Page 103 of Wicked Intention

“I know. Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

Zo wanted to ask him questions. Where had he been until this hour of the night? Why had he taken a shower? Why were his muscles so damn tense? But she was too aware of the cameras and microphones that surrounded them.

Before she could figure out what to say, Finn asked, “What did you do today?”

Zo frowned at the suspicion in his voice. “Not much. First, there was breakfast with Al. Smoothies, not real food. You would have liked them. I think it had protein powder and chia seeds.”

“And after breakfast?” Finn prodded.

“Al gave me permission to use his gym, so I ran about three miles on the treadmill and did some work on the shoulder and chest press machines before moving to free weights. After a shower, I had lunch with Tia Izel on the covered patio by the casita. Then, we chatted while we shared a pitcher oflimonada. It was nice,” she said.

More than nice. It had been a long time since she’d had hours to simply sit and talk with Tia Izel. Usually, the older woman was busy with the inn, or Zo was only in town for a day or two, and there were competing obligations. She hadmany friends in San Isidro. And today’s conversation had been light and pleasant, unlike the previous day.

“What about dinner?”

“It was a replay of yesterday evening. As soon as the dessert dishes were cleared, Al had me escorted to our suite, and I was told to stay here until morning.”

“The door was locked behind me,” Finn told her. “They were setting guards in the hallway when it closed.”

She made a humming noise. It wasn’t a surprise since they were heavily guarded at night. Zo wasn’t sure why because Al had to know it would be suicide to try to escape the compound.

“And that’sallyou did today?” he asked, tone bland. “Nothing else?”

Zo sighed. “Nothing,” she said. “I promise.”

“Have the same kind of day tomorrow, but it’s humid in Puerto Jardin, and you’re not used to it. Don’t push the workouts so hard. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.

Involuntarily, her arm tightened around Finn. She got the message—he wanted her fresh and not fatigued from her time in the gym. “How are negotiations going?” she asked. Al would expect her to want to know what was happening, so the question shouldn’t set off any alarms with his men.

“Things are preliminary.”

Something in the way he said it made her uneasy. Working a deal with Ramos and Silva meant Finn was walking a tightrope without a net. “Don’t force things before they’re ready,” she whispered. Fear choked her voice.

Finn stiffened. “Of the two of us, who’s the most impatient?”

She grimaced. “I am.”

“Is it close?”

“No,” Zo admitted. “You’re considerably more patient than I am.”

It didn’t mean he wasn’t trying to get things moving,though. She knew him. Finn wanted her and Tia Izel safe. He’d also be aware that it was only a matter of time before Tio Luis would try to take matters into his own hands again. Factor in his team, and there were a lot of balls to juggle. It would make sense to try to eliminate some of them.

There was no way to pin him down, not with the surveillance they were under, but she wanted Finn to know she was here for him. Maybe his former team was working with him, but she was his partner. She wouldn’t let him go it alone.

“I have a lot of experience negotiating. I could help if you need me.”

If she thought he’d been stiff before, his muscles became downright rigid now. “Zofia, do I interfere when you’re doing your job?” His tone was calm, but she knew better.

“No.”

“Then don’t interfere with me while I’m working.”

Finn untangled himself from her and turned on his side. Facing away from her.

Chapter Forty