Page 37 of Kinks of a Billionaire
“One and only.”
“It’s Asher.”
Surprise flared inside me. Asher usually corresponded with Winston, not me. The two had grown close over the past few years thanks to their common interest in precious stones and diamonds. Once in a while, we’d do a job together—like a jungle expedition to Ghana for Marie Antoinette’s diamond that Winstonhadto get back. Other times, I’d join the two for drinks or a chess match. They sucked at both.
“Really not a good time,” I noted wryly.
“Good thing I’m calling you to save your ass, then.”
My brows furrowed. “And how in the fuck are you planning to save my ass?”
A chuckle sounded on the other end. “The Lisbon police are looking for you. Apparently you’ve been accused of kidnapping some high profile’s wife, and of attempted manslaughter. The Harrises’ precious son,” he clarified.
“What?” I hissed, careful not to wake Willow up. “What kidnapping?” I didn’t address the manslaughter part because to be fair, it checked out.
“I’m sending you the police report,” he declared, and I pulled over to the side of the road. My phone chimed and I skimmed over the report.
“Well, that didn’t take long,” I sneered. Fucking Harris family. They were just like my father—corrupt to the core. “Fuck!” I’d counted on having at least a few days’ heads-up before Stuart pulled some shit. “Well, he got one thing wrong,” I remarked wryly.
“What’s that?”
“She’s my wife, not his.” Warmth trickled through my chest.
“Much like your brothers, I see you waste no time.” The remark struck me as odd, but before I could ponder on it, Asher continued. “I have a catamaran docked an hour from Lisbon. It can get you out of Europe. Airways will be a no-go.”
The offer was generous, but I couldn’t help my suspicion from rearing up. “And what do you want in return?”
We both knew he wasn’t doing this out of the kindness of his heart. But what he didn’t know was that I’d sign my fortune over to him if he asked. Willow was the only thing that mattered in my life.
“I’ll let you know when I decide,” he answered cryptically.
My gaze flickered over to my wife, and my mind was made up. “Drop me the pin.”
“I’ll see you there,” he responded, then ended the call.
I plugged the location into my navigation system, and followed it an hour in the opposite direction.
Once I parked, I came around the car and opened the passenger door. Willow never even stirred.
“Willow,” I rasped, nudging her shoulder softly. She’d changed into jeans and an emerald-green shirt, much to my dismay. I liked seeing her wear my shirts, so when I instructed Aurora to pack my bag, I had her put in a few extra, just for Willow. “Hey, sleepyhead,” I tried again. She was already a heavy sleeper, but I suspected her pregnancy was playing a role here.
Brushing a few strands of hair away, I pressed a kiss to her forehead, then lifted her sleeping form into my arms and strode down to the boat.
Asher was already waiting for us, wearing black jeans and a white dress shirt, unbuttoned at the collar. All he needed was a pirate hat and he’d hit the mark.
It was ironic actually, because the fucker was known for his pirate heritage. Rumor had it that his grandfather was a robber, smuggler, but also a treasure hunter. The stories about his family’s ruthlessness and legion of cargo ships circulated the business world as much as the mafia underworld.
But none of it mattered to me, because Asher was my ticket to getting out of Europe undetected.
“Did you have difficulty finding the place?” he asked, his eyes resting on Willow for a heartbeat.
“No.” I looked over at the sleek catamaran. It was large enough to sail across oceans. “Do I have to navigate the catamaran at all times?”
I’d gone without sleep for days while in the service, so it wouldn’t be something new, but I preferred to get at least a few hours of shut-eye each night.
“No, it has an autopilot system. It slows the boat’s forward motion and keeps it relatively stationary.”
I nodded, glancing to the side of the fancy catamaran. The name on the side of the boat,Illicit Sins, had me raising an eyebrow. “Interesting name.”
