“If you leave now, maybe my husband won’t kill you.”
Vander laughs as he takes another step toward me. “Your husband will wish he was dead soon enough.”
“Get the hell out.”
“You’re becoming repetitious, Katerina. I’m calling the shots here. You don’t understand yet.” Another step. “But you will soon.”
One more step, and he’s finally within range. I swing the stool at his head with everything I’ve got.
Vander throws up an arm and roars, ducking and charging at me.
I make contact with something and he grunts, but his lunge is far more powerful.
My feet slide out from under me, and together we go flying toward the floor. Pain shoots from my tailbone, back, and elbows, and I suck in a breath.
Vander recovers first, scrambling on top of me, pinning me to the tile. “You’re going to pay for that, bitch.”
Fear claws at my lungs as he rises above me, bringing the back of his hand down on my cheekbone. Hot, blinding pain rocks my face, and tears form instantly, trickling down.
“Don’t try me again.”
The evil stamped in his every feature makes my skin crawl with terror. With a buck of my hips, I roll, desperate to get him off me, but Vander’s weight is too much.
“Feisty little bitch.”
On my belly on the bathroom floor, I reach for anything I can get my hands on to use as a weapon. I snag the rug and whip it behind me.
Vander releases a low grunt before burying his fingers in my hair and yanking my head back. His other forearm comes under my chin, and my air supply is moments from being cut off.
I use my last full breath to scream.
“Dane! Help!”
Chapter 26
Dane
Something isn’t right. I can hold my liquor. I only had two drinks. My steps are uneven, and my limbs are taking on weight that isn’t there.
I shove my hand into the pocket of my shorts, searching for my phone. But I don’t fucking have it.
With each moment that passes, whatever I’ve been drugged with affects another part of my body. I’ve only got a few minutes, at best, before I lose consciousness.
Have to get to the room.
Have to get to Kat.
Can’t leave her unprotected.
Who would go through this much trouble to take me out? The list of possibilities is longer than I want to admit.
I take another step and my legs shake, threatening to collapse.
I’m not going to make it to the room.
Grabbing a palm tree, I steady myself and take a deep breath.
Have to get to Kat.
I force my brain to fight whatever I was dosed with.
Another step. Another stumble.
Who the fuck did this?
Anya or Andreas. They’re the only ones who were near my drink.
But why?
Sandals slap along the wooden walkway behind me as my lips begin to tingle.
“He should’ve already gone down. What the hell is wrong with this stuff?”
Anya.
Why? The question repeats in my head. I’ve never seen her or Vander before coming here, which doesn’t mean shit, but neither worried me enough to take steps to deal with them.
Losing your edge, Cross.
And it put Kat in danger.
A voice answers Anya. It’s Eduardo, the one who was outside when the fire started. A distraction, my sluggish brain recognizes. “You dosed him. Maybe you should’ve used more.”
I reach for the next palm tree and haul myself another step closer to the bungalow.
Have to get to Kat.
My thoughts are fuzzy now. The drug is overpowering me.
That’s when I hear her scream.
“Dane! Help!”
Launching myself off the tree, I charge toward her voice. My legs wobble like Jell-O, but I will— Something connects with the base of my skull, and everything goes black.
Chapter 27
Kat
My throat burns as I blink against the darkness.
Why can’t I see? Am I blind?
The tangy scent of salt invades my nostrils. The floor vibrates beneath me. I curl my fingers, but they’re bound together. Tape and rope.
I blink again, and a dim light shines from above. Stars.
I’m not blind. It’s dark.
The vibrations and the loud droning stop, so all I can hear are the breaking waves.
I’m on a boat.
Vander’s voice cuts through the quiet. “What do you mean, you’re not ready? I’m heading toward the coordinates.”
I can’t hear the response, so he must be talking to someone on the phone.
“You had to fucking leave Belizean waters? Are you shitting me? I’ve got the package. When the fuck are you going to be ready?”
The cold spray of ocean water splatters me and I still, not wanting to attract attention. My brain may not be firing on all cylinders, but I’m with it enough to know that information is my only weapon right now.
“Fuck. What the hell am I supposed to do? I don’t have five hours to float in the middle of the goddamned ocean, you fucking asshole. I’m not going back to Sweet Water.”
Another pause, and then Vander slams his hand down on something. “Goddammit, don’t you fucking tell me to figure it out. Get the boat back up here. Call me when you’re in position.”
“What happened?” a second voice asks. This one I don’t recognize, but it could be any of the employees from the island because it carries the same lyrical inflections.
“Change of plans. We have to find somewhere to wait for a few hours. The Belizean Coast Guard was sniffing around, so they went south into Honduran waters.”
“The Coast Guard? Not surprising, man. They sniff around a lot of those yachts. Making sure they’re not running drugs and sending smaller boats in to deliver.”
“Thank you for the Belizean maritime lesson, but what I really need from you is somewhere to fucking stop.”
“Hold on. Hold on. Lemme think. I might have a place. My cousin is the caretaker at Genie Caye. Shouldn’t be anyone there. New researchers come every other week, but this is an off week. I’m supposed to meet him there tomorrow to fish.”
“Where the hell is it?” Vander demands.