Page 51 of Exposed

Hector smirked and stepped away from her, the hand holding the knife extended its index finger. “You are one lucky little cunt, you know that? Not for long, chica. He knows about you now. See you soon.” He slid the knife in his back pocket, unlocked the door, and slipped out. Blood surged through her head, drowning out her hearing.

She gripped the side of the sink for support.

He knows about you now.

Maddie swallowed. He could be trying to scare her. What could they possibly have found out? A woman entered the restroom. Maddie tucked her chin and went to the sink to washher hands. No way in hell she was following him out. The woman stepped in, her eyes wide.

Maddie met her gaze in the mirror. “He went into the wrong restroom.”

The older woman turned up her nose and scowled at Maddie. “And I’m sure he locked the door behind him.”

Disgust burned the lining of her stomach. She moved away from the sink and brushed past the woman as she exited the restroom. She needed to get a hold of Nate and—

Her chest collided with something solid and she staggered back. Her breath sucked in and she braced herself for attack. Firm hands grasped her shoulders and instinctively she pulled away and her back bumped against the wall.

“Hey.” Nate’s sharp voice broke through her fog. Her eyes lifted to his face and her muscles went lax. She should have known he’d come looking for her. “What the hell happened? I’ve been messaging your phone.”

Her eyes swung around the room wildly. He shouldn’t be talking to her. If Hector was still lingering around, their cover would be blown.

She swallowed and met his hard stare. Sweat collected at his brow and his shoulders bunched with tension. His eyebrows hung low over his eyes, the sexy smolder he normally surveyed her with now hidden beneath a shroud of suspicion.

She sighed and her fingers smoothed her hair behind her ear. “Hector just cornered me in the bathroom. But I’m fine.”

Nate’s jaw moved in a back and forth motion.

She winced, imagining his teeth grinding together.

A red tint crept up the neckline of his shirt and his hands clenched into fists. “Where is he?”

“He’s gone, Nate.” She settled her hand on his forearm. Heat radiated beneath his skin and she yanked her hand away as if it had burned her. She shouldn’t be talking to him and shedefinitely shouldn’t be touching him. But with him in such close proximity, her body gravitated to his like metal to a magnet. If anyone saw them huddled against the wall near the bathroom… she craned her neck around the wide expansion of his chest. No one paid any attention to them.

“Damn it to hell and back. I knew something was up. If he goes out tonight, can you call me? I need to know what happened.” His fingers opened and closed at his sides, and her skin grew cold. He was restraining himself from touching her, and it was taking all of her self-control not to throw herself into his arms.

She nodded and rolled her lips in. His knuckles brushed over hers and her hand snagged his, soaking in his heat.

His eyes collided with hers and his mouth parted. “Be careful, something is off. I can feel it.”

She squeezed his hand and then let go. “I know.”

“Ashley’s here. She didn’t see you go in the bathroom and called me in a panic. I’ll have her follow you up to your room when you go up, okay?”

Her tongue moved, but she couldn’t find the strength to speak. Her body ached for him, but she couldn’t have him. “Okay,” she said softly.

He flashed her a tense smile and moved past her and into the men’s room.

Her back stuck to the wall as if it had been superglued. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was safe… for now.

CHAPTER 17

Warning swelled inhis stomach. His gut screamed at him that the shit was going to hit the fan. Normally, he’d pull out. But how the fuck could he do that? They were in over their heads. He wanted nothing more than to drag Maddie off this ship and away from Carlos and Hector, but he couldn’t.

He cracked his knuckles and paced the bedroom floor. If Hector had cornered Maddie, it was because he suspected her. When they’d left earlier, Nate had carefully put back the audio bug and ensured he placed everything back the way it was. Nothing should have tipped them off.

Dread crept over him like black sticky tar. If they were suspicious, they could have planted their own audio bugs to listen in on Maddie.

He tunneled his hand through his hair. Jesus Christ, why hadn’t he thought of that? It wasn’t like him to miss details and not think several steps ahead—but he’d dropped the fucking ball because he’d been too busy making love to Maddie.

Making love. Shit. That was deep.

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