Shadows and Silk (11 page)

“You were too young for me then,
” he said.
“A
nd in ways, you’re still too young for me. I should have never touched you four years
ago, but I couldn’t seem to help myself. Just like I know I’ll touch you again before
it’s all said and done.”

The whimper escaped before she could control it, and her eyes fluttered closed as
his other hand traced the underside of her breast.

“I know I’m no damned good for you, and your brothers should have shot me for touching
you.
And believe me, baby. They know I’ve touched you.
”

She jerked back, her breath heaving and fire in her eyes as she heard him try to explain
that he wasn’t good enough for her. That was a bullshit excuse if she’d ever heard
one. Something much deeper was keeping him from loving her the way they were meant
to
love
.
She placed her hand over his
heart,
the steady beat a comfort
beneath her palm
.

“But you’ve always been a light to my darkness, baby. And if anything happens to you
I don’t think my soul can survive it.
I
f I think for one second that you’re in danger
while we’re on this mission
, I’m going to throw you over my shoulder
and hide you away for good, Ramos
and your brothers be damned.”

He backed away and the softness that had been in his face for that brief moment was
gone, replaced by the determined hardness of his jaw. She was pissed off and turned
on in equal measure, and she was just about to open her mouth to let him have it when
he turned his back and walked away.

“You’d better get dressed. We’re already starting our des
c
ent.”

She stalked into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. It was either that
or start screaming.

“Oh, hell no,” Brant said, as Darcy came out of the bathroom fifteen minutes later.

The cobalt blue bikini top was nothing more than two tiny triangles and string, showcasing
her firm, round breasts to perfection. The matching sarong she wore barely covered
her ass, and he had a feeling if he ever saw the bikini bottoms he’d go into cardiac
arrest. Her black hair fell down her back in waves
,
and if the sway of her hips was anything to go by, she knew exactly how damned sexy
she looked.

“You’re changing the minute the wheels touch the ground. You can’t traipse around
Mexico half naked.”

“Don’t worry, sugar. I found the perfect place for my knife.”

The teasing glint in her eyes
and the images that one statement brought to mind had all the blood pooling below
his waist.
He sucked in oxygen and stared hard at her as she
calmly strapped herself back into her seat
to prepare for landing
.
His gaze ran up the length of her legs
, from the tips of her scarlet toes all the way up to the smooth, dusky thighs that
felt like silk when wrapped around him.
The sight of her had stolen his breath, and he was so hard he could barely sit to
strap himself in.

“You’re changing,” he growled.
“
And that’s final.”
His voice sounded like a stranger’s—
broken and husky.

She picked up a magazine and started flipping through it. “Everything in the boxes
you dropped off for me looks like this.
I guess you
weren’t the one to select all my clothing?
”

“No,” he scowled. But he was going to murder Jade the first chance he got. The agencies
had every want and need right at their fingertips, and
Jade had been the only available female in the area since
the plan had been for her to
arrive
in Mexico with Max
as another couple at the resort
. Brant had
only
had one request—that she pick a lot of blue
. Darcy looked like a goddess in blue. But Jade, sick sense of humor that she had,
decided to make his life a living hell by
clothing Darcy in as little blue as possible
.

“
I got the impression I’m supposed to play the part of trophy wife.” She smirked at
him over the top of her magazine. “I’ll tell everyone I’m your much younger second
wife
since you’ve always been so worried about our age differences
.”

If only she knew how right she was. His back teeth clenched together and he knew the
expression that
came
over his face—the one the other DHS agents called his killing mask. Thoughts of his
first wife never made him feel anything but anger.
Or
the need to kill her all over again for ruining
the one thing that
had
brought innocence and purity to his savage life
.

Brant
hated the hurt look he’d put on Darcy’s face. Of course she didn’t understand his
reaction to what
should have been a simple joke, but even the mention of his wife made him freeze.
He didn’t speak another word to her as the plane finally land
ed, and he grabbed the emergency bag with extra cash, passports and guns, and slung
it over his shoulder. Their bags would be brought
to the resort by their “guards,” and he and Darcy would drive
separately
.

The
ir covers were firmly in place and fairly straightforward. As Brandon Kane, he’d earned
his money the old-fashioned way—by inheriting it. And then he’d tripled his wealth
by making healthy investments and buying up real estate. Darcy had been right about
her cover. She was his much younger third wife, and the only thing she needed to worry
about was staying barely dressed and trying to seduce him. The high profile cover
was the easiest way to fly in
his own
personal entourage and use Declan’s private plane.

“Here are your keys,” one of Declan’s
men
said. “The
green
Jeep is yours. We’ll follow behind you
in the black one
.
” The
agent
stared
down at Darcy
, an uncomfortable look coming into his eyes
. “I’m supposed to give you a message from your brother.”

“Why am I not surprised by that,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “What is it?”

“He says to ease off your new husband and stay out of trouble.”

Brant recognized the look that came into her eyes, and he took a step closer just
in case he needed to protect the
man
.

“Since you’ve done such an excellent job of spying
for my brother, why don’t you give him a message back for me.” The
agent
took a small step back and Brant couldn’t say he blamed him. “Remind him mom and
dad still don’t know who hid the firecrackers under the wood in the fireplace.
Last time I checked, mom was still mad that her brand new leather sofa was burned
down to the stuffing.”
 

Brant’s lips twitched because he’d heard the story told a million times at different
MacKenzie
gatherings, and it was still a sore subject that no one would ever confess to, though
it had happened almost twenty years before.

Darcy left Declan’s
agent
shaking in his boots, and
Brant
followed the twitch of her hips down the stairs and into the bright sun. They both
slipped on their sunglasses and into the dark green Jeep that had been left for their
use. He couldn’t see her eyes behind the dark glasses, but he could tell by the stiffness
in her shoulders that she was still upset about his reaction earlier. And when Darcy
was hurt, she got pissed. They were in for a long drive.

***

The resort
where they were staying was
an oasis in the desert—a
mile long driveway lined with palm trees, and the ocean
play
ing
as
backdrop
to
a white stucco palace
that promised
luxury at every turn
.

They were greeted at the door by men dressed in
matching khaki shorts and white flowing button up shirts with the hotel logo over
the heart
. Drinks appeared in their hands, and the cold air in the lobby was a
welcome respite after the three-
hour drive they’d just made.

Brant put his hand at the small of Darcy’s back and she stiffened under his touch,
only to relax immediately
once she remembered the rol
e
s they were playing
. She downed the fruity concoction in her glass and then turned to smile up at him,
though he could see the strain around the edges.

An older man dresse
d
in khakis an
d a white polo approached them. He had a distinguished look about him, and Brant knew
from the dossier gathered about the resort that they were about to meet the owner
himself.

“Mr. and Mrs.
Kane
,”
the owner
said
, his smile genuine
.
“I’m Marco Luna
, and I’m happy to welcome the both of you to La Luna Resort and Spa.
Congratulations on your marriage. Everything has already been taken care of for your
arriva
l. You have the honeymoon beach
side
villa
for the duration.
Please let us know if we can do anything for you.”

Brant took advantage of the moment and pulled Darcy closer, sliding his hand around
her bare waist.
Her skin was warm and smooth as silk, and he smiled as he felt her breath catch.
H
er body
never lied when it came to the effects of his touch
.

“We’d like to get settled as soon as possible
” he said
.
“
It’s been a long drive, and I’m
sure my wife would like to freshen up and rest for a while.”

“Of course, of course,” Mr. Luna said.

He had to give the
owner
credit. He kept his eyes on Darcy’s face instead of checking out her body like every
other man in the hotel. The possessiveness
Brant
felt had him scowling in warning at those who looked her over a little too long.
Including Max, that bastard
, who was having a drink at the bar with a
woman who was as scantily clad as Darcy.

“Your luggage has just arrived, and our bellm
e
n will have it delivered to you shortly. My son will be over soon to
personally
take you to your
villa
.” Marco
looked around and his
smile
dimmed. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go get my son. Please, enjoy another drink,” he
said, signaling to a waitress from the bar.

Brant waited until Darcy had another drink in her hand before he spoke.
“The first item on the agenda is to find you something decent to wear,”
he
said. “It appears I’m the jealous sort
after all
.
And if I have to stand here and watch one more man stare at you like
you’re
his greatest fantasy
, then I’m going to end up killing someone.”

He flinched as she pinched his side and wiggled
that hot little body
closer. His
cock
responded immediately, and he turned
slightly
so she
hid his erection from public view.
His heart thudded painfully in his chest as he felt the softness of her breasts against
his chest.

“You’ll just have to deal with it
,” she purred, kissing his chest as she cradled his hardness against her belly.

“You expect me to deal with it? I’m not Kenneth, sweetheart. You won’t walk all over
me.” Things were about to get out of control. He could feel it.

Darcy’s hand slipped under his shirt and her nails scraped across the rigid muscles
of his abdomen. “I’ll walk wherever I damned well want to. Stop acting like a caveman.
It’s ninety degrees outside in October, and we’re at a resort. Look around you. I’m
wearing more than a lot of the women here
, including that woman by Max who looks like she wants to stab him with the toothpick
in her martini glass
.”

Brant grunted
,
but couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from the vixen in front of him
to see what was happening between Max and Jade
. “Stop wiggling that sweet pussy
against me or that’s about to change.
My control is at it
s limit, Darcy.
”