count was higher than the others. I wasn’t an innocent kid. I could fuck and kill with the best of them.

I kicked off the sheets and pulled on a pair of sweats. She didn’t even care that I only wore briefs to bed.

Cruz groped her the only night she slept with him, so it made sense she avoided him. But what about Marco and Javier?

It didn’t matter. She couldn’t matter, not like that. We were coworkers. Keeping things professional was a must.

The living room and kitchen were surprisingly empty as I passed through to the training room.

Marco was on the treadmill, but I ignored him and went to my set of throwing knives. One throw and my muscle memory kicked in. I surrounded the bull's eye in a perfect circle within seconds.

As I pulled them out, Javier came into the room, followed by Cruz.

“We need to go over some intel,” our leader announced.

I set the knives back in their case and met them on the mats. Marco immediately stopped his run. He crossed his arms, and Cruz shot me a smile. I ignored him. It wasn’t his fault I woke up pissed, but I wasn’t ready yet to be in a better mood.

“People are asking about her. They want to know who she is, where she’s from, where she lives now, and how to reach her. Not just Brazzi and Dias, either. She left quite the impression at the gala.”

“Taking yesterday off was a good idea,” Marco conceded. He and Cruz thought she should have made herself available, but Javier argued we needed to build her allure. I didn’t care.

“So now it’s time to dangle the carrot,” Cruz said with too much excitement. “It’s time for her to be seen.”

“How about we start these meetings when all members of the team are present?” Emilia scowled at us as she forced herself between Marco and Javier.

“Sorry,” Javier immediately apologized, something he didn’t do often—if ever. “It’s a habit.”

“You literally asked me to come in here less than two minutes ago. How did you already forget I exist?”

Javier ran a hand over his stubble. “Sorry.”

She rolled her eyes and turned to Cruz. “So where are we dangling me?”

“There are plenty of shops and restaurants on the island just north of us. We can have the boat take you over. Word should spread quickly wherever you’re spotted.”

“Just like that? How will people even know it’s me?”

“Because of this.” Javier held up his phone, and she cringed.

“That’s creepy.”