Unfinished Business (20 page)

Christy angrily paced around the room she had been given, trying hard to ignore just how beautiful it was; a bedroom fit for a princess. Earlier she had tried opening the door only to find it locked. She hadn’t been surprised.

She jerked her head around when she heard the door opening, only for her gaze to collide with same man who had paid a million dollars for her. Sheik Rasheed Valdemon.

She blinked, seeing she hadn’t imagined things. He was as tall as her brothers and Alex and was simply gorgeous. She tilted her head back and lifted her chin. Gorgeous or not, this sheik had no right to take her anywhere and make her his sex slave. She backed up when he entered the room. If he thought he would have her willingly, then he had another thought coming. She would fight him until there wasn’t any more breath left in her body.

“I see you are moving about,” he said after coming to a stop in front of her.

“Let me go,” she said, gazing into the piercing dark eyes looking down at her. She thought there was a possibility that he was well-versed in American ways since he spoke the English language so well. “If you let me go, I won’t implicate you in any of this. It will be my silence in exchange for my freedom.”

Sheik Valdemon sighed deeply. “I’m sorry, you are my guest and as such, I can’t allow you to leave,” he said, deciding to be as truthful with her as he could.

His guest
? Christy thought to herself.
What a laugh. Did he think she didn’t know of his plans for her when he had pretty much spelled them out to Senator Harris in front of her
? “Where am I?” she decided, already planning her escape.

“You are at my villa on the beach.”

He watched as she then lifted a haughty brow. “You might as well know that someone will be coming for me.”

Rasheed lifted a brow. She seemed pretty confident about that. Without saying anything, he moved to stand next to the window and looked out. Below he could see the beach and how the water was hitting the sea wall mercilessly. His villa sat high on a cliff, with the fortitude of a fortress.

Anyone who tried invading his estates would have to first make it over the seawall and then tackle the job of climbing over the huge wrought-iron gate that surrounded the perimeters of his property. Not an easy task. The villa’s original owner had lived a reclusive lifestyle, but Rasheed had fallen in love with it for an entirely different reason. It had been an architectural dream, and the view that was outside every window on the east side was breathtaking. It was a magnificent view that oftentimes brought a tranquil calm when his life became somewhat turbulent.

“Did you hear what I said?”

Rasheed sighed deeply as he turned around. “Yes, I heard you,” he finally said when her eyes narrowed at him like sharp spears. “And who is coming for you?”

Christy sighed deeply. She didn’t know when or how, but she believed in her heart that Alex wouldn’t hesitate to tear this country apart if he discovered her missing. He was good at finding people, and she refused to consider that the odds weren’t in her favor since she hadn’t left him any information as to her whereabouts.

Alex, wherever you are, please come and find me
, she inwardly pleaded.

“I’m waiting for your response,” Rasheed said, interrupting her thoughts and staring at her with curious dark eyes. “I asked who you thought would be coming for you?” If there would be another untimely visitor to the island who could impair the sting operation, then he needed to know about it.

Christy sighed and allowed herself a moment of silent, deep thought. This was probably the worst situation she’d ever found herself in, but with a keen sense of spirit and a strong sense of will she knew she would get through it. She lifted her chin and glared at him. “The person who’s coming for me is Alexander Maxwell.”

Rasheed’s brow lifted, wondering if the Alexander Maxwell she had just named was the same one that he knew. He walked back to where Christy was standing and decided that yes, they were discussing the same Alexander Maxwell. And given Alex’s association with the Madaris family, Rasheed really wasn’t surprised. He could see how this woman could have captured Alex’s heart.

“And you believe this Alexander Maxwell will actually come for you?”

She continued to glare at him. “Yes, I believe it.”

Christy watched as the man stared at her for several long moments without saying anything; the expression on his face was unreadable. Then he turned and left the room, leaving her wondering if she had made a mistake by removing what would have been the element of surprise. They knew Alex was coming and would be ready and prepared. She had unintentionally placed his life in danger.

She crossed the room and collapsed on the bed.
Oh, God, how could she have done such a thing
?

“The woman belongs to Alex Maxwell?” Terek asked in shock while watching Rasheed pace the wood floor.

Rasheed stopped his pacing and met his friend’s gaze. “It seems that way. And she is certain that he is coming for her.”

The two men had met Alexander Maxwell, as well as a number of the members of the Madaris family and their close friends, four years ago when Mowaiti had hosted a huge gala at the palace to thank Remington Oil and its associates for what they had done to improve life in his country. Rasheed’s jets had flown the entourage of Americans from Texas to spend a week in his homeland.

Rasheed chuckled as he crossed the room to pour two glasses of wine. “I find Alex coming here to rescue her as she claims rather interesting.”

“So what do you plan to do?” Terek asked, crossing the room to take the glass of wine that Rasheed was offering him.

Rasheed met Terek’s gaze. “Nothing. If Alex is coming for her, then that’s a good thing. Within the next day, members of the Kantar Cartel will be arriving for an important meeting. The FBI will seize the opportunity to finally bring the organization to an end when everyone is nestled under one roof. My concentration needs to be placed on that happening and not on our houseguest. The sooner she leaves, the better.”

Terek took a leisurely sip of his wine and then asked, “So will you get word to Alex where the Madaris woman is being held?”

A mischievous smile touched the corners of Rasheed’s lips. “And take the fun out of him putting his well-honed skills to work? Jake Madaris once mentioned how proficient Alex Maxwell is as a private investigator. According to Jake, Alex unraveled the plans of a madman determined to take Jake’s life.”

Rasheed shook his head, grinning. “No, I think Alex Maxwell is capable of tracking down Christy Madaris without my help. The only thing we should do is get prepared for his arrival.”

Houston, Texas

Moving with a stealthy grace that was unusual for a man of his size and height, Dex Madaris crossed the room to where his wife was standing with her back to him as she looked out of the window.

“Caitlin?”

Caitlin turned and smiled as a shiver automatically passed through her. Although they had been married for a number of years, her body never failed to respond to the strength and power that seemed to emanate from her husband.

The years had been good to him. Even now, his nut-brown features were still those of a very handsome man. It was hard to believe there was an eleven-year difference in their ages, but she could proudly boast that Dex Madaris had taught her everything she knew, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. And she of all people knew how hard it was in the beginning stages of a love affair for any couple. She and Dex had gotten married within weeks of their initial meeting, and because of a lack of understanding and communication, they had separated and had lived apart for four years before reuniting.

She wanted to spare Christy and Alex the pain she and Dex had endured during that time they had been apart. The last thing the couple needed was to deal with three overprotective brothers. That was the main reason Caitlin had agreed to go along with Syneda’s plan to stop the brothers from interfering, no matter what it took.

“Caitlin?”

When Dex said her name a second time and pulled her into his arms, she smiled up at him. “Yes?”

“My secretary said you called and wanted me to come home for lunch.”

Her smile widened as the corners of her lips tilted. “Yes. The girls are still at school and it’s Gregory’s naptime, so I thought we could spend some time together.”

“Oh,” Dex said, staring down at her. His charcoal-gray eyes were dark and piercing. “And what do you have in mind?”

A ripple of excitement combined with anticipation surged through Caitlin’s body. Dex could turn her on with a mere look, touch, and sensual suggestion. “A number of things, but I wanted to get your opinion about something first.”

He lifted a brow. “OK, what?”

“I think it would be nice if the two of us got away for a few days alone next week. I need a break and so do you.”

Dex gazed lovingly down at his wife. “Alone for a few days, huh?”

Caitlin grinned, knowing the thoughts that were probably going through his mind and looking forward to acting on all of them. “Yes, I thought it would be nice if we took a short trip to Galveston. You do remember our last trip there, don’t you?”

From the look in his eyes she knew that he did. They had spent a week on the beach and been saturated in the beautiful waters of the Gulf. They had gone there to be alone with the sole intent of making a baby. And they had. Gregory—named after Dex’s best friend from childhood, who had committed suicide when the two had been in college—had been born nine months after that trip.

Although they didn’t plan on any additions to their family, Caitlin thought it would be nice if they revisited the place that held so many special memories for them. Because of the opening of the Madaris Building and a number of work projects for Dex’s company, Madaris Explorations, they hadn’t taken the time to go away together. Usually they did group things with Dex’s brothers and their close friends.

“And you want us to go next week?”

She nodded, knowing of the plans he and his brothers had made for next week. She snuggled closer into his arms. “Yes. Next week will be perfect. Will you agree to go away with me?”

He pulled her even closer, and she found herself ensnarled in his seductive masculine heat. “There’s no way I can resist such an offer,” he said as his warm lips moved across her forehead before unerringly claiming her lips in a deep and thorough kiss.

 
What the hotel clerk was saying didn’t make much sense, or maybe he just wasn’t hearing the man correctly, Alex thought. He was well versed in several foreign languages, and the man was speaking words that were a combination of butchered English and chopped-up French and was definitely putting a killing on the art of conjugating verbs.

Alex decided to start over and take things slow. “I want to know the number to Christina Madaris’s room.”

The man shook his head and spoke rapidly. “She was to be our guest but never arrived.”

Alex lifted a brow. “She never arrived?” he repeated to make sure he had heard the man correctly.

“Oui.”

Alex wondered how that could be when Christy’s plane had landed a good six hours before his. “Are you sure?”

“
Oui
, sir.”

Alex immediately became troubled by that information. If Christy hadn’t made it to the hotel from the airport, then where was she? He opened his wallet and pulled out a recent photograph he had of Christy, one that was taken the year she graduated from college. She had sent it to his mother and he had made a copy of it. “Do you remember seeing this woman?” he asked the man.

The man studied the photograph and then shook his head. “No, she didn’t come to this hotel. We have her room waiting, but she didn’t come.”

Alex’s jaw clenched as he returned the photograph to his wallet. If Christy was missing he would turn this island upside down to find her.

She was planning her escape
.

Christy stood at the window and studied the scenery outside of it. The villa sat high on a hill and below, all she could see were cliffs and water, but she refused to be held hostage. The first chance she got she intended to escape and take her chances on the outside rather than the inside.

“Would you like to take a bath before dinner?”

Christy quickly turned around. A middle-aged woman stood in the middle of her room. Just like Rasheed, the woman was dressed in mideastern attire, and from her accent Christy could tell she spoke just enough English to get by. “Who are you?” she asked the woman curiously.

The woman smiled. “I am Hajji, a servant of the sheik. He has asked that I take care of you.”

It was on the tip of Christy’s tongue to tell the woman that she didn’t need anyone taking care of her; then she thought better of it when she heard the grumbling of her stomach. She was hungry, and a bath and change of clothes sounded rather nice. “Yes, I would like to take a bath before dinner. Do you know what the sheik did with my carry-on and purse?”

The woman’s forehead bunched in confusion. “Carry-on?”

“Yes, my luggage. I’m going to need clothes to put on after my bath.”

When understanding dawned the woman smiled. “Yes, I will bring you clothes.”

Christy nodded. “Thanks.” She then watched as the woman left the room. Christy turned back to the window. If this sheik thought she would remain here he had another thought coming. The first chance she got, she intended to blow this place.