Page 71 of Last Ticket to Paradise

And her? As soon as she’d mentioned the lockers at the airport to Jake, he’d immediately assumed the numbers on the postcards were a combination to one of those lockers. Had he already known about the locker? He’d seemed almost angry that she’d kept the packet of drugs she’d found in Jamie’s room a secret from him—and she’d told him where they were.

The explosion at Jean-Claude’s bungalow? They’d gotten out safely, and he got to play the hero. Then he’d stripped her of her clothes and her inhibitions and completely enthralled her.

When Brice showed up, Jake probably thought he could get rid of her, let her down easy, and then she traipsed off to see Mrs. Bonnaire. He couldn’t risk her finding the locker and the bones on her own.

She put her hands to her hot cheeks.

“Liebling, Diego has ruined your evening. What does it matter? You’re here and Jamie’s not. Who cares that Jake had your sister first? He’s into you...too.” He snapped his fingers again for the waiter, who was carrying a tray of drinks. “Leave one of those for her...now.”

Gunther’s command carried authority, and the waiter placed a tall island punch in front of her to replace the one she’d spilled. She knew she shouldn’t. Alcohol never solved anything, but she just didn’t want to feel right now. Didn’t want her brain racing in a million different directions.

She sucked down half the drink in a matter of seconds, and then pressed her fingertips to her temples.

Gunther whispered to her. “That’s it,liebling. Make the pain go away just for a little while, and then you and Jake can mend things tomorrow. I’ll take care of you tonight. Let Jake deny it if it makes you feel better. Heaven knows, I’ve looked the other way plenty of times over Diego’s indiscretions.”

She lodged her tongue against the roof of her mouth and then finished the punch with her next go-around. She blinked, her gaze darting around the table at the laughing faces, the sparkling jewels, the smooth masculine charm. That was so much better. Nobody cared that Jake had seduced sisters—even if he’d tasted Jamie first.

She reached for her empty glass to tip an ice cube into her mouth, but the empty had been replaced by another drink, and she dived into the sweet concoction that let her float away and forget her suspicions about Jake.

As everyone rose from the table to have birthday cake at the pool, Georgette stumbled—just a little. She’d had two and a half punches. She could handle that, especially under Gunther’s care.

Gunther took one of her arms, and Diego took the other, and the convivial group converged at the pool. They parked her on a chaise lounge, and Gunther handed her another drink.

As Gunther blew out the candles on his birthday cake, Brice sat on the edge of her chaise lounge and snatched the drink from her hand. “Georgette, it’s time to come home with me now. I’ll forgive you these trespasses. I’ll even forgive you for sleeping with that...man. It’s clear to me what you were doing, even though these other people don’t know. You wanted something Jamie had, didn’t you? Wanted to prove that you could seduce Jake, as well. You did it. Now, let’s leave this hedonistic playground. It’s not for us, sweetheart.”

Georgette closed her eyes. “Go away, Brice. I wouldn’t have you if you were the last man in paradise.”

“Are you really going back to him? He’s using you, Georgette. A man like that doesn’t fall in love, especially not with a woman like you.”

Georgette put her hands to her ears. She was so tired of other people telling her what kind of woman she was. She had a pretty good idea of that now.

“Georgette...”

She pushed against Brice’s chest and staggered to her feet. She kicked off her heels and ran toward the beach, tears threatening to spill onto her cheeks.

Even if Jake had bedded Jamie first, she could handle it if he loved her now, but it was worse than anyone knew. Maybe he didn’t just bed Jamie, maybe he killed her. She’d had that wild thought before, but this time a sinister thread had woven its way into her brain. Perhaps, instead of a crime of passion, he’d killed Jamie to keep her quiet about the drugs.

As her toes hit the wet sand of the beach, Georgette doubled over. It couldn’t be true. Not Jake.

Sobbing, she crumpled onto the sand, her head swimming from too much of the potent punch. She needed to get herself together and march into Jake’s office to confront him.

She rose to her knees, squeezing out the wet hem of her dress.

Someone grabbed her waist from behind. “Liebling, why did you run off like that? I told you I’d take care of you. It’s not safe on the island for inebriated women like yourself.”

“Gunther?”

“Of course. I told you I’d take care of you.”

He helped her to her feet, keeping a hold of her wrist.

The sound of a motor came from the water, and Georgette jerked up her head. The almost-full moon lit up a boat bobbing on the high tide.

Gunther yelled in a guttural tone, “Hurry up and come get her.”

Georgette craned her head to the side to make sure it was Gunther still standing beside her.

He smiled and squeezed her arm. His voice returned to its dulcet tones. “It’s all right,liebling. You’re going for a little boat ride.”

She tried to yank her arm from his grasp, but he only tightened it and grabbed the back of her neck with his other hand. “Hurry up, Bones.”

A hulking figure jumped onto the sand from the boat and descended on them. He snatched her from Gunther and threw her over his shoulder, his fingers digging through the thin material of her dress and into her backside. “Slut.”

Georgette tried to scream as she squirmed against the hold Bones had on her.

Gunther clicked his tongue. “No point in struggling. You must realize that even a lightweight like you can’t get this wasted on two drinks. Relax and go with it, Georgette. Your sister did...in the end.”

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